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Hi Richie,
For some reason I fail to see the value of shifting mode’s 2 (B: half step/whole step) position in relation to a diminished chord’s root. If you use mode 2 with a root ½ step below the original dim7 chord’s root, the chord tones of Cdim7 will line up with the b2-3-5-b7 of mode 2 which isn’t too bad, but a little confusing. They do line up perfectly with mode 1 (A: 1-b3-b5-6 or bb7) without any shifting.
If you don’t shift mode’s 2 position, the chord tones of Cdim7 will line up better with it: 1-#2(b3)-#4(b5)-6 or bb7. In addition, the chord tones of Cm7b5 line up nicely with mode 2, but not mode 1. I find it easier to use both modes rather than just one with a ½ step shift. See the attached diagram.
However, chances are there’s something I’m missing here because you imply using mode B for this series. Therefore I would appreciate your input on this.
Regards,
GerardHi Gerard,
The bottom line is, like I state in the book, that “it is a matter of preference and ultimately perspective”. Regarding the use of mode b, I devoted an entire module and book chapter in my BGIS VOL 2. Don’t know if you covered it? Anyhow I showed the advantages of it employing “Rhythm Changes” as the vehicle.
In a nutshell, what I taught there and am teaching here is to view diminished chords as dominant 7b9 chords and map the chord tones and extensions accordingly for reharmonization purposes, mainly when it functions as a secondary dominant. Viewing the whole/half mode, forces you to have to remap a b3 to a #9 for instance. In other words none of its note functions align with those of a dominant, while with the half/whole, everything is already aligned! Furthermore, it is easier and more practical when applying the diminished in a dominant function, to view it like I show in the diagram. That is, the first half being super locrian and the 2nd half being lydian b7. This way we are relating it to two dominant scales we supposedly know and already use instead of having to learn and adopt a new perspective.That said, if I am teaching functional harmony and we are using mode b or the half-whole symmetrical with a determined root, I can refer to the 13, #11, b9,#9 as such and everybody knows where it is. This is not so evident if we are using the whole-half.
On the other hand, it also has ear training implications. For example, if applying the diminished chord with a secondary dominant function which is the most common application, I can hear the corresponding extensions as I normally hear them in other dominants. If I use the diminished chord as an auxiliary, for example Cdim7 resolving to Cmaj7, since this is not a dominant function, I hear its tones in accordance with the whole-half. So I hear the maj7 in the diminished as being a common tone in the maj7 chord, and for instance, the b3 in the dim resolving a half step up to the maj 3rd in the Cmaj7. These perspectives have to do with the function of the chord within the tonality.
Hopefully you’ll understand this better as you get into the actual reharmonization studies. But again, “it is a matter of preference and ultimately perspective”. 🙂
Richie
Thanks Richie. I checked BGIS Vol.2 lesson 6. Anyway, I think I just over-analyzed the usage of symmetrical diminished scale and its modes. I find mode B works just fine. The alignment is all good as well. I simply figured that despite the intervallic makeup of a diminished chord the functions of its chord tones are considered those of a dominant chord, in this case 3-5-b7-b9. Moreover, a dim7 chord is a symmetrical one which means that any of the four chord tones can act as the root. The notes don’t change, just the order of them. This is it, unless Richie has something to add. By the way, I attached another diagram.
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