Magic Motives

Part 1
Five-Note Minor Scales

1. Applications

Here is a five-note D minor scale shown with chord symbols indicating all of its applications.

G sus 7
+9
Note its structure: whole-step, half-step, whole-step, whole-step.

D-7 G -9 G9 C #7+5
&œ œ œœ œ Œ œœœœœ
Œ
œœœœœ
Œ
œœœœœ
Œ
œœœœœ
Œ

C sus 7 B ª E ª F @ Bb @+11
&œ œ œœ œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ
œ œ œ œ œ Œ
œ œ œ œ œ Œ
œ œ œ œ œ Œ

Notice where each five-note scale is located in relation to the chord. It's built on the root or 5th of a
minor chord, the 5th of a dominant 7th chord, the b9 of an altered dominant chord, the 5th or 9th of
a dominant 7th sus4 chord, the 3rd or 7th of a half-diminished chord, and the 3rd or 6th of a major
7th chord. The next example shows the five-note minor scales transposed to apply to C chords of

C sus 7
+9
various types. The chord tone on which the scale is built is shown under the first note.

C-7 C -9 C9 C 7+5
& œ œ bœ œ œ Œ œ œ bœ œ œ Œ œ œ bœ œ œ Œ œ œ bœ œ œ Œ #œ #œ œ #œ #œ Œ

C sus 7 ª ª @ @+11
1 5 5 5 b9

bœ œ bœ bœ œ Œ œœœœœ Œ
C C C C
& œ œ œ œ œ Œ bœ œ bœ bœ bœ Œ œ #œ œ œ œ Œ
9 3 7 6 3

Be sure to play each application of the five-note scales. Play the chord on a keyboard and, if
you're not a pianist, hold the sustain pedal down and play the related five-note scale over it on
your instrument. I think you will agree that the scale sounds equally good in all locations.

1
 (Magic Motives, Part 1)

From the previous example, it should be obvious that it will be very helpful if you are comfortable
playing five-note minor scales in all keys! This should be part of your daily practice.

D-7 G-7 C-7 F-7 Bb - 7

Eb - 7
The five-note minor scale in all 12 keys:

œ œ
bœ bœ Œ
& œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ bœ œ Œ œ œ bœ œ œ Œ œ œ bœ bœ œ Œ bœ œ bœ œ bœ bœ bœ Œ
Ab - 7 C# - 7 F# - 7 B-7 E-7 A-7
b œ œ # œ
& bœ bœ bœ bœ Œ #œ œ #œ #œ Œ #œ #œ œ œ #œ Œ œ #œ œ Œ œ #œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ
#œ
2. Motive Development

To develop motives, experiment with different types of motion through either the five-note scale
or the minor triad it outlines. The examples below begin very simply and gradually become more
complex. Start with motives that use only the five notes in the scale. Chromatic embellishment
of motives will be discussed later. The scale numbers are written under the notes.

Motives built from a five-note D minor scale:

&œ œ œ œ Ó œœœ
œÓ œœœ Ó
œ œœœœÓ œœœœÓ
1 5 3 1 1 2 3 5 5 3 2 1 2 1 3 5 4 5 3 1

&œ œ œ œ Ó œœœœÓ œœœ œœŒ

œ œœœœœœŒ œœœœœ Œ
3 2 1 5 3 4 5 1 5 3 2 1 4 3 3 4 5 2 4 3 4 3 5 2 1

&œœœœœ Œ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ

4 5 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 5 3 2 1 5 3 2 1 4 4 3 5 4 4 3 5 2 1 3 5 3 4 5 2 4 4 3 1

2
 (Magic Motives, Part 1)

3. Motive Expansion

Motives do not have to be confined within the five-note range of the scale. In fact, a very
well-known motive, the "Cry Me a River" lick, comes from a five-note minor scale. In the first
example below, you will see the original motive and its expansion with the first two notes up an
octave. Also shown are a couple of other variations on expanding the motive.

Scale Motive Expansions

œœœ œœŒ œœœ œœŒ
&œœœœœ Œ œœœœœœŒ œœœŒ œ
œœ œ œ
1 2 3 4 5 2 1 5 3 2 1 2 1 5 3 2 1 2 1 5 3 2 1 2 1 5 3 2 1

œœ
Scale Motive Expansions

&œœœœœ Œ œ œ
œœœœœœŒ œœœœŒ œœœœœ Œ œ œœœœŒ
1 2 3 4 5 3 1 5 4 3 1 3 1 5 4 3 1 3 1 5 4 3 1 3 1 5 4 3 1

œ œœœœœœ
œœœ œœœ œœœœœœ
Scale Motive Expansions

&œœœœœ Œ œœœœœœœ œ
œ
1 2 3 4 5 5 1 2 3 2 1 5 5 1 2 3 2 1 5 5 1 2 3 2 1 5 5 1 2 3 2 1 5

œ œœ
Scale Motive Expansions
œ œ œœ
&œœœœœ Œ œ
œœ œœœœ œ œœ œœœœœœœ œœ
œ œ
1 2 3 4 5 1 3 5 3 4 2 1 1 3 5 3 4 2 1 1 3 5 3 4 2 1 1 3 5 3 4 2 1

œ œœœœœ
Scale Motive Expansions

&œœœœœ Œ œœœœœœŒ œ œ œœœŒ œœœœœœŒ œ Œ

1 2 3 4 5 5 3 2 4 3 1 5 3 2 4 3 1 5 3 2 4 3 1 5 3 2 4 3 1

3
 (Magic Motives, Part 1)

4. Chromatic Embellishment

In addition to the five notes in the scale, there are five chromatic notes inside and around the scale.
All of these notes are available for embellishing and adding chromatic interest to motives. Potentially,
you could use 10 of the 12 notes in a motive, but don't destroy the clarity of the minor scale! As
much as we like it, chromaticism destroys tonality if the emphasis isn't on the non-chromatic notes.

A five-note minor scale and its embellishing tones:

Scale Embellishing tones

&œ œ œ œ œ Œ bœ #œ bœ
#œ #œ
1 2 3 4 5 #7 #1 b4 #4 b6

Passing tones

& œ bœ œ œ œ œ Œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ Œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ Œ
2 b2 1 3 5 4 4 b4 3 5 2 1 4 #4 5 3 2 1

Single-approach tones

& #œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ #œ œ œ nœ
œ Œ bœ œ œ œ œ Œ bœ œ œ nœ Œ
œ œ
bœ œ œ œ œ Œ
œ
#7 1 2 3 4 5 #1 2 3 1 5 b4 3 1 2 1 b5 4 3 1 5 1 b6 5 3 1 4 3

Double-approach tones

& bœ œ œ œ œ Œ bœ #œ œ nœ œ œ Œ bœ #œ œ œ
œ œ
Œ
#œ
b2 #7 1 3 5 4 b5 #3 4 3 2 1 b6 #4 5 3 1 3

Combinations

& bœ #œ œ œ nœ bœ œ bœ #œ œ nœ œ bœ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ bœ œ
bœ #œ œ œ
œ bœ œ
b6 #4 5 1 4 b4 3 b2 #7 1 2 4 b4 3 5 2 #7 1 2 4 b4 3 b6 #4 5 3 2 b2 1

4
 (Magic Motives, Part 1)

5. Motives Applied to Chord Progressions

@
The first phrase uses the same five-note D minor scale for both the II chord (built on the root) and

D-7 G9
the V chord (built on the 5th).
C
& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ ‰ nœ w w
1 2 3 4 5 3 2 1 4 b4 3 5 2 1 4

@
This phrase uses a five-note A minor scale for the II chord (built on the 5th) and a five-note Ab minor

+9
scale for the V chord (built on the b9th). This allows for a descending chromatic motion.

D -9 G 7+5
œ
& œ œ œ œ ‰ œj b œ b œ b œ b œ b œ œ œ œ
C
w w
5 3 2 1 2 1 1 2 3 4 5 3 2 1

The next phrase uses a five-note F minor scale for the II chord (built on the 3rd) and a five-note

ª @
Ab minor scale for the V chord (built on the b9th). This creates an ascending motion of a 3rd.

+9 G 7+5
bœ bœ œ bœ
& œ œ bœ bœ œ œ œ œ bœ
D C
bœ œ w w
1 2 3 4 5 3 2 1 3 4 5 3 2 1

This phrase uses a five-note F minor scale for the II chord and a five-note Ab minor scale for the V
chord, as in the previous example. This time the 2-1-5-3-2-1 motives have been expanded to create

ªœ +9
the "Cry Me a River" lick.

G 7+5 C-7
œ
D bœ œ bœ bœ
& œ bœ œ œ ‰ bœ bœ bœ ‰ œ w w
2 1 5 3 2 1 2 1 5 3 2 1

5
 (Magic Motives, Part 1)

The next phrase is a III-VI-II-V-I (turnaround) progression. It uses minor scales built on the 5th
of the minor chords and minor scales built on the b9 of the altered dominant chords. There are

C@
opportunities for a large variety of chromatic sequences. Notice that the same 5-3-2-1 motive is

+9 +9
used on both of the dominant chords.

E-7 D-7 A 7+5

G 7+5
#œ œ œ œ nœ bœ œ bœ œ b œ
& œ œ œ bœ bœ bœ w w
5 1 3 5 5 3 2 1 1 3 5 3 5 3 2 1

C@
This is another turnaround progression with a different motive used on each chord.

# Eœ - 7œ +9 A 7+5 D-7
+9 G 7+5
#œ œ bœ bœ nœ œ œ œ b œ
œ œ bœ bœ bœ nw w
&
2 1 5 3 3 4 5 3 3 5 3 1 1 3 5 4

6. Practice Patterns for Motive Embellishment

Here are a couple of practice patterns using all of the notes of a five-note D minor scale and all
five embellishing tones. Though they are extremely chromatic, the D minor sound is still clear.
Learning these in all keys will increase your security with both the scales and the chromatic
embellishment of them.

& bœ #œ œ œ œ œ nœ bœ œ œ œ œ bœ œ bœ #œ œ nœ œ œ œ bœ œ œ bœ #œ œ œ Œ
#œ
b6 #4 5 3 2 1 4 b4 3 5 2 1 b2 #7 1 b2 #7 1 2 3 5 4 b4 3 4 h6 #4 5 1

6
 Magic Motives
Part 2
Five-Note Major Scales

1. Applications

@ @+11
Here is a five-note C major scale shown with chord symbols indicating all of its applications.

C7 B b 13 A-7
Note its structure: whole-step, whole-step, half-step, whole-step.

Bb
œœ Œ Œ Œ œœ Œ Œ
C
&œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ

Ab@ F@ -@
+5 G sus 7 -13 9
œœ Œ Œ Œ œœ Œ œœœœœ Œ
G F
&œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ
E 7+5
+9 ª D -11 Dª
9
œ Œ œ Œ œ Œ œ Œ
E
& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
Notice where each five-note scale is located in relation to the chord. It is built on the root, or 9th, of
a major 7th or dominant 7th chord; the 3rd of a minor 7th chord, or major 7th #5 chord; the 4th of a
dominant 7th sus4, or minor 7th chord; the 5th of a major 7th, or minor #7 chord; the #5 of an altered
dominant 7th; the 6th of a half-diminished chord; and the 7th of a minor 7th, or half-diminished 7th.

@ @ 13
The next example shows the five-note major scales transposed to apply to C chords of various types.
The chord tone on which the scale is built is shown under the first note.

C C7 C C 13 C-7
&œœœœœ Œ œœœœœ
Œ
œ œ #œ œ œ
Œ
œ œ #œ œ œ
Œ
bœ œ œ bœ
bœ Œ

@+5 C sus 7 -13 @9 -@

1 1 9 9 3

œœœœœ Œ œœœœœ Œ
C C C C
& œ #œ #œ œ œ Œ œ œ
œ œ œ bœ Œ œ œ œ bœ Œ
+9
C 7+5 ª -11 ªœ 9 œ b œ œ
3 4 4 5 5

b œ œ bœ bœ Œ bœ bœ œ bœ bœ Œ bœ œ œ bœ œ Œ bœ Œ
C C C
& b œ
#5 6 7 7

7
 (Magic Motives, Part 2)

Be sure to play each application of the five-note scales. Play the chord on a keyboard and,
if you're not a pianist, hold the sustain pedal down and play the related five-note scale over
it on your instrument. I think you will agree that the scale sounds equally good in all locations.

From the previous example, it should be obvious that it will be very helpful if you are comfortable
playing five-note major scales in all keys. This should be part of your daily practice.

@ @ @œ b œ œ @ @ @
The five-note major scale in all 12 keys:

Bb Eb Ab Db
bœ œ bœ bœ Œ
C F
& œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ bœ œ Œ bœ œ Œ
bœ œ œ bœ
bœ Œ bœ
bœ bœ œ bœ bœ
Œ

F# @ œ
@
#œ Œ @ @ @ @
# œ #œ œ œ Œ Œ œœœœœ Œ
B E A D G
& #œ #œ #œ œ # œ Œ œ # œ # œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ
œ # œ œœ # œ

2. Motive Development

To develop motives, experiment with different types of motion through either the five-note scale or
the major triad it outlines. Below, you will see some examples that begin very simply and gradually
become more complex. Begin with motives that use only the five notes in the scale. Chromatic
embellishment of motives will be discussed later. Motives from a five-note C major scale:

&œœœœÓ œ œ œ œ Ó œœœœÓ œœœœ

Ó œœœœÓ
1 5 3 1 1 2 3 5 5 3 2 1 2 1 3 5 4 5 3 1

&œ œ œ œ Ó œœœœ
Ó œœœœœœŒ œœœœœœ
Œ œœœœœœŒ
3 2 1 5 3 4 5 1 5 3 2 1 4 3 3 4 5 2 4 3 4 4 3 5 2 1

& œœ œœœ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œœœœ œœœ œœœœ œ œ œ œœ œœœ œœ œœœœœ
2 2 3 5 2 1 1 2 3 4 5 3 2 1 5 3 2 1 4 2 3 5 4 2 3 5 2 1 3 5 3 4 5 2 4 2 3 1

8
 (Magic Motives, Part 2)

3. Motive Expansion

Motives do not have to be confined to the five-note range of the scale. Any notes in the motive
may be moved up or down an octave to create larger intervals. Here are some five-note major
scale motives with their expansions. The scale numbers are written under the notes.

Scale Motive Expansions

œ Œ Ó Ó œœ œ
&
œ œ œ œ œœœœ œœœ œœÓ œ œœÓ
1 2 3 4 5 2 1 3 5 2 1 3 œ 2 1 3 5 2 1 3 5
5

œœÓ
Scale Motive Expansions

œ Œ œ
&
œ œ œ œ œœœœÓ œœœ Ó œœ œ œœÓ
1 2 3 4 5 4 5 3 1 4 5 3 1 œ
4 5 3 1 4 5 3 1

œœœœÓ
Scale Motive Expansions

œ Œ œœ Ó œœ œœ œÓ
&
œ œ œ œ œ œ œœÓ œ
1 2 3 4 5 1 5 3 1 1 5 3 1 1 5 3 1
1 5 3 1

œœ œœŒ œœœ œœŒ

Scale Motive Expansions

&œœœœœ Œ œœœœœœ Œ œœœ œœœŒ œ œ œ

1 2 3 4 5 4 4 3 5 2 1 4 4 3 5 2 1
4 4 3 5 2 1 4 4 3 5 2 1

œœœ œœ
Scale Motive Expansions

& œœœœ Œ œ œ
œ œœœœœœœœ œœœœ œœ œ œœ œœœ œ œœ
œ œ
1 2 3 4 5 4 2 3 5 2 1 3 5 4 2 3 5 2 1 3 5 4 2 3 5 2 1 3 5 4 2 3 5 2 1 3 5

9
 (Magic Motives, Part 2)

4. Chromatic Embellishment

In addition to the five notes in the scale, there are five chromatic notes inside and around the scale.
All of these notes are available for embellishing and adding chromatic interest to motives. Potentially,
you could use 10 of the 12 notes in a motive, but don't destroy the clarity of the major scale! As much
as we like it, chromaticism destroys tonality if the emphasis isn't on the non-chromatic notes. The next
example shows a five-note major scale and its embellishing tones.

Scale Embellishing tones

& œ œ œ Œ #œ bœ
œ œ œ7 #œ #œ
1 2 3 4 5 #1 #2 #4 b6

Passing tones

& œ bœ œ œ œ œ Œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ
Œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ Œ
2 b2 1 3 4 3 3 b3 2 5 2 1 4 #4 5 3 2 1

Single-approach tones

& œœœœœŒ œ
#œ œ œ œ Œ
#œ œ œ œ œ Œ #œ œ nœ œ Œ
œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ Œ
œ
œ
7 1 2 3 4 5 #1 2 3 2 5 #2 3 4 3 5 #4 5 4 3 5 2 b6 5 3 1 4 3

Double-approach tones

& bœ #œ œ nœ œ œ Œ œ #œ œ œ nœ œ Œ bœ #œ œ œ
œ œ
Œ
b3 #1 2 3 5 2 4 #2 3 1 2 5 b6 #4 5 3 1 2

Combinations

& bœ #œ œ œ nœ #œ œ bœ œ œ nœ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ bœ #œ œ œ œ bœ
œ
b6 #4 5 1 4 #2 3 b2 7 1 2 3 b3 2 5 2 7 1 2 4 #2 3 b6 #4 5 3 2 b2 1

10
 (Magic Motives, Part 2)

5. Motives Applied to Chord Progressions

C@
The first phrase uses a five-note C major scale for the II chord (built on the 7th), and the same
five-note G major scale for both the V chord (built on the root) and the I chord (built on the 5th).

œ -7
D G7
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w
& œ œ
5 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 5 3 1 2 3 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 5 3

D-7 @
This phrase uses a five-note G major scale for all three chords of the II-V-I progression.

G7 C
&œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w
1 2 3 4 5 5 4 2 3 4 5 3 1 3 5 4 3 1 2 3 1 3 5

C@
The next phrase uses a five-note C major scale for the II chord (built on the 7th), a five-note A major

D-7 G +11
scale for the V chord (built on the 9th) and a five-note G major scale for the I chord (built on the 5th).

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ
&œ œ œ w
1 2 3 4 5 3 2 1 3 5 3 1 2 3 5 3 5 4 3 2 1 5 3 1 2

This phrase uses a five-note C major scale for the II chord, a five-note Eb major scale for the V chord

+9 @
and a five-note D major scale for the I chord.

D-7 G 7+5
bœ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ n Cœ œ # œ œ œ œ œ w
&
3 5 3 1 2 3 5 4 1 5 3 1 2 3 2 1 2 5 3 1 2 5 3

11
 (Magic Motives, Part 2)

The next phrase is a III-VI-II-V-I (turnaround) progression. It uses five-note major scales built on

C@
the #5th of the altered dominant chords and a five-note major scale built on the 5th of the I chord.

+9
E 7+5
+9
A 7+5 œ
+9
D 7+5
+9
G 7+5
œ œ b œ œ n œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ
& w
3 5 1 3 1 3 5 3 1 5 3 5 1 3 3 5 3 2 1 5 3 2 1

This is another turnaround progression, using the same scales as the previous example, with the

C@
same motive used on each chord.

+9
E 7+5
+9
Aœ 7+5
+9
D 7+5
+9
G 7+5
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ bœ œ
& b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w
5 3 2 1 5 3 2 1 5 3 2 1 5 3 2 1 5 3 2 1 3 5 3 2 1

6. Practice Patterns for Motive Embellishment

Here are a couple of practice patterns that use all of the notes of a five-note C major scale
and all five embellishing tones. Though they are extremely chromatic, the C major sound is still
clear. Learning these in all keys will increase security with both the scales and the chromatic
embellishment of them.

& bœ #œ œ œ œ œ nœ #œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ #œ œ Œ
œ bœ œ œ nœ #œ œ
b6 #4 5 3 2 1 4 #2 3 5 2 1 b2 7 1 b2 7 1 2 3 5 4 #2 3 5 h6 #4 5 1

12
 Magic Motives
Part 8
Summary of Applications
(The chord tones, on which the scales are located,
are under the first notes in each example.)

@ @+11 @+5 @9 @+11 @

Major 7th Chords

œ
C C C C C C
& œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ #œ œ œ Œ œ #œ #œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ #œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ Œ
œ
1 1 2 3 5 3

C sus 7
+9
Dominant 7th Chords

C7 C +11 C 7+5
&œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ Œ œ œ œ bœ œ Œ bœ bœ œ bœ bœ Œ
œ œ #œ œ

+9
1 2 3 5

C 7+5 C sus 7 C9 C sus 7

œ Œ œ Œ
& #œ #œ œ #œ #œ Œ
œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ
3 6 1 2

C-7 -13 C -@ C -11 C-7 C -9

Minor 7th Chords

œ bœ œ Œ
C
œ œœ Œ
& bœ œ œ bœ bœ Œ œ œ œ bœ œ Œ œ œ œ œ Œ bœ œ œ œ bœ œ œ Œ œ œ b œ
4 #5 #1 2 5 5

ª ª 9œ b œ œ ª ªb œ b œ œ ª
Half-Diminished Chords

bœ bœ Œ bœ œ
& bœ bœ œ Œ bœ œ bœ bœ bœ Œ bœ œ
C C C C C
Œ Œ
œ œ bœ œ bœ
3 4 5 1 5

39
 Summary of Applications (continued)

Major 7th Chords:

Five-note major scale on 1, 2 (#11), 3 (#4, #5) and 5

Five-note minor scale on 3 (#11) and 6

Dominant 7th Chords:

Five-note major scale on 1, 2 (#11), 4 (sus4) and #5 (#5, #9)

Five-note minor scale on b2 (#5, #9), 2 (sus4) and 5 (9, 9sus4)
Five-note diminished scale on 3, 5, 7 and b9

Minor 7th Chords:

Five-note major scale on 3, 4, 5 (#7) and 7

Five-note minor scale on 1 and 5

Half-Diminished Chords:

Five-note major scale on 6 and 7

Five-note minor scale on 3 and 7
Five-note diminished scale on 1

Diminished 7th Chords:

Five-note diminished scale on 1, 3, 5 and 7

40