Symmetrical Scales for Jazz Improvisation

Book excerpt: Much ink has been spilled on the study of symmetrical scales, producing many method books which at best offer a superficial examination of this broad subject. Regrettably, the few studies that do exist focus on the more familiar symmetrical scales such as the diminished and whole-tone scales. Olivier Messiaen, a distinguished French composer, penned The Technique of My Musical Language, which outlined his own system of symmetrical scale organization as it related to his compositional approach, and thus this system is limited in its usage for more general application. My book is the first of its kind, to my knowledge, to institute a complete system whereby one can examine all the possible symmetrical scales, and hence serves as a companion volume to my former book, The Complete Thesaurus of Musical Scales. This book is intended for musicians, composers and music teachers (and their students), to stimulate their creative impulses towards the exploration of symmetrical scales, as a reference guide and/or a source of inspiration. Although this study focuses on the application of symmetrical scales as they correspond to jazz improvisation, the concepts introduced in my book can be applied to many styles of music and realized on any instrument. I hope that this publication will act as a catalyst to your individual development as a musician. Bon Voyage!