The ascending melodic minor scale, often referred to as the “jazz minor” is highly useful over V-I chord progressions. In this etude I’ve formed two triads from the scale without using the root of the scale. So for example, in C melodic minor (C, D, EB, F, G, A, B) I form two triads: D minor and Eb augmented (D-F-A and Eb-G-B). As you can tell I use only six notes of the scale, leaving out the root. The combination of these triads has a very distinct sound, melodic, but almost symmetrical or atonal sounding (for want of a better word, a more “modern” sound).
This particular triad pattern would work nicely resolving over several V-I progressions. For example, A7 to D Major, D7 to G Major and B7 to E Major (used most typically). Rather than putting one pattern in all 12 keys, I instead alter each pattern to give a variety of suggestions for you to practice. Some of the patterns are polymetric (e.g., 5/8 pattern over 4/4) but the entire etude is written in 4/4. This and many other ideas using the melodic minor scale in interesting ways is explored in great depth in my book, Melodic Minor Scale Jazz Studies: Tonal Organizations and Applications Over Dominant 7th Chords.
If you’re interested in learning more about how triad pairs can be applied over dominant chords moving to tonic, please consider my ebook, Encyclopedia of Triad Pairs.
Click the link below to download the pdf for this etude: