Scales to chords? on LearnJazzPiano.com

Jazz Piano Book Reviews • Piano Teacher Search • Jazz Piano Links • Jazz Piano Lessons

Scales to chords?

hello just wondering if there was a compendium of which scales work on which chords? like a scales-to-chords dictionary.. tried searching here but didn't find anything, and google just gave med a bunch of stuff that i wasn't looking for so i thought i'd ask..

cheers!

doc-z

by docz on 09/01/2004, 13:50

There are no comments, leave a comment.

its in the terminology. we refer to this as chord scales, not scales-to-chords. this makes all the diference when doing a search.
go back to google in type "chord scales"

LJP Like

by Mike on 09/01/2004, 17:07

consonant with the underlying chord are all of the tones in the chord.

in the simple case of a major triad, the 2 and 6 can be added to the row of consonant tones. the creates a 5-note scale.

in the simple case of a minor triad, the 4 and b7 can be added to the row of consonant tones. this also creates a 5-note scale.

tetrads (4-note chords) behave similarly. with the addition of the abovementioned "safe" notes, a six note scale is created.

-------------------------------------

in tertian harmony, the choice of which notes to insert between chord tones is relatively straightforward:

- between chord tones a minor third apart, there are only two chromatic choices. generally one of them is "safe" and the other is "avoid".

- between chord tones a major third apart, there are three chromatic choices.

by using your ear, the correct choices in the above situations will become obvious.

----------------------------

the question "which scale goes with which chord?" can only be answered in a relative way:

1. a scale can consist of four notes (or even fewer).

2. a mega-scale (a scale made of stacked thirds) can consist of any number of notes (often more than 12!).

3. the context of the surrounding chords and current tonal center will tend to narrow down the number of possible scales to use in any specific instance.

4. for the umpteenth time: it's not about scales - it's about making musical statements.

--------------------------------------

bottom line:

listen to the big picture and play what you hear in your mind's ear.

there'll be some chord tones in there and there'll be some non-chord tones in there.

LJP Like

by 7 on 09/01/2004, 22:17

i found it :) thanks.

7 i know it's not all about scales, but i just wanted something to show me which pallette i could use for improve. i sometimes find myself lost, feeling what to play, but not knowing how to articulate it on the keyboard. so i thought that a dictionary would help :)

here is the link if anybody else is interested:
https://www.geocities.com/athens/marble/9607/ms-primer-4-7.html

cheers!

doc-z

LJP Like

by docz on 09/03/2004, 01:31

and if you do what jzakr has suggested you end up doing a thing called
organizing your melodic principles.  time after time you start to notice
cetain things souund good while others do not.  you organize these things you have noticed.  a million musicians have done this they ended up giveing the combinations of notes that reliably sounded good names...
"scales".  then they organized the scales into a concept that could be studied for improvisation.  its called chord scales.  you do not have to start from square one. but if you want to certainly that is not going to hurt anything.

LJP Like

by Mike on 09/07/2004, 05:22

this reminds me of a technique some horn players use to practice. they sit at a piano and play one chord with the sustain pedal depressed. then, they work out ideas on their horn over that chord. same principle, i think.

LJP Like

by Peteboypete on 09/07/2004, 06:38

Reply to Thread

Please sign in to post.

Jazz Piano Notebook Series

Scot Ranney's Jazz Piano Notebook, Volume 1 - jazz piano tricks of the trade

Volume 1 of this educational jazz piano book contains 15 jazz piano exercises, tricks, and other interesting jazz piano techniques, voicings, grooves, and ideas Scot Ranney enjoys playing.

buy pdf version - buy coil binding version - videos

Scot Ranney's Jazz Piano Notebook, Volume 2 - jazz piano tricks of the trade you can use today

"Latinesque"

Volume 2 has 14 jazz piano exercises and tricks of the trade, and quite a bit of it is Calypso jazz piano related material, including some Monty Alexander and Michel Camilo style grooves. Jazz piano education is through the ears, but books like this can help.

buy pdf version - buy coil binding version

Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Notebook - jazz piano tricks of the trade

Volume 3 contains 12 jazz piano exercises and explorations by the acclaimed jazz piano educator, pianist, author, and recording artist Tim Richards.

Tim wrote the well known "Exploring Jazz Piano" and "Improvising Blues Piano" books and has several others to his name.

buy pdf version - buy coil binding version

Jeff Brent's Jazz Piano Notebook - jazz piano tricks of the trade

Volume 4 is by Jeff Brent, a jazz pianist, composer, teacher, and author of "Modalogy" and other acclaimed jazz theory and education books. In this book Jeff shares detailed analysis of transcriptions of live performances. He covers everything from the shape of the songs to the tricks and licks he uses in improvised lines to the ideas behind his lush chord voicings.

buy pdf version - buy coil binding version

Jazz piano education is cool.

be the main character in your own story

Scales to chords?

There are no comments, leave a comment.

by Mike on 09/01/2004, 17:07

by 7 on 09/01/2004, 22:17

by docz on 09/03/2004, 01:31

by Mike on 09/07/2004, 05:22

by Peteboypete on 09/07/2004, 06:38

Reply to Thread

Jazz Piano Notebook Series

"Latinesque"

LJP Jazz Piano Blogs

Most Recent Discussions

Articles

Top Sheetmusic Picks

Jazz piano education is cool.

Rock on. Follow your passion.

Sign In

Sign In to LearnJazzPiano.com

Scales to chords?

There are no comments, leave a comment.

by Mike on 09/01/2004, 17:07

by 7 on 09/01/2004, 22:17

by docz on 09/03/2004, 01:31

by Mike on 09/07/2004, 05:22

by Peteboypete on 09/07/2004, 06:38

Reply to Thread

Jazz Piano Notebook Series

"Latinesque"

LJP Jazz Piano Blogs

Most Recent Discussions

Articles

Top Sheetmusic Picks

Jazz piano education is cool.

Rock on. Follow your passion.

Sign In