JOHN ROCHE

Hi my name is John Roche and today I am going to explain you the diminished scale and arpeggios.

Although there are eight notes in the diminished scale, there are in fact only two different shapes for the scale (Because the scale is laid out whole-tone , semi-tone, whole-tone, semi-tone, whole-tone, semi-tone, whole-tone, semi-tone...) -- one starting whole-tone / semitone and the other starting semitone / whole-tone, etc. - and they are named accordingly. If you harmonise the diminished scale you the intervals 1 b3 b5 bb7, which spell out a Diminished 7th chord. The whole-step / half-step diminished scale works best over a diminished seventh chord, although it can be used over a min7th chord for a very ‘OUTSIDE’ sound. The half-step / whole-step diminished scale works will over resolving dominant seventh chords. The scale contains all the notes from a seventh chord (1, 3, 5, b7) plus a 13th and the alterations b9, #9 and b5th, and works well on 13#9 and 13b9 chords. A diminished seventh arpeggio played up a half step from the root of the chord is also good, and can be easier to get your ear around initially.

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John Roche is 19 years old, from Kilkenny City, Ireland, and has been playing guitar for 6 years. His main influences are Marty Friedman, Slash, Zakk Wylde, Children of Bodom, George Lynch, BucketHead, Decapitated, Immortal, Jeff Beck, James Murphy, and Vinnie Moore .

Feel free to Email me at oncewashuman@gmail.com