This is Why Melodic Minor Is Awesome

[@Rock23]

From Japan, You are the Best online teacher I have ever seen. Not only for guitar playing but also speaking English.

[@3r1cratpool22]

Jazz minor is awesome and jazz mentor too. Jens , you should make original material. Best jazz teacher online by far. Thank you for all that precious knowledge.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂 👍 Melodic minor is indeed beautiful

[@michaelcraig9449]

mellowdick

[@TheJofrica]

I call it “sneaky jazz.” Like when someone is sneaking around stealthily in a movie lol

[@cybernet2863]

This is my Sunday morning covered off, thanks Jens 🎸

[@JensLarsen]

The Most Important Scale Exercise In Jazz kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIvIY2V4g8und6M A jazz solo will usually follow the chord progression that it is played over, the most important way that you do that is by using arpeggios over the chords. You are probably already practice arpeggios, but chances you can do it in a better way than what you are doing now, and that is what I want to talk about in this video. Content: 0:00 Intro - The Tonic Minor Sound 0:25 Start with a Basic Version 0:50 Hearing the sound in the chords - Relating it to a song 1:20 What is a Tonic Minor Chord? 1:46 How It is built into Autumn Leaves 2:00 The Scale (The way we use it in Jazz🙂 ) 2:35 "Jazz Minor" and Classical Melodic Minor 3:26 Exploring the Harmony 3:45 Diatonic Triads 4:14 Diatonic 7th Chords 4:49 Finding Arpeggios to Use 5:53 Putting it into 3 Jazz Licks 8:13 Same Material for Altered and Lydian Dominants 8:59 Example 1 - Altered Scale 9:46 Example 2 - Lydian Dominant 10:52 What is your favourite arpeggio to use? 11:23 Like the video? Check out my Patreon Page

[@jimkangas4176]

I found a good way to get some of the alt sounds in my head were to play any and all of the altered dominant triads over the V of a ii-V-I. The nat 7 is a really nice sound on the tonic that is underused.

[@shitmandood]

I've been trying with arpeggios, but I'm still trying to memorize the scale across the neck. I only know it well in one position. I've noticed a problem in which I don't play unfamiliar patterns as often as I should and probably need to add that to a practice routine. Do you have any chord-melody example tunes perhaps using reharmonization for melodic minor?

[@damonshanabarger2604]

This is in my priority guitar teaching list. I only have about less than thirty videos in this list. This is the first one I'm going to work on because it is the area of music that seems to be giving me the most difficulty learning. I've been working on the Major pentatonic scale over ∆7 root and m7 locrian rhythm vamps on my own. Sounds good, but I was wondering if you had any examples of this in Jazz where the pentatonic scale is used from the Major perspective.

[@eblue9620]

Thanks for the great lesson Jens, I don't play a lot of jazz, but I really like using melodic minor mode 2 over a dominant chord to get the b9 and #9, less "outside" than the altered scale, more useful in a pop context.

[@damonshanabarger2604]

Actually Em9 to A∆7 using A∆ pentatonic scale. But am twisting it into Abm7.

[@voronOsphere]

Thanks, Jens! Melodic Minor has such a classy, sophisticated flavor. I love it!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@phretbord]

Best lesson on melodic minor I've come across here on KZbin! Now to get it into my ears! 😊 😊

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you fathand Robert I am glad you found it useful! 👍

[@zacharyhadley2156]

Great lesson, Jens! This scale has such a beautiful and somehow mysterious sound. I often think of it in terms of tonic minor progressions, but also a half step below a V7 as the altered scale, and for some reason my ear really is driven to its use over a maj7#5 chord. Such a beautiful sound universe!

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Zach! Yes a lot of great sounds in here :)

[@jovaransguplar3019]

Its similar to whole tone scale

[@Andrey.Balandin]

Thanks Jens. I never could figure out how the scale could be useful for anything other than cheesy classical lines. But you showed realms upon the realms of sounds with this scale

[@JensLarsen]

Glad yo hear it Andrey! :)

[@traindiesel7005]

i like using melodic minor together with other minor scales (blues / dorian / bebop / gypsy). i love it because it puts almost every note in your wheelhouse :)

[@WilliamGuzman-qt4sq]

Thankyou, that was very helpful, been months trying to find a video in which I could feel into the minor melodic scale with a bit of easyness and I really found that in your video. Very funny how so naturally you just say things like : "so after the diminished arpeggio you just resolve on the 9th of the BMajor" Hahah that cracked me up I can tell you really have a lot of experience and vocabulary in your playing. Thank you a lot for your video!!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful! 🙂

[@michaeldusso6882]

WoWser…… that Ao, D7(b9), GmMaj7 ( throw a 9 on the top) makes a great little riff to end a song on !!! THNX as always bro.

[@JensLarsen]

My pleasure!!

[@DaveWestGuitar]

Thanks for the review and ideas on chords! This scale is one that still has me scratching my head sometimes as far as usability.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂 Go work on some tonic minor chords then you’ll make it more practical

[@christianmani1730]

The cool thing about melodic minor is that there are no “avoid” notes like in the major scale (ex: F in the key of C major). Any lick, scale or sequence you use over one of the chords in the key can be used over any of the other of the key’s chords.

[@newusernamehere4772]

Maybe it's because I never write in Ionian mode but why exactly wouldn't you want to play an F? It's just the fourth of the scale so it could be used as a sus4, maj11, passing note or even a pedal type effect for F Lydian (hell if you're thinking with the Lydian chromatic concept it's one of the most important notes). And obviously as the root of a major IV chord if necessary. Maybe I'm out of my element here lol, I just want to know the truth maaaan

[@alexanderyozzo]

@@newusernamehere4772 It’s a subjective idea, but Charles Cornell has a good video that touches on it. Look for his video breaking down Harry Styles - Watermelon Sugar. He rants about a melody line using the 4 on a major chord.

[@Str1ng5]

@@ztcr6 amen to that

[@elviradark6902]

Thats why I always play mixolydian over any major chord 😁

[@JohnDoe-pq8yw]

I really dig the augmented triad because it is super easy to get the inversions out of it and the whole tone scale creates some nice runs as well. I have used them in jazz and metal. I really like your videos. Thanks for making them.

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! I am glad you like them! 🙂

[@christiankurtboutot5658]

well Jens, i ve been criticiasing in one of your vidéo but i have to say it to you : I have found my jazz teacher !!!!! So greeaat Jens, i am happy to have met you. Thank you Jens... So many things to learn but pleasure makes forget any difficultiés for they are no more frustrations but joy to learn.

[@seba.locrio4801]

Man your videos are awesome. Now Im improvising over Autumm Leaves in Em, and the melodic minor over the dominant and the first degree minor sounds great. Thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

Yes! That is really great to hear!!! :)

[@coryhughespsu]

Great sound. Even better guitar face

[@N0rmad]

So that's what the vibe in the Cannonball Adderly/Miles Davis' version of Autumn Leaves was all about.I'll forever associate melodic minor with that.

[@JensLarsen]

Having a sound to associate it with is the way to go!

[@michaelfoxbrass]

Every one of your vids shows me a new way of looking at things, Jens. I had previously heard the half-diminished sound in it, but didn’t recognize the relationships/application as you demonstrated. Funny how modes and scales play different roles, serving different melodic goals, as applied to jazz harmony! Thank you!

[@alexpavchinski]

Best explanations on usable jazz harmony I've seen - thank you!

[@12monkeys95]

This isn't a critisizm but it's worth noting, Steve Vai, satriani, and Randy Rhodes have used this scale in rock and metal too. It's very versatile, and it sounds beautiful

[@fingerstyling]

Another great video thanks Jens. One arpeggio that I'm very much enjoying these days is the 7th b5. It sounds great in all contexts: B7b5 over B7 alt, F7 #11 and even the tonic Minor (C Min). What's even cooler, is that it's the only chord that i can think of that belongs to Melodic Minor, Diminished AND whole tone scale.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Lucas! Spot on that Dom7thb5 arpeggio is a great sound in so many places :)

[@ParsevalMusic]

I just spent there entire afternoon for this incredible lesson. You're the only one capable of me doing this. My compliments and thanks!

[@TheCompleteGuitarist]

Miles makes great use of the melodic minor on his solo over Autumn Leaves with Cannonball Adderley. He toys with the maj6th over Root minor chord and it really lifts his improvisation to an intriguing place.

[@russell_szabados]

I love this channel, man. I quit classical piano at 17 to pursue jazz but that didn’t work out for me. I wasn’t in love with the music & lifestyle as much as necessary to forge a path. My point is, I remember enough of the theory to gain knowledge from your videos, and I appreciate that you cater to intermediate to advanced musicians. Thank you!

[@JensLarsen]

Great to hear that you find it a perfect fit, Russell :)

[@electrojazz14]

very good player and plenty of usable ideas

[@tonyhume100]

such rich tonality...great lesson to kick off 2020...jens is a great teacher

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks. Glad you found it useful! it is actually the 3rd video in 2020 :D

[@jackmeginniss6327]

Great video, Jens! Yeah, I have found melodic minor to be a gold mine. I like to use it over V7s.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Jack! It is indeed great for altered and lydian dominants!

[@michaeldrori1967]

Always a great and novel explorations on Jazz Galaxy with your lessons.

[@krikeyitstimeforcricket967]

Te gek Jens! Dank voor de fijne uitleg.

[@JensLarsen]

Graag gedaan!

[@MartinRodriguez-fk5jk]

Awesome material!!!! Thanks!!!! Don't have words to tell you how much do you have been helping me wirh this!!!!!! Thanks!!!!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome, Martin! I am glad you like it! 🙂

[@christermini2216]

Really clear lesson for a scale that can get unnecessarily complicated when taught. Also, this is worth months (years?) of practice. Cheers!

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! Go for it :)

[@FlipDahlenburg]

I didn't find it to be absolutely clear. I understood some of it, but he seemed to leap over gaps in my 'education'. It certainly wouldn't be the least bit of help to a beginner/intermediate guitar player without a jazz-theory background. It didn't make it clear enough to me, and that is the test, frankly, of a teacher.

[@93greenstrat]

Great lesson. I have to admit to have largely neglected this scale, but now I have some exploring to do.

[@JensLarsen]

Go for it! :)

[@elviradark6902]

how could you neglect the most imprtant jazz scale?😳

[@HussainSaahil]

Many congratulations on 300k Subs! You deserve more.

[@josemolina959]

THANKS JENS!!! The clearer and easiest explanation of melodic classical vs melodic jazz. Always spot on. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@phillythekidtattoos]

Incredible demo. Thankyou from england !!

[@satanas5975]

bassist here, thanks for all these material

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like them!

[@theshredguitarist25]

So many, “Aha!!!!” Moments when i watch your videos! A lightbulb going off in my head. Thank you for the videos. Also, Ibanez should contact you so you can have your own signature guitar. The Jens Larsen Special. The JL2000 haha

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like them! A signature guitar would be crazy 😁

[@guicasoamillo]

Great work. Thank you very much Teacher

[@JensLarsen]

You are welcome!

[@youngolder57]

amazing lesson thanks

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you liked it!

[@aptelbruno8316]

I love it al. Thank you Jens. Wonderful colors !

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Bruno!

[@miguelcastano3210]

I was lost with this info. Before this I just can play a few licks. Thanks a lot, Jens! XD Hey, I am laughing but I am serious. Its just I became a self learning player for years and you are resolving basic stuff that is helpfull and works with simple explanations. Your work is great. Keep on going! Still learning untill I die

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Miguel! Glad it works for you!

[@christiankurtboutot5658]

Well Jens...i do not just know what to say about your vidéo about minor melodic scale...l' ve been knowing it for a long time but never found its "melodic" approach on chords and now, listening to you and your phrasing i can "hear" it. It is for me a really great musical discovery and i can work it with fun and not boring tecnical manner...just playing musik (try...lol) with it, trying to "talk" by playing it. I am happy...just so happy and I thank you Jens for having giving me that fantastic emotion which is i think the basis of playing : pleasure, sharing, listening.... I think Metheny would be proud of your musical approach !!!!!! And Pat is not a pet !!!! Lool

[@Gregorypeckory]

Killer lesson JR; you're a great asset to the KZbin jazz guitar education community! 😎👍

[@steveo44]

Amazing tutorial. Really clear. Love the gibson too it sounds sweet!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you, Steve 🙂

[@hollyanforth1006]

Thank you, lol, you very completely answered my earlier question about this. I'm watching this a few more times 🎵🎶

[@JensLarsen]

Great! 🙂

[@pauldourge2123]

Great videos, great guitar player. Thank you. Cheers from Argentina.

[@fuzbassab9052]

Really great video..Jens ..thanks for this one..

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@vrodri1]

I have no idea what you are talking about, but it sounds beautiful. I play by ear and know little theory, but I'm going to subscribe and learn as much as I can. Thank you.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it! Hope you find more you can use :)

[@robertbarton3556]

This is Great thanks, love the tabs on the bottom, it makes it so much easier to follow and understand

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! Glad you like it!

[@thomasishida3657]

Thank you so much! I have just started to study this scale and I find it very difficult to make melodies in my head with it, but you sir got me covered with these great examples! Thanks a lot!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad to hear that Thomas!

[@MusicFed]

Thanks Jens - I tend to highlight that nice augmented triad no matter what. I find it’s the nice “flavour” of this scale, together with the min/maj7

[@guitarlots]

Another terrific lesson

[@sewerynhabdank-wojewodzki4403]

Thanks for the tutorial! I am not a jazz composer (however I like jazz) but I used melodic minor to smooth transitions between scales in one piece. So very concrete: piece starts in D# minor goes many bars in that scale, then I took a couple of bars and used classical melodic D#m (concrete notes B and C# are also pushed to become C and D), to extend notes portfolio (instead of 8 notes I have 10). After ascending arp. of 5-th chord (when the ear already accepts new scale), I had changed scale to D# major and continue in D# major. D# major changes in this context only F# to G. If I would go directly from D# minor to D major, I would have to change 3 notes at the time of scale change, what might be not very pleasant. Generally I recognize, that variants of 4-th and 5-th chords helps to switch minor (over melodic minor) scale to major or vice versa, what is cool, when the piece needs such a change of feelings.

[@pjtyra2106]

Man I wish I understood music like this

[@AgileJazz]

So glad to have discovered your channel. Very practical advice. Thank you.

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! I am glad you like it! 🙂

[@joepalooka2145]

Another great video! --- thanks Jens. The melodic minor and its modes, and minor chord progressions, can be extremely intimidating and mysterious to beginning/intermediate players. It takes a lot of study and practice and listening. Sometimes it gets so complex it becomes really frustrating. This really helps a lot.

[@guitarttimman]

I've altered it some and tailored it to fit my fusion style. I used to play a lot of straight jazz standards, but I decided to make this thing my own. Cool stuff.

[@JensLarsen]

That's great! 🙂

[@dcross8034]

You are awesome and so are your lessons Jens

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you think so!

[@RC32Smiths01]

Hey it has Melody and it's my favorite Tonality Minor! Cheers for the lesson!

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks RC!

[@scottmilner]

Really helpful. Addresses many of the questions I have been struggling a bit with. A good one for the long term study. Scott

[@juliosapere8010]

Oh man this is awesome your a great teacher 👍

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome, Julio! I am glad you like it! 🙂

[@jakefrancis9521]

This is why Jens is awesome 😀.

[@davidsertile7724]

He really is an amazing teacher

[@DavidLightWill]

this was awesome, Jens

[@JensLarsen]

Haha! Thank you :)

[@Nameless742]

@@JensLarsen Yes thank you! I'm finally starting to get it lol.

[@GeorgeSPAMTindle]

It was better than that.

[@amar-faridbachtoula6867]

It s very nice playing your leçons mister

[@JontCarr]

You put so much work into your lessons, and they are superb. At the same time as they inspire me, they make me realise just how little I know.

[@jesseascriven]

Awesome lesson! I especially liked the Diatonic Triad of G Melodic Minor section.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! Glad you like it 🙂

[@garyreynolds3086]

Thank you, Jens! This lesson provides an incredible amount of information and ideas.

[@Dang...]

Jens, thank you so much for this. Very useful!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Dan! 🙂

[@JohnHorneGuitar]

Great ideas and playing Jens! Your lines sound wonderful. I tend to rely - probably too much - on the min/maj7 arpeggio.

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks John! :)

[@lucasnon5784]

Just starting to try to learn jazz... holy smokes you guys don't mess around! Lol. I got a long way to go but I'll learn slowly and keep going. Ty watched a few of your videos, you break stuff down really well ty!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! Glad you find the videos useful! Melodic minor is probably not the first thing you need 🙂

[@Illneverremember1]

As a chord scale it's an altered dominant and is one of the coolest sounds. To me, it has an altered dom sound no matter which of its modes is projected (in much the same way that Mixolydian sounds like a dominant even when it's the tonic/primary mode in a folk/blues pop song). No one uses Melodic Minor for the voice leading principles it was originally used for, unless they want to sound like Bach. "Jazz Minor" is actually more accurate when it functions as a chord scale. "Melodic minor" implies both lowered and raised scale degrees 6 and 7, depending on melodic direction (hence the "melodic"), creating the harmony in composition, rather than playing inside of it as improvisation/chord unfolding. Just something of interest perhaps, but not important for Jazz lol. Excellent lesson!

[@LucasLucasMusic]

Awesome video Jens, you rock!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Lucas!

[@BTB25647]

Nice lesson Mr. Larsen ....Thank you !

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it!

[@laurensblinxma5006]

Hi Jens, like your video’s very much. Very good explanations always. I always studied the scala from the third degree, being major 7#5. It’s the hardest degree to hear I guess but if you master this chord I guess it is much easier to hear the other chords. Also there is another advantage: Because maj7#5 is one of the less common degrees your licks and melodic ideas will never start on the root.

[@JazzgutsVGvanKampen]

Great explanation Jens, well what I use a lot when using the melodic minor in alt situation is the halfdim arp on the 7th of the original dominant getting the 9- and 13-. The tritone substitute like Db7 oveŕ G7. Fdim an Gdim as traidpairs over G7. Db and Eb as traidpairs over G7. Bbmi penta over G7. B lydian augmented as you explained here. Greetings Vic.

[@اموزشتخصصیگیتاروموسیقی]

hi dear jens thanks a lot for invaluable materials

[@JensLarsen]

You are very welcome 🙂

[@WinkingWizard1900]

Melodic minor is like Picasso's painting so strange yet makes so much sense... I'm happy with occasional b9 #5s here and there at this stage, but this is definitely something I should explore further down the road. Thank you.

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! Glad you like it!

[@MarcioSilva-ssiillvvaa]

The only possible medium to explain music, aesthetically, is painting.

[@MrYboxuitg]

Thanks for the lesson! Very usefull!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@raoulduke8720]

Great stuff as always

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Oi-mj6dv]

This is incredibly insightful!!!! Thanks!!!

[@SuperBromberg]

thanks so much for this lesson and your channel overall! really nicely structured vids with comfortable length, tabs support, theory/practice balanced, etc etc, keep on, Jens)

[@bubba4001]

Thank you Jens. Regards, David

[@JensLarsen]

You're welcome!

[@willyevans]

Any day Jens posts a new video I'm inspired to play the guitar.

[@JensLarsen]

That is a great reason for me to make videos :)

[@smatlanta1]

Such a great lesson! Jens, your lessons over the years keep getting better and better. Clear. To-the-point. This one in only 11 min covers so much material, all super clearly presented (played slowly and the graphics help too). I think I remember reading (Maybe Mark Levine) that All the diatonic chords in the Melodic Minor can be interchanged (unlike the Major Modes where it sort of has the Tonic oriented I iii vi and the Dominant oriented ii IV V and vii) Is that how you see it? Do you do a lesson on that sort of thing with you interchanging and inverting all the chords embedded in the melodic minor in your chords, lines, arps etc. THIS lesson was great. After internalizing this one I'd like to explore doing the same thing with all the other positions and fingerings, and then I'd like to learn how to playing around by putting them ALL over one chord. Phew, you see I need to learn how to edit my ideas better to be shorter like you have! LOL

[@lushkordz6643]

Hey i really dug this lesson ...i think you're on the right track becoming more concrete in your explanations N applications Minor Melodic scale is the key 4 real cool jazz phrases ...maybe you could do a lesson on how o mix & match into a successful improv symetric scales (dim & augm) with minor melodic in order to get a even more complex harmonic mixtures like R doing the True Masters of the Art -- Keep up! this is wonderful what you're doing 4 the online jazz community ^^

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you, glad you like it 🙂

[@ivanbuenader1252]

Thank you Jens!! Your class are very clear!!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! Glad you like it!

[@NathanSotoGuitar]

Great video! I enjoyed the second to last lick the most!

[@BurntMcgurnt]

Shred beast there at the beginning jens !

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks!

[@BurntMcgurnt]

@@JensLarsen no problem man you give me a lot of inspiration!

[@antoniosantagada7036]

Thanks for the lesson, Jens. Always interesting and useful.

[@DESIENASHOES]

I do like much this lesson/ I have already studied many of your Melodic minor lessons but everytime are kind of challenging and interesting to grab

[@ubuedro]

You are an awesome music teacher!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much 🙂

[@vasishtakanthi4231]

Hi Jens!! I find the majmin7 and the maj7#5 arpeggios as the ones that really shine through the melodic minor scale.... They seem really colourful and exotic in their sounds!!

[@johnnyblue1101]

Fantastic content here

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you think so!

[@theguitarlord1776]

Great stuff, thank you!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@olisaush6552]

thank you Jens, again a great and inspirational lesson. for me the augmented triad is what I use most when playing the mmaj. scale. what i stole from here is the fingering of the chords... and hey, what a great sounding 335!

[@TheGoodGoodMan]

Thanks

[@ruochenli1077]

i like the bIIImaj7+ arpeggio in melodic minor and especially the whole tones between the b3 and the natural 7.

[@griffinwojtowicz4594]

brilliant explanation, well done.

[@JensLarsen]

Great! Glad you like it 🙂

[@brad724p]

Excellent; thanks Jens.

[@CarriganVanBuskirk]

Great instruction, SO MUCH THEORY!!!

[@clockdockfree]

"tonic-minor sound" what a cool term