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In this page you will find very useful information about the chords and the relationship between them and the scales. You can upgrade your improvisation skills by learning the stuff I collected here. I really hope, that thanks to the following page, you could improve your improvisation skills. It took me a lot of time to put together the information you'll see below, but I am sure that it's worth the time I spend on it. The information in this site is based on the educational DVD, made by the master guitarist Clay Moore (http://www.claymoore.com/) and called "Jazz-Fusion Guitar". The root key for the Chords-Scales Relationship Table is G. You can easily transpose and see how it looks for another key you need. You will also find information how each scale applies to other modes. Just click on some of the scales in the Scale For Improvisation column and you automatically will be redirected to the picture of the chosen scale as it looks on the guitar fret-board. Then by clicking on the Go to top link you can come back to the main table in the start of this page and choose another scale to view, or go directly to the example by the Go to the Example link. I am open and will be happy, to hear youр opinion and suggestions about it! Enjoy!
... " 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
Go to top
Go to the
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
