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Scale Choices for Improvisation

Organized by Scale Groups (Initial Learning)

Major Modes

Harmonic Minor Modes

1) Ionian (ma7)

1) Harmonic (mi#7)

2) Dorian (mi7)

2) 2nd Mode (mi7b5)

3) Phrygian (mi7)

3) 3rd Mode (ma7#5)

4) Lydian (ma7#11)

4) 4th Mode (mi7)

5) Mixolydian (dom7)

5) 5th Mode (dom7b9b13)

6) Aeolian (mi7)

6) 6th Mode (ma7#11)

7) Locrian (mi7b5)

7) 7th Mode (dim7)

Melodic Minor Modes

Harmonic Major Modes

1) Melodic minor (mi#7)

1) 1st Mode (ma7 or ma7#5)
2) Dorian,b2 (mib9) 2) 2nd Mode (mi9b5)
3) Lydian-Augmented (ma7#5) 3) 3rd Mode (mi7 or dom7#9)
4) Lydian,b7 (dom7#11)

4) 4th Mode (mi#7)

5) Mixolydian,b6 (dom7b13) 5) 5th Mode (dom13b9)
6) Locrian,#2 (mi9b5) 6) 6th Mode (ma7#5)
7) Super Locrian (dom7#5#9) 7) 7th Mode (dim7)
Altered Scales Pentatonic & Blues Scales
Whole Tone (dom7#5) Major Pentatonic (1 2 3 5 6)
WH Diminished (dim7) Minor Pentatonic (1 b3 4 5 b7)
HW Diminished (dom13#9) Major Blues (1 2 #2 3 5 6)

Augmented (ma7#5)

Minor Blues (1 b3 4 #4 5 b7)

 

Organized by Chord Groups (Application)

Major Seventh Chords

Minor Seventh Chords

1) Ionian (natural 4)

1) Dorian (#6)

2) Lydian (#4)

2) Phrygian (b2)

3) 3rd Mode Harmonic Minor (#5)

3) Aeolian (natural 6)

4) 6th Mode Harmonic Minor (#4)

4) Harmonic Minor (#7)

5) Lydian-Augmented (#4, #5)

5) 4th Mode Harmonic Minor (#4)

6) Augmented (natural 5 or #5)

6) Melodic Minor (#6, #7)

7) Major Pentatonic (on 1, 2 or 5)

7) Dorian, b2 (b9)

8) Major Blues

8) Minor Pentatonic (on 1, 2 or 5)
9) Harmonic Major (natural 5 or #5) 9) Minor Blues
10) 6th Mode Harmonic Major (#5) 10) 3rd Mode Harmonic Major (b2, b4)
11) 4th Mode Harmonic Major (#4, #7)

Dominant Seventh Chords

1) Mixolydian (natural 4)

Half-Diminished Seventh Chords
2) 5th Mode Harmonic Minor (b9, b13) 1) Locrian (natural 2)
3) Lydian, b7 (#11) 2) 2nd Mode Harmonic Minor (natural 2)
4) Mixolydian,b6 (b13)

3) Locrian, #2 (#2)

5) Super Locrian (b5, #5, b9, #9) 4) 2nd Mode Harmonic Major (#2)
6) Whole Tone (b5, #5)
7) HW Diminished (13, b9) Fully-Diminished Seventh Chords
8) Major Pentatonic (on 1 or b5) 1) WH Diminished
9) Minor Pentatonic (on 1) 2) 7th Mode Harmonic Minor
10) Major Blues 3) 7th mode Harmonic Major
11) Minor Blues
12) 3rd Mode Harmonic Major (b9, #9, b13)
13) 5th Mode Harmonic Major (13, b9)


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