Jazz scale

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Four scales compatible with G^7♭5

One important feature of jazz is what theorists call "the principles of

For instance, in C major, a jazz musician may alter the V chord, G⁷ (G–B–D–F), with a flattened fifth, producing the chord G^7♭5 (G–B–D♭–F). An improviser might then choose a scale containing these four notes, such as the G whole tone scale, the G octatonic scale, or a mode of either D or A♭ melodic minor ascending. 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 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.^[3] For example, in major-key harmony the 4th, and thus the 11th, is an avoid note and is therefore either treated as a passing tone or is augmented (raised a semitone).^[4] Avoid notes are often a minor second (or a minor ninth) above a chord tone^[5] or a perfect fourth above the root of the chord.^[6]

[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.^[6]

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 major scale and added-note scales.

Modes of the major scale

Mode	Name	Scale on C	Associated chord[7]
I	Ionian	C–D–E–F–G–A–B–C	Cmaj7 (9, 13)
II	Dorian	C–D–E♭–F–G–A–B♭–C	Cm6 or Cm7 (9, 11, 13)
III	Phrygian	C–D♭–E♭–F–G–A♭–B♭–C	C7sus (♭9)
IV	Lydian	C–D–E–F♯–G–A–B–C	Cmaj7♯11 (9, 13)
V	Mixolydian	C–D–E–F–G–A–B♭–C	C7 (9, 13)
VI	Aeolian	C–D–E♭–F–G–A♭–B♭–C	Cm7 (9, 11)
VII	Locrian	C–D♭–E♭–F–G♭–A♭–B♭–C	Cm7♭5 or Cø7 (11, ♭13)

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.

Modes of the C major scale (White-note scales)

Name	Scale	Associated chord[citation needed]
C Ionian	C–D–E–F–G–A–B–C	Cmaj7 (9, 13)
D Dorian	D–E–F–G–A–B–C–D	Dm6 or Dm7 (9, 11, 13)
E Phrygian	E–F–G–A–B–C–D–E	Em7 (♭9)
F Lydian	F–G–A–B–C–D–E–F	Fmaj7♯11 (9, 13)
G Mixolydian	G–A–B–C–D–E–F–G	G7 (9, 13)
A Aeolian	A–B–C–D–E–F–G–A	Am7 (9, 11)
B Locrian	B–C–D–E–F–G–A–B	Bm7♭5 or Bø7 (11, ♭13)

Bebop scales

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Bebop scales add a single

There are two commonly used types of bebop scale:

1. The dominant bebop scale, which adds a chromatic passing tone between the 7th and the root.

   

2. The major bebop scale, which adds a chromatic passing tone between the 5th and 6th notes.

   

Modes of the melodic minor scale

The ascending melodic minor scale built on A

A great deal of modern jazz harmony arises from the

Modes of the ascending melodic minor scale on C

Mode	Name	Scale on C	Associated chords[citation needed]
I	Ascending melodic minor	C–D–E♭–F–G–A–B	Cmmaj7 (9, 11, 13) or Cm6 chords (functions as i minor)
II	Dorian ♭2 or Phrygian ♯6	C–D♭–E♭–F–G–A–B♭	C7sus (♭9, ♯9, 13) chord, with ♭2 as a non-chord tone producing a minor ninth
III	Lydian augmented	C–D–E–F♯–G♯–A–B	Cmaj7♯5 (9, ♯11) chord (functions as a III+)
IV	Acoustic scale, Lydian dominant, Mixolydian ♯4, or Overtone	C–D–E–F♯–G–A–B♭	C7 (9, ♯11, 13) chord (functions as a dominant, secondary, or substitute dominant)
V	Aeolian dominant, Mixolydian ♭6, Descending melodic major, or Hindu	C–D–E–F–G–A♭–B♭	C7 (9, ♭13) chord (functions as a dominant with ♭13 as a non-chord tone or the fifth avoided in the chord voicing as they produce a minor ninth)
VI	Half-diminished, Locrian ♯2, or Aeolian ♭5	C–D–E♭–F–G♭–A♭–B♭	Cm7♭5 (9, 11, ♭13) (functions as a ii chord in the fifth mode of melodic minor)
VII	Altered scale, Super Locrian, or Altered dominant scale	C–D♭–E♭–F♭–G♭–A♭–B♭	C7 (♭9 or ♯9, ♯11, ♭13) chord (functions as a dominant with the fifth of the chord replaced by ♯11 or ♭13, may also be used to harmonize a viiø chord in melodic minor)

Mode	Name	Scale	Associated chords[citation needed]
I	Ascending melodic minor	C–D–E♭–F–G–A–B	Cmmaj7 (9, 11, 13) or C minor 6 chords The B note (as maj7 note) distinguishes C dorian and C ascending melodic minor.
II	Phrygian ♯6 or Dorian ♭2	D–E♭–F–G–A–B–C	D7sus (♭9, ♯9, 13) chord, with ♭2 as a non-chord tone producing a minor ninth. B note brings Dorian taste on a normal D phrygian.
III	Lydian augmented	E♭–F–G–A–B–C–D	E♭maj7♯5 (9, ♯11) chord (functions as a III+). E♭ chord usually acts as the IV chord in the parent of C dorian (B♭ ionian)
IV	Lydian dominant	F–G–A–B–C–D–E♭	F7 (9, ♯11, 13) chord (functions as a dominant, secondary, or substitute dominant). The dominant function is held by F7 in C Dorian (or B♭ Ionian)
V	Mixolydian ♭6	G–A–B–C–D–E♭–F	G7 (9, ♭13) chord (functions as a dominant). Thanks to B♮ (major third) rather than B♭, the likely G Aeolian now has the dominant function as what G is expected in C Sorian (as V7). This is one of rare cases when the VI chord (in B♭ Ionian, as the parent of C Dorian scale) are major/dominant rather than normal minor.
VI	Half diminished	A–B–C–D–E♭–F–G	Am7♭5 (9, 11, ♭13) (functions as a ii chord in the fifth mode of melodic minor).
VII	Super Locrian or altered scale	B–C–D–E♭–F–G–A	B7 (♭9 or ♯9, ♯11, ♭13) chord (functions as a dominant with the fifth of the chord replaced by ♯11 or ♭13, may also be used to harmonize a viiø chord in melodic minor). This scale is the same as B♭ Ionian (as the VII scale of I (C) dorian), but the root itself raised a half-step to B♮.

Diminished scale

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The three octatonic scales

Sometimes called the octatonic scale because it contains eight tones, the diminished scale is composed of a series of alternating

Because of the symmetry of the diminished scale, there are only three distinct diminished scales (shown to the right). The others are all modes of these three.

Whole tone scale

The whole tone scale built on C

The whole tone scale, consisting exclusively of whole steps, is often used on V^7♯5 chords.

Pentatonic scales

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