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Blues Scale

The document provides information on various jazz scales, including the blues scale and its variations, major and minor pentatonic scales, and other scales used in jazz improvisation and composition. It defines each scale using its intervals, typical chord applications, and alternate names from other musical traditions. The blues scale is described as the primary scale choice for typical blues progressions. The major and minor pentatonic scales are among the most commonly used 5-note scales in jazz and rock music.

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Freddie
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108 views14 pages

Blues Scale

The document provides information on various jazz scales, including the blues scale and its variations, major and minor pentatonic scales, and other scales used in jazz improvisation and composition. It defines each scale using its intervals, typical chord applications, and alternate names from other musical traditions. The blues scale is described as the primary scale choice for typical blues progressions. The major and minor pentatonic scales are among the most commonly used 5-note scales in jazz and rock music.

Uploaded by

Freddie
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Jazz Scales

Blues

Alternate names: Blues Hexatonic, Raga Nileshwari

Modes: Raga Hamsanandi (IV), Raga Malkauns (V)

Intervals: 3 2 1 1 3 2

Chords: C7, C7/b5, C7/#11

The Blues scale is one of the most widely used scales in jazz of any era. It is the primary choice for the typical 12-bar
blues progression, in which case it is often used modally (e.g. the C Blues scale is used over all the chords of a C major
blues progression).

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Blues Heptatonic

Alternate names: Dorian b5, Kartzihiar (Greece), Maqam Karcigar (Iraq), Maqam Nahawand Murassah (Iraq)

Mode: mode II of Harmonic Major scale (C Blues Heptatonic = Bb Harmonic Major)

Intervals: 2 1 2 1 3 1 2

Chords: C7/b5, Cm7/b5, Cdim7


rd th th
This variation of the Blues scale can be thought of as a Major scale with flattened 3 , 5 , and 7 degrees.

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Blues Heptatonic 2

Modes: Dorian b2 Maj7 (IV), Noh (VII)

Intervals: 3 2 1 1 2 1 2

Chords: C7, C7/b5, C7/#9


th
This scale can be obtained by adding the 6 degree to the classic 6-note Blues scale.

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Blues Octatonic

Modes: Flamenco (II), Magen Abot (V), Bebop Harmonic Minor (VI), Bebop Major (VII)

Intervals: 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 2

Chords: C7, C7/b5, C7/#9


nd th
This scale can be obtained by adding the 2 and 6 degrees to the classic 6-note Blues scale.

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Blues Enneatonic

Alternate names: Major-Dorian Mixed, Raga Malgunji, Raga Ramdasi Malhar

Modes: Chromatic Diatonic Dorian (II), Lydian Mixolydian (V), Houseini (VI)

Intervals: 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1

Chords: C7, C7/b5


rd th
This scale can be thought of as a Major scale plus a flattened 3 and 7 . This scale is rarely played in its entirety;
rd th
instead, the major and minor versions of the 3 and 7 degrees can be alternated to provide the blues inflection.

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Blues Enneatonic 2

Modes: Bebop Chromatic (V), Full Minor All Flats (VII)

Intervals: 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2

Chords: C7, C7/b5, C7/#9


rd th
This variation of the Blues scale can be thought of as a Mixolydian scale plus a flattened 3 and 7 . This scale is rarely
rd th
played in its entirety; instead, the major and minor versions of the 3 and 5 degrees can be alternated to provide the
blues inflection.

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Blues Dorian Hexatonic

Modes: Takemitzu Tree 1 (II), Prometheus Neapolitan (III)

Intervals: 1 2 1 3 2 3

Chords: C7, C7/b9, C7/#9

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Blues Phrygian

Modes: Ionian b5 (II), Bebop Minor (III), Mela Ratnangi (IV), Raga Marwa Thaat (V)

Intervals: 1 2 2 1 1 3 2

Chords: C7, C7/b9, C7/#9

This scale can be obtained by adding a minor 2nd note to the classic 6-note Blues scale.

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Blues Minor Maj7

Modes: Raga Dhavalangam (VI)

Intervals: 3 2 1 1 4 1

Chords: Cmaj7/Cmaj7/#9

This scale is obtained by raising the 7th degree of the classic 6-note Blues scale.

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Blues Modified

Modes: Mela Vanaspati (IV), Bebop Major Heptatonic (VII)

Intervals: 2 1 2 1 1 3 2

Chords: C7, C7/b5, C7/#9

This scale is obtained by adding a 2nd note to the classic 6-note Blues scale.

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Blues Mixed

Modes: Mela Tenarupi (VI)

Intervals: 3 1 1 1 1 3 2

Chords: C7, C7/b5, C7/#9

This scale is obtained by mixing the alterations you can find in most common Blues scales.

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Blues Leading Tone

Modes: Chromatic Hypodorian (II), Chromatic Mixolydian (III), Chromatic Lydian (IV), Chromatic Phrygian (V),
Chromatic Dorian (VI), Chromatic Hypolydian (VII)

Intervals: 3 2 1 1 3 1 1

Chords: C7, C7/b5, C7/#9

This scale is obtained by adding a major 7th note to the classic 6-note Blues scale.

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Pentatonic Scales

Major Pentatonic

Alternate names: Ryosen (Japan), Yona Nuki Major (Japan), Man Jue (China), Gong (China), Peruvian Major
Pentatonic, Ghana Pentatonic 2, Tezeta Major (Ethiopia), Raga Bilahari ascending, Raga Mohanam, Raga Bhopali, Raga
Deskar, Raga Kokila, Raga Jait Kalyan, Raga Bhup

Modes: Suspended Pentatonic (II), Man Gong (III), Ritusen (IV), Minor Pentatonic (V)

Intervals: 2 2 3 2 3

Chords: Cmaj7, Cmaj6, Cmaj9, Cmaj13, C7, C9, C13 – also Fmaj7, Fmaj9, Bbmaj7/b5, Bbmaj7/#11, F#7/b5/#5/b9/#9

The Major Pentatonic (or just Pentatonic) scale and its four modes are by far the most common 5-note scales in
Western music, including jazz and rock music. The absence of semitones in the scale encourages playing every note
without having to resolve to a chord tone. John Coltrane, Art Tatum, Chick Corea, and Herbie Hancock are just a few of
the jazz musicians who have massively used pentatonic scales in their compositions and improvisations.

In addition to using the Major Pentatonic scale on chords with same root as the scale, you can use it on major chords a
perefect fourth or a major second below the scale root (e.g. C Major Pentatonic on F and Bb major chords), and on
dominant altered chords a tritone above the scale root (e.g. C Major Pentatonic on F#7/b5/#5/b9/#9).

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Minor Pentatonic

Alternate names: Blues Minor Pentatonic, Peruvian Minor Pentatonic, Bati (Ethiopia), Qing Shang (China), Gu Xian
(China), Jia Zhong (China), Yu 2 (China), P'yongjo-kyemyonjo (Korea), Lai Yai (Laos), Lai Noi (Laos) Raga Dhani, Raga
Abheri, Raga Dhaanyasi ascending, Raga Udhayaravi

Mode: mode V of Major Pentatonic scale (C Minor Pentatonic = Eb Major Pentatonic)

Intervals: 3 2 2 3 2

Chords: Cm7

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