Scale and chord symbol D7 (+9)

[Veggie Dave]

After months of working on R&B scores I'm back to working on jazz, working on outlining chords, playing ballads (not something I've really done) with the aim of improving my fluency. With this in mind I got a copy of the ubiquitous Aebersold Maiden Voyage as it has simple songs and scale/mode advice for improvising. It seemed a perfect idea - concentrate on note choice rather than complex chord structures and fast tempos.

But some of the suggested scales/modes are confusing me and the book doesn't seem to explain why they've been used.

For example, it's saying notes to use over the chord D7 (+9) are D, E♭ , F, F#, G# A# C, D, E♭, F but I can't work out why.

The song's Summertime, in Dm (Dorian), the chord is found in the second half of bar 4.

 

[Colin the Bear]

D tonic
Eb flat 9
F minor third
F#major third
G#/Ab flat five
A# sharp five/Augmented
C flat seven

Jazz chord extensions. Some are in a blues scale. Some will be passing/leading notes and all add colour.

A chord on beat 3 is sign posting from 1 to 1 in the next bar. Progression. My head hurts.

Why? Because it's Gershwin

 

[TootSweet]

That‘s an Altered Scales. Actualy, it‘s the 7th mode of the Eb Melodic Minor Scale (Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - C - D).

 

[Pete Thomas]

For example, it's saying notes to use over the chord D7 (+9) are D, E♭ , F, F#, G# A# C, D, E♭, F but I can't work out why.

Nor me. The b9 implies a minor key centre (even when it is in a major tune, (ie bit of a blues feel) so you might think of a G harmonic minor scale and be aware of the chord tones of D7 b9

D

Eb

F#

G

A

Bb

C

D

 

[Ivan]

Nor me. The b9 implies a minor key centre (even when it is in a major tune, (ie bit of a blues feel) so you might think of a G harmonic minor scale and be aware of the chord tones of D7 b9

D

Eb

F#

G

A

Bb

C

D

Those are the notes I had in my head...

That‘s an Altered Scales. Actualy, it‘s the 7th mode of the Eb Melodic Minor Scale (Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - C - D).

.... and it fits D7 (+9) because.... the scale tonic is the 9???

 

[Veggie Dave]

That‘s an Altered Scales.

It is indeed, but used over a D7 (+9)?

Nor me. The b9 implies a minor key centre

I assume you're referencing the ♭9 in the suggested scale/mode to play? This is what's thrown me, as I would have expected to have been encouraged to include the +9 of the chord in the improvisation rather than completely ignore it.

 

[Dibbs]

I think Pete misread +9 as b9.

The +9 almost certainly means #9 like in the Aebersold books. Then it makes sense.

I'm assuming your first post with D7 (+9) is correct and not your later m7 (+9)

It would be useful to know what the tune is and where it appears.

 

[Pete Thomas]

It is indeed, but used over a m7 (+9)?



I assume you're referencing the ♭9 in the suggested scale/mode to play? This is what's thrown me, as I would have expected to have been encouraged to include the +9 of the chord in the improvisation rather than completely ignore it.

Are sorry, I completely misread and saw minus instead of plus!

Doh.

 

[Veggie Dave]

I'm assuming your first post with D7 (+9) is correct and not your later m7 (+9)

Oops, you're right. Original post changed, along with Hal Leonard changed to Aebersold .

It would be useful to know what the tune is and where it appears.

I got a copy of the ubiquitous Aebersold Maiden Voyage

The song's Summertime, in Dm (Dorian), the chord is found in the second half of bar 4.

 

[Pete Thomas]

D7 +9 can mean several things

1. In pop, rock, soul, R & B = D F# A C F (or hendrix chord) which I tend to call a D7 b10.
I would often think of a minor blues scale in this case.


2. In jazz it can be the same, but I've seen some people assume it has an altered 5th as well, either # or b. All a bit confusing because if that is what they mean, then they should say so.

If that is the case, then certainly an altered scale can be OK.

D

Eb

E# (F)

F#

G# (Ab)

A# (Bb)

C

D

 

[Dibbs]

To add to the confusion, you'll sometimes see things like D(add 9) meaning add an E natural to a D major triad,

 

[Dibbs]

The song's Summertime, in Dm (Dorian), the chord is found in the second half of bar 4.

I didn't read to the end, obviously. Personally I'd probably ignore it, For those 2 beats you and can pretty much play anything so long as you land on the Gm convincingly..

 

[Pete Thomas]

The song's Summertime, in Dm (Dorian), the chord is found in the second half of bar 4.

Summertime isn’t Dorian,

 

[Colin the Bear]

So..the symbol itself is ambiguous. If misread it's misleading. The theory behind is complicated and...after all that...It's only summertime, Gershwin 80 odd years old and like a pair of comfortable old slippers. I wonder if these instructional books are instructional at all?

 

[Pete Thomas]

So..the symbol itself is ambiguous

Not in my book. The symbol means D F# A C and E# (F)

 

[Colin the Bear]

Yes. A pity there are other books then

Why would it be +9 and not #9 or even aug9 ? I find mathematical symbols in music confusing. Shorthand chords using - for minor is just about ok but + not meaning addition twirls my head. And then they write add 9 which doesn't mean +9 and ...and...pop.

 

[Veggie Dave]

Summertime isn’t Dorian,

No, it's not. My mistake - they didn't bother putting the key on the score.

 

[BigMartin]

I don't have a good enough ear to tell what the rhythm section is playing on thoise chords, but to me it sounds fine just to play the dominants on that Summertime track as 7b9, ie a normal minor ii-V-i, whatever Mr Aebersold says.

 

[Dibbs]

Summertime isn’t Dorian,

It could be at the beginning. I'm sure I've heard it done Dm, Em, Dm, Em, à la moondance. It's definitely Dorian if you do that.

 

[jbtsax]

I have always associated the V7(#9) with a major-minor chord since it contains both a major and a minor third. As a 7th chord the #9 gives it kind of a "funky" sound to my ear. My friend who plays piano taught me an easy way to play blues changes with that "funky" sound.

You play the major 3rd, flat 7th, and minor 3rd and as 3 note chord. The notes go down 1/2 step for the IV7, and up 1/2 step for the V7.

In the key of F: I7 A--Eb--Ab, IV7 Ab--D--G, V7 Bb--E--A These changes work great on Watermelon Man.