Times are tough and everyone is looking for a deal. To that end, I’m offering-up this little morsel of jazzy vocabulary.

The (half-step/ whole-step) diminished scale is arguably the most flexible harmonic and melodic device available to the improvising musician. We talked about this great device before in terms of using it chordally so I thought I would explore some melodic applications.

The diminished scale is a symmetrical scale that is nothing more that alternating half-steps and whole-steps. Due to this construction, anything derived from diminished harmony can be transposed up or down in minor thirds and you never leave the scale.

In this video, I play the same phase in four different ‘keys’ over C13b9 – Fm progression: a common V-i. All four of the variations offered here can be equally used over A13b9 – Dm, F#13b9 – Bm or Eb13b9 – Abm. If you’re careful with the final note, you can also resolve the like to major chords.

I think that really makes this a 32 for the price of one… I’ll let you work-out the math.

Want to study with me privately? You can–from anywhere in the world via my Online Guitar Lessons.

Dig it.