A simple diminished pattern

Original blog post at: http://jazztrumpetlicks.com/2009/04/a-simple-diminished-pattern/

Here is a simple diminished pattern. I remember learning this lick from another trumpet player I used to work with. All I did was ask him for any diminished patterns he could teach me on the fly. This is what he taught me.

Sound sample on trumpet:

How to learn the lick in 12 keys:

Since the pattern is diminished, you'll only have to learn it in 3 different keys depending on which note you start on. This is because there are only 3 half steps between each minor third. The easiest way to memorize this pattern is to think in stacked minor thirds. All you are doing is going down a whole step from each minor third. When you skip around, you are essentially doing pretty much the same thing in minor thirds.