Modern Whole Tone Concepts

by Jay Umble The whole tone scale is a symmetrical scale composed entirely of whole steps. Traditionally, the whole tone scale is confined to dominant 7b5 and dominant 7#5 chords. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how the whole tone scale can be used with minor tonalities. This concept is definitely "out of the box" thinking regarding the whole tone scale. Let's take a look at how the whole tone scale reacts on the fretboard.

FRAGMENT #1 (2nd and 3rd string)

This whole tone fragment is a four point block or actually a rectangle that lays very nicely under your fingertips. FRAGMENT #2 (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th strings)

This is another important fragment to visualize. Note that the fingering utilizes the 2nd finger on the 3rd and 2nd strings. Place your 2nd finger on the A note and play it. Now instead of lifting your finger and placing it back down on the C#, simply lay it over to cover the C#. This is much more effective for speed. FRAGMENT #3 (6th, 5th and 4th strings)

This fragment is also easy to visualize. This configuration can be transferred up a set of strings as follows: FRAGMENT #4 (5th, 4th and 3rd strings)

These fragments can be linked together yielding a broader picture of the whole tone scale. For example: FRAGMENT #2 and FRAGMENT #3

Another approach to manipulating these whole tone fragments is to move these blocks of information up and down the guitar neck in whole steps (every two frets). This results in a small fragment instantly multiplying itself into more possibilities. This approach is very effective and is used often in improvisation. In a traditional improvisational situation, a small whole tone fragment - such as the ones mentioned here, works well. For example, in Ellington's "Take the A Train" the second chord change is D7b5 which lasts for two bars. This would be an ideal place to utilize a small whole tone fragment.

CHROMATICISM

Chromaticism is an important element that can contribute to whole tone playing. You may not initially think that chromaticism would be used with whole tone ideas. For example, a whole tone sequence on the first string such as (G, A, B) looks like this: If this is approached chromatically, it would be played (G, G#, A, A#, B):

These added chromatic notes act within the whole tone framework which is (G, A, B). From a theoretical perspective, chromaticism is applicable to any improvisational situation. I use this chromatic concept a few times in the examples throughout the book and recording. Some examples start with a chromatic "string" of notes while others have chromaticism in the interior of the line form. For example, while improvising on the whole tone scale you could go into a chromatic idea and then return to the whole tone scale. Chromaticism will add variety to your whole tone improvisation." " I address whole tone ideas starting from each string. Playing through the 126 examples will vastly improve one's ability to understand how the whole tone scale reacts on the neck of the guitar. Following the examples is the application of whole tone ideas. The first four lines utilize the whole tone sound in a traditional context. The remaining lines illustrate whole tone concepts in a non-traditional way.

Now let's apply the whole tone scale to minor tonalities. From First String

Ex. #1

Ex. #2

Ex. #3

From Second String

For many more examples, purchase this Mel Bay book, Jazz Guitar Licks in Tablature (95884) It's my opinion that tonality should be taken seriously, but not so seriously that it limits ones creativity. If you have played for a while, I'm sure you can remember a time when certain musical concepts were too dissonant for your ears. Now those same concepts may be totally acceptable to you. We can all learn to tolerate much more dissonance, drawing from a more colorful harmonic palette. I hope you find these line examples helpful in expanding your own Improvisational ideas. Stay in touch! Jay Umble umbolli@paonline.com P.S. - Mel Bay Publications will soon be releasing my book "Melodic Junction." This book demonstrates yet another approach to expanding tonality. The book's central issue is the concept of resolution through which melodic freedom is attained.