How to Use the Diminished Scale in Jazz Improvisation
The diminished sound has long been a favorite of jazz players. A diminished scale has a very predictable and repeatable pattern. It is spelled half step/whole step/half/whole/half/whole etc. There are 12 dim scales that start with a 1/2 step, but you can imagine that with a pattern that is so repetitious, eventually you will start repeating yourself.
In reality there are only three. The following are the same: G Bb Db E. If I start anyone of these diminished scales I will notice that they are the same notes, just starting in different places (much like playing in modes). The next scales that are the same are: A C Eb F#. The last set that is the same is: B D F Ab. If a player learns G, A and B diminished scales, in reality they have learned all 12 scales. The trick is to play the correct one.
If a composer wants the diminished scale to be played, the symbol is G7b9. In a case like this, I would use the G dim. Scale. Note that I could also use the Bb, Db or E diminished scale since they are all identical.
The symbol G7b9 does not fully describe all of the notes that are in the chord symbol. In addition to having a b9, it also contains a #9 and a #4. You will also notice that it does not contain the natural 9. Keep in mind that the chord symbol is not necessarily the name of the scale I will use e.g. G7b9 doesn’t mean I play a G7b9 scale, but I use a diminished scale. So, if I see D7b9 I can play a D diminished scale starting with a 1/2 step.
The normal way to form a chord for any given scale is to take the 1 3 5 7 9 of the scale. With diminished scales it is slightly different. The basic chord for any diminished scale is formed in the following way: base the chord on the regular dominant 7th scale and spell it as 1 3 5 b7 b9.
Remember that the chord has a b7 because it is a dominant 7th. At this time we need to discover the other 12 diminished scales. ALL of our dim scales so far start with a 1/2 step. The other 12 start with a Whole step. As you may have figured out this brings our total number of them to 24; there are 12 that start with a whole step, and 12 that start with a half step. You may also have figured that there are still only three diminished scales. The chord symbol for a diminished scale starting with a whole step is G followed by a small circle. This is called fully diminished. The basic chord is 1 b3 b5 6 8. Notice that it is a stack of minor third intervals. This chord is NOT a dominant.
Now if I know a G diminished that starts with a 1/2 step, I really have learned the following scales: G, Bb, Db and E (all of these starting with a 1/2 step) and Ab, B, D and F (all of these starting with a whole step). I learn one and I know eight; eight for the price of 1! Now for the application of the diminished.. Any time I have a dominant 7th resolving up a 4th (down a 5th) to the one chord, I can replace the dominant with the diminished. For example: D-7 G7 Cmaj, becomes D-7 G7b9 Cmaj.
By: Pete Swiderski
Posted in: Jazz Festivals