## The Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization of Tonal Gravity by George Russell

### Two little ninths

The Lydian plan of construction (of jazz and Western music) based on all semitones (art and science of sonic attraction), based on the fourth degree (IV) of a major scale.
Launched in 2024

As long as you watch the series about George Russell, check out the YouTube Bebop review: [all 16 episodes are worth it.](https://youtu.be/L7dkmyVz-20?si=izAVqECGEUTxWvDC)

_Everything is modulation._  
Max Reger

_Yes, but differently._  
George Russell

_Not gravity, but a harmonious gradient._  
Hindemith

The scale in F builds:
f — c — g — d — a — e — b — ( ) — c♯ — g♯ — d♯ — a♯ — f♯. The f♯ should be in the empty space. That's not possible because it would suggest the tonic note B (B flat). (That's why it's at the end.)

![](scl.png)

Dm7 - G7 would be Lydian in F (♮, 0). But the tonic C appears Lydian in C (♯, 0), so it has an F sharp. In contrast to the classical cadence in C, the tonic would modulate away to G. And that's the principle.

For all you Berklee purists, not every chord has a corresponding scale . If a simple II-V-I progression sometimes has a perfect fourth and sometimes an augmented fourth, you have to judge, make a decision about where you are in the tonality. Are you still in the cadence, already in the tonic, or is the tonic already the subdominant? Functionally, this is difficult because T-D simultaneously means S-T. For the following examples: F# or F??

## John Hicks WorkShop In Progress

John Hicks taught his students the blues first. He knew gospel. He meant a properly learned blues. I'll find out how that works. George Russell has his own blues scale with a flat 9!

Here's a chart that, once understood, reduces it down to this. It's demonstrated in episode 16. The chart itself is explained in the previous episode. The red border points to the common core of the concept, the blue chords are the important ones.

![](chartr.png)

Note: Many incorrect explanations refer to 1. the overtone series, 2. Berklee church tone scales, or 3. derivations of scales. They claim there are no "avoid" notes (Lydian augmented). But there are. Why? This is a misunderstanding. Regarding point 1, Russell omits the 8th fifth and places it at the end. It's not just the minor ninth, but also suggests a different tonic (a fifth lower).

Degree III is "missing" at the top. That would be the altered (bebop) scale with Lydian augmented. At degree VII, it's listed as Lydian diminished. I'll also create the image with the rows and lines reversed, because that's a different perspective.

![](screenshot1.png)
Image: Illustration of a feasible but cumbersome Berklee approach for a paid video.  
Because Russell meant something different. He meant horizontal. But not one scale for everything in the key. That's why he coined new terms that express something different (than Berklee later did). So the terms are deliberately chosen, not just for reflection (and potential confusion), but for a change of perspective. The simple II-V-I scheme makes it clear that II-V in F is Lydian (with avoid notes), and I in C is Lydian. Classically, this would be called modulation. But we haven't lost any tonality at all. (Status: 4/25)

![](kl9.png)

## Two little ninths!
One solved tritone, so John Hicks BLUUUUUUUUES. Hallelujah!
Unfortunately, he rarely plays the blues. That's why we're featuring [Mr. PC, Live at Tokyo. ](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zxh_ReIWzVg&list=OLAK5uy_lcDpFpFxp2SYhxSlao9LjVKiKwW_0SNRQ&index=12&pp=8AUB)

"I need all the help I can get."

See YouTube

Two minor ninths a fifth apart are a minor ninth and a minor sixth.
Two minor ninths a fourth apart are a minor ninth and a diminished fifth (aka augmented fourth). A major third! Does this have anything to do with Giant Steps? (As of 2024.)

[(-; Image link :-\)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4aUl_PGKwg)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4aUl_PGKwg

D minor and Eb Lydian

es -e and b - h

The rest is up to you, depending on whether it's G minor, A-flat
or D minor F-sharp - G - F

![](crds.png)
>The rest of the mess will sort itself out!

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