Jazz scale - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

A jazz scale is any musical scale

Musical scale

In music, a scale is a sequence of musical notes in ascending and descending order. Most commonly, especially in the context of the common practice period, the notes of a scale will belong to a single key, thus providing material for or being used to conveniently represent part or all of a musical...

used in jazz

Jazz

Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

. Many "jazz scales" are common scales drawn from Western European classical music, including the diatonic

Diatonic scale

In music theory, a diatonic scale is a seven note, octave-repeating musical scale comprising five whole steps and two half steps for each octave, in which the two half steps are separated from each other by either two or three whole steps...

, whole-tone, octatonic

Octatonic scale

An octatonic scale is any eight-note musical scale. Among the most famous of these is a scale in which the notes ascend in alternating intervals of a whole step and a half step, creating a symmetric scale...

(or diminished), and the modes of the ascending melodic minor. All of these scales were commonly used by late nineteenth and early twentieth-century composers such as Rimsky-Korsakov

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer, and a member of the group of composers known as The Five.The Five, also known as The Mighty Handful or The Mighty Coterie, refers to a circle of composers who met in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in the years 1856–1870: Mily Balakirev , César...

, Debussy

Claude Debussy

Claude-Achille Debussy was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he was one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions...

, Ravel

Maurice Ravel

Joseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects...

and Stravinsky

Igor Stravinsky

Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....

, often in ways that directly anticipate jazz practice. Some jazz scales, such as the bebop scales, add additional chromatic passing tones to the familiar diatonic scales.

One important feature of jazz

Jazz

is what theorists call "the principles of chord-scale compatibility": the idea that a sequence of chords will generate a sequence of compatible scales. In classical major-mode harmony, chords typically belong to the same scale. (For example, a I-ii-V-I progression in C major will typically use only the notes of the C diatonic collection.) In jazz, a four-chord progression may use four different scales, often as the result of chordal alterations. For instance, in C major, a jazz musician may alter the V chord G-B-D-F with a flattened fifth, producing G-B-D-F. An improviser might then choose a scale containing these four notes, such as G whole tone (G-A-B-C-D-F), G octatonic [or symmetric diminished] (G-A-B-B-C-D-E-F), or a mode of either D or A melodic minor ascending (G-A-B-C-D-E-F or G-A-B-C-D-E-F respectively). In each case the scale contains the chord tones G-B-D-F and is said to be compatible with it. This notion of "chord scale compatibility" marks a fundamental difference between jazz harmony and traditional classical practice.

An avoid note
Avoid tone
In jazz theory, an avoid note is a scale degree considered especially dissonant relative to the harmony implied by the root chord, and is thus better avoided....

is a note in a jazz scale that is considered, in jazz theory and practice, too dissonant to be played against the underlying chord, and so is either avoided or chromatically altered. For example, in major-key harmony the fourth, and thus 11th, is an avoid note and thus either treated as a passing tone or augmented (raised a semitone). Avoid notes are often a minor second (or a minor ninth) above another note or a perfect fourth above the root of the chord.

[One] can get a good sense of the difference between classical and non-classical harmony from looking at how they deal with dissonances. Classical treats all notes that don't belong to the chord (i.e., the triad) as potential dissonances to be resolved. ... Non-classical harmony just tells you which note in the scale to avoid ["what is sometimes called an avoid-note"] (because it's really dissonant), meaning that all the others are okay.

Modes of the major scale

The number of scales available to improvising musicians continues to expand. As modern techniques and musical constructions appear, jazz players find the ones they can put into compositions or use as material for melodic exploration. Prominent examples are the seven modes of the diatonic

Diatonic scale

major scale

Major scale

In music theory, the major scale or Ionian scale is one of the diatonic scales. It is made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first an octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti/Si, ", the "Do" in the parenthesis at...

and added-note scales.

I	Ionian mode Ionian mode Ionian mode is the name assigned by Heinrich Glarean in 1547 to his new authentic mode on C , which uses the diatonic octave species from C to the C an octave higher, divided at G into a fourth species of perfect fifth plus a third species of perfect fourth : C D...	C D E F G A B C	(associated with C Major 7 chord)
ii	Dorian mode Dorian mode Due to historical confusion, Dorian mode or Doric mode can refer to three very different musical modes or diatonic scales, the Greek, the medieval, and the modern.- Greek Dorian mode :...	C D E F G A B C	(associated with C-6 or C-7 13 chord)
iii	Phrygian mode Phrygian mode The Phrygian mode can refer to three different musical modes: the ancient Greek tonos or harmonia sometimes called Phrygian, formed on a particular set octave species or scales; the Medieval Phrygian mode, and the modern conception of the Phrygian mode as a diatonic scale, based on the latter...	C D E F G A B C	(associated with Csus4 9)
IV	Lydian mode Lydian mode The Lydian musical scale is a rising pattern of pitches comprising three whole tones, a semitone, two more whole tones, and a final semitone. This sequence of pitches roughly describes the fifth of the eight Gregorian modes, known as Mode V or the authentic mode on F, theoretically using B but in...	C D E F G A B C	(associated with C Maj7 11 chord)
V	Mixolydian mode Mixolydian mode Mixolydian mode may refer to one of three things: the name applied to one of the ancient Greek harmoniai or tonoi, based on a particular octave species or scale; one of the medieval church modes; a modern musical mode or diatonic scale, related to the medieval mode.-Greek Mixolydian:The idea of a...	C D E F G A B C	(associated with C7 chord)
vi	Aeolian mode Aeolian mode The Aeolian mode is a musical mode or, in modern usage, a diatonic scale called the natural minor scale.The word "Aeolian" in the music theory of ancient Greece was an alternative name for what Aristoxenus called the Low Lydian tonos , nine semitones...	C D E F G A B C	(associated with C-7 13 chord)
vii	Locrian mode Locrian mode The Locrian mode is either a musical mode or simply a diatonic scale. Although the term occurs in several classical authors on music theory, including Cleonides and Athenaeus , there is no warrant for the modern usage of Locrian as equivalent to Glarean's Hyperaeolian mode, in either classical,...	C D E F G A B C	(associated with C-75 chord)

Compare each of the modes to the major scale for clues as to the subtle differences between them. Ionian is based on the 1st degree of the major scale, Dorian on the 2nd, Phrygian on the 3rd, etc.

C Ionian	C D E F G A B C	(associated with C Major 7 chord)
D Dorian	D E F G A B C D	(associated with D-6 or D-7 13 chord)
E Phrygian	E F G A B C D E	(associated with Esus4 9 chord)
F Lydian	F G A B C D E F	(associated with F Maj7 11 chord)
G Mixolydian	G A B C D E F G	(associated with G7 chord)
A Aeolian	A B C D E F G A	(associated with A-7 13 chord)
B Locrian	B C D E F G A B	(associated with B-75 chord)

Combinations of the characteristic details of these modes are also in common use. For example, the Lydian dominant uses the raised 4th degree of the Lydian with the flatted seventh of the Mixolydian, yielding C D E F G A B C. Chromatic alterations are also useful,as in the Lydian Augumented scale C D E F G A B C for use on the chord Cmaj7+5.

Bebop scales

Bebop scale

The bebop scales are frequently used in jazz improvisation and are derived from the modes of the major scale, the melodic minor scale, and the harmonic minor scale....

s add a single chromatic passing tone to the 7 note major scale (Ionian and Mixolydian modes). The added passing tone creates an 8 tone scale that fits rhythmically evenly within a 4/4 measure of eight 8th notes, thus making it useful in practicing. When an 8th note bebop scale run starts on the beat from a chord tone (Root, 3rd, 5th or 7th) the other chord notes will also fall on the beats. As a result all of the "non-chord tones" will fall on the upbeats (the "ands" when counting "one and two and three and four and") and become passing tones.

There are two commonly used types of bebop scales:

Dominant bebop scale, which adds the raised 7th to Mixolydian:
Ascending: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7 (8)
Descending: 8 7 6 6 5 4 3 2 (1)

Major bebop scale, which adds 5 to Ionian:
1 2 3 4 5 5 6 7 (8)

NOTE: A dominant bebop scale works well over an entire ii V.

Modes of the melodic minor scale

A great deal of modern jazz harmony arises from the modes of the ascending form of the melodic minor scale, also known as the jazz melodic minor scale. This scale is essentially a diatonic major scale with a flatted third, for example C D E F G A B C (Exactly the same as in "classical" music and its theory, in Jazz the melodic minor scale's sixth and seventh are not necessarily flattened when descending). As with any other scale, the modes are derived from playing the scale from different root notes, causing a series of jazz scales to emerge.

Modes of C ascending melodic minor:

i	ascending melodic minor	T, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7	(associated with C- maj7 or C-6 chords , functions as a i minor)
II	Phrygian 6 (or Dorian 2)	T,2,3, 4, 5, 6,7	(associated with D7 sus 9 chord, functions as a dominant)
III	Lydian augmented Lydian augmented scale In music, the Lydian augmented scale is the third mode of the ascending melodic minor scale.Starting on C, the notes would be as follows: C - D - E - F# - G# - A - B - C'Generically the whole and half steps are: - W - W - W - W - H - W - H -...	T, 2, 3,4,5, 6, 7	(associated with E maj7 +5 chord, functions as a I+)
IV	Lydian dominant (also, "Lydian 7")(also known as Mixolydian 4)	T, 2, 3,4, 5, 6,7	(associated with F7 11 chord, functions as a dominant not going to I)
V	Mixolydian 6 (or simply "fifth mode")	T, 2, 3, 4, 5,6,7	(associated with G7 13 chord, functions as a dominant)
vi	Locrian 2 (also known as "half-diminished Half diminished scale The half diminished scale is a musical scale more commonly known as "Locrian 2", name which avoids confusion with the diminished scales and the half-diminished seventh chord . It may be considered Mode VI, the sixth mode, of the ascending melodic minor scale... " scale)	T, 2,3, 4, 5,6,7	(associated with Ami7 5, which functions as a ii chord in minor)
VII	Super Locrian (also "altered dominant scale", or "altered scale Altered scale In jazz, the altered scale or altered dominant scale is a seven-note scale that differs from the Locrian mode in having a lowered fourth scale degree. Starting on C, it contains the notes: C, D, E, F, G, A and B. In jazz, the altered scale or altered dominant scale is a seven-note scale that... ")	T,2,3, 4,5,6,7	(associated with B7 9 13 chord, functions as a dominant)

It should be noted that the names of these scales are variations of the names used for some of the modes of the diatonic major scale, for example the Phrygian Natural 6, the second mode of the melodic minor, is named so because it is the same as the Phrygian mode of the major scale except with a raised (i.e.,6) sixth.

Symmetric diminished/Octatonic scale

There are two types of symmetric diminished scales. These scales are sometimes called octatonic scale

Octatonic scale

s because they contain eight tones. They are based on a series of alternating half steps and whole steps. One type starts with a half-step (H-W-H-W-H-W-H-W), and one starts with a whole step (W-H-W-H-W-H-W-H).

Because of the repetition of the interval pattern after only two notes, each note in the scale can be a root in another symmetric diminished scale. For example, the C symmetric diminished scale of the half-step-first type, is composed with the same notes as the half-step-first type E scale, and the whole-step-first type D scale:

C symmetric (half, whole) diminished : C D E E F G A B C

E symmetric (half, whole) diminished: E E F G A B C D E

D symmetric (whole, half) diminished: D E E F G A B C D

All three are composed with the same group of notes:
C D E E F G A B C D E E F G A B

In fact, all symmetric diminished scales are composed with only three groups of notes.

Whole tone scale

The Whole tone scale

Whole tone scale

In music, a whole tone scale is a scale in which each note is separated from its neighbors by the interval of a whole step. There are only two complementary whole tone scales, both six-note or hexatonic scales:...

, consisting exclusively of whole steps, is often used on V7 +5 chords (G7 + for example).

Pentatonic scales

Two pentatonic scales common to jazz are the major pentatonic scale and the minor pentatonic scale. They are both mode

Musical mode

In the theory of Western music since the ninth century, mode generally refers to a type of scale. This usage, still the most common in recent years, reflects a tradition dating to the middle ages, itself inspired by the theory of ancient Greek music.The word encompasses several additional...

s to each other, respectively.

The major pentatonic scale begins with a major scale

Major scale

and omits the fourth and the seventh scale degrees.
The C major scale is ( C, D, E, F, G, A, B ), so the C major pentatonic scale is ( C, D, E, G, A ) :

The minor pentatonic scale uses the same notes as the major pentatonic scale, but begins on the sixth scale degree of the corresponding major scale. Continuing the example above, A is the sixth scale degree of C major, so the A minor pentatonic scale would be ( A, C, D, E, G ) :

The nomenclature, "minor pentatonic scale," minor

Minor scale

A minor scale in Western music theory includes any scale that contains, in its tonic triad, at least three essential scale degrees: 1) the tonic , 2) a minor-third, or an interval of a minor third above the tonic, and 3) a perfect-fifth, or an interval of a perfect fifth above the tonic, altogether...

is employed in the sense of relative key

Relative key

In music, relative keys are the major and minor scales that have the same key signatures. A major and minor scale sharing the same key signature are said to be in a relative relationship...

, as the diatonic A minor scale is the relative minor of the diatonic C major scale.

The minor pentatonic scale replaces the 2nd scale degree with an augmented 4 followed by the fifth and is commonly known as a blues scale.

Jazz improvisers, particularly bassist and guitarist, use these scales in a number of interesting ways. For example, over Bb Maj7#11, one can use a major pentatonic based on the 2nd scale degree of Bb (C D E G A) to imply 9, 3, 11, 13, and 7 respectively. Similarly, over a fully altered F#7 chord, one can use the same major pentatonic, this time based on the tritone (C D E G A) to imply 5, 13, 7, 9, and 9.

Blues scale

The term blues scale is used to describe a few scales with differing numbers of pitches and related characteristics. See: blues.The hexatonic, or six note, blues scale consists of the minor pentatonic scale plus the 4th or 5th degree...

s also come in major and minor varieties. The C minor blues scale is C E F F G B C ascending or
C B G G F E C descending. The difference in the up and down versions is only in its enharmonic

Enharmonic

In modern musical notation and tuning, an enharmonic equivalent is a note , interval , or key signature which is equivalent to some other note, interval, or key signature, but "spelled", or named, differently...

spelling, i.e. G vs F.

The C major blues scale is C D D E G A C ascending or C A G E E D C descending.

Guitarists often mix the major and minor pentatonics together along with the blues scale. The dorian and mixolydian modes are similar to this combination and they can also be used in the same context.

Winthrop Sargeant describes the jazz scale as the above scale, defined as, "a definite series of tones within an octave used as the basis of a musical composition," compiled instead from multiple compositions and improvisations (according to Stearns: "a great many jazz records") and is hypothesized as displaying the influence of African music. The E and B are blue note

Blue note

In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note sung or played at a slightly lower pitch than that of the major scale for expressive purposes. Typically the alteration is a semitone or less, but this varies among performers and genres. Country blues, in particular, features wide variations from the...

Harmonic minor scale

The harmonic minor scale is also of value to many improvisors, as it provides an alternative color for many common chords and chord progressions. An example is C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C.
The C harmonic minor scale can be used on the chords of a piece in C minor, especially on the minor ii V7 i chord progression.

Altered dominant scale

The altered dominant scale, also loosely called the altered scale, is so named because all the scale members that can be altered relative to the basic dominant scale (the Mixolydian mode), without losing the dominant quality, are altered. The scale includes both altered ninths (raised and lowered), and both altered fifths (raised and lowered).
Starting on C, it contains the notes: C, D, E, F, G, A and B.
The altered fifths coincide enharmonically with the sharp eleventh and the flat thirteenth which would also be considered altered relative to their Mixolydian forms. The tonic, major third, and dominant seventh are retained as essential to the dominant quality.

The scale can also be understood as a mode of the ascending melodic minor scale starting from the 7th scale degree. For a C7 chord, the C melodic minor scale starting from B (C enharmonically) produces the C altered dominant scale enharmonically.

This scale is also called the superlocrian scale, as it is indeed reminiscent of a locrian scale with a flattened 4th, but it is usually regarded as that of major quality.

Another name for this scale is the diminished-wholetone scale because the first tetrachord

Tetrachord

Traditionally, a tetrachord is a series of three intervals filling in the interval of a perfect fourth, a 4:3 frequency proportion. In modern usage a tetrachord is any four-note segment of a scale or tone row. The term tetrachord derives from ancient Greek music theory...

is that of a (half, whole) diminished scale and the second tetrachord is whole-tone (or locrian).

Modes of the major scale

Bebop scales

Modes of the melodic minor scale

Symmetric diminished/Octatonic scale

Whole tone scale

Pentatonic scales

Blues scale

Harmonic minor scale

Altered dominant scale

External links

Further reading