How to work with the Dominant 7th workout exercise...

[Biflat]

Hey folks in the i real-world!

I'm just starting with jazz, downloaded i real pro a few days ago (including 50 exercises). One is named "Dominant 7 workout". Because I am a beginner, I am asking myself: do I work the right way? I played mixolydian scales under the given chords. That will be much more interesting in other workouts. Am I right? I'd like to here you...

[jazzhound]

If you're using the "Modern Mixolydian" (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixolydian_mode), then you're right.
Simply put, play a major scale a 4th up from the tonic, thus for a C7 chord you'd play an F major scale, the 4th of which (Bb) gives you the dominant 7th of the C7 chord.
There's an old series of books called The Polytonal Rhythm series which I believe is still in print—you might find it very useful and quite a workout. It works perfectly with the iReal b exercises. http://www.ejazzlines.com/POLYTONAL-RHYTHM-SERIES-p18347.html is one source.
Good luck!

[Biflat]

Thanks for your useful answer. So I feel a little bit ground under my feet. Think, I have to work with that stuff for the rest of my life. Hope to see you in this forum. Greetings from germany!

[cgriffin]

Did you mean to say that Bb is the 7th note in a C7th chord? The Dominant 7th surely refers to a chord made up of 1-3-5-7b (i.e. C-E-G-Bb)? Which is the dominant 7th chord in the key of F (whose key signature is of course Bb!). Boy I get confused!

[pdxdjazz]

Did you mean to say that Bb is the 7th note in a C7th chord? The Dominant 7th surely refers to a chord made up of 1-3-5-7b (i.e. C-E-G-Bb)? Which is the dominant 7th chord in the key of F (whose key signature is of course Bb!). Boy I get confused!

You are correct that the 7th in a dominant 7th chord is actually the 7b in that root's major scale. (C7 = Bb)
Many simply call that note the "7th" and refer to the actual, non-flatted 7th as Major 7th. (Cmaj7 = CΔ7 = B)
Chord qualities (min7b5 etc.) are based on the root major scale of that named chord, not the key signature of the song.
Confusion can occur between the chord numbers used to describe a progression, eg. Nashville number system
(1,4,5 = I,IV,V = tonic, sub-dominant, dominant)
and the numbers used in chord qualities.
)BOB