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You are here: Home / Jazz Lessons / Playing Outside-4 Tonic Dominant b9 Pentatonics-Lesson 1
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Playing Outside-4 Tonic Dominant b9 Pentatonics-Lesson 1

Playing Outside-4 Tonic Dominant b9 Pentatonics-Lesson 1

Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 1 customer rating
(1 customer review)

$9.99

Categories: Jazz Lessons, Modern Improv Tags: 4 tonic, jazz improvisation, pentatonics, saxophone, video lesson
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  • Reviews (1)
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Description

Playing Outside-4 Tonic Dominant b9 Pentatonics-Lesson 1 is the first lesson in a new lesson series based on the concept of using a dominant b9 pentatonic scale in 4 different keys over a minor tonality to create hip modern lines.

These great sounding pentatonic lines are all taken out of the diminished scale and give you some great approaches to creating lines that sound “outside”. I include a PDF with the Dominant b9 Pentatonics written out in the 4 keys we will be working on in this lesson. I also have written these lines out in 8 different pentatonic patterns for you to practice.

In this 36 minute video lesson, I take you through the steps in learning these 4 pentatonic scales and then show you how to best practice them to the play along. I demonstrate them for you to the playalong with the soprano saxophone. This is a great lesson to give you a unique way to create lines over a minor groove or minor ii-V-i progression. It’s also a great lesson to give you more insight and use of the diminished scale while soloing. (36 Minute Video Lesson, PDF of patterns in Bb, Eb and C, Playalong in C Minor Concert)

1 review for Playing Outside-4 Tonic Dominant b9 Pentatonics-Lesson 1

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    Rated 5 out of 5

    Stuart (verified owner) – June 16, 2026

    Wow! I bought this lesson some time ago, and after finally writing it all down, I just now started to get it! This is so cool! The “dom b9” pentatonic is sweet! I mean, dissonance never sounded so good! I just spent a couple of hours playing it and its 3 sisters over minor ii-Vs – and I just love it. It’s easy to remember the pentatonic, and having 4 of them to choose from keeps it from sounding too rote (even though that’s exactly what it is). It’s funny, at the beginning of the lesson, you warn us that it the subject is convoluted, but it’s actually beautiful, in a Douglas Hofstadter kind of way. [btw: in his book Around The Horn, Walt Weiskopf uses this pentatonic as his “arpeggio” for the fifth mode of the harmonic minor.] Now if I could just master Bergonzi’s patterns…

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Testimonials

Hi Steve,

First, I want to thank you for all of your great lessons. They are like a “For Dummies” version of all the books on my shelf. The lessons break things down into manageable pieces, and give me the confidence that I’m practicing the right pieces. I’m starting to make progress.   Thank You,   Kim

Kim

Steve,

I have played for many years and have enjoyed going “back to the basics” in some of your lessons!  You have such a gift for explaining concepts.  As I have gotten older, some of the basic things have gotten muddled because I just play, not knowing why.  As I refresh myself with “why”, it increases my confidence and expands my playing.  Thank you so much for using your gift!  You are a blessing!

Julia
I bought Steve’s dominant bebop book and took a couple of online lesson from him. I really appreciated Steve’s careful listening of what I wanted to get done in a lesson and his clear, concise ideas on next steps to improve my playing and musical interpretation.  His mastering  the Dominant Bebop Scale has lots of exercises to use a scale that addresses the largest percentage of chords I come across in pop/blues music. The dominant V7.  Needless say it has improved my playing.  I teach and a… Read more
Keith
Your lessons on playing the blues is so clear . I have been through many books on blues playing and not one of them explains as clear as your lessons . Most of them say “Play the same blues scale over all three chords of a 12 bar blues ” Its very misleading .     Thanks
Martin

Steve, just a note to say thanks.

I’ve been playing a long time, but your material, laid out in such a thoughtful way, helps me to understand concepts in a new and deeper way.

You are a true gift to the jazz community.

60 lessons and going strong,

Kevin Ledbetter

Kevin Ledbetter

I want to thank you for your “Ultimate II-V-I Primer”  which has sent me off on a much better path to improvisation.  The primer and the four bound books I have will keep me busy for a long time.  I like your lessons for two reasons.  The lessons work and THEY ARE FUN.  Thanks again.

Robert

Robert
Steve- I joined your site this month and have downloaded 4 lessons and also purchased your new book and video on diatonic patterns. I just want to say I am very pleased with your approach and teaching techniques. I am getting back into playing after laying off for some time. The information you offer on your site is of great value and I am enjoying being a member. Thank you for what you are doing for the saxophone community.
Tony

I am enjoying your style of teaching, and you’ve done a great job with the videos….good sound quality and well constructed lessons.  Balances the more guitaristic material found on the majority of guitar based programs.  Jazz vocab is what I’m all about at this point in the journey.  I especially dig the fact that you’ve studied with Bergonzi…helps me see his voluminous output in a more bite sized way.

Milton

Steve,  Just want to say thanks for all you are doing for all of us. I’ve learned more from you than anyone else in my 40 years of playing.

If you can give some tips on One Note Samba, Ceora, and Wave… that would be cool.  I really like learning how you apply your concepts to actual songs!

Have a great year,

Kevin Ledbetter

I've learned more from you than anyone else in my 40 years of playing.
It is so refreshing to have a great player, who can provide lessons and examples in a manner which is understandable to most any enthusiastic saxophonist who is ready to improve. not just the, do this, do that, memorize this, memorize that… while all that is absolutely necessary, you go on to give reasons and examples to explain and validate why you have to do all of these things, the benefits, if you will… that is the key for me, you tell, explain, demonstrate, explain some more, you give perso… Read more
Cedric

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