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Octatonic Chords, Diatonic Chords for 124 Eight Note Scales is a course that I recommend working on in tandem with the Bebop Scale Courses or the 475 Octatonic Scales book.  This course is part of a series of books on octatonics. Learning to hear the harmony for eight note scales in crucial to using them musically.  I’ve also included some very useful information on how you might approach using not only the chords but the eight note scales in a musical way and some of the pitfalls that you might encounter.

This course takes a subset of the 495 possible eight note scales and looks at diatonic chords found in 124 octatonic scales. Some of these scales have been chosen because they are commonly used, like the diminished scale. Others are typical Bebop scales while others are scales that I have found interesting, but are also part of other courses I’ve created such as the series of books on Bebop scales.

This course looks at the 3 and 4 note chords derived from these 124 octatonic scales in several ways. The 3 note diatonic chords are grouped by root, 1st and 2nd inversion, while the 4 note chords are grouped by root, 1st, 2nd and 3rd inversion but also include these voicings ascending through each eight note scale. In all of these cases you will find all 3 and 4 note chord voicings in all keys so it’s a quite a large resource that makes it very easy to organize and dig into the chords quickly.

Midi Files are included for all exercises so you can listen to these chord voicings.  I would highly recommend singing through these voicings and singing the scale over these voicings as an ear training exercise.  This will really help to ingrain the sound of the chords.

Many world-class musicians and legendary educators often recommend that you spend a significant amount of time mastering chord voicings—specifically diatonic chord voicings—to truly ingrain the unique harmonic fingerprint of a scale into your subconscious mind. By exploring the vertical structures (chords) of a scale, you develop a much deeper “inner ear” for its horizontal possibilities (melodies). This holistic approach is essential for any improviser looking to move beyond simple patterns and start playing with genuine musical intent.

This deep integration of harmony and melody helps immensely when you are attempting to craft compelling, memorable lines. There is a common wisdom among masters that any truly great melody can be distilled into a logical chord progression, and conversely, any sophisticated chord progression contains a beautiful, singing melody hidden within its voice leading. I have found this to be an absolute truth in my own journey as a performer and composer.

When you understand how an octatonic or bebop scale generates its own unique set of diatonic chords, you stop guessing and start hearing. Working through this comprehensive chord voicing resource will bridge the gap between your technical knowledge and your creative output. I highly recommend dedicating consistent practice time to these exercises; the rewards for your ears, your hands, and your musicality will be profound and long-lasting.

Below is a link to my Blog where you can find out more information about this course and other octatonic courses:

Read more at Bruce Arnold’s Blog.

Table of Contents:

Composers and Musicians who have used Octatonic Scales
Diatonic Octatonic Chord Voicings
Course Breakdown
Ways to Implement Octatonic Chords
124 Octatonic (Eight Note Scales) Used in this Book
Conclusion

List of Contents for the Octatonic Chord Course:

ISBN: 978-1-59489-291-2

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What people are saying:

“Well this is a tour de force if there ever was one. Highly Recommend!” T. Roland

“Finally a course where this is made easy. Thanks Bruce!” D. Raskin