Includes

Mastering Gypsy Jazz DVD!

Guitar Improvisation
A complete guide to unlock your musical potential as an
improvising musician in the gypsy jazz style

Topics covered include:

Gypsy Jazz Guitar Technique and Exercises
Transcribing Improvisations
Melody (Scales & Modes)
Harmony (Chords & Arpeggios)
The Polytonal Approach to Improvisation
Mastering Gypsy Jazz


Melodic Minor Scales
Augmented Scales
Guitar Improvisation
Diminished Scales
A complete guide to unlock your musical potential
as an improvising musician in the gypsy jazz style
Includes instructional DVD!

Marcelo Damon holds a degree in jazz guitar performance from Arizona State University.
He has studied with such notable jazz musicians as Chuck Mahronic, Mike Crotty,
Chris Champion, Russell Schmidt, Jack Wilkins, John Stowell, Larry Koonse, Fred
Hershe, Art Landy, the Brubeck Brothers, Arturo Sandoval, and Gunther Schuller.
by Marcelo Damon

Designed and Produced by: HyperHip Digital Imaging HyperHip.com

$39.99 USD 1234 56 05 78921

Chapter 4 - Harmony (Chords & Arpeggios)

11th Chords
Major 11th 1-3-5-7-9-11
Minor 11th 1-b3-5-b7-9-11
Dominant 11th 1-3-5-b7-9-11

13th Chords
Major 13th 1-3-5-7-9-11-13
Minor 13th 1-b3-5-b7-9-11-13
Dominant 13th 1-b3-5-7-9-11-13

Altered Dominant Chords

Dom 7th b9 1-3-5-b7-b9
Dom 7th #9 1-3-5-b7-#9
Dom 7th #11
(TT sub) 1-3-5-7-(9)-#11
Dom 7th b13 1-3-5-b7-(9)-(11)-b13

You can continue this list of chords by introducing

combinations of altered pitches to creating all
sorts of interesting harmonies. When all altered
pitches are present we simply say ALT for the
chord quality.
Of course there are more chords than those
listed here, but rather than list them all I will
simple explain how to create in a way that is more
easily accessible as it relates to both the guitar
and gypsy jazz improvisation in the following
chapter. All chords should be internalized and
learned on the guitar.

Page 32 Mastering Gypsy Jazz Guitar Improvisation

 Chapter 4 - Harmony (Chords & Arpeggios)

Mastering Gypsy Jazz Guitar Improvisation Page 33

Chapter 6 - Melodic Minor, Augmented and Diminished Scales

For any given dominant chord, lets take trusty old

C7, you can play the following Melodic Minor
scales (and arpeggios derived from these scales) ,
creating the following sounds because of differ-
ences of notes between the scales:
C Dominant scale = C-D-E-F-G-A-Bb-C

F Melodic Minor = F-G-Ab-Bb-C-D-E-F = Ab (b13)

G Melodic Minor = G-A-Bb-C-D-E-F#-G = F# (#11)

Bb Melodic Minor = Bb-C-D-Eb-F-G-A-Bb = Eb (#9)

Page 44 Mastering Gypsy Jazz Guitar Improvisation

Chapter 6 - Melodic Minor, Augmented and Diminished Scales

Db Melodic Minor = Db-Eb-E-Gb-Ab-Bb-C-Db =

(b9), (#9), (#11), (b13)

With this choice every altered note possible is

present. In nearly all of the Bireli Lagrenes
improvisations I have transcribed I find this
concept being used. Its really the hippest
choice over a dominant chord as it is the most
out. Django and countless others use this
choice as well. In fact, so many people did that
theorists realized what they were doing and
gave it a name.

Augmented Scales

As the Augmented scale is a symmetrical scale

made up of whole steps you can play the fol-
lowing Augmented scales (and arpeggios
derived from these scales) over C7:
C Aug, D Aug, E Aug, F#Aug, G#Aug, and
A#Aug

Diminished Scales

As the Diminished scale is a symmetrical scale

as well, made up of either alternating half-
whole steps, or whole-half steps you can use
the following diminished scales over C7 to
achieve the following sounds:

Mastering Gypsy Jazz Guitar Improvisation Page 45

 Includes
Mastering Gypsy Jazz DVD!
Guitar Improvisation
A complete guide to unlock your musical potential as an
improvising musician in the gypsy jazz style

Topics covered include:

Gypsy Jazz Guitar Technique and Exercises
Transcribing Improvisations
Melody (Scales & Modes)
Harmony (Chords & Arpeggios)
The Polytonal Approach to Improvisation
Mastering Gypsy Jazz


Melodic Minor Scales
Augmented Scales
Guitar Improvisation
Diminished Scales
A complete guide to unlock your musical potential
as an improvising musician in the gypsy jazz style
Includes instructional DVD!

Marcelo Damon holds a degree in jazz guitar performance from Arizona State University.
He has studied with such notable jazz musicians as Chuck Mahronic, Mike Crotty,
Chris Champion, Russell Schmidt, Jack Wilkins, John Stowell, Larry Koonse, Fred
Hershe, Art Landy, the Brubeck Brothers, Arturo Sandoval, and Gunther Schuller.
by Marcelo Damon

Designed and Produced by: HyperHip Digital Imaging HyperHip.com

$39.99 USD 1234 56 05 78921