I’ve always been a fan of Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, and more recently, Matt Schofield. Influenced by the jazz language, they will use more complex ideas but don’t sound brainy doing it. Also, what they’re playing is just as important as where they’re playing it. More commonly used by jazz players, the half-whole diminished scale and diminished 7th arpeggio are right at home in a blues setting, and we’ll be discussing ways to use them over a 12-bar blues.

In Fig. 1, the first measure is the A Mixolydian mode (1–2–3–4–5–6–b7), the scale typically used over dominant 7th chords. In the second measure, our diminished scale starts on A and is built with alternating half-step and whole-step intervals, creating scale tones 1–b9–#9–3–#11–5–13–b7. When using this scale over an A7 chord, you not only get the basic chord tones (1–3–5–b7) and the 13th, you also have a few chord alterations (b9, #9, and #11) that will create some musical tension. The rule of thumb is to play a half-whole diminished scale from the root of your dominant 7th chord. I’ve included both scales so you can hear the difference between the insideness of the Mixolydian mode and the altered sound of the diminished scale. The fingering I’m using for the diminished scale is not as common as some, but it’s eerily similar to the A Mixolydian mode. Practicing both scales back to back will help you to see where the altered tones lie on the fretboard.

In addition to scale-based lines, diminished arpeggios will also create some tension and inject a little angularity to your solo. There are two diminished 7th arpeggios that you can get from the A half-whole diminished scale: Adim7 (A–C–D#–F# or 1–#9–#11–13) and Bbdim7 (Bb–C#–E–G or b9–3–5–b7). The Bb arpeggio fits the A7 chord better because it contains more chord tones than the first.

The first half of Fig. 2 is the A7 arpeggio followed by the Bb diminished 7th arpeggio. The rule of thumb here is to start the diminished arpeggio a half-step above the root of your dominant 7th. Again, both arpeggios are included so you can hear the difference in their sound.

Musical Disclaimer: It’s not that you couldn’t use the Adim7 arpeggio, just be aware that it will sound more “outside” than the Bbdim7. Altered scales and arpeggios are important for creating the musical tension you so desire. But remember, musically resolving your temporary tonal excursion is just as important, if not more. Plan it out! Aim for chord tones in the following measure or jump back into the tried-and-true minor pentatonic scale. Otherwise, prepare yourself for the “don’t taze me bro” type of reaction you’ll get from your bandmates.

We’re going to apply the half-whole diminished scale to a standard 12-bar blues in the key of A, as shown in Fig. 3. Harmonically, it’s pretty straightforward using only A7 (I), D7 (IV), and E7 (V). Because each chord is a dominant 7th, you could use a half-whole diminished scale in every measure if you wanted, but that would be all tension and no release. So, where are you going to use the diminished scale? You want to use it at places where there is a V–I chord progression (measures four and five, measures 12 and one), or any time you go back to the I chord (measures six and seven, measures 10 and 11).

We tackle the first place in the form where the diminished scale can be used (measures three through five) in Fig. 4. You might be thinking “A7 to D7 isn’t a V–I chord progression,” and it isn’t. In the key of A, that is. Pretend for a minute that you are in the key of D where V–I is now A7 to D. This theoretical slight of hand is referred to as a secondary dominant and temporarily makes A7 the “new” V chord. Your solo will have some forward motion by adding tension to the end of the first phrase. It will sound like you’re modulating to a new key, but you’re actually setting up the release of tension when you get to D7. This lick starts with the A minor pentatonic in measure three, uses a Pat Martino-style phrase from the A half-whole diminished scale in measure four, and resolves to F#, the third of D7 on the downbeat of measure five.

We capitalize on the move back to the I chord in Fig. 5. With a nod to Wes Montgomery, this D half-whole (D–Eb–F–F#–G#–A–B–C) diminished run in measure six is actually one measure long, but is displaced by one count. By starting this lick on beat 2, you delay the resolution and create a little more tension—subtle, but noticeable. The actual resolution happens with the half-step bend to C# on beat 2 of measure seven. The A minor blues scale is used to begin and end the entire line, flanking your diminished sensibilities with some meat-and-potatoes guitar playing.

The last phrase of a blues is where all the action is. From bluesy pentatonic licks to fusion-infused diminished lines, there are many tools at your disposal. Fig. 6 starts with an A Dorian (A–B–C–D–E–F#–G) flavor by using a half-step bend to C natural and an F# in measure nine. You could use the E half-whole diminished scale (E–F–G–Ab–Bb–B–C#–D) in this measure if you’re looking to ratchet up the tension from the beginning! Measures 10 and 11 is another “return to the I chord” situation, using an Eb diminished 7th arpeggio pattern over D7 that resolves to A minor pentatonic material, reminiscent of Robben Ford or Matt Schofield. The end of this phrase uses the E half-whole diminished scale, leaving out the 13 and #11, but emphasizing the b9 and #9, as well as chord tones of E7. Also, the line starts at the very end of measure 11—half a beat early—and resolves on beat 4 of measure 12. Things don’t always have to line up with the bar lines. Starting and ending your phrases before (or after) they’re supposed to is a very hip and effective way to create tension.

These are just a few ways to use the half-whole diminished scale and diminished arpeggios over a blues. Drag out your looper, try them at different spots, and let your ear decide. Incorporate other fingerings, experiment with scale and arpeggio combinations, and remember to work out resolutions to your lines. You’re probably only a half-step away from resolution.

Pete Weise has a B.M. and M.M. in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas, is an Associate Professor of Jazz Guitar at Collin College, faculty of the National Guitar Workshop, and teaches privately at the Guitar Sanctuary and the Fine Arts Academy at FBC Keller. He leads his own jazz fusion quartet and is a freelance guitarist in Denton/Dallas, Texas. Visit peteweise.com for more information.

Read more: http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2012/Sep/Beyond_Blues_Diminished_Capacity.aspx#ixzz25PZnKBCu

(pdf and sound tracks here)

from Mike Pachelli

A good barometer of a guitarist’s musicality is the way he plays the blues. His influences and musical vocabulary are all exposed when you hear him solo over some 12-bar changes. The way he substitutes chords and scales reflects his ability to comprehend and infuse other musical possibilities and styles. In this lesson, we will look at 10 essential phrases that you can intertwine into your current vocabulary for the next blues jam session. In order to keep things easy to understand, all the examples are in the key of G—but make sure to learn how to visualize patterns and transpose them to other keys.

One of the first scales a guitarist learns is the minor pentatonic (1–b3–4–5–b7). It’s nearly impossible to develop an authentic-sounding blues vocabulary without becoming very familiar with this scale. Check out the fingering in Fig. 1. Learn it. Love it.

The two most common bends in the minor pentatonic scale start on the 4 (going to the b5 or “blue note”) and the b7 (bending up to the root). In Fig. 2 you can see a short phrase that can be used over measures five through eight in a typical blues progression.

The great Michael Bloomfield was one of the first guitarists I heard to bend the 5th degree of the scale (D) up to the sixth (E). The phrase in Fig. 3 starts off with a Bloomfield-approved bend before moving down to a bend that resolves the b3 (Bb) to the natural 3 (B).

Another Bloomfield trick was using a minor scale over a dominant blues. In measure nine of a typical blues form, you can set up a IIm-V7 sound by using A Dorian (A–B–C–D–E–F#–G) as shown in Fig. 4. We target the b7 and 6 in Fig. 5. Make sure to add a little snap on that quarter-step bend before resolving to the root on beat three.

When I was on the road with organist Jack McDuff, he was adamant about using a VI7 chord in the eighth measure of a 12-bar blues. This gives the progression some tension before heading into the final four measures of the form. Not only was the chord a dominant 7, but it was also altered—usually with a #9. Try the phrase in Fig. 6 in measures seven and eight next time you’re faced with an altered-dominant chord.

Another scale that works great over an altered VI7 chord is the super Locrian scale (R–b2–b3–b4–b5–b6–b7). There are a few ways to think about this. You can either go by the formula based off the major scale, as shown here, or visualize it as the seventh mode of a melodic minor scale. For our purposes (E7#9), that would be F melodic minor. You can see a quick and easy fingering for this scale in Fig. 7 and a lick that demonstrates this tense sound in Fig. 8. This sound works great over the V7 chords in a minor IIm-V7 progression as well.

Alto saxophonist Charlie Parker was a master of twisting in and out of chord changes. Many of his original melodies or “heads” are extremely valuable for understanding how he approached blues progressions. In Fig. 9 we can see how he would play over a minor IIm-V7 progression. Plug this into measure eight to really turn some heads and lead into the IIm chord in measure nine.

We finally hit the turnaround in Fig. 10. The phrase starts out with the A Dorian mode we looked at earlier before we get to a C/D chord. This type of chord is called a slash chord. A slash chord consists of a basic triad (the left side) along with a bass note (the right side). Our chord here is a C major triad (C–E–G) over a D bass note. This creates a D9sus-type of sound before resolving to G.

In Fig. 11 we use contrary motion to create a familiar-sounding ending. Contrary motion is when you have two musical lines moving in opposite directions. Check out how the lines split and move away from each other to open up the harmony. Work out the fingerings before tackling this at faster tempos.

There’s an entire universe of chord, scale, and lick possibilities for a 12-bar blues. You have to keep true to the genre of blues you’re playing (don’t use bebop lines in a Muddy Waters song) but it’s good to have a large musical vocabulary so you can choose your notes and be a more interesting improviser.

Mike Pachelli has performed with many eclectic blues, jazz, and rock musicians including Brother Jack McDuff, Albert King, Michael Sembello, Jeanne Mas, and Phil Keaggy. Pachelli has released 16 albums, authored instructional books and DVDs, and is the recipient of 10 gold/platinum RIAA awards. For more information, visit mikepachelli.com.

(Pdf and Sound tracks here)  and printed doc