A Brief Sumary of Jazz Scale Use

Chord Family

The Question to Ask

Major 7th

Natural 4 or Sharp 4?
(Major or Lydian)

Dominant 7th

Natural 4 or Sharp 4?
(Mixolydian or Lydian, b7)

Minor 7th

Natural 6 or Sharp 6?
(Aeolian or Dorian)

Half-Diminished

Natural 2 or Sharp 2?
(Locrian or Locrian, #2)

Diminished 7th

W Step, 1/2 Step Diminished

Dom. 7th, alt. 5th

Whole Tone

Dom. 7th, alt. 9Th

1/2 Step, W Step Diminished

Dom. 7th, alt. 5 & 9

Super Locrian

II-V-I in Major

Major scale of the key

II-V-I in Minor

Harmonic Minor of the key

Dominant 7th Blues

Minor Blues scale of the key(1 b3 4 #4 5 b7)


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