![]() John Coltrane is known for his in-depth study of scales and musical relationships. Let’s take a look at the 10 diminished patterns that will transform your solos… I. ![]() We’ve searched through scores of famous solos – from Coltrane to Brecker, Herbie Hancock and beyond – to find useful examples of the diminished sound that you can use in your own solos. However, by thinking of the diminished chord structure as a whole, you open up many other possibilities ( that can include scales and much more).Īnd this will become apparent when you study at the examples below… And thinking of only one scale can put you in a box. Keep in mind that every example that we’ll show below is built off of this basic structureīut wait…why not just think of a diminished scale?īecause a scale is just one option for accessing a diminished sound in your solos. ![]() ![]() ![]() Start by being able to visualize this structure from any starting note, (remember there are only 3 options). For example, if you play that F# fully diminished over a C7… Whichever V7 chord you choose to apply it to, you’ll always highlight the root, #9, #11, and 13 of that dominant chord. Applying this diminished structure over a V7 sound is an easy way to access the altered notes of a dominant chord in a logical way.Īnd again, since the construction of the structure is symmetrical you can apply this sound to any dominant chord built from the related chord tones: (C7, Eb7, F#7, A7) The most common way you’ll use this sound in your solos is over dominant chords. That’s it – the pattern just repeats itself. You see, the premise of a diminished chord or pattern is simple, but when you start applying this sound to your solos, the details can get complex very quickly.Īnd this is exactly what we’re going to look at today… Stacking minor thirds…īefore we start digging in to these diminished patterns, you need to start with an understanding the structure of the diminished chord.Īnd luckily it’s pretty straightforward, a fully diminished chord is simply a stack of minor 3rds…īecause the construction of these chords is symmetrical, there are only 3 diminished options: a stack of minor 3rds from C, from C#, and from D. But it’s a sound that the greatest players – from John Coltrane to Michael Brecker and beyond – have used to add harmonic complexity and melodic interest to their solos.Īnd it’s one that you can use in your solos as well…if you have the know-how. What comes to mind when you hear the word diminished? A chord? A scale? Wait, is it whole-steps and half-steps…or the other way around? If you’re like most players, the diminished sound often creates more questions than answers. ![]()
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