JazzScales 20 Jazz Guitar Scales & When to Use ThemThislesson will show you some of the most commonly used jazz guitar scales,although keep in mind you shouldn't necessarily be limited to usingthesescales. Jazz is an experimental genre and guitarists are constantlyexploring new scales (and modifying old ones) in their improvisation.Each scale below isshown in its first position box pattern, but you can learn how to'unbox' these scales in their individual lessons. I'll also note theassociated chord type for each scale so you have some idea of when touse them.Remember, learning scalesis just one part of, but it is a crucial part, as a lot ofyour playing time will be spent on lead improvisation.
For now, justget to know the basic interval structure and color of these scales.Each one offers its own unique sound.forthis lesson (PDF)Basicmodal jazz guitar scalesTheseare your standard improvisation scales over major, minor and diminishedchords.In the diagrams below, take a look at how the intervalscorrespond with those in the associated chord. For example, Lydian issuited to maj7#11 chords because of its #4 (augmented 4th) interval (4is technically thesame as 11 in music theory).Looking for chord backing tracks to practice these scales over? Irecommend the (free). Select theappropriate chord type from the drop down menu.Ionian/MajorScale Play over:Major7th chords (e.g. C Major over Cmaj7)Characterised by the major 7th (7) added to the major triad (1, 3, 5).Lydian Playover: Major7th (Sharp 11th) chords (e.g. C Lydian over Cmaj7 or Cmaj7#11)The #4 (#11) gives Lydian its distinctive flavour over major 7th chords(1, 3, 5, 7).Mixolydian Play over:Dominant7th chords (e.g.
Home Symmetric Scales Augmented Scale G Augmented Scale G Augmented Scale - Play piano scales in all keys Home Symmetric Scales Augmented Scale G Augmented Scale. Pentatonic scale in Debussy's Voiles, Preludes, Book I, no. Play ( help info ) A pentatonic scale is a musical scale with five notes per octave, in contrast to the more familiar heptatonic scale that has seven notes per octave (such as the major scale and minor scale ).
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C Mixolydian over C7)The basic dominant scale (1, 3, 5, b7).Dorian Playover: Minor7th / Minor 6th chords (e.g. C Dorian over Cm7 / Cm6)Characterised by its major 6th (6) over minor 7th chords (1, b3, 5, b7).Locrian Play over:Half Diminished chords (e.g. C Locrian over Cm7b5)Melodicminor jazz guitar scalesThemelodic minor scale also has its own modal system, producing 7 of itsown modes/scales, each one rooted on a degree of the scale. Thesederived scales have qualities that are well suited to those tense,altered jazz chords.Notice how the names of some of these scales referto modes of the major scale (e.g. Dorian, Mixolydian) but with slightalterations (e.g.
Dorian b2) that make significant differences to thescale's overal sound.Melodic Minor Play over:Minor Major 7th / Minor 6th chords (e.g. C Melodic Minor over CmM7 /Cm6)Same as Dorian, but with a major 7th instead of a minor 7th. Oftencalled the 'jazz minor scale'.Dorian b2 Playover: Suspended 4th, Flat 9th chords (e.g.
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C Dorian b2over C7sus4/b9)Dorian with a minor 2nd. Generally used as analternative to Phrygian minor.LydianAugmented Playover: Major 7th, Augmented 5th chords (e.g. C LydianAugmented over Cmaj7#5)Lydian with an augmented 5th.LydianDominant Playover: Dominant 7th, Sharp 11th chords (e.g. C LydianDominant over C7 or C7#11)A nice (and often preferable) alternative to Mixolydian, the onlydifference between the two being the 4th.Mixolydian b6 Playover: Dominant 7th, Flat 13th chords (e.g. C Mixolydian b6over C7 or C7b13)Remember the 13th is the same as the 6th, so we're looking for a flat6th (b6) interval over flat 13th chords. But it's also just anotheroption for coloring dominant 7th chords with no extensions.HalfDiminished Playover: Half Diminished chords (e.g. C Half Diminished overCm7b5)Theonly difference between this scale and the other natural halfdiminished scale, Locrian, is the major 2nd instead of the minor 2nd.Altered Scale Playover: Augmented 7th or Dominant 7th, Sharp 9th, Flat 13thchords (e.g.
CAltered over C7#9b13 or Caug7)So-called because it colors the 'altered' extensions of the #9 (#2) andb13 (b6) in dominant 7th chords.Pentatonic & bluesjazz guitar scalesThe minor and major pentatonic scales play a significant role in jazz.Minorpentatonic can be used over minor chords and certain minor keyprogressions. But it can also be positioned relative to major chords tooutline specific chord tones. For example, you can start the followingminor pentatonic pattern on the major 3rd of a major 7th chord tooutline the maj7 chord tones (e.g. Play E minor pentatonic over Cmaj7).Majorpentatonic can be used in a similar way.
For example, as well as usingit over maj7 and dom7 chords, you could also start it on the 2nd degreeof a maj7 chord to highlight the 9, #11, 13 and 7 tonesrespectively (e.g. D major pentatonic over Cmaj7).Adding a flat 5th (b5) and major 7th (7) to minor pentatonic gives us ajazzier variation on the standard.Youcan also add an extra tone to major pentatonic to give it moreof ajazzy/bluesy flavour. Essentially, we're adding a chromatic minor 3rdto majorpentatonic. In the context of a major key progression (e.g. I IV V),the minor 3rd will often resolve quickly down to the 2nd or up to themajor 3rd.In jazz, combinations of major and minor pentatonic blues scales willcommonlybe used in the same lead passages.Bebopjazz guitar scalesBebopscales add chromatic 'passing tones' to standard 7note scales. You'll also often hear the bass following thesechromatic passages. Passing tones should be glanced over rather thanemphasised/held.
See them as part of the path or bridge between thestarting anddestination notes of a phrase.Holding the major 3rd over a minor chord, for example, will sounddissonant, but if you pass over it quickly, as part of a larger phrase,it'll fall into context. This is a large part ofjazz's distinctive sound.Bebop Majorscale Playover: Major 7th chordsIonian with a passing flat 5th.BebopDominant scale Playover: Dominant 7thchordsMixolydian with a passing major 7th.Bebop Dorianscale Playover: Minor 7th and minor 6th chordsDorian with a passing major 3rd.Remember, this is a minorscale used in a minor context, so don't dwell on the major 3rd. Use itas a passing tone.WholeTone scaleThewhole tone scale is so-called because it consists entirely of wholestep intervals. It's used to colour augmented 7th chords (e.g. Caug7 /C7#5).DiminishedscaleThisis an eight note (octatonic) scale that works over diminished 7th (e.g.Cdim7) chords. It's characterised by its repetitive interval steppattern (WH W H W H W H).I hope you found this lesson useful!
For a more comprehensive guide tojazz guitar, I highly recommend the. They take you through all the important techniqueswith high quality video, jam tracks and more.Was thishelpful?Share this with your fellow guitar enthusiasts.
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