The Augmented Scale

Much has been written about major scales and their modes, as well as other scales like Bebop and Diminished, however, very little has been discussed of the Augmented Scale. The Augmented Scale is a coloring scale used in modern playing by such practitioners including John Coltrane and Michael Brecker, among many others. According to saxophonist Walt Weiskopf, it is used more in an intuitive way. This introductory lesson will deal with the construction and conception of the scale.

The Augmented Scale is also known as the Minor 3rd Half-Step Scale. You can see the construction of it in example 1.

The other way to view its construction is to take two augmented triads a minor 3rd apart:

C+ and D#+

(C E G#, Eb G B). See example 2.

To get the scale fluid, try playing it using eighth notes up and down two octaves.

Can you guess what chords this scale can be used over? (hint: there are many) And how would you use it in a musical context?

Have fun digging into what may be a new sound for you!

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