A good way for you to incorporate this
unusual chord into your own playing is to
first substitute it for a maj7 chord. Next, you
can start to use this color as a substitute for
other types of chords. A good exercise is to
take a standard, and change all the chords
to maj7#5 chords, using the original roots.
You’ll be amazed how this radically changes
the sound of the tune, while still maintaining
the form and shape.
Ex. 1. Quick reference rule: To play a maj7#5, play a major triad a major third above the root of the chord, as shown with the E major triad over a C bass note in 1a. Three
scales are good for playing over maj7#5 chords; the first, shown in 1b, is the third mode of the melodic minor scale, which in this case is the A melodic minor, starting
on the third degree. It’s called C Lydian augmented. The left hand is playing a root position Cmaj7#5. Due to their unusual nature, maj7#5 chords can be voiced in root
position, and sound and function just fine. Measure 1c shows the third mode of the A harmonic minor scale, called the C major augmented scale. Measure 1d shows the
harmonic major scale. The #5 is enharmonically a b6, so in this scale, we have a natural 5 and a #5, as well as the natural 4.
Ex. 2. Another good choice is the equally unusual symmetric hexatonic augmented scale, usually referred to simply as the augmented scale. Whatever you call it, it’s a sixnote
scale, composed of two augmented triads a half-step apart (Baug and Caug), as in 2a. The scale, shown in 2b, alternates minor thirds and half steps. A chromatic
sounding scale when applied to the maj7#5 chord, it contains both the major and minor third, and the perfect and augmented fifth. Here are some two-hand comping voicings
for Cmaj7#5. The first one, shown in 2c, contains an E major triad (in second inversion) in the right hand, over what could be interpreted as an Amin maj7 rootless voicing
in the left hand. Of course it’s also a Cmaj7#5 in the second inversion. Next in 2d, we have the two augmented triads that comprise the augmented scale. Chick Corea
played this voicing in “The Brain” (in another key). Finally in 2e we have the major triad pair from the C Lydian augmented scale (voicing contains the #4 and #5).
Ex. 3. Here in 3a are the triad pairs from the C Lydian augmented scale used as a melodic line. In 3b, the C augmented scale contains three major triads (as scale tone
triads) a major third apart: C, E, Ab. Here’s a line using those scale tone triads in root position with a chromatic approach to each.
Ex. 4. WEB EXCLUSIVE EXAMPLE! The descending scale tone major triad line from the augmented scale (4a) is based on a famous Oliver Nelson lick, over a left hand root position chord. The augmented scale also contains three scale tone minor triads. Here in 4b is one way of making a linear statement playing them in triplets over a left-hand open shell. Another interesting component found in the augmented scale are major thirds, a half step apart. They make for an interesting line, over a left-hand close shell, shown in 4c. Notice all the lines derived from the symmetric augmented scale contain an intervallic motif, transposed up or down in major thirds. This works thanks to the symmetric nature of the scale. Now that you have the Cmaj7#5 under your fingers, the next step is to transpose it to all other tonalities. Now you know why Chick called his tune “The Brain!”
