2 Minute Jazz #21: Half Diminished

A simple idea for half-diminished voicings by acclaimed jazz pianist Peter Martin.

[SamChaneyProductions]

I'm glad someone else also uses a major 9th over -7b5 chords. So many people just play locrian over this chord which sounds terrible to my ears due to the flat 9th. After a lot of experimenting, I've found that I really like the sound of dorian b5 over this chord. It gives a very exotic sound and none of the scale degrees sound like avoid tones to me. Try it out!

[JazzCapacitor]

Thanks man! I love that sound at 1:17 Seriously hip!

[bennygblues]

Not exactly. Chords can be spelt in many different ways. Especially highly altered chords that Peter shows in this video.

The voicing, if anything, is more like a Gm9(maj7) chord, but it's not because the root is very much an E (and has to really be an E {or Bb} to make it a II-V-I progression in D minor).

Rules can be broken in jazz though and that's the most exciting thing about it!

[TigranTatevosyan-uo]

Hi Peter! I would like to ask what about some open voicings for this chord without the 9th to accompany the soloist in a band? 9 sounds tense enough and doesn't always work. At the same time, I am not looking for too old sound. I tried to transcribe Keith Jarrett and Bill Evans and, i think they play more than just drop 2 chords on m7b5 chord. Before that, for comping I used this voicings, for example, for dm7b5 chord, provided that I play with a bass player: D-Ab-C-F-Bb, Ab-D-G-C-F, but now it seems to me that there are voicings more interesting than these (without 9). Maybe you have some examples of voicings for 2-handed accompaniment? Perhaps, is there some kind of system for constructing such voicings in several positions? It would be great to see some examples in your answer)

[PIANOSTYLE]

you have some really good sounds. I would like to hear a little less pedal that my thought. checking out your other videos.

[Cal-mdet]

Awesome! Do you stay with G minor major on the A alt?

[iiiggnatiuzz]

Great. What´s the song in the intro and ending of the vid??

[dlbroo]

Doesn't adding a 9th and 11th to the Em7b5 also make that chord a C13#11?

[coolmattmusic]

What was that tune beginning and end of video??

[DojoOfCool]

Very cool, but you owe me eight seconds now.