I've been pretty much learning music theory off and on since i started playing. My question is where do i go after learning all the diatonic stuff. I'm just kinda playing around with chromatic alterations now, but i'd like to go into something different.

whole tone and diminished/diminished whole tone scales are a lot of fun. in fact, there are all sorts of jazz scales that are great to work with. You might also consider learning all the modes. Playing modally is a real challenge for your ears at times.

Alternate types of scales, composing, arranging, jazz theory...I dunno, I'm just throwing ideas out there.

yeah, that's true. Think outside of the scalar box, I suppose. Learning about composition really helped me in every aspect of my playing and musical maturity in general.

i have all the modes, i'll check out this whole tone you speak of.

it's really simple, just all whole steps. The trick is finding a way to use it that isn't just goofy.

brian_dc said:

oh, so like G,A,B,C#,D#,F,G

i like that, its weird

whats the difference with the dimished/dimished one

okay. The regular diminished scale can be played two ways from any given tone. It's basically just alternating half step/whole step/half step/...and so on. So you can start with a half step or a whole step.

so for G the two diminished scales are: G G# A# B C# D E F and G A Bb C Db Eb E F# (musically, there's gotta be a better way to write it, but you'll get the scale at least!)

the diminished whole tone scale is a little different. For G: G G# A# B C# D# F G

and yeah, that's exactly the whole tone scale you got there.

here's an augmented scale: Just a minor 3rd-minor 2nd-minor 3rd etc. pattern.

G A# B C# E F

I like the pattern of playing it like this. G B A# C# E F

It's a good buildup pattern.

A good direction to step in would be to work with arpeggios and to try to create melodies using modes of inverted scales such as the harmonic and melodic minors.
The G harmonic minor= G A Bb C D Eb F# G
If you start on the D you would be using what's called the dominant phrygian mode: D Eb F# G A Bb C D
Thats a favorite of mine, I use it a lot in Dominatus on songs like Eulogy and Kidnap. www.myspace.com/dominatus

JDDomination said:

thank you for your input, but i've had that stuff memorized for awhile. i never knew the real name but i always liked the melodic minor in the 5th degree.