Jazz Etude #5

by Per Danielsson

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The melodic minor scale is often used over Dominant 7 chords. For instance, if you have a C7alt chord, you would use the C altered scale which is the D melodic minor, played from C-C. This scale is also called super locrian or diminished whole-tone. This etude will demonstrate how to use the melodic minor scale over each of the chords in a minor ii-V-i progression. The tricky part is that you have to think of three different melodic minor scales.

When using the melodic minor over a ii(5) chord you should use the 6th mode of the melodic minor scale. If the chord is Dmin7(5), use F melodic minor. (D is the sixth scale degree of F melodic minor). It might be easier to think of the melodic minor scale a minor third above, or a sixth below the chord.

ii chord	F melodic minor, played from D-D
V chord	A melodic minor played from G to G
i chord	C melodic minor, played from C to C

A nice tension effect is created by playing a min(maj7) before resolving to min7 chord. The melodic minor scale fits over the min(Maj7) chord.

Practice the following etude slowly and listen carefully to the melodic minor sound. In the fourth bar of each key the chord resolves to a minor 7th chord with a dorian sound. When you are comfortable with the scales, use them to create patterns and ideas of your own to experiment with in your improvisation.