Publications

Publications



 

New Book!

Double-Symmetrical Augmented Scale for Jazz Improvisation


 

With content ranging from theory and history to practical exercises, examples, études, and play-along tracks, this book offers the most comprehensive guide ever written for this esoteric and traditionally obscure scale. Simply put, it reveals the last big secret of jazz fusion’s avant-garde.


According to which music theorist believes he first discovered it, this scale has been known variously as Messiaen’s mode 3, Slonimsky’s Tcherepnin Scale (honoring his colleague), and Tcherepnin’s own name for it— the 9-note augmented or nonatonic scale.


The nine notes of the double-symmetrical augmented scale have fascinated and crucially influenced legendary musicians like John Coltrane, Allan Holdsworth, Mark Turner, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Nelson Veras, Tim Miller, Gary Thomas, and Jerry Bergonzi, among many others.

Coltrane’s historic composition, “Giant Steps,” can be directly attributed to his familiarity with the nonatonic scale. With this book by Berklee College of Music honors graduate, Xabier Oró, you’ll know the secret too.

“Finally, a book that gets into the depth of the augmented scales and is also very easy to understand. This book is a must for all improvisers and composers.”


Ed Tomassi, Professor, Berklee College of Music


“Xabi’s book on double-symmetrical augmented scale, sheds light to a sound that not many people are aware of. Most of us are familiar with the altered sound, or augmented and half tone-whole tone scales. This is new territory. And it is presented beautifully in a very systematic and organized way. I personally learnt a lot through reading the book. I strongly encourage you to check it out”


Petros Klampanis, Bass Player, Composer and Educator

“If you are looking for fresh ideas and inspiration to write new music and broaden your improvisation vocabulary, “Double-Symmetrical Augmented Scale for Jazz Improvisation” is the perfect book for you. I’m having fun studying it and I’m sure you will too. Great job, Xabier!”


Gustavo Assis-Brasil, Guitar Player, Composer and Educator

 

Article


 

The multidimensional tonal space theory fundamentals presents a comprehensive model for understanding the harmonic systems of tonal space. Through a systematic study, it provides an objective theoretical framework that deepens our understanding of harmony and fills knowledge gaps, beyond any creative end or aesthetic purpose.


This multidimensional approach offers new insights and tools for building upon established tonal and post-tonal theories such as; Berklee methodology’s Chord-Scale Theory, George Russel’s Lydian Chromatic of Tonal Organization, Olivier Messiaen’s Modes of Limited Transposition, Wayne Shorter’s Darker- Brighter Tetra-chordal Improvisation, Erns Levy’s Negative Harmony, Steve Coleman’s M-Base and Dmitry Tymoczko’s Chord Scale Networks.


This study has significant theoretical and practical implications, including the potential to redefine and expand our understanding of tonal organization, modulations, and modal interchanges. It introduces a range of measures that capture different structural properties of the multidimensional tonal space, providing a more detailed and nuanced understanding of harmony. However, the study also highlights the need for further development of analytical tools, terminologies, and concepts in order to fully understand and make use of this model. These future tools could help to better understand musical "outness", non-harmonic substitutions, symmetrical scale overlaps, and other creative musical techniques.


The findings presented here offer numerous possibilities for further research that could potentially transform not only theoretical, analytical, pedagogical, improvisational, and compositional fields, but also other disciplines such as physics, mathematics, and engineering. This is due to the possibility of exploring synergies and analogies, such as the implementation of the multidimensional tonal space model through computer or artificial intelligence systems, making it a groundbreaking and wide-reaching theory.

The Multidimensional Tonal Space Theory Fundamentals: A Comprehensive Study of Subordinate Harmonic Systems