Secret Blue Scale with Major Third
39sReveals a hidden pro technique not found in theory books, creating exclusivity and high shareability.
▶ Play ClipAI Summary
In this concise tutorial, a jazz musician explains three essential scales all great jazz players know: the diminished scale, the minor pentatonic scale, and the blue scale. He demonstrates each scale on piano, shows how to use them over chords, and reveals a bonus 'secret blue scale' with a major third for added flexibility.
Chapters
[0:00]
Three essential scales introduced
The video covers the diminished, pentatonic, and blue scales, which are indispensable for jazz musicians.
[0:44]
Diminished scale structure
This is an octatonic (eight-note) scale that alternates between half and whole steps. In C, it goes: C, D♭, D♭, E, F♯, G, A, B♭, C.
[1:15]
Using the diminished scale
The diminished half-whole scale adds tension over a dominant chord (e.g., C7 resolving to F major) by providing the flat 9, sharp 9, sharp 11, and 13.
[1:56]
Minor pentatonic scale explained
A five-note scale: C, E♭, F, G, B♭, C (root, minor third, fourth, fifth, dominant seventh). It's the most important pentatonic scale.
[2:34]
Using the minor pentatonic scale
Played over a C minor chord, the musician shows how to vary the pattern rather than simply running up and down.
[3:18]
Blue scale definition
The blue scale is the pentatonic scale plus a flatted fifth (flat 5). In C: C, E♭, F, F♯/G♭, G, B♭, C.
[5:07]
Secret blue scale (bonus)
Same as the blue scale but with a major third added: C, E♭, E, F, F♯, G, B♭, C. This gives a 'real blue sound' and more flexibility.
Mastering the diminished, pentatonic, and blue scales is essential for any aspiring jazz musician. Adding the secret blue scale with a major third further expands your expressive palette.
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Mentioned in this Video
Study Flashcards (7)
How many notes are in a diminished (octatonic) scale?
easy
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How many notes are in a diminished (octatonic) scale?
easy
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Eight notes.
0:44
What interval pattern does the diminished half-whole scale follow?
medium
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What interval pattern does the diminished half-whole scale follow?
medium
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It alternates between half and whole steps.
0:44
What notes are in a C minor pentatonic scale?
easy
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What notes are in a C minor pentatonic scale?
easy
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C, E♭, F, G, B♭, C.
1:56
What is the blue scale?
easy
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What is the blue scale?
easy
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The pentatonic scale with an added flatted fifth (flat 5).
3:18
What is the 'secret blue scale'?
medium
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What is the 'secret blue scale'?
medium
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The blue scale with an additional major third.
5:07
What chord tones does the diminished scale add over a dominant chord?
hard
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What chord tones does the diminished scale add over a dominant chord?
hard
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Flat 9, sharp 9, sharp 11, and 13.
1:15
What technique does the instructor recommend for practicing the minor pentatonic scale?
medium
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What technique does the instructor recommend for practicing the minor pentatonic scale?
medium
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Varying patterns rather than running up and down the scale.
2:34
💡 Key Takeaways
📊
Diminished scale is octatonic
Clarifies that the diminished scale has eight notes alternating half and whole steps, a foundational theory point.
0:44
🔧
Using diminished scale for tension
Shows a practical application of the scale over dominant chords to create color tones.
1:15
💡
Minor pentatonic as core scale
Emphasizes the importance of the minor pentatonic as the most essential pentatonic scale.
1:56
⚖️
Blue scale = pentatonic + flat 5
Explains the blue scale as a simple extension of the pentatonic, making it easy to learn.
3:18
🔧
Secret blue scale with major third
Reveals a less common variant that provides a classic blues sound and more flexibility.
5:07Full Transcript
[00:00] do you know the three scales that all
[00:03] great jazz musicians
[00:07] know that's
[00:12] diminished that's
[00:17] pentatonic and that's the blue scale if
[00:20] you're not up on those three scales no
[00:22] problem I've got you covered trigger
[00:24] warning this gets a little Advanced and
[00:26] I go fast because we're hitting three
[00:28] indispensable scales in just 6 minutes
[00:30] but it's super essential if you want to
[00:32] become a great player and make sure to
[00:33] stick around to the end I've got a
[00:35] special bonus secret scale something
[00:37] that none of the theory books ever talk
[00:39] about but that all the pros use so let's
[00:42] dive in first up is the diminish scale
[00:44] what exactly is the diminish scale it's
[00:46] an octatonic or eight note scale that
[00:49] alternates between half and whole steps
[00:51] let's look at the diminished scale in
[00:53] the key of
[00:57] C half step whole step step half step
[01:01] whole step half step whole step half
[01:04] step whole step c d flat d flat E F
[01:09] sharp G A B flat C simple stuff
[01:15] diminished half hole scale okay how do
[01:17] we use it well we can add
[01:20] tension over a dominant
[01:26] chord so if we're starting on C7 and
[01:29] then then we're going to resolve to F
[01:30] major normally we might be
[01:32] [Music]
[01:34] going just over the dominant scale but
[01:37] with that diminished half
[01:42] hole it gives us the flat nine the sharp
[01:45] nine sharp 11 to
[01:48] [Music]
[01:52] 13 all those great tension points next
[01:56] we have the pentatonic scale this is of
[01:58] course a five note scale and it's worth
[02:00] noting that there's actually quite a few
[02:03] different types of pentatonic scales but
[02:05] the most important is the minor
[02:13] pentatonic so what is it we've got C E
[02:16] flat F G B flat C so we've got the root
[02:22] C the minor third the fourth the fifth
[02:27] the dominant 7eventh and back up to the
[02:29] root
[02:34] all right how do we use the minor
[02:36] pentatonic here's an example over a
[02:38] classic C minor
[02:40] [Music]
[02:57] sound now you notice I'm not just
[02:59] running up and
[03:00] [Music]
[03:02] down that doesn't really work I'm
[03:05] varying
[03:06] it I'm finding those shapes in there you
[03:10] can check a link below I did a whole
[03:12] video on how to practice this minor
[03:14] pentatonic scale to get you to that
[03:16] place our third and final essential
[03:18] scale is the blue scale now what exactly
[03:21] is the blue scale well be glad that you
[03:23] just learned the pentatonic scale
[03:25] because the blue scale is exactly the
[03:27] same with just one additional
[03:35] note okay so the
[03:38] pentatonic the
[03:40] blues that flatted fifth that's the
[03:43] additional
[03:45] note okay so we got six notes 1 2 3 4 5
[03:48] 6 back up to the root C E flat F F sharp
[03:54] or g flat flat and fifth G natural B
[03:58] flat C
[04:02] [Music]
[04:15] that's all with the blue scale and you
[04:17] see how coming out of those patterns
[04:19] those shapes that we learn from the
[04:21] pentatonic scale how you can really
[04:22] spice things
[04:23] [Music]
[04:26] up now this is not really the
[04:29] traditional way way that we use the blue
[04:30] scale it works there too if we kind of
[04:32] [Music]
[04:40] do over an actual
[04:44] [Applause]
[04:57] Blues that's the three scales that all
[04:59] the Masters know of course there's a
[05:01] bunch more but if you get these down
[05:03] you're going to be well on your way to
[05:05] being a fantastic jazz musician now
[05:07] here's a little bonus here we learned
[05:09] the
[05:10] pentatonic the blue scale what about the
[05:13] secret blue
[05:16] scale same as the blue scale but with a
[05:19] major third
[05:23] also that's how you get that real blue
[05:25] sound so you got the root minor 3D major
[05:28] 3D fourth flat and Fifth Fifth dominant
[05:34] seventh rot c e flat E F FP G B flat
[05:46] C gives you a lot of flexibility
[05:51] [Music]
[06:08] peace and
[06:19] piano someone's been using my setup