Jazz-Mandolin.com Improvisation Using Diatonic Thirds

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How to play JAZZ on the mandolin

Diatonic Thirds

Wynton Kelly Jazz

Improvising using phrases with diatonic thirds is a common bebop device. If played from the root on a major scale it makes the following

1 3 5 7 9 11 13

This can make for some very interesting melodic possibilities. 3 5 7 9 is a strong sounding phrase with lots of color from the 7 and 9 on major chords. Flat the 7th and you have a nice sound against dominant seventh chords.

7 9 11 and 13 has nice color against major chords, but some don't like the sound of 11 against the third of the major, which is a half step clash. Raising that to a sharp 11 is however a common bebop trait and has a wonderful sound against a major chord. Just as above, lowering the seventh has a good dominant sound.

Another common device against a dominant chord is to play diatonic thirds on step lower. Against a G7 chord, play F A C E G (diatonic thirds in the F major scale). An example is below.

Practice all major diatonic thirds and get comfortable with how they are played. A PDF file can be found HERE. This file is for 5 string instruments, for 4 string just leave out the notes on the C string.

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