Altered Scale Seven Lesson Package Deal

Description

The altered scale is one of the hippest sounding scales in jazz. Any modern jazz player that you might listen to usually has a thorough knowledge of this scale.In this six lesson package deal, I talk in detail about the use of the “altered” scale. I break down the theory behind the scale and talk about different ways to think about it. I demonstrate a variety of ways showing how to use it over dominant chords and static grooves. This package lesson deal includes seven lessons on the subject of the altered scale including:

• The Altered Scale Lesson (Audio Lesson & PDF)-The altered scale is one of the hippest sounding scales in jazz. Any modern jazz player that you might listen to usually has a thorough knowledge of this scale.In this lesson I talk in detail about the use of the “altered” scale. I break down the theory behind the scale and talk about different ways to think about it. I demonstrate how to use it over dominant chords. I also include a pdf sheet of all 12 altered scales to work from.  (Audio & PDF)
• II-V-I Altered Scale Mastery-Lesson 1-Many of us have heard that we should “practice our scales”……In this lesson I show you a method to practice your dorian,altered and major bebop scales in all 12 keys.The goal of this lesson is for you to become proficient with all 3 of these scales and to be able to link them together effortlessly while playing through chord changes in any key.I have included a PDF of 8 sample exercises to get you started and talk about how to practice them with the play along provided.

  After practicing the material in this lesson you will no longer be unsure of how to connect these three scales together through II-V-I progressions. I demonstrate the examples on the tenor saxophone. (30 Minute Video Lesson, II-V-I play along in all 12 keys for Concert, Bb and Eb Instruments, 2 PDF chord and exercise sheets)

• Bebop Scale-Altered Scale II-V-I Practice Lesson-In this lesson, I teach you the importance of practicing blending your improvisational concepts together for maximum benefit and flexibility.  I demonstrate practicing playing over a ii-V-I progression while blending a dominant bebop scale with an altered scale and then into a major bebop scale.This is a great lesson to help review these three must know scales but also to practice thinking fast and finding connections between each of the scales in the moment. Really knowing your scales is more than just intellectual knowledge but has more to do with the ability to instantly recall these notes and know what choices you have in the moment.I demonstrate the concepts in this lesson on the soprano saxophone to one of the play alongs and give you many tips on how to best practice this material. (12 PDFs of  8 exercises in all 12 keys, 12 II-V-I play along tracks in all 12 keys, 35 Minute Video Lesson)
• Playing Outside-Shifting Altered Dominants Lesson-Playing Outside-Shifting Altered Dominants Lesson is a video lesson on using an altered scale based off of the V7 chord on a minor groove. Using this technique is a great way to create modern outside sounding lines while soloing. I provide you with a PDF in all 12 keys that shows you 4 different approaches to playing outside lines over these minor grooves. The altered scale, the whole tone scale, the melodic minor scale and the lydian dominant scale are discussed. Using this method is a great way to accustom your ears to hearing the tensions and resolutions involved in playing “outside” the chord changes.I also include a play along that goes through all 12 minor keys 16 bars at a time. I demonstrate the concept with the soprano saxophone. (35 Minute Video Lesson, 3 page PDF for Bb,Eb and C instruments, 16 minute minor play along in all 12 keys to practice to)
• Altered Dominant Substitutions-Lesson 1-I have been asked many times to do some more video lessons on the altered scale and sound.   The altered scale is one of the hippest and more modern sounds out there.  It is derived from the melodic minor scale and most modern players use it quite often on dominant chords.  By using the altered scale you create lines that use all the altered tensions of a dominant chord.  The b9,#9,3,#11,b13 and b7.  This gives the line or idea an “outside” sound.  A sound with a lot of tension and dissonance.  This type of  tension sounds terrific when it is used by an improviser that can control it.  The trick is to resolve it correctly.In Altered Dominant Substitutions-Lesson 1, I teach you how to play an altered scale sound on the V7 of a ii-V-I progression by focusing on a small segment of the altered scale and creating lines with these notes.  By focusing on a smaller selection of altered notes, you will find that you will come up with totally different and unique lines than you normally would using the altered scale as a whole.  The other side benefit of this technique, is that this concept is fairly easy to put into practice immediately and you will find yourself creating more melodic lines based on these altered segments.  This is a terrific lesson series to get into if you want to get away from your average stale ii-V-I ideas and play with a more modern hipper sound. (28 Minute Video Lesson & PDF)
• Altered Dominant Substitutions-Lesson 2-I have been asked many times to do some more video lessons on the altered scale and sound.   The altered scale is one of the hippest and more modern sounds out there.  It is derived from the melodic minor scale and most modern players use it quite often on dominant chords.  By using the altered scale you create lines that use all the altered tensions of a dominant chord.  The b9,#9,3,#11,b13 and b7.  This gives the line or idea an “outside” sound.  A sound with a lot of tension and dissonance.  This type of  tension sounds terrific when it is used by an improviser that can control it.  The trick is to resolve it correctly.In Altered Dominant Substitutions-Lesson 2, I teach you how to play the altered scale on the V7 of a ii-V-I progression by focusing on another small segment (different than lesson 1) of the scale and creating lines with these notes.  By focusing on a smaller selection of altered notes, you will find that you will come up with totally different and unique line than you normally would using the altered scale as a whole.  The other side benefit of this technique, is that this concept is fairly easy to put into practice immediately and you will find yourself creating more melodic lines based on these altered segments.  This is a terrific lesson series to get into if you want to get away from your average stale ii-V-I ideas and play with a more modern hipper sound. (24 Minute Video Lesson & PDF)
• Altered Dominant Substitutions-Lesson 3-I have been asked many times to do some more video lessons on the altered scale and sound.   The altered scale is one of the hippest and more modern sounds out there.  It is derived from the melodic minor scale and most modern players use it quite often on dominant chords.  By using the altered scale you create lines that use all the altered tensions of a dominant chord.  The b9,#9,3,#11,b13 and b7.  This gives the line or idea an “outside” sound.  A sound with a lot of tension and dissonance.  This type of  tension sounds terrific when it is used by an improviser that can control it.  The trick is to resolve it correctly.In Altered Dominant Substitutions-Lesson 3, I focus playing the altered scale on the V7 of a ii-V-I progression by focusing on another small segment (different than lesson 1) of the scale and creating lines with these notes.  By focusing on a smaller selection of altered notes, you will find that you will come up with totally different and unique lines than you normally would using the altered scale as a whole.  The other side benefit of this technique, is that this concept is fairly easy to put into practice immediately and you will find yourself creating more melodic lines based on these segments.  This is a terrific lesson series to get into if you want to get away from your average stale ii-V-I ideas and play with a more modern hipper sound. (28 Minute Video Lesson & PDF)