The Whole Tone Scale is another symmetrical scale. Repeating intervals of whole steps.
(the diminished scale is repeating intervals of whole and half steps)
C whole tone scale is: C, D, E, F#, G#, A#, C
Notice it is a six note scale.
It only has two keys C and C#.
C# whole tone scale is: C#, D#, F, G, A, B.
This scale is mostly used over the dominant seventh sharp fifth or dominant seventh flat fifth chords:
Example using C as root C7#5 or C7b5.
Other chords from harmonizing scale the whole tone scale:
C augmented (C+, C#5) = C, E, G#
C maj #11, = C, E, F#
C maj #11/9 = C, E, F#, D
C7 (no fifth) = C, E, Bb (A#)
C7#5 = C, E, Bb(A#), G#
C7b5 = C, E, Bb, F#
C7#5/#11 = C, E, Bb,G#, F#
C9 (no fifth) = C, E, Bb, D
C9#5 = C, E, Bb, D, G#
C9b5 = C, E, Bb, D, Gb
C9/#11 = C, E, Bb, D, F#
Gb F#, Bb A#, F# Gb, (enharmonic) same note.
Also a common soloing technique is to play the whole tone scale one half step (fret) down in tone from the root of a minor or minor seventh chord.
Record C minor then play B whole tone scale against it. This is called outside or altered playing. (More on this in later lessons)
C minor seventh = C, Eb, G, Bb
B whole tone scale = B, C#, D#, E#, G, A, B
The notes of the B whole tone scale produce the following tensions =
B = major 7th
C# = flat 9th
D# = sharp 9th
E# = 4th (11th)
G = 5th
A = 6th (13th)
Now record (or have a friend play) each of the above chords for five minutes each and live (or on another track) play the C and B whole tone scales using quarter then eighth notes.
Now transpose these to each position (register) of your instrument, then to all 15 keys.
All materials copyright 2010. For personal use only.
Vince Lauria Sun and Earth Music
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