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Improv chord scale generator3/21/2023 ![]() So even though this chord progression changes key a few times, you almost don’t have to worry about that, and you can just keep on playing your common scale. Finally, you can also mix all three common scales however you like to create a more interesting and complex sounding improvisation that is conceptually very simple. And so we have found 3 simple common scales which fit over the entire chord progression. Playing over this entire chord progression (Section A of Satin Doll) using either E Blues, A Blues or G Blues will sound good, because these particular scales fit the keys and the chords rather well. CMaj7 = C E G B – G Blues doesn’t fit over the CMaj7 chord.This is because G Blues does not have either the 3rd or the 7th of CMaj7 (E and B) in it – so we should change scales for this one chord or just target a Guide Tone. G Blues, however, does NOT fit over CMaj7.This is because the G Blues Scale contains most of the Guide Tones from most of the chords in the song (see below). But while it doesn’t fit well over the keys it does actually fit rather well over the particular chords used in Satin Doll.At first glance, the G Blues scale doesn’t seem like it fits the keys very well.C Major Pentatonic (+E♭ passing note) = A Blues Scale.Same as above for Bar 6 (just play through it).C, D & G Major all contain most of the notes from C Major Pentatonic.C Major Pentatnoic (C, D, E, G, A) = A Blues.Note: G Major Pentatonic (+B♭ passing note) = E Blues Scale.Instead because it’s only 1 bar (so is quite quick) you can just continue playing G Major Pentatonic over Bar 6 and just create some tension as the scale clashes with the chords before slipping back to that CMaj7 and resolving the tension. Now, you could change scales for 1 bar, but that’ll just complicate things.So G Major Pentatonic fits over the entire chord progression except Bar 6, which is in G♭ Major.C, D & G Major all contain the notes from G Major Pentatonic.G Major Pentatonic (G, A, B, D, E) = E Blues.To find a common scale, write out all keys and related scales in the chord progression and look for common notes:īelow are 3 common scales that can fit over Satin Doll. However, keep in mind that they can be harmonically weak because they sometimes skip the Guide Tones of a chord but they make up for it by being simple and consonant. Then targeting Guide Tone with simple melodies & avoiding Avoid NotesĪ common scale is a scale which you can use over all or most of the chord progression, regardless of the key changes.įor this, Pentatonic (or Blues) Scales are great because they only have 5 (or 6) notes and so can fit into many diatonic scales.First just up and down – like scale runs or finger exercises.Then playing them together (like Shell Chords).Having learned the chords & melody (Step 1 above), practiced playing arpeggios over the chord progression (Step 2 above), and completed my chord mapping, I then go through the following steps: ![]() ![]() (Aside: Some people believe the 6th in the Dorian mode is an avoid note over a m7 chord because it is a tritone (another dissonant interval) above the 3rd of the chord. I disagree (avoid notes are a little subjective) but have put the note in brackets above nevertheless.) I have used Section A of the Jazz Standard Satin Doll as my example of Chord Mapping. So that I get a table that looks as follows. For every single new song I learn, I map out the following: Apply Jazzier Chord Voicings (see Jazz Chord Voicings module)Ĭhord Mapping is just a fancy word for analysing the chord progression of a particular song.Apply Jazz Improvisation Techniques (see previous lessons in this module).Find more Exotic Scales (see Jazz Scales module).Play the chord progression as a series of arpeggios (broken chords).Because, contrary to the name, improvisation takes quite a lot of planning, preparation and practice.Įvery time I begin learning a new song I do the following steps: So this lesson is about exactly that – what to do when you first start learning to improvise over a new song. But I have not yet covered how to put these techniques into practice in an actual song. In the previous lessons in this module, we learned a number of improvisation techniques. ![]()
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