b9 #11 Chord Scale Theory

[rpjazzguitar]

I'm in the camp that reinterprets every dom7 (whether or not something is added to it) as alt7 and plays what ever dang upper partials and altered 5 or 9 I feel like playing. In this case, I'd interpret b9#11 as b5b9, but with instructions to play the b5 an octave higher. Redundant, since it's essentially impossible not to on the guitar, but maybe the band leader thought he was being helpful. Out of sheer cussedness I'd playe either a vanilla dom7, a 13, or 7#9. Voicings? We don't need no steenking voicings. We are Federales.



John

Makes sense to me. The chord voicing in a big band chart often includes the extensions heard in the horns. It's important to consider that while you're comping. You can avoid them, which will sound fine, or you can reinforce them, which, to my ear, often sounds a little better. Adds texture. But, that will work better after you're familiar with what the chart sounds like and you find effective voicings. Usually, the biggest problem I face is that some of the amateur arrangers I work with like font sizes that make the extensions microscopic. Their way of requesting shell voicings?

For the solos, as you say, on a dominant chord you're usually choosing 5ths and 9ths.

Three choices for each, at worst. In practice, if you're pick one alteration of a 9th, you get the other one for free and you don't play the nat9.

Fifths have a few more options. For fifths, you may have to distinguish between altering both 5ths, which often works. Or, a 13#11 sound which won't work well with a #5. Or, you may use a nat5 with an alteration an octave higher.

For soloing, pick 'em by ear.

[christianm77]

Woah, yeah. Brilliant way of thinking about this.

cheers man, I wish it were mine :-)