This page is a continuation of the article “Allan Holdsworth’s 10 Most Usable Scales”.
In the 1992 video by REH, Allan Holdsworth presented 10 scales, which he called “the most usable”.
In 1993, the book ‘Just for the Curious’ was released, to “accompany and perhaps clarify some points in the video”.
The book features all of the 10 scales mentioned in the video, and 5 more.
On this page, therefore, are the remaining 5 scales which Holdsworth presented to the public as ‘usable’.
There is however much more to his methodology than merely these 15 scales.
Much of this website is dedicated to a perspective on music theory and improvisation inspired by, but not targeted towards Holdsworth’s style and concepts.
Table of Contents
- Scale 11: Db Jazz Minor (add #4)
- Scale 12: C Jazz Dominant (add b3, natural 7)
- Scale 13: C Jazz Major (add b3, b6)
- Scale 14: C Mixolydian #9
- Scale 15: F Whole Tone Scale (Messiaen M1)
- Recommendations
No 11 Db Jazz Minor (add #4)
Allan’s symbol: Dbⓧɣ+4
Notes: Db - Eb - E - Gb - G - Ab - Bb - C
Intervals: 1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - #4 - 5 - 6 - 7
More info: Jazz Minor add #4.
Modes
A mode is this same set of notes heard from a different starting note. Pick one to see it on the circle.
Triads
DbmDb, E, Ab DbdimDb, E, G Dbsus2Db, Eb, Ab Dbsus4Db, Gb, Ab EbEb, G, Bb EbmEb, Gb, Bb Ebsus4Eb, Ab, Bb EdimE, G, Bb E+E, G#, C GbGb, Bb, Db Gbsus2Gb, Ab, Db GdimG, Bb, Db AbAb, C, Eb Ab+Ab, C, E Absus2Ab, Bb, Eb Absus4Ab, Db, Eb BbdimBb, Db, E CC, E, G3 more
Seventh chords
Dbdim7Db, E, G, Bb DbmMaj7Db, E, Ab, C Dbm6Db, E, Ab, Bb Dbmaj7sus4Db, Gb, Ab, C Eb7Eb, G, Bb, Db Ebm7Eb, Gb, Bb, Db Eb6Eb, G, Bb, C Ebm6Eb, Gb, Bb, C Eb7sus4Eb, Ab, Bb, Db Edim7E, G, Bb, Db Emaj7#5E, G#, C, D# Emaj7b5E, G#, Bb, D# Gb7Gb, Bb, Db, E Gb7b5Gb, Bb, C, E Gb6Gb, Bb, Db, Eb Gdim7G, Bb, Db, E Abmaj7Ab, C, Eb, G Ab7Ab, C, Eb, Gb11 more
This scale holds many more chords than these, with extensions, inversions and every voicing on the neck. Find them all in Fretly
No 12 C Jazz Dominant (add b3, natural 7)
Allan’s symbol: C7ɣ-3
Notes: C - D - Eb - E - F - G - A - Bb - B
Intervals: 1 - 2 - b3 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7 - 7
More info: Jazz Dominant add b3.
Modes
A mode is this same set of notes heard from a different starting note. Pick one to see it on the circle.
Triads
CC, E, G CmC, Eb, G Csus2C, D, G Csus4C, F, G DmD, F, A Dsus2D, E, A Dsus4D, G, A EbEb, G, Bb Eb+Eb, G, B Ebsus2Eb, F, Bb EmE, G, B EdimE, G, Bb Esus4E, A, B FF, A, C Fsus2F, G, C Fsus4F, Bb, C GG, B, D GmG, Bb, D12 more
Seventh chords
Cmaj7C, E, G, B C7C, E, G, Bb Cm7C, Eb, G, Bb CmMaj7C, Eb, G, B C6C, E, G, A Cm6C, Eb, G, A C7sus4C, F, G, Bb Cmaj7sus4C, F, G, B Dm7D, F, A, C Dm6D, F, A, B D7sus4D, G, A, C Ebmaj7Eb, G, Bb, D Ebmaj7#5Eb, G, B, D Ebmaj7b5Eb, G, A, D Eb6Eb, G, Bb, C Em7E, G, B, D Em7b5E, G, Bb, D EmMaj7E, G, B, D#27 more
This scale holds many more chords than these, with extensions, inversions and every voicing on the neck. Find them all in Fretly
No 13 C Jazz Major (add b3, b6)
Allan’s symbol: Cɣ-3
Notes: C - D - Eb - E - F - G - Ab - A - B
Intervals: 1 - 2 - b3 - 3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - 6 - 7
More info: Jazz Major add b3.
Modes
A mode is this same set of notes heard from a different starting note. Pick one to see it on the circle.
Triads
CC, E, G CmC, Eb, G C+C, E, G# Csus2C, D, G Csus4C, F, G DmD, F, A DdimD, F, Ab Dsus2D, E, A Dsus4D, G, A Eb+Eb, G, B EE, G#, B EmE, G, B E+E, G#, C Esus4E, A, B FF, A, C FmF, Ab, C FdimF, Ab, B Fsus2F, G, C14 more
Seventh chords
Cmaj7C, E, G, B CmMaj7C, Eb, G, B Cmaj7#5C, E, G#, B C6C, E, G, A Cm6C, Eb, G, A Cmaj7sus4C, F, G, B Dm7D, F, A, C Dm7b5D, F, Ab, C Ddim7D, F, Ab, B Dm6D, F, A, B D7sus4D, G, A, C Ebmaj7#5Eb, G, B, D Ebmaj7b5Eb, G, A, D Emaj7E, G#, B, D# E7E, G#, B, D Em7E, G, B, D EmMaj7E, G, B, D# E7#5E, G#, C, D33 more
This scale holds many more chords than these, with extensions, inversions and every voicing on the neck. Find them all in Fretly
No 14 C Mixolydian #9
Allan’s symbol: C7-3
Notes: C - Eb - E - F - G - A - Bb
Intervals: 1 - b3 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7
More info: Mixolydian #9.
Modes
A mode is this same set of notes heard from a different starting note. Pick one to see it on the circle.
Backing tracks
Jam this scale over these. They open on the track page.
This scale holds many more chords than these, with extensions, inversions and every voicing on the neck. Find them all in Fretly
No 15 F Whole Tone (Messiaen M1)
Allan’s symbol: Co
Notes: F - G - A - B - Db - Eb
Intervals: 1 - 2 - 3 - b5 - b6 - b7
Modes
A mode is this same set of notes heard from a different starting note. Pick one to see it on the circle.
This scale has very limited transposition symmetry: every rotation produces an identical pitch-class set to the scale itself, so it has no distinct modes to list.
This scale holds many more chords than these, with extensions, inversions and every voicing on the neck. Find them all in Fretly
Recommendations
-
Brett Stine - In the Mystery (Books) https://www.brettstinemusic.net “The definitive work for anyone interested to learn about Holdsworth’s approach.” Highly recommended.
-
The Allan Holdsworth Information Center https://allanholdsworth.info/
Related Entries
- Allan Holdsworth’s 10 Most Usable Scales
- D Dorian
- D Melodic Minor
- Heptatonic Scales with a 4-Semitone Maximum
- The Fmaj7b5 Chord