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| Use Of The Major Scale In Improvisation Contained within 2 octaves of the major scale are all the other scales necessary to negotiate a solo without playing any “wrong” notes (if the song stays in one key). To understand why, one must understand something about chord construction. Chords are built in thirds, or by combining every other note in the scale. Example: Scale - C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) 1+3+5+7 = maj7 (the I chord) 2+4+6+8= m7 (II chord) 3+5+7+9= m7 (III chord) 4+6+8+10= maj7 (IV chord) 5+7+9+11= 7 (dominant) (V chord) 6+8+10+12= m7 (VI chord) 7+9+11+13= m7b5 (VII chord) Note: The above examples are meant to stress the relationship of these chords to their parent key. The formulae for creating these chords independently, is quite different. Using the key of C, and the above as an example, the 7 primary chords in the key of C are: I - Cmaj7 II - Dm7 III - Em7 IV - Fmaj7 V - G7 VI - Am7 VII - Bm7b5 If you play a C major scale, starting on C (C D E F G A B) you will have played all the “right” notes for a Cmaj7 chord, including the correct passing tones. If you play the same scale, but start on a D (D E F G A B C) you will have played the correct sequence for a Dm7 chord, and so on, throughout the scale. Using this illustration one can see that all 7 chords have a corresponding scale, and all 7 scales are contained within the major scale itself. By making yourself thoroughly aware of the major scale, you will also train yourself to play the m7 scales, the dominant 7 scale, and the m7b5 (also called half diminished) scale. You will train your hands to play all the “right” notes as long as you know what key you're in. You will learn to think of “groups” of chords, relating to one key, like words in a sentence. This is called playing modally. The word “mode” means: “scale.” There are 7 modes, and they have funny sounding Greek names but they are just fancy names for what I have described above: I - Ionian (major scale starting on I) II - Dorian (major scale starting on II) III - Phrygian (major scale starting on III) IV - Lydian (major scale starting on IV) V - Mixolydian (major scale starting on V) VI - Aeolian (major scale starting on VI) VII - Locrian (major scale starting on VII) I Chord: Cmaj7 (Ionian) Scale: C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C (2 full octaves) II Chord: Dm7 (Dorian) Scale: D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D III Chord: Em7 (Phrygian) Scale: E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E IV Chord: Fmaj7 (Lydian) Scale: F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F V Chord: G7 (Mixolydian) Scale: G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G VI Chord: Am7 (Aeolian) Scale: A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A VII Chord: Bm7b5 (Locrian) Scale: B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B Obviously there are more types of chords than presented in the above examples, but these are the 7 basic (4 note) chords that make up the key of C. Many popular songs are made of of combinations of these chords, called progressions. Combinations like I-IV-V, II-V-I, I VI,II,V are common in jazz and pop tunes. Much of what you need to know to solo over these and many other chord progressions is contained within the major scale. The above is no replacement for creativity, but all great soloists have thoroughly learned these principles. Players who don't understand the major scales and how they relate to the chord progressions, usually wander around a lot in their solos, occasionally getting lucky. Basically, you need to know the rules before you can break them. |
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