Jazz-Rock Fusion Applications for this Mode of the Melodic Minor Scale
From Guitarist’s Guide to Scales
Over Chords (00696376)
Auseful mode of the melodic minor is known as Super Locrian.;This;is;the;seventh;mode;of; melodic;minor.;If;we;have;a;C;melodic;minor;scale,;for;instance,;the;seventh;mode;would;
be;B;Super;Locrian.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Its;scale;formula;is; 1– 2– 3–3–#4–#5– 7.;You;may;also;see;this;called;the;altered;scale;or;the;half-;
diminished/half-whole;tone;scale.;This;is;the;scale;of;choice;when;playing;over;a;functioning;(i.e.,;
it;resolves;up;a;4th);altered;dominant;chord—specifically;one;with;an;altered;5th;and;9th,;such;as;
a;7%9#5;or;a;7#9 5.;Here’s;a;common;two-octave;fingering;pattern;for;C;Super;Locrian:
Fig. 3
This;example;is;a;funk-fusion;groove;in;F;with;a;I–V; –I;progression:;F9–C7#9#5–F9.;Over;the;
F9,;we’re;using;the;F;composite;blues;scale;(F;major;pentatonic;and;F;blues;combined),;and;
over;the;C7;altered;chord,;we’re;playing;C;Super;Locrian.
Fig. 4
The;next;is;the;same;thing,;only;we’re;using;a;i–V–i;progression:;Fm9–C7#9#5–Fm9.;We’re;
playing;F;Dorian;over;the;tonic;Fm9;chord,;and;again;using;C;Super;Locrian;over;C7#9#5.
Fig. 5
Things;aren’t;always;so;neat;and;tidy;in;actual;practice.;This;means;that,;for;instance,;sometimes;play-ers;will;use;the;Super;Locrian;scale,;even;over;an;unaltered;dominant;chord.;In;this;case,;you’re;simply;
superimposing an altered sound, similar to using Phrygian dominant over a minor chord. At moder-ate;to;fast;tempos,;this;is;usually;not;a;problem.;If;you’re;playing;a;slow,;pretty;ballad,;however,;the;
clashing;notes;would;be;more;conspicuous.;Therefore,;on;slower;tempo;songs,;it;may;be;helpful;to;
discuss with your band members how the dominant chords will be treated.
