Diminished Chord Ideas For Improvisers

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Diminished Chord exercises are great for developing technique and constructing some new and interesting sounds
when improvising. By adding some additional pitches to the diminished triad you can create a variety of dominant
function ideas that add new colors and textures to your playing. Because of the symmetry of the diminished chord
construction, (example 1) most ideas are interchangeable with any key areas that share the minor third relationship.
Study example two for an illustration of this concept. Keep practicing!

 
Cdim E¨dim G¨dim Adim

         
Ex. 1      
C7b9 E¨7b9

 
r
 7 r  5 6
#9
17
5 
3
5 3

b9
3 b9
 3 b9

7

Ex. 2   

CHROMATIC ASCENDING/DESCENDING Exercises

C-7b5 C©-7b5

     
D-7b5 E¨-7b5 E-7b5 F-7b5 F©-7b5 G-7b5
     
#1                     
19
 
etc

4 NOTE GROUPINGS. NOTE: These are all interchangeable with any of the four chords in each exercise.

 
E¨7b9 C7b9 E¨7b9 C7b9

    
A7b9 F©7b9
 
        
23
  
#2              


               
     
27

        

Notes in brackets are diminiched triad
D¨7b9
    D¨7b9
 
E7b9 G7b9 E7b9
 
B¨7b9 B¨7b9
      
         
30

#2b     

      

              

34
   
               

 
F7b9 D7b9 F7b9 D7b9

B7b9 A¨7b9 B7b9
38
             
          
#2c  

    


          
         
42

             

 3 NOTE
     
GROUPINGS NOTE: Transpose to the other two key areas
46
      
3
       
3

3
#3    
  
    
3 3 3

 
3 3
5 NOTE GROUPINGS

              
48
 
5

5

#4  

          

 

 
5 5 5 5 5
NOTE: Transpose to the other two key centers