In the previous chapter, I showed you how you can play “outside” by knowing the “inside” and by changing the key.
In this chapter, I will show you the simple and yet bold way to play outside phrases.
In the following description, “Cm7” is assumed to be in the key of Bb.
The simplest way of playing outside is by using a pentatonic scale; but half step the chord.
That is, by playing C# (or Db) pentatonic scale on Cm7. It seems too easy but you can get a really bold outside sound.
＜Cm Penta＞
（C・E♭・F・G・B♭）
＜C#m Penta＞
（C#・E・F#・G#・B）
C# pentatonic is constituted of C#, E, F#, G#, and B which are♭2, 3, #4, #5, 7 of Cm7.
These are quite harsh sounds in the chord Cm7 (the second note E even raises questions about the identity of chord Cm7).
Thus, you can get the really bold outside sound, but you have to be careful when you use it.
I’ll show you an example.
Cm & C#m Pentatonics
It is an edgy outside sound but it shouldn’t be too weird. I think the melody becomes more interesting.
The secret lies when the outside phrase is played. Listen to the fourth bar in the section A.
I played the outside phrase only in this part, and this is how I am playing in the rest of the video.
Now, I’ll play in a more exaggerated manner.
I’ll only use the Cm pentatonic scale and the C# pentatonic scale, and this time, I will use the outside phrase more often (in every two bars, etc.)
You can play the outside phrases in any way you want as long as you can resolve it in the end.
Another way of making an outside phrase is using a “motif phrase”.
Here, you make a short melody in a chord and play it half step up as in the approach using the pentatonic scale. Let’s check this in the next video.
Using motif of C minor Scale
This is another simple and yet effective way of playing the “outside phrase”.
Remember to make the melody as simple as possible.
In the next chapter, I’ll show you available scales and other approaches to play outside the chord.
