7-9-11-13 Arpeggios
As a passenger in a long car ride today, I decided to write out every possible 7th arpeggio that could be applied to degrees 7, 9, 11, and 13. Combining all possible alterations (b7/7, b9/9/#9, 11/#11, b13/13) yields 24 different ways to play these tones. Most don't make sense in theory and don't correspond to any common 7th chords, but might sound interesting in the right context. I'd rather focus on the ones I know I can use before exploring applications for the weird ones.
Here's what I wrote down. Arpeggio names in parentheses where common ones exist.
7 9 11 13 (m7b5)
7 9 11 b13 (dim7)
7 9 #11 13 (m7)
7 9 #11 b13 (m6)
7 b9 11 13
7 b9 11 b13
7 b9 #11 13
7 b9 #11 b13
7 #9 11 13 (7b5)
7 #9 11 b13
7 #9 #11 13 (7)
7 #9 #11 b13 (6)
b7 9 11 13 (maj7)
b7 9 11 b13 (7)
b7 9 #11 13 (aug7)
b7 9 #11 b13 (7#5)
b7 b9 11 13 (m/maj7)
b7 b9 11 b13 (m7)
b7 b9 #11 13
b7 b9 #11 b13
b7 #9 11 13
b7 #9 11 b13
b7 #9 #11 13
b7 #9 #11 b13
A few are appealing at first glance. Just looking at the most common jazz scales, 7 9 11 13 fits over Melodic Minor, 7 9 #11 13 fits over Lydian, b7 9 11 13 fits over Dorian, b7 9 #11 13 fits over Lydian Dominant, and a number of them fit over Locrian #2. With the arpeggios beginning with b7, you can take your pick of altered extensions over dominant chords.
It's always most satisfying when extended arpeggio fragments like these match up with common 7th arpeggios. Because b7 9 11 13 is a maj7 arpeggio starting on the b7, I don't have to learn any new fingerings. I still prefer to think in terms of what I'm playing over the real root (a major triad built on the b5 degree is really b5 b7 b9), but my fingers will remember the familiar fingering patterns.
Little Rock Jams (10 Dec 2007 at 12:02pm)
Here's a good example of how to practice away from your guitar...
I was reading a really good guitar blog today, From The Woodshed, and found that Joe was making the most of his time as a passenger on a car ride by writing out all possible 7th chord arpeggios and their alterations.This is a good example of how to ...
tony hogan (3 Jan 2008 at 3:55am)
Hi Buddy
Not sure why you are complicating it so much.
Check out Joe Pass DVD Jazz Lines, it might save you years of work and will enable the learning process to relax a little. Highly recommendable.
Joe (12 Jan 2008 at 12:58am)
Just saw a Joe Pass DVD, but maybe it wasn't the one you mentioned. Still good though.
I hear a lot of guitarists simplifying things as you describe. I appreciate the exposure to their approach, which works for them, but I really enjoy thinking about things from many perspectives at once. I feel like taking only the simplified approach would be limiting. I'd rather keep that approach in mind along with many others and view the guitar from as many angles as possible. Like chess.
Joe (12 Jan 2008 at 12:59am)
Also, I'm a nerd. So I'm liable to complicate things wherever "exhaust all permutations" applies.