Dissonance is in the ear of the beholder. With education and familiarity, what one originally thought was dissonant may become less so, or even desirably consonant, over time and perhaps with practice. Originally an improvisor by ear, once I learned more music theory as a teenager, a lot of the mystery cleared up and I suddenly heard beauty in what had been dissonance based on confusion.

I tried a quarter-tone trumpet last year, and that was pretty hard to get my head around, but I think if I owned and practiced one, I might make a go of it.

Zero, one of my favorite chord examples along the lines of your maj7 is the #9 chord, with a major third in the lower octave and a flat nine minor third on top. Chords like this are so wonderful for a jazz improvisor because they can be taken almost anywhere. What comes next can be very good (yes, I know what you meant Ron!).

Last edited by Matt Finley; 11/27/14 12:41 PM. Reason: got ahead of myself - sorry
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