SCALES for JAZZ IMPROVISATION

MAJOR SCALE with RELATED MODES & CHORDS

C Major

&c

Chords derived from C major scale shown with their functions (as Roman numerals) related to
traditional music.

&

Fm aj9

Am 9

B7

G9 13

iii7

IVmaj7

V7

vi7

vii7

Cm aj9

Dm 9

Em 7

Imaj7

ii7

MODES RELATED TO C MAJOR:

D Dorian

E Phrygian

&
G Mixolydian

F Lydian

A Aeolian

&

B Locrian (not useful as a tonic

mode as there is no perfect fifth
above the tonic)

HARMONIC MINOR SCALE with RELATED MODES & CHORDS

C Harmonic Minor

&

Chords derived from C harmonic minor scale shown with their functions (as Roman numerals)
related to traditional music.
Cm maj7

& b n

D7

b
ii7

E m aj7 5

n
b

Fm 9

b
b

iv7

1996, Bert Ligon

bb 9
b b
n

G7 13

A m aj7

b
b

b
n

V7

VImaj7

vii7

B7

Scale Catalog, p. 2

MELODIC MINOR SCALE with RELATED MODES & CHORDS

Chord associated with C Melodic Minor:

C Melodic Minor

&

Cm maj7

n n

w
b wwww
Chord associated with Eb Lydian Augmented:

Eb Lydian Augmented

E m aj7 5

& b

Chord associated with F Lydian Dominant:

F Lydian Dominant

&

&

A7 2

b n wwwww
Chord associated with B Superlocrian:

B Superlocrian (A.K.A. diminished whole tone,

altered scale)

&

b
b ww
n wwww

G9 13

Chord associated with A Locrian #2:

A Locrian #2

& n

#
b wwwww
w

F9 11

Chord associated with G mixolydian b6:

G mixolydian b6

w
b n www

w
b wwwww
w

B7al t.

Scale Catalog, p. 3

LESS TRADITIONAL SCALES

C Harmonic Major (Major with flat 6)

&

b
b www
ww
#9
b
E7 13
ww
a www

5th mode of C major flat 6:

& b

G13 9

3rd mode of C major flat 6:

&

Chord associated with 5th mode

of C major flat 6:

Chord associated with 3rd mode

of C major flat 6:

b9
#
b b #

b
b b

C7 9

b b n #

C7

# #

b b

#
# b wwwww

C9 5

b b b

Cm aj7

Chord associated with whole

tone scale:

C Whole Tone

&

C13 11

Chords associated with

whole/half diminished scale:

C Whole/Half Diminished

&

Chords associated with

half/whole diminished scale:

C Half/Whole Diminished

&

Scale Catalog, p. 4

C Major Pentatonic

&

C Major Blues

C Minor Pentatonic

&

Chord associated with

augmented scale:

Cm aj7 5

C Minor Blues

C Augmented

&

# wwww