Lines Emphasizing Fifths

As a recent improvisational exercise a series of melodic line patterns which emphasize the interval of a diatonic fifth were created. These patterns are shown over a C major 7th chord but can be played over any major 7th chord if transposed accordingly.

The relative minor chord can also be played over. For example if A minor 7th was the given chord a C major 7th line from these examples could be used.

Because of the wide intervals (a fifth ranges from 3 whole steps as a diminished fifth, to 3 1/2 steps as a perfect fifth and 4 whole steps as an augmented fifth) these lines have what could be called an angular sound. Scalar lines (C-D-E-F) could be described as linear whereas angular lines would have intervals greater than a third (C-F-B-E or C-G-D-A, etc.).

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