Scales, Chords

So, a mode is a scale created by establishing a new root note within a pre-existing scale. Modes are just a different way of thinking about scales and keys. In Jazz, this is a very convenient way of thinking, as we will see in a moment. This is the basis of and the idea behind the Chord-Scale System. Every single chord in a progression is allocated a particular scale which can be used to improvise over that particular chord.

Of course, there are many different scales you can use over a single chord, but we will get to that soon enough. So technically, when improvising, every time a we change chords we also change scales. Below is a table of all the Major and Melodic Minor modes and their equivalent chords plus two extra scales.

But this means that chords NOT extended all the way out to the 13th are slightly ambiguous because they are missing a few chord and therefore scale notes. And the key that they are in depends on the previous and subsequent chords in the progression. For this reason it is possible to play multiple scales over the same chord if the chord is not a 13th chord. For example:. Notice that both scales contain all the notes that comprise the CMaj7 chord. Because the CMaj7 does not have a 9th, 11th or 13th we do not know what key it is in, and therefore we can use both scales over this chord.

Of course, if we look at the whole chord progression and see that the CMaj7 chord is preceded by a G7 chord, we can pretty comfortably deduce that the CMaj7 chord is in the key of C Major rather than G Major. We absolutely can! The Chord-Scale System looks at individual chords in isolation and allocates scales to each individual chord.

We do NOT need to know what key a particular chord is in, in order to choose a scale to play over that chord. This is the next scale historically if I am correct, and therefore the first scale where augmented triads appear. Note that you CAN build some of the chords mentioned above for the major scale using the harmonic minor, but these chords can not be built from the major scale.

I highly recommend that you build every chord possible on every scale degree for the harmonic minor keys of Dm, Am, Em, and Bm. You should also build every chord possible on every scale degree for the melodic minor keys of Cm, Gm, Dm, Am, Em, and maybe Bm. Those are the best melodic minor keys for open guitar chords.

Also, I technically did not label the intervals correctly for the Altered scale. Instead, I labeled the notes as the common chord tones in a 7alt chord. The remaining 13 chords can be built from the whole tone and diminished scales. It can be built from the Major Bebop scale on the 3rd scale degree. Here are the chords from both scales rooted on G making them altered 7th chords that take you to C major and other keys.

Note that NR stands for no root and N5 for no fifth. It actually is every note of the G whole tone scale. You should also build every chord possible in both the whole tone and diminished scales. Also, try building chords in other scales like the blues scale or bebop scales and see what kind of chords you get.

Take a look at my Augmented Scale article to see the chords from that scale. Here is an ordered list of every guitar chord type that I listed above and which I have open and closed chord shapes.

I will add pdf files for download, as I make them, of every closed guitar chord and every open chord from the key of C major, as well as the CAGED positions for all the scales I mention in this article. Major : major triad, add9, 6, 7, 9, 7 9, maj7, maj9 Minor : min triad, m add9, m7 Suspended : sus4, 7sus. It really depends on your preferred genre of music, whether you write originals or only play covers, and truly understand how to use all the chords. When you learn how to build chords from scales, so much fundamental music theory will start to make sense.

Just do it when you have a little bit of downtime. Those articles will help you understand how and when to use some of the complex chords in this article. If you really love scales, check out the crazy long list of scales on Wikipedia.

How to build chords from scales Before you can build chords from scales, y ou need to first understand how to build triads. Scales defined : Scales are specific notes from the chromatic scale that usually have a tonal center. Any specific scale is defined by the intervals within the scale. Most scales have anywhere from 5 to 8 notes in them.

Modes are scales that are a part of a parent scale. The major scale is a parent scale with the first scale degree known as the tonic. Every other note in the scale is a mode of the major scale. Scales are what you use to build chords and to improvise over those same chords. Chords defined : The first note in any chord is called the root note, as opposed to the 1st of scales known as the tonic.

Chords are built by adding notes above the root note in patterns of 3rds. The four triads are the most basic chords with the intervals of a root note 1 or 1st , a third 3 or 3rd and a fifth 5 or 5th. Seventh chords are built when you add the note a 3rd away from the 5th, ninths add the note a third away from the 7th, etc.

Did you notice the odd s as the pattern to building chords? And scales are groups of notes that also sound good together. Generally, scales are practiced and played one note at a time, where chords are notes played at the same time. The exception would be playing scales in intervals and playing chords as single notes known as arpeggios. All the chords built from the same scale sound good together. Types of scales Most of the chords you will ever see are built from the notes in the various major scale keys.

Chords built from the C major scale This article covers 77 chord types and 44 of them can be built from the major scale. All diminished chords are built as B chords and all minor chords go to the note D.

Likewise, the add9 chord is shown for C, but F and G also build add9 chords.