CHORD / SCALES

Below are 18 commonly used scales in jazz, along with their afliated chord qualities. It is important to remember that a scale is simply a series of notes consisting of chord tones and notes that connect them. The three kinds of notes in a scale or a line are: 1) Chord tones (R,3, 5, 6 or 7) 2) Extensions (9, b9, #9, 11, #11, b13, 13, or ext notes on diminished) 3) Approach notes , which are appropriate diatonic connecting tones, but have a strong tendency to resolve (up or down) and should be used mainly as passing tones or embellishments. They are indicated by an " A ."

MAJOR QUALITY
IONIAN (MAJOR)

&

C Ma 9

LYDIAN

#w w & w w w w

C M a 9 ( # 11 )

w w w w w

w
R

w
9

w w
3 3

w #w

w
5

w
6

w
7

LYDIAN AUGMENTED

MINOR QUALITY
AEOLIAN (NATURAL MINOR)

& #w w w w

C Ma 7 ( # 5 )

w
R

w
9

#11

w w

w
7 7

w
R

w w
9 9

#11

#w
11

#5

#w

w & bbw w w w w b w & b w w w w w & bw w w w

Cmi 9

b3

w
R

bw bw bw bw
3 3 b3

w w w
5 5 5

bw
A*

bw
b7

C mi 11

DORIAN

w
R

w w w bw
A 9 9

11

w
11

w bw
A

bw
b7 7

C m9 7

HARMONIC MINOR

w
6

MELODIC MINOR

w w & bw w w w &

C mi 9

11

w
C 7 s us 4 ( b 9 )

w w

w
6

PHRYGIAN

w bbw w w

Cm i 7

( )

bw w w ww

bw

11

bw
A

bw

b7

DOMINANT
MIXOLYDIAN

&

C 1 3 s us 4

LYDIAN DOMINANT

#w w w b & w w w w

w b ww w w w
C 13

(#11 )

w w
R

w
9

A*

w
3

sus4

w
#11

w w w bw
b5 5 5

13

w
13

b7

bw
b7

5TH MODE HARMONIC MINOR

bC w( ) w & bbw w w
7 b9 b13

w
3

#w w
3

bw bw bw bw
13 b7 b7

b9

ALTERED (DIM W T or SUPERLOCRIAN)

bbbbw ww & #w w w w &

w
R

bw
b9

w
#9

bw bw

b13

C 7a l t .

b13/#5

b7

WHOLE TONE

DOMINANT DIMINISHED

HALF-DIMINISHED
LOCRIAN

w # w w b w b w & w w
C7

w #bw w w w

# C 9 ( 5)

w
R

bw w bw
b9 9

bw w bw
b3 #9 3

nw #w nw
3 #11

( b1 9 3)

w w
R R

#w w bw
b5 5

#5

&

bbbw w w w
C m9

b C mi 7 ( 5)

#w
11

#11

bw bw
b7

b7

LOCRIAN #2

w & bbbw w w w & &

( b 5)

w
R

bw
9

bw
b3

b6

bw
b6

11

2ND MODE HARMONIC MINOR

DIMINISHED
DIMINISHED

bbbw w w w

b C mi 7 ( 5)

w
R

w
A

bw
b3

bw bw
b5 b5

b5

bw
A

bw bw
b7 ext

b7

11

b ww w w b w b w w w

C 7 R

w w

bw
ext b3

bw bw
ext

w
bb7

bw

ext

bw

nw