Jazz Chords and Scales

Chords

Triads

  • Major: 1 - 3 - 5
  • Minor: 1 - b3 - 5
  • Diminished: 1 - b3 - b5
  • Augmented: 1 - 3 - #5

Seventh Chords

  • Major 7th (Maj7): 1 - 3 - 5 - 7
  • Dominant 7th (7): 1 - 3 - 5 - b7
  • Minor 7th (m7): 1 - b3 - 5 - b7
  • Half-Diminished 7th (m7b5): 1 - b3 - b5 - b7
  • Fully Diminished 7th (dim7): 1 - b3 - b5 - bb7
  • Minor Major 7th (mMaj7): 1 - b3 - 5 - 7

Extended Chords and Altered Chords

  • Minor 6: 1 - b3 - 5 - 6

  • 9th chords:

    • add9: 1 - 3 - 5 - 9
    • 9: 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9
    • m9: 1 - b3 - 5 - b7 - 9
    • Maj9: 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9
    • Maj6/9: 1 - 3 - 5 - 6 - 9

  • 11th chords:

    • 11: 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - 11
    • m11: 1 - b3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - 11

  • 13th chords:

    • 13: 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - 11 - 13
    • m13: 1 - b3 - 5 - b7 - 9 - 11 - 13

Altered Dominants

  • 7th chords:
    • Dom9: 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - 9
    • Dom7(#5): 1 - 3 - #5 - b7
    • Dom7(b5): 1 - 3 - b5 - b7
    • Dom7(b9): 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - b9
    • Dom7(#9): 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - #9
    • Dom7(#11): 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - #11
    • Dom7(b13): 1 - 3 - 5 - b7 - b13
    • 7alt: 1 - 3 - b5/#5 - b7 - b9/#9 - b13

Sus Chords

  • Sus4: 1 - 4 - 5
  • Sus2: 1 - 2 - 5
  • 7sus4: 1 - 4 - 5 - b7

Scales

Basic Scales

  • Major scale: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
  • Natural minor scale: 1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7
  • Harmonic minor scale: 1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - 7
  • Melodic minor scale (jazz minor): 1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7

Modes of the Major Scale

  • Dorian: 1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7
  • Phrygian: 1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7
  • Lydian: 1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - 5 - 6 - 7
  • Mixolydian: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7
  • Aeolian: 1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7
  • Locrian: 1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - b5 - b6 - b7

Modes of the Melodic Minor

  • Dorian b2: 1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7
  • Lydian Augmented: 1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - #5 - 6 - 7
  • Lydian Dominant: 1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - 5 - 6 - b7
  • Mixolydian b6: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7
  • Locrian #2: 1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - b5 - b6 - b7
  • Altered Scale (Super Locrian): 1 - b2 - b3 - b4 - b5 - b6 - b7

Pentatonic Scales

  • Major Pentatonic: 1 - 2 - 3 - 5 - 6
  • Minor Pentatonic: 1 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b7

Blues Scales

  • Major Blues Scale: 1 - 2 - b3 - 3 - 5 - 6
  • Minor Blues Scale: 1 - b3 - 4 - b5 - 5 - b7

Symmetric Scales

  • Whole Tone Scale: 1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - #5 - b7
  • Diminished Scale (Half-Whole): 1 - b2 - b3 - 3 - #4 - 5 - 6 - b7
  • Whole-Half Diminished Scale: 1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - b5 - b6 - 6 - 7

Bebop Scales

  • Bebop Dominant Scale: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7 - 7
  • Bebop Major Scale: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - #5 - 6 - 7
  • Bebop Dorian Scale: 1 - 2 - b3 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7

Miscellaneous Scales

  • Chromatic Scale: 1 - b2 - 2 - b3 - 3 - 4 - b5 - 5 - b6 - 6 - b7 - 7
  • Augmented Scale: 1 - b3 - 3 - 5 - #5 - 7
  • Lydian b7 Scale (Overtone Scale): 1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - 5 - 6 - b7

Practice Tips

  • Start with major and minor triads and seventh chords in all keys.
  • Learn scales in conjunction with their corresponding chords.
  • Practice chord-scale relationships (e.g., Dorian mode over m7 chords).
  • Work on voice leading between chords.
  • Use these chords and scales in the context of standard jazz progressions.
  • Incorporate these elements into your improvisation gradually.

Jazz Books

  • The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine
  • Jazz Piano Book by Mark Levine
  • The Jazz Harmony Book by David Berkman
  • Jazzology: The Encyclopedia of Jazz Theory for All Musicians by Robert Rawlins and Nor Eddine Bahha
  • The Jazz Guitarist's Handbook by Andrew Green
  • Jazz Scales and Chords by Jeff Brent and Schell Barkley
  • Chord Chemistry by Ted Greene
  • Jazz Chord Hanon by Peter Deneff
  • Scales and Modes in the Beginning by Ron Middlebrook
  • The Jazz Piano Book by Mark Harrison