diminished chord motions

The theoretical properties of the diminished color bring forth a set of intervals and motions that can open up some rather serious ground for the adventurous creative jazz artist. Due to the symmetrical interval structure of the diminished scale, arpeggio and chord, some interesting ways to move the structures around emerges from the theory. The following ideas examine some of the more common ways in which the diminished color is moved about. Of course, we could do this with any of the colors, and that eventually becomes the idea I think. We simply use the theory of the diminished color to theoretically establish possible resolving motions, then apply what we think is cool, where we think it might be cool, to whatever colors we dig. Is it all about exploring the theory and experimenting with the possibilities, looking for coolness? Lets explore the theory and find some of the interval motions associated with the diminished color, then extract each one and experiment with the possibilities.

The uniqueness of the diminished color is in part created by it's symmetrical intervalic formula, simply a loop of minor thirds. Here is the loop. Example 1.

Can you sense how additional pitches of minor 3rds would continue the loop? C, Eb, Gb, A, C, Eb, Gb A etc? Cool? Here is the sound of the diminished loop. Example 1a.

Oh, are there other symmetrical intervalic loops? Of course, we have everything here. Anyway, from this arpeggio of minor thirds of example 1, we can create the diminished scales and chords. Of course the chords simply stack the pitches of the arpeggio, while the scale divides the minor 3rd interval in two ways. Theorists call these two scales the "whole tone / half tone" and the "half tone / whole tone" scales. We simply add in a consistent upper or lower neighbor tone to the arpeggio to create the scales. Example 2.

So, whole step / half step and it's reverse, splitting the minor third. Want to venture a guess as to which group of pitches is created by combining the two versions of the diminished scale created above in example 2? Begins with a C and is known in this text as the "granddaddy of em all." Right, the chromatic scale. You hip? Any other obvious intervals or motions? Looking at the arpeggio above, the interval of the tritone emerges yes? Example 3.

The tritone intervals of C / Gb / C and Eb / A / Eb emerge from the one diminished arpeggio or chord. So is a tritone = to a minor 3rd + minor 3rd? So is the diminished chord simply a pair of tritones? Dueling tritones? Yep. Cool huh?

So what are some of the common motions associated with the diminished color, as gleaned from the above theory? Well, the minor 3rd for sure, being the basic structural interval. The two divisions of this interval, whole step / half step and half step / whole step. Chromatic motion, as created by combining these two scales. And the tritone interval itself, perhaps the bluest of all the blue notes? Lets examine each of these possible motions using the diminished color.

How many chromatic half steps up or down must we move a diminished chord to create an inversion of the same chord? Example 4.

Pretty cumbersome eh? Well if three's a charm... How about the whole step / half step idea. Example 4a.

Isn't this last idea simply a polyphony of different versions of the same diminished scale in each of the voices? Same with the half step / whole step motion? Example 4b.

Well? pretty much the same eh? Although a new set of pitches emerges yes? Do they also spell a diminished arpeggio? How about moving a fully diminished 7th chord up or down by the interval of a minor third? Example 4c.

Interesting that the pitches of each of the chords are the same huh? Stands to reason yes? Minor 3rd interval construction, motion in minor 3rds. Tis a very cool thing indeed. Any guesses as to motion by leaping tritones. Example 4d.

Wow, kinda scary huh? Same chord, different inversions? Yep. Does anything usable come from moving a chord by the interval two minor 3rd's, the tritone? Is there such a thing as a tritone sub?

So what do it all mean? Well that depends on what directions one's music is going. For some, the various diminished motions discussed above simply provide a few tricks to use when they bump into a diminished chord. That they sound cool and are easy to execute helps a player make the initial attempts at manipulating the basic color. What happens when the sound of the diminished color wears a bit thin to the ear of the creative artist? Can we apply the same resolving motions to other tensions? If we can locate a diminished chord within the V 7b9 chord and move it in the ways discussed here, can we move a softened dominant chord in similar ways? If the V 7b9 chord is a whole step down from VI, as in a 3 / 6 / 2 / 5 cadential motion, what's the b9 chord up a half step from VI? How important is the tritone sub to the emerging jazz artist. Do the softened dominant colors, when moved in the diminished ways, simply become polytonal windows?

I don't wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know that it has to get down to work. Pearl S. Buck