Welcome to Scale Club! This is the second video in my Scales Club series, where we will explore lots of different scale types for when we improvise on the saxophone. In this video we take a look at another important option for when we improvise over a Dominant 7th Chord: The Half-Whole Diminished Scale.
Let’s get to it!
Format of the Scales Club: Half-Whole Diminished Scale Video Lesson
In the video lesson, we cover the formation of the Diminished Scale, and how we can use the Half-Whole version of it for when improvise over a dominant 7th chord.
Plus, I introduce an alternative option to the usual major scale – that of the Lydian Mode – for when we play over major 7th chords!
You’ll get to improvise over a Chord I to Chord V progression, with the Half-Whole Diminished scale used for the V (dominant) chord and your choice of either the Major Scale or Lydian mode for when you improvise over the chord I, major 7th.
In this video lesson, Bb Saxes are in the key of G major and Eb Saxes are in D major.
Firstly, we’ll cover the Major Scales, Lydian Modes and Half-Whole Diminished Scales that we’ll be using. Then we look at why we can use them over a major 7th chord or dominant 7th chord, as the chords/arpeggios are contained within them.
We’ll trade 8 bars each, improvising over a slow, even eights, rhumba and flamenco inspired groove.
Each 8 bars is divided into two 4 bars sections, with the first 4 bars improvising over a chord I using your choice of either the Major Scale or Lydian Mode, and the second 4 bar section improvising over a chord V using the half-whole Diminished scale.
You’ll get 6 goes at the progression in this video.
Free PDF & Backing Tracks Download Form
Fill in the below form and receive the free PDF of the improvisation exercise used in this video written out in all 12 keys, as well as backing tracks for each key organised into separate folders for either Bb or Eb saxophones.
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Let me know how you get on in the comments!
Please do check out the other video lessons on my saxophone teaching YouTube Channel, and please do like and subscribe! You can also find most of the videos from in the Blog section of my website.
If you have any queries or would like to know more about my teaching, do get in touch.
Happy practising!
Best wishes, Nathan