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... " Intelligent improvising depends on a working understanding of the relationship between chords and melodic lines." - Joe Pass
CLICK HERE to see the Example - a chord-sequence (also MIDI files included) example with suggestions how to improvise on а certain chord.
| Chords | Scale for improvisation | Scale construction (notes) | Scale construction (intervals) |
| Gmaj7 | G maj (ionian) | G, A, B, C, D, E, F# | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| Gmaj6 | G maj pentatonic | G, A, B, D, E | 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 |
| Gmaj9 | G lydian | G, A, B, C#, D, E, F# | 1, 2, 3, 5b, 5, 6, 7 |
| D maj pentatonic | D, E, F#, A, B | 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 | |
| A maj pentatonic | A, B, C#, E, F# | 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 | |
| Gmin7 | G dorian | G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F | 1, 2, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7b |
| G aeolian (natural minor) | G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F | 1, 2, 3b, 4, 5, 6b, 7b | |
| G melodic minor | G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F# | 1, 2, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7 | |
| G harmonic minor | G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F# | 1, 2, 3b, 4, 5, 6b, 7 | |
| G phrygian | G, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb, F | 1, 2b, 3b, 4, 5, 6b, 7b | |
| G min pentatonic | G, Bb, C, D, F | 1, 3b, 4, 5, 7b | |
| D min pentatonic | D, F, G, A, C | 1, 3b, 4, 5, 7b | |
| A min pentatonic | A, C, D, E, G | 1, 3b, 4, 5, 7b | |
| G7 (dominant) | G mixolydian | G, A, B, C, D, E, F | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7b |
| 5# | G mixolydian #4 | G, A, B, C#, D, E, F | 1, 2, 3, 4#, 5, 6, 7b |
| 9 | C harmonic minor from G | G, Ab, B, C, D, Eb, F | 1, 2, 3b, 4, 5, 6b, 7 |
| 9# | G whole note | G, A, B, C#, D#, F | 1, 2, 3, 5b, 6b, 7b |
| 11# | G diminished dominant | G, Ab, Bb, B, C#, D, E, F | 1, 2b, 3b, 3, 5b, 5, 6, 7b |
| 13 | G altered dominant | G, Ab, Bb, B, C#, D#, F | 1, 2b, 3b, 3, 5b, 6b, 7b |
| G maj pentatonic | G, A, B, D, E | 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 | |
| Db maj pentatonic | Db, Eb, F, Ab, Bb | 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 | |
| Gmin75b | G locrian | G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F | 1, 2b, 3b, 4, 5b, 6b, 7b |
| G locrian #2 | G, A, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F | 1, 2, 3b, 4, 5b, 6b, 7b | |
| G locrian #6 | G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, E, F | 1, 2b, 3b, 5, 5b, 6, 7b |
| CHORD Mode | Chord Formula | ||||||
| Maj | 1 | 3 | 5 | ||||
| 6 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | |||
| 6 add 6 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 9 | ||
| Maj 7 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | |||
| Maj 7 5+ | 1 | 3 | b6 | 7 | |||
| Maj 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | ||
| Add 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | |||
| 7 Sus 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | |||
| 7 Sus 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | b7 | |||
| Dominant 7/5- | 1 | 3 | #4 | 7 | |||
| Dominant 7/9- | 1 | 3 | 5 | b7 | b9 | ||
| Dominant 7/5+ | 1 | 3 | b6 | b7 | |||
| Dominant 7/5+/9- | 1 | 3 | b6 | b7 | b9 | ||
| Dominant 7/9+ | 1 | 3 | 5 | b7 | b10 | ||
| Dominant 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | b7 | ||
| Dominant 9/5- | 1 | 2 | 3 | b4 | b7 | ||
| Dominant 9/5+ | 1 | 2 | 3 | b6 | b7 | ||
| Dominant 11 | 1 | 3 | 5 | b7 | 9 | b11 | |
| Dominant 13 | 1 | 3 | 5 | b7 | 9 | b11 | b13 |
| Min | 1 | b3 | 5 | ||||
| Min 6/9 | 1 | b3 | 5 | 6 | 9 | ||
| Min 6- | 1 | b3 | 5 | b6 | |||
| Min 6 | 1 | b3 | 5 | 6 | |||
| Min | 1 | b3 | 5 | b7 | |||
| Min 7/3- | 1 | 2 | 5 | b7 | |||
| Min 7/5- | 1 | b3 | #4 | b7 | |||
| Min 9 | 1 | b3 | 5 | b7 | b9 | ||
| Min 11 | 1 | b3 | 5 | b7 | b9 | b11 | |
| Min 13 | 1 | b3 | 5 | b7 | b13 | ||
| Sus 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | ||||
| Sus 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | ||||
| Aug | 1 | 3 | b6 | ||||
| Aug 7 | 1 | 3 | b6 | b7 | |||
| Aug 11 | 1 | 3 | 5 | b7 | 9 | 11 | |
| Dim | 1 | b3 | #4 | ||||
| Dim 7 | 1 | b3 | #4 | 6 | |||
| 7 Sus 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | |||
G major (ionian)
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G
mixolydian #4
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Example
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Here is an example with a standard jazz chord-sequence that you can use for practicing the scales while the harmony changes. I also made a MIDI file (with the same chords) that you can download and practice along with. Below you'll find a suggestion - which scales you can use for the different chords included in the chord-sequence. Of course, you can use any other scale, according to the Chords-Scales Relationship Table (just refer the exact tune, cause most of the scales shown on the guitar fret-board are in G key).
| Cm7 | Cm7 | Fm7 | Fm7 |
| Dm75b | G7 | Cm7 | Cm7 |
| Ebm7 | Ab7 | Dbmaj7 | Db maj7 |
| Dm75b | G7 | Cm7 | Dm75b , G7 |
For Xm7 chords use X dorian scale
For Dm75b chord use D locrian scale
For G7 chord use C harmonic minor scale
For Ab7 chord use Ab mixolydian scale
For Db maj7 chord use Db maj scale
Here are some more MIDI files made in the chords as shown in the Chords - Scales Relationship table. You can download them and practice the scales related with them.
- accompaniment file in Gmaj7
- accompaniment file in Gmin7
- accompaniment file in G7
- accompaniment file in Gmin75b
