Functional Resources of Scales
by Glen Halls © All Rights Reserved
IV the Harmonic Major
The original or common version is in the Aeolian position
1 2 3 4 5 -6 (-7) 7
But we will Start with the Lydian.
1 (2) +2 3 +4 +5 6 7
” Kind of a Lydian augmented with a +2”
I(7)+5 +9 +11 13 5 Great Interesting Tonic.
Note: 13th is kind of weak. Adding the Natural 5 high, with the +11 tucked beside it sounds Great.
Absolutely Crushing over Dominant Pedals:
Note: This is a very interesting chord as the UPPER Partials may either function to color or –bite” the lower partials in a tonic arrangement, OR, We may Solve for the lower partials and it really becomes a strong Partial dominant sound. What is more, in the PD context is may sound to the equal tempered ears the SAME as a mi7-5 chord, which could be interesting in context.
Solved: QUASI CHORD. ( ie. misspelled ) I-(7)+5 with 9 high and +11 and 13 ( But this is actually I +2 (7) +5 and has to be partial dominant.) The presence of upper partials helps as well . Crushing over V Pedal.
I +2(7)+11 with 9 and 13 . Note, no 3rd in the chord. This is the one that sounds like mi7-5
I 6 + 9+11 +5 (7) high. ( kind of like B7/CE ) very nice either as TONIC , or to Move to IV This arrangement adds the bite of +5 down to 13, which is different. Also Great over V pedal. Tolerable -9 (Actually +8 ) to Pedal tone.
#IIo7 literal and with -8 ( acting as major 7th) and possibly with 11th and -13 high pd. It is interesting that the -13 above would be the conventional Leading tone, and its exposure may give it strong PURE Dominant leaning. Very Nice over V Pedal.
The -9 ( +8) G# to G is bothersome to some. ( Not to me )
III(7) 9 11 b13.Alternate tonic, but poor.
III(7)sus 9 -7 high. This is a more interesting Substitute tonic. Very Nice over I and V Pedals.
#IV 07 ( really +6) with 9 and 11 high. weak or partial dominant, well full dominant also. sounds great over V or I pedals
#V-7 -13 Dominant by virtue of B and D#. Quite Nice with -5 high. Strangely nice over V pedal. Resolves as even Stronger Dominant to Deceptive Tonic vi
This is a very strange chord. It will sound like Ab minor but can create motion back to I as a dominant. In its SUSPENSION FORM with -4 and -13 solved for -3 and 5 , we get TONIC. BUT the suspension it is
NOT A REAL TRIAD, itês a diminished 4th. This creates some Crushing sounds over the I and V Pedals.
VI-(7) 9 +11 13 Deceptive Tonic. The best full spelling of this chord. Over V pedal it sounds like Nelson Riddle on Stardust. With the +11 solved for V ( and sounding like mi7-5) you get a nice weak or partial dominant, and it works very well over a V pedal
VI - 6 with +11 and VI - +11 (7) 13 . Good with 9 and 11 high. This is an example of that Diminished 7th and Diminished major 7th sound by it doesnêt spell or behave that way at all. This is a Partial Dominant chord. Nice Over I and V pedals. Very Nice Sounds.
VII7 -9 -10 13 Dominant. This is a very interesting Dominant as it doesnêt have an F or G Good over I or V pedals. Interesting -9 to root, noise for some, interest for others.
4ths. voicings of the scale
C F# B E A D or D# D# A D G C F#
A D# G C F# B
These all sound Great over I or V pedals.
No mode 2 of Harmonic Major.
Mode III (Mixolydian) of Harmonic Major. This is doubtful as it would be from the passing tone (Bb) But, it would be ( 1) +1 2 3 4 5 6 - 7
Mode Four. ( Dorian) of the Harmonic Major.
1 2 -3 (4 )+4 5 6 7 8 –Like a minor +4
I-(7) 9 +11 13 minor tonic Very nice and very common
I-(7)-5 Which is actually the +11. Iêd call this Dominant Self resolving. or D/T
I- 69 +11. A very nice minor tonic
II7 -9 -10 13 and II 6 -9 -10 Very nice and very interesting -9 to root here, which works in my opinion. Both Great over V pedal. Especially the II6 -9 -10
bIII(7)+5 9 or #9 +11 13 altternate tonic in minor. or correcting dominant, especially with +9 Great over
V pedal.
#IVo7 or with -8 -9 11 -13 pd. Note: -8 makes it sound like a (7) chord partial dominant or weak dominant. Great over V pedal
V(7) 9 Pure dominant. not much new or useful here
V(7) sus -13 9 3 and 5 high. This is really Dominant suspension/V pedal. Very nice.
VIo7 9 11 b13 poor.
Vi mi7-5 9 11 13 very good minor tonic. Very nice , soft yet full sound
VII -7 b9 Dominant to minor. but not a very good one.
4th voicings of the scale. (high D clipped off in the 5th chord)
Mode V (Aeolian) of the harmonic major
(the common or Original version)
1 2 3 4 5 -6 (-7) 7
I(7) 9 11 b13 up high. Tonic, but nothing new or useful
bVI Quasi mi2-5/I Actually bVI (7)+11 +2 with 9 /I This is in fact a mixed dominant sound.
also bVI(7)+5 +9 /I Tonic or SD/T Very nice, especially with the +9
II-7b5 9 11 13. Note: This is the 4th and last of the mi7-5 options. Subdominant to minor. b13 passing available. - quite nice over I, V, or bVI pedals.
III nothing good.
IV-(7) 9 #11 13 S to minor. 9 13
IV-(7)b5 9 13 Dominant. b5 is really a +11 ( with 11 tucked sounds great.) or 11 up high. 13th doesnêt contribute. Both Great over V pedal.
V7 -9 13 D to minor. ( b10 also possible.) ( 13th present and sounds good. 5th sounds terrible, so omit)
tc
V7 susb9 Note: 5th sounds better than 13 here. A good and strong subdominant
bVI(7)+5 #9 #11 Subdominant to minor or Possible T. ( will still sound like sus over tonic)
bVI(7)+5+11 no 3 +9
bVI(7)-5 ( really +11) +9 13 ( nat 9 possible up high also) S to minor. ( natural 9 possible on all of these, but not what makes the scale unique.) Great Over V Pedals and I pedals.
VIIo7 .but with -9 11 -13 The "soft and commercial one" Mixed Dominant to Minor. Very good over a C pedal ( which is in the chord.)
Note: This is not the symmetrical scale. It contains the C natural, which may be used as a passing tone
Some 4th voicings:
Mode VI of the harmonic major Phrygian.
1 -2 (-3) 3 4 5 6 -7 –mixolydian b3b2”
I7 b9b10 11 13 Blues Tonic
I7 -9-10 13 Great Subdominant//Tonic Both are very nice over V pedal.
I7sus -9 13 3 high.
bII(7)+5 9 +9 +11 13 Subdominant to major
bII(7)b5 9 or #9 13 subdominant to major +9 provides an interesting sound. Both are good over I and V pedals. especially V
bIII7 9 #11 13 +8 alternate tonic in minor. or used as Correcting subdominant, especially over V pedal
IIIo7 or III-7 b5 with -8 ( sounds like (7) b13 Substitute blues TONIC? YES. Both forms also good over a V pedal. It is a real correction.
IV7 9 Subdominant to major ( Bluesy subdominant )
IV(7) 9 Subdominant to major
Both are also fine as SD/T or SD/D suspensions using Pedals.
Then with some solving suspensions . All of these are fantastic over I and V pedals as SD/T or SD/D suspensions.
IV(7) b6 9 5 high, . IV(7)sus b6 9 5 and 3 high., IV7 b6 9 major 3 and 5 high., IV7sus b6 9 3 5 high. All Major Subdominants.
Vmi7-5 9 11 b13 13 Subdominant or Pseudo Dominant. ( modal subdominant which acts and sounds like -9 -10 upper partials over a Real Dominant. )
Very good as SD/I suspensions with I pedal also.
VI nothing new or of use.
bVIImi (7) 9 11 +11 13 S to major or Pseudo over V pedal. Also nice soft SD suspension over I pedal.
bVIImi 6 9 11 try the +9 also. S to major and great over I and V pedals.
4ths voicings: The interesting options here is the quasi 4ths E Bb Eb bluesy sound. Not a literal 4th
Mode VII (Locrian) or the harmonic major.
1 2-3 4 -5 (-6) 6-7
I nil of use. +4 might have been of use, but not b5 per se.
IImi7-5 -9 -13 Tolerable -9. -13 is optional. Subdominant to minor . It ends up sounding like a first inversion Bb7 chord. Best over V pedal. ( The first inversion bVIi7 over V pedal is great, like a Pseudo. )
bIII Normally I would say nothing of use, except that many people play the bIIImi11 correction.
bIII-(7) 9 11 bIII-(7)-5 8 11, except the -5 is really a +11 This sounds like a Pure dominant, but is not. Interesting to have both a +11 and 11 in the same chord. Here, the 11 high does help- it gives it a strong subdominant sound. The +11 as -5 version does sound great over a V pedal.
IVmi7 Fine, but nothing really new or interesting.
IV7 13 b9b10 Subdominant to major. Not really happening.
bV(7) should not work, but kind of does with a couple of alterations. (Iêm probably thinking of a #IV chord here )
bV(7)+5 Except the +5 is really a -6 9 11 high
bV(7)-5 except the -5 is really a +11 and is also the tonic C. 9 11 Both Great over I pedal. Wicked over V pedal. Iêd have to call it a correcting subdominant.
VImi7-5 Been there done that. Not very good.
bVII(7) -7 high poor S to major, but might be interesting when solved
. bVII(7) -6 9 with 5 high. SD to major. or possibly Correcting SD
bVII(7)sus -6 9 with 5 and 3 high
bVII7 -6 9 with 5 high. SD to minor or possibly Correcting SD
bVII7sus -6 9 with 5 and 3 high
All good over I and pedals. Over V pedal it resembles a pseudo.
Some 4th voicings:
No Mode 8 in harmonic major.
Mode 9 of the harmonic major.( from the E.)
1 -2-3 -4 (-5) 5 -6 -7
I-7 b9 b11 b13 Tonic in minor but very poor and useless.
bII-(7) 9 11 13 Subdominant
bII-(7)-5 ( actually +11) 9 11 13 Subdominant, good the +11 works well over a I pedal, and both work
well over the V pedal
bIII-7 useful for corrections here.
bIII-7 11 13 Correcting Subdominant . no 9 , bIII-7 sus -3 13 high. This one is a true Subdominant to minor. Both good over pedal.
bIV(7)+5 9 +11 13 Subdominant to minor., bIV(7)-5 (actually +11) 9 13 Subdominant to minor. Both very good over both I and V pedals
bV nothing of use.
Vo7 11 b13 Weak SD but sounds bad.
Vo (7) sus. actually -8 and 4th but no 3rd.. This is kind of an interesting correcting SD
tc
bVI(7) 9 S to minor. nothing new
Interesting examples from solving suspensions, however.
bVI(7)-6 9 5 high, bVI(7)sus 9 3 high, bVI(7)sus -6 9 3 and 5 high. All SD to minor, and all killing over I and V pedals.
bVII-7 b5 9 11 13 . blues Tonic substitute again.
bVIIo7 9 11 13. Note, this is actually a bVIImi6-5 Strong SD to minor or Pseudo over V pedal. Great Sus/Blues sound over I pedal.
Some 4th Voicings: Killer for Blues.
tc
Mode 10 of the harmonic major (from the B)
1 -2 -3 4 -5 -6 - - 7 (7 )
I nothing new or of use
bII(7) 9 OK but not great
bII(7)sus 9 3 high is interesting. and very nice over I and V pedals. Correcting Subdominant
bII +6 chord. 9 Augmented Sixth mixed Dominant.
bII +6 sus 9 3 high
bII +6 -13 9 5 high
bII +6 sus 9 5 and 3 high.
All great chords, but donêt lend themselves to pedals.
tc
bIII. Interesting that this degree will sounds like VII(7) in first inversion and a dominant, but It really isnêt.
bIII-7 9 11 13 Correcting Sub
bIII-7 +5 9 5 high. This is now closer to a subdominant correction.
bIII-7 9 13 3 high. SD correction again.
bIII-7sus+5 9 5 and 3 high. This is now a Mixed Dominant, or mixed dominant correction.
Not bad over tonic pedal. A little harsh over a dominant pedal.
IV-7 11 Subdominant, but poor except in sus position below
IV-7 -5 (actually a +11 11 b13 Mixed Dominant.) Very Good over a V pedal. ( Becomes a G7 chord.)
IV-7+11sus -13 -9 Possible tolerable minor 9th.. Interesting sound.
tc
V nil.
Quasi bVI- 69 with 11. Actually a mixed Dominant. Great over V pedal. Interesting over I pedal. D with 11th very nice. Note the minor third is really a +9
bVI- 6 9 11sus 3 high. Very cool. But really just an INVERSION of Db
VII nil.
4ths: many imperfect 4ths or tritones available.