Jazz minor scale

Last updated
Ascending melodic minor scale
Modes I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII
Component pitches
C, D, E, F, G, A, B
Qualities
Number of pitch classes 7
Forte number 7-34
Complement 5-34

The jazz minor scale or ascending melodic minor scale is a derivative of the melodic minor scale, except only the ascending form of the scale is used. As the name implies, it is primarily used in jazz [ citation needed ], although it may be found in other types of music as well. It may be derived from the major scale with a minor third, [1] making it a synthetic scale, and features a dominant seventh chord on the fifth degree (V) like the harmonic minor scale. [2] It can also be derived from the diatonic Dorian mode with a major seventh.

Contents

Jazz minor scale

Thus, the jazz minor scale can be represented by the following notation:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, (1)

The intervals between the notes of the jazz minor scale follow the sequence below:

whole, half, whole, whole, whole, whole, half

Or in short:

WHWWWWH

Jazz theory

The scale may be considered to originate in the use of extensions beginning with the seventh in jazz and thus the necessity to, "chromatically raise the diatonic 7th to create a stable, tonic sound," rather than use a minor seventh chord, associated with ii, for tonic. [3]

The jazz minor scale contains all of the altered notes of the dominant seventh chord whose root is a semitone below the scale's tonic: "In other words to find the correct jazz minor scale for any dominant 7th chord simply use the scale whose tonic note is a half step higher than the root of the chord." [1] For example, the G7 chord and A jazz minor scale: the A scale contains the root, third, seventh, and the four most common alterations of G7. This scale may be used to resolve to C in the progression G7–C (over G7, which need not be notated G75599). [1]

Jazz minor scale on Ab.png
Jazz minor scale on A with notes related to G7 chord alterations. Play
Ab jazz minor scale (G7) resolving to C.png
A jazz minor scale over G7 resolving to C. [1] Play

It is used over a minor major seventh chord. [4] See: chord-scale system. The scale also easily allows diatonic chord progressions, for example a I−vi−ii−V progression: [4]

|: C-∆7 A-7(♭5) | D-7 G7(♭13) :| Play

Chord structure

Triad qualities

The triads built on each scale degree follow a distinct pattern. The roman numeral analysis is shown below.

Jazz minor scale

Seventh chord qualities

The seventh chords built on each scale degree follow a distinct pattern. The roman numeral analysis is shown below.

Jazz minor scale

Modes of jazz minor scale

The jazz minor scale, like the diatonic scale, has seven modes. These modes are derived by treating a different note as the tonic.

Name(s)Tonic relative
to jazz minor scale
Interval sequenceScale with only EScale on C
Jazz minorIW–H–W–W–W–W–HC–D–E–F–G–A–BC–D–E–F–G–A–B
Dorian 2 or Phrygian 6IIH–W–W–W–W–H–WD–E–F–G–A–B–CC–D–E–F–G–A–B
Lydian augmented ♭IIIW–W–W–W–H–W–HE–F–G–A–B–C–DC–D–E–F–G–A–B
Acoustic scale, Lydian dominant, Mixolydian 4, or OvertoneIVW–W–W–H–W–H–WF–G–A–B–C–D–EC–D–E–F–G–A–B
Aeolian dominant, Mixolydian 6, Descending melodic major, or HinduVW–W–H–W–H–W–WG–A–B–C–D–E–FC–D–E–F–G–A–B
Half-diminished, Locrian 2, or Aeolian 5VIW–H–W–H–W–W–WA–B–C–D–E–F–GC–D–E–F–G–A–B
Altered scale, Super Locrian, or Altered dominant scaleVIIH–W–H–W–W–W–WB–C–D–E–F–G–AC–D–E–F–G–A–B

The names of these scales are variations of the names used for some of the modes of the diatonic major scale, for example the Phrygian 6, the second mode of the melodic minor, is named so because it is the same as the Phrygian mode of the major scale with a major sixth.

Relationship to diatonic modes

Each mode of the jazz minor scale can be considered to be related to two diatonic modes, with one note of the diatonic mode either sharped or flatted according to the table below, which is arranged in fifths.

ModeSharped diatonicFlatted diatonic
Jazz minorDorian 7Ionian 3
Dorian 2 Phrygian 6Dorian 2
Lydian augmented Lydian 5Phrygian 1
Acoustic Mixolydian 4Lydian 7
Aeolian dominant Aeolian 3Mixolydian 6
Half-diminished Locrian 2Aeolian 5
Altered Ionian 1Locrian 4

Intervals from tonic

Each mode of the jazz minor scale features different intervals of notes from the tonic according to the table below, which is arranged in order of brightness.

Mode Intervals with respect to the tonic
unisonsecondthirdfourthfifthsixthseventhoctave
Lydian augmented perfectmajormajoraugmentedaugmentedmajormajorperfect
Acoustic perfectminor
Jazz minorminorperfectmajor
Aeolian dominant majorminorminor
Dorian 2 minorminormajor
Half-diminished majordiminishedminor
Altered minordiminished

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Berle, Arnie (1983). How to Create and Develop a Jazz Sax Solo, p.78. ISBN   978-1-56222-088-4.
  2. Overthrow, David and Ferguson, Tim (2007). The Total Jazz Bassist, p.41. ISBN   978-0-7390-4311-0.
  3. Berg, Shelly (2005). Alfred's Essentials of Jazz Theory, Book 3, p.90. ISBN   978-0-7390-3089-9.
  4. 1 2 Arnold, Bruce E. (2001). Music Theory Workbook for Guitar: Scale Construction, p.12. ISBN   978-1-890944-53-7.

Further reading