Harmonic Major Scale

[John Tweed]

While we are discussing various scales is there any love for  the Harmonic Major. This scale doesn’t get a mention in most jazz books. It is mentioned in Mark Levine’s Jazz Theory, but mainly in the context of the major 7th b6 chord (Eb, B, D, G, Bb) as used by Herbie Hancock in Dolphin Dance. But it is a lovely sound which doesn’t need an exotic chord to justify its existence.
 

For example, try Eb Harmonic Major over G7+ (or just G7), to a Cm69.

 

LH: (G), F, B, D#, RH (scale) G, Ab, Bb, B, D, Eb, F, g

 

resolving to (C), Eb, A, D

 

Happy harmonising!
 

 

[AROIOS]

Harmonic Minor (its 5th mode, Phrygian Dominant) works equally well in this context.

RH (scale) G, Ab, B, C, D, Eb, F, G

[GovernorSilver]

Beato has some videos

 

 

[John Tweed]

Thanks for the Rick Beato link - he does a deep dive on the theoretical concepts. What I found most intriguing is when he list the triads found in this scale. He includes three that I don't normally think of as chords - eg F Lydian (1,#4,5), B Locrian (1,4,b5) and G Phrygian (1,b2,5). I'm curious as to why these are included. There are 35 possible combinatrions of 3 notes out of 7, of which he names 17 triads. Interesting stuff.

 

 

 

[GovernorSilver]

I just remembered this book being mentioned several years ago by a pro guitarist based in Kansas City.  He was gigging with saxophonist Matt Otto, the author of the book, as well as taking music lessons of some sort with Otto. 

 

http://davidvaldez.blogspot.com/2010/01/harmonic-major-modern-jazz-vocabulary.html

 

Beato has a $99 music theory book that he wants to sell, so I'm guessing he doesn't want to give away too much info for free. However, he may have dropped enough clues in his videos that a student with persistence of a bulldog refusing to let go will eventually figure out the thought process behind those chords.