Mini Lesson Jazz Improvisation

The 10 Scales You Need to

Know for Jazz Improvisation
by Gary Burton

The following is excerpted from the

Berklee Online course Gary Burton:
Jazz Improvisation.

I n spoken language, we learn from

experience, talking and listening to
others. We also learn from studying and
analyzing language in school. Over time,
one becomes fluent in a language and
no longer has to consciously think about Gary Burton
the mechanics while speaking. The same Gary Burton is a vibraphone pioneer
process of assimilation takes place when whose four-mallet technique
learning to improvise. revolutionized jazz. He’s had a long
career as a performer, teacher,
improviser, recording artist, and has
To become fluent in the language of been entwined with Berklee since
improvisation, you should become he was a student in the early 1960s.
familiar with the most commonly used Burton has played with Chick Corea,
Chet Atkins, Stan Getz, B.B. King,
scales. As it turns out, there are 10 scales Hank Garland, Quincy Jones, Arif
that cover 95 percent of all playing Mardin, Pat Metheny, and many more.
situations. The goal is to be able to He has released 66 albums under his
name, been nominated for more than
identify, memorize, and practice these
a dozen Grammys and won seven. As
10 scales in all 12 keys so you can recall executive vice president of Berklee
them immediately. Once you become College of Music at the turn of the
century, he was instrumental in the
intimately familiar with these scales,
formation of Berklee Online.
you become fluent in improvisation.

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IDENTIFY Lydian, and the fifth note (G) results in
the Mixolydian. Beginning the scale with
Chord Scales
the sixth note (A) is the Aeolian mode,
The chord scales make up the
and finally with the seventh note (B), we
improviser’s vocabulary. These 10 scales
get the Locrian. The handy chart below
are used in nearly all the harmonies you
should help you visualize these modes:
will encounter in typical show tunes,
jazz compositions, pop songs, and
• Ionian: Starts on the first note - C
more. They include: the seven modes,
• Dorian: Starts on the second note - D
the Lydian ♭7, the altered scale, and the
• Phrygian: Starts on the third note - E
symmetrical diminished scale.
• Lydian: Starts on the fourth note - F
• Mixolydian: Starts on the fifth note - G
The Seven Modes Derived
• Aeolian: Starts on the sixth note - A
from the Diatonic Scale
• Locrian: Starts on the seventh note - B
We start by considering the modes:
seven scales derived from the diatonic
Bright or Dark?
scale. You may have already learned
It is more logical to think of the modes in
about the modes if you have studied
order from bright to dark. Notice which
traditional harmony. Simply put, if you
modes are major or minor and the one
start with the diatonic scale, say the C
mode that is dominant 7th in nature. It’s
scale, that’s the Ionian mode. Using the
important for you as an improviser to
same notes starting on the second tone
know the sound of the scale when you
(D), it’s the Dorian. Starting on the third
hear it or see it, and the type of harmonic
note (E) it’s the Phrygian mode. Starting
coloration suggested by the mode.
on the fourth note (F) gives us the

The Seven Modes in order from Brightest to Darkest

Lydian - Major

Ionian - Major

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Mixolydian - Dominant 7

Dorian - Minor

Aeolian - Minor

Phrygian - Minor

Locrian - Minor

3
Three Dominant Alternatives
In addition to the seven modes, there are three scales that are very common in popular
songs and jazz. We need to add these three to arrive at the complete list of 10 scales.
All three of these additional scales are employed on dominant 7 harmonies.

The Lydian ♭7
The Lydian ♭7 scale is the Lydian scale with the seventh degree lowered by a half step.

The Altered Scale

The altered scale makes use of all the possible altered notes. In addition to the 1, 3, and
♭7, which make up the basic chord sound, adding the ♭9, ♯9, ♯11, and ♭13, gives us the
complete scale.

The Symmetrical Diminished Scale

The symmetrical diminished scale is closely related to the altered scale. The first five
notes of the scale are, in fact, the same. But instead of the ♭13 used in the altered scale,
the symmetrical diminished scale uses the 5th and 6th. Of course, this scale strongly
suggests the sound of the diminished chord.

NOTE: The symmetrical diminished scale is also used when the diminished chord symbol
occurs. In that case, instead of using the pattern half-step, whole-step, half-step, whole-
step, etc., as used on a dominant 7 harmony, the pattern for a diminished chord symbol
is the opposite: whole-step, half-step, whole-step, half-step, etc.

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MEMORIZE PRACTICE
We need to have an instant recall to draw The goal is to imprint the shape and
upon for each of the 10 commonplace sound of the scales in our memory, and
scales—in all 12 keys. That makes a total also to have a variety of ways to group
of 120 scales. Becoming intimately the notes of the scale, which will come in
familiar with that many scales is not as handy when we want to make melodies.
daunting a task as it may seem since a We’re never going to be improvising
number of the scales share the same by simply going up and down the
note groupings, just in a different order. scales. We also have to learn how to
comfortably start playing on a scale
You need to memorize them and be able without having to start with the root
to recall them instantly without having note every time.
to consciously think about the individual
notes that make up the scales. At the The traditional approach to practicing
sight of a chord symbol, the player scales is to follow these steps:
needs to have an instant response:
• Start on the root note (or tonic)
• A visual image of the shape and • Go up and down the scale
pattern of the scale
• An aural memory of the sound of However, it’s much more effective to
that particular scale practice the 10 scales:

With the combination of visual and • In random patterns

auditory memory, the player should • Using a variety of intervals
be able to start playing on the scale • With the full range of your instrument
immediately without having to actively • Leaping around the range frequently
think about the mechanics involved. • Varying the rhythms

Practice Tip:
When learning new chord scales for
a tune, do not allow yourself to cheat.
You’re going to want to know the scales
for all the chords of a song and not have
to resort to guessing or waiting to hear
what someone else plays on a harmony
so you can try to pick up usable notes
by ear. Learning the vocabulary now will
allow you to better express yourself later.

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APPLY Answer: There are two places where you
can look for the answer to this question:
So far we’ve learned that improvisers
must be able to quickly recall chord
1. First look at the written notes taking
scales to play them fluently. This
place during the harmony. As your eyes
becomes important when choosing
scan the notes and you look for an F or
which one to use on a harmony. When
an F♯, you will see very quickly if either
looking at a new tune at a session, there’s
note is there. About half the time, the
no time to take the music home to
note in question, the one about which
work out scales. Essentially, there’s one,
you need to decide, will be included
sometimes two, questions to answer to
among the written melody notes.
determine the correct chord scale.

2. If you don’t see it when you look at

Question: What scale should you use if
the written melody, then you can find it
the chord symbol is for a major chord,
in the preceding chord scale. That is, the
say Cmaj7? Look at the 10 common
scale just before the Cmaj7. Let’s say the
chord scales and you’ll see that there
preceding chord is a G7. Think of the G7
are two common scales for major type
chord and you will quickly notice that
chords: Ionian and Lydian.
it has an F♮ in it. The principle at work
here is that the notes in a chord and its
The difference between these two
corresponding chord scale will want to
versions of the chord scale is just one
continue ringing into the next harmony,
note, the 4th degree of the scale. In the
unless something in the next harmony
Ionian it’s a natural 4, in the Lydian it’s
forces it to change. So in the case of
a raised 4 (also called the ♯11). So as
G7 to Cmaj7, the F♮ in the G7 harmony
we approach the Cmaj7 chord we are
wants to carry over into the C harmony,
searching for either an F♮ or an F♯
indicating that the Ionian scale is the one
to tell us which of the two possible
that will work best on the Cmaj7 chord.
chord scales we should use.

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 The purpose here is not to necessarily
get every chord scale correct the first
time through. The intention is to have a
system you can use that will be correct
most of the time, and allow you to keep
up with the flow of the music in real time.

KEY CONCEPTS

• There are 10 common scales

In reality, all the players in an ensemble covering most playing situations:
are following a similar process; making the seven modes, the Lydian
decisions about what is the most ♭7, the altered scale, and the
appropriate chord scale for each symmetrical diminished scale.
harmony. And, like our examples, they
• Memorize these 10 common
are looking for the notes in question to
scales in all 12 keys so that you
decide which scales are the best choices.
can recall a visual image and an
aural memory of the sound of a
Most of the time, the choice is fairly
particular scale.
obvious and can be determined in an
instant. Occasionally, there will be a • Practice the scales in random
situation that is less clear cut, and you order to emulate the spontaneity
may find that your first guess doesn’t of improvisation.
match what the other players chose the
first time through the changes. If that • The goal is to be able to play
happens, you’ll know to adjust the next a scale immediately without
time through. Also, sometimes you’ll having to consciously think
find a chord where maybe two different about the mechanics involved.
scales both seem to work. In that case,
you can either choose which one you
like or check to see what scale the other
musicians are using for the harmony.

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