Quote:
Originally Posted by mattbn73
That's not the way the altered scale works . All of the scale tones are playable over other altered chords.
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Ding! Ok, the lightbulb just turned on.
The "alt" symbol specifically refers to the "alternate scale"!
which is the 7th mode of the melodic minor scale. This was actually mentioned at the top of the thread, but somehow I missed the fact that the mode is known as "THE Alternate Scale".
Now the "alt" symbol makes sense to me (even if I can't jam on the 7th mode of melodic minor). It has a specific function, and tells the performer something important. And since it seems as much an instruction for the soloist as it is for the accompaniest, that would explain why it's more common in jazz charts than song sheets.
Thanks. I'll sleep easier tonight.