Jazz Improvisation - "Flat 9" Theory

"Flat 9" Theory

Another technique in jazz improvisation, used by Charlie Parker and most great jazz soloists, is known as the three to flat nine. This is a very Be-Bop approach to improvisation, similar to targeting. This technique can be used over any dominant chord that can be treated as a flat nine dominant chord. It entails moving from the third of a dominant chord, to the flat nine of a dominant chord, by skipping directly to the ninth, or by a diminished arpeggio (ascending: 3rd, 5th 7th, ♭9th). The chord often resolves to a major chord a perfect fourth away. For example, the third of a G7 chord is B, while the flat ninth is A♭. The chord resolves to C and the note A♭ leads to G.