LearnJazzPiano.com archives: quick question on whole-tone scales/chords
ronald1 -- 11/01/2006, 06:13:54 -- #30862
am I right in thinking the only chords you can play wholetone runs on are Dominant7(5#) (or Dominant7(13b) obviously), or am I missing something?

7 -- 11/01/2006, 08:37:29 -- #30862
Also over 7b5, 9b5, 9#5, aug triad, majb5

Jazz+ -- 11/01/2006, 12:09:13 -- #30862
Correct

Also, the two whole tone scales sound odd and you can go bitonal and experiment with them by superimposing them over other chords rather than the conventional scale/chord association.

jwv76 -- 11/01/2006, 16:21:22 -- #30862
I use them in quite a number of different places over nearly any kind of chord quality, even if the notes clash with the chord it's an interesting way to create a little tension, or "outside" sound, and then resolve back into the chord. One example might be if you are in a spot in a song where you have a C minor chord for a few bars I might play an F-G-A-B-Db=Eb whole tone lick for a measure, or half a measure, then back to C minor. I'm basically super-imposing a G7+ chord over the C minor chord. Works well over C min6 C min maj7.

Mike -- 11/01/2006, 20:38:57 -- #30862
Incorrect

It depends on how you organize your melodic concepts.
you can think of F whole tone scale as being available on D minor 7 for example.  It is just not as ingoing a choice as F lydian.  It is a scale you might be more wise to experiment with at a jam session than while trying to secure a high paying dinner gig at the local Five star restaurant.

jwv76 -- 11/01/2006, 22:41:02 -- #30862
"If it sounds good, then it is good." -Duke Ellington

pphilip -- 11/02/2006, 13:19:15 -- #30862
Can't argue with the Duke.

Mike -- 11/02/2006, 13:26:11 -- #30862
The Duke had a way of stating the obvious that made it seem like no one else ever opened their eyes or had ever even stoped to listen to anything before.

gsandberg -- 11/03/2006, 00:12:09 -- #30862
You can play a whole tone scale over any dominant chord that resolves a fourth up and it sounds fine.

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