'Steppin Out' (the No rules method)

[Larry Bressington]

After much thought about placing such a topic on the forum i decided to go for it knowing the risk's!

When it comes to stepping out of the major, or minor scale or key for a quick bar or two to add flavour, i have been debating with myself over the years about the traditional rules that have been set before us probably by Jazz masters. I have seen both camps;

1) You can play anything as long as you resolve
2) Only use methods pre proven by the masters.

Through experimentation with tracks i have found that you can play anything without pre planning, everything will have it's own character over the chosen chord.

Ex; If in the key of C and chord of C, a B whole tone scale has it's character, any diminished arpeggio or scale from any 12 notes will bring flavour, any arpeggio of any chord will have it's place, start on any note anywhere and meander for a few beats or bars.......but resolve always back to tonic..... (beware) Some notes or runs will raise the ears on an old basset hound!

Is this insane thinking??

[Dick Sexton]

Following this thread!

[Andrew Krebs]

Let me check my Slonimsky thesaurus for the answer here.