Jazz scale

A jazz scale is any musical scale used in jazz. Many "jazz scales" are common scales drawn from Western European classical music, including the diatonic, whole-tone, octatonic (or diminished), and the modes of the ascending melodic minor. All of these scales were commonly used by late nineteenth and early twentieth-century composers such as Rimsky-Korsakov, Debussy, Ravel and Stravinsky, often in ways that directly anticipate jazz practice.[2] Some jazz scales, such as the bebop scales, add additional chromatic passing tones to the familiar diatonic scales.
One important feature of jazz is what theorists call "the principles of chord-scale compatibility": the idea that a sequence of chords will generate a sequence of compatible scales. In classical major-mode harmony, chords typically belong to the same scale. (For example, a I-ii-V-I progression in C major will typically use only the notes of the C diatonic collection.) In jazz, a four-chord progression may use four different scales, often as the result of chordal alterations. For instance, in C major, a jazz musician may alter the V chord G-B-D-F with a flattened fifth, producing G-B-D♭-F. An improviser might then choose a scale containing these four notes, such as G whole tone (G-A-B-C♯-D♯-F), G octatonic [or symmetric diminished] (G-A♭-B♭-B-C♯-D-E-F), or a mode of either D or A♭ melodic minor ascending (G-A-B-C♯-D-E-F or G-A♭-B♭-C♭-D♭-E♭-F respectively). In each case the scale contains the chord tones G-B-D♭-F and is said to be compatible with it. This notion of "chord scale compatibility" marks a fundamental difference between jazz harmony and traditional classical practice.
An avoid note is a note in a jazz scale that is considered, in jazz theory and practice, too dissonant to be played against the underlying chord, and so is either avoided or chromatically altered.[3] For example, in major-key harmony the fourth, and thus 11th, is an avoid note and thus either treated as a passing tone or augmented (raised a semitone).[4] Avoid notes are often a minor second (or a minor ninth) above another note[5] or a perfect fourth above the root of the chord.[6]

[One] can get a good sense of the difference between classical and non-classical harmony from looking at how they deal with dissonances. Classical treats all notes that don't belong to the chord (i.e., the triad) as potential dissonances to be resolved. ... Non-classical harmony just tells you which note in the scale to avoid ["what is sometimes called an avoid-note"] (because it's really dissonant), meaning that all the others are okay.



Contents  [hide] 
1 Modes of the major scale
2 Bebop scales
3 Modes of the melodic minor scale
4 Symmetric diminished/Octatonic scale
5 Whole tone scale
6 Pentatonic scales
7 Blues scale
8 Harmonic minor scale
9 Altered dominant scale
10 Sources
11 Further reading
12 External links
[edit]Modes of the major scale






Pattern of whole and half steps in the major scale.
The number of scales available to improvising musicians continues to expand. As modern techniques and musical constructions appear, jazz players find the ones they can put into compositions or use as material for melodic exploration. Prominent examples are the seven modes of the diatonic major scale and added-note scales.
I Ionian mode C D E F G A B C (associated with C Major 7 chord)
ii Dorian mode C D E♭ F G A B♭ C (associated with C-6 or C-7 13 chord)
iii Phrygian mode C D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C (associated with Csus4 ♭9)
IV Lydian mode C D E F♯ G A B C (associated with C Maj7 ♯11 chord)
V Mixolydian mode C D E F G A B♭ C (associated with C7 chord)
vi Aeolian mode C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C (associated with C-7 ♭13 chord)
viio Locrian mode C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C (associated with C-7♭5 chord)
Compare each of the modes to the major scale for clues as to the subtle differences between them. Ionian is based on the 1st degree of the major scale, Dorian on the 2nd, Phrygian on the 3rd, etc.
C Ionian C D E F G A B C (associated with C Major 7 chord)
D Dorian D E F G A B C D (associated with D-6 or D-7 13 chord)
E Phrygian E F G A B C D E (associated with Esus4 ♭9 chord)
F Lydian F G A B C D E F (associated with F Maj7 ♯11 chord)
G Mixolydian G A B C D E F G (associated with G7 chord)
A Aeolian A B C D E F G A (associated with A-7 ♭13 chord)
B Locrian B C D E F G A B (associated with B-7♭5 chord)
Combinations of the characteristic details of these modes are also in common use. For example, the Lydian dominant uses the raised 4th degree of the Lydian with the flatted seventh of the Mixolydian, yielding C D E F♯ G A B♭ C. Chromatic alterations are also useful,as in the Lydian Augumented scale C D E F♯ G♯ A B C for use on the chord Cmaj7+5.





Bebop scales


Bebop scales add a single chromatic passing tone to the 7 note major scale (Ionian and Mixolydian modes). The added passing tone creates an 8 tone scale that fits rhythmically evenly within a 4/4 measure of eight 8th notes, thus making it useful in practicing. When an 8th note bebop scale run starts on the beat from a chord tone (Root, 3rd, 5th or ♭7th) the other chord notes will also fall on the beats. As a result all of the "non-chord tones" will fall on the upbeats (the "ands" when counting "one and two and three and four and") and become passing tones.
There are two commonly used types of bebop scales:
Dominant bebop scale, which adds the raised 7th to Mixolydian: Ascending: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 7 (8) Descending: 8 ♭7 6 ♭6 5 4 3 2 (1)
Major bebop scale, which adds ♯5 to Ionian: 1 2 3 4 5 ♯5 6 7 (8)
NOTE: A dominant bebop scale works well over an entire ii V.





Modes of the melodic minor scale

A melodic minor ascending  Play (help·info).
A great deal of modern jazz harmony arises from the modes of the ascending form of the melodic minor scale, also known as the jazz melodic minor scale.[7] (see jazz minor scale) This scale is essentially a diatonic major scale with a flatted third, for example C D E♭ F G A B C (Exactly the same as in "classical" music and its theory, in Jazz the melodic minor scale's sixth and seventh are not necessarily flattened when descending). As with any other scale, the modes are derived from playing the scale from different root notes, causing a series of jazz scales to emerge.[7]
Modes of C ascending melodic minor:
i ascending melodic minor T, 2,♭3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (associated with C- maj7 or C-6 chords, functions as a i minor)
II Phrygian ♮6 (or Dorian ♭2) T,♭2,♭3, 4, 5, 6,♭7 (associated with D7 sus ♭9 chord, functions as a dominant)
III Lydian augmented (Lydian ♯5) T, 2, 3,♯4,♯5, 6, 7 (associated with E♭ maj7 +5 chord, functions as a I+)
IV Lydian dominant (also, "Lydian ♭7")(also known as Mixolydian ♯4) T, 2, 3,♯4, 5, 6,♭7 (associated with F7 ♯11 chord, functions as a dominant not going to I)
V Mixolydian ♭6 (or simply "fifth mode") T, 2, 3, 4, 5,♭6,♭7 (associated with G7 ♭13 chord, functions as a dominant)
vi Locrian ♮2 (also known as "half-diminished" scale) T, 2,♭3, 4, ♭5,♭6,♭7 (associated with Ami7 ♭5, which functions as a ii chord in minor)
VII Super Locrian (also "altered dominant scale", or "altered scale") T,♭2,♭3, ♭4,♭5,♭6,♭7 (associated with B7 ♯9 ♭13 chord, functions as a dominant)
It should be noted that 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 Natural 6, the second mode of the melodic minor, is named so because it is the same as the Phrygian mode of the major scale except with a raised (i.e.,♮6) sixth.





Symmetric diminished/Octatonic scale

                                                     

Diminished scales on E♭, D, and D♭, ascending
There are two types of symmetric diminished scales. These scales are sometimes called octatonic scales because they contain eight tones. They are based on a series of alternating half steps and whole steps. One type starts with a half-step (H-W-H-W-H-W-H-W), and one starts with a whole step (W-H-W-H-W-H-W-H).
Because of the repetition of the interval pattern after only two notes, each note in the scale can be a root in another symmetric diminished scale. For example, the C symmetric diminished scale of the half-step-first type, is composed with the same notes as the half-step-first type E♭ scale, and the whole-step-first type D♭ scale:
C symmetric (half, whole) diminished  Play (help·info): C D♭ E♭ E F♯ G A B♭ C
E♭ symmetric (half, whole) diminished: E♭ E F♯ G A B♭ C D♭ E♭
D♭ symmetric (whole, half) diminished: D♭ E♭ E F♯ G A B♭ C D♭
All three are composed with the same group of notes: C D♭ E♭ E F♯ G A B♭ C D♭ E♭ E F♯ G A B♭
In fact, all symmetric diminished scales are composed with only three groups of notes.



Whole tone scale

Whole tone scale on B  Play (help·info): {B, D♭, E♭, F, G, A, B}.
The Whole tone scale, consisting exclusively of whole steps, is often used on V7 +5 chords (G7 + for example).
Pentatonic scales


Main article: Pentatonic scale
Two pentatonic scales common to jazz are the major pentatonic scale and the minor pentatonic scale. They are both modes to each other, respectively.
The major pentatonic scale begins with a major scale and omits the fourth and the seventh scale degrees. The C major scale is ( C, D, E, F, G, A, B ), so the C major pentatonic scale is ( C, D, E, G, A ) :








The minor pentatonic scale uses the same notes as the major pentatonic scale, but begins on the sixth scale degree of the corresponding major scale. Continuing the example above, A is the sixth scale degree of C major, so the A minor pentatonic scale would be ( A, C, D, E, G ) :

The nomenclature, "minor pentatonic scale," minor is employed in the sense of relative key, as the diatonic A minor scale is the relative minor of the diatonic C major scale.
The minor pentatonic scale replaces the 2nd scale degree with an augmented 4 followed by the fifth and is commonly known as a blues scale.
Jazz improvisers, particularly bassist and guitarist, use these scales in a number of interesting ways. For example, over Bb Maj7#11, one can use a major pentatonic based on the 2nd scale degree of Bb (C D E G A) to imply 9, 3, ♯11, 13, and 7 respectively. Similarly, over a fully altered F#7 chord, one can use the same major pentatonic, this time based on the tritone (C D E G A) to imply ♭5, ♭13, ♭7, ♭9, and ♯9.





Blues scale





Blues scale as minor pentatonic plus flat-5th/sharp-4th  Play (help·info).
Blues scales also come in major and minor varieties. The C minor blues scale is C E♭ F F♯ G B♭ C ascending or C B♭ G G♭ F E♭ C descending. The difference in the up and down versions is only in its enharmonic spelling, i.e. G♭ vs F♯.
The C major blues scale is C D D♯ E G A C ascending or C A G E E♭ D C descending.
Guitarists often mix the major and minor pentatonics together along with the blues scale. The dorian and mixolydian modes are similar to this combination and they can also be used in the same context.

Winthrop Sargeant describes the jazz scale as the above scale, defined as, "a definite series of tones within an octave used as the basis of a musical composition," compiled instead from multiple compositions and improvisations (according to Stearns: "a great many jazz records") and is hypothesized as displaying the influence of African music.[8] The E♭ and B♭ are blue notes.

 Harmonic minor scale

A harmonic minor  Play (help·info).

The harmonic minor scale is also of value to many improvisors, as it provides an alternative color for many common chords and chord progressions. An example is C-D-E♭-F-G-A♭-B-C. The C harmonic minor scale can be used on the chords of a piece in C minor, especially on the minor ii V7 i chord progression.

Altered dominant scale

Altered dominant scale on C.

The altered dominant scale, also loosely called the altered scale, is so named because all the scale members that can be altered relative to the basic dominant scale (the Mixolydian mode), without losing the dominant quality, are altered. The scale includes both altered ninths (raised and lowered), and both altered fifths (raised and lowered). Starting on C, it contains the notes: C, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭ and B♭. The altered fifths coincide enharmonically with the sharp eleventh and the flat thirteenth which would also be considered altered relative to their Mixolydian forms. The tonic, major third, and dominant seventh are retained as essential to the dominant quality.

The scale can also be understood as a mode of the ascending melodic minor scale starting from the 7th scale degree. For a C7 chord, the C♯ melodic minor scale starting from B♯ (C enharmonically) produces the C altered dominant scale enharmonically.

This scale is also called the superlocrian scale, as it is indeed reminiscent of a locrian scale with a flattened 4th, but it is usually regarded as that of major quality.

Another name for this scale is the diminished-wholetone scale because the first tetrachord is that of a (half, whole) diminished scale and the second tetrachord is whole-tone (or locrian).

Sources


^ Hatfield, Ken (2005). Jazz and the Classical Guitar Theory and Applications, p.121. ISBN 0-7866-7236-6.
^ Tymoczko, Dmitri (1997). "The Consecutive-Semitone Constraint on Scalar Structure: A Link Between Impressionism and Jazz", Integral 11:135–79.
^ Humphries, Carl (2002). The Piano Handbook, p.262. ISBN 0-87930-727-7.
^ Humphries (2002), p.128.
^ Nettles, Barrie (1987). Harmony 1. Berklee College of Music. p. 34.
^ a b Humphries (2002), p.126.
^ a b Baerman, Noah (1998). Complete Jazz Keyboard Method: Mastering Jazz Keyboard, p.34. ISBN 0-88284-913-1.
^ Sargeant, Winthrop (1946). Jazz: Hot and Hybrid. New York, Dutton. ISBN . cited in Marshall Winslow Stearns (1970). The story of jazz, p.278. ISBN 0-19-501269-0.
^ Dr. Metfessel, Milton cited in Stearns (1970), p.278.
[edit]Further reading


Yamaguchi, Masaya. 2006. The Complete Thesaurus of Musical Scales, revised edition. New York: Masaya Music Services. ISBN 0-9676353-0-6.
[edit]External links


Common Jazz Scales and How to Apply Them
Nicolas Slonimsky – Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns, a complete guide to creating scales, arpeggios, chords and melodic permutations based on non-functional concepts
Jerry Bergonzi – Inside Improvisation, a series of instructional books covering pentatonics, hexatonics and other types of jazz scales
David Liebman (Jamey Aebersold publications) – a series of instructional books with live demonstrations on how to utilize various scales in jazz improvisation
Jazz Scales on Guitar - Fretboard diagrams with labelled scale tones

Jazz scales

A jazz scale is any musical scale used in jazz. Many "jazz scales" are common scales drawn from Western European classical music, including the diatonic, whole-tone, octatonic (or diminished), and the modes of the ascending melodic minor. All of these scales were commonly used by late nineteenth and early twentieth-century composers such as Rimsky-Korsakov, Debussy, Ravel and Stravinsky, often in ways that directly anticipate jazz practice.[2] Some jazz scales, such as the bebop scales, add additional chromatic passing tones to the familiar diatonic scales. One important feature of jazz is what theorists call "the principles of chord-scale compatibility": the idea that a sequence of chords will generate a sequence of compatible scales. In classical major-mode harmony, chords typically belong to the same scale. (For example, a I-ii-V-I progression in C major will typically use only the notes of the C diatonic collection.) In jazz, a four-chord progression may use four different scales, often as the result of chordal alterations. For instance, in C major, a jazz musician may alter the V chord G-B-D-F with a flattened fifth, producing G-B-D♭-F. An improviser might then choose a scale containing these four notes, such as G whole tone (G-A-B-C♯-D♯-F), G octatonic [or symmetric diminished] (G-A♭-B♭-B-C♯-D-E-F), or a mode of either D or A♭ melodic minor ascending (G-A-B-C♯-D-E-F or G-A♭-B♭-C♭-D♭-E♭-F respectively). In each case the scale contains the chord tones G-B-D♭-F and is said to be compatible with it. This notion of "chord scale compatibility" marks a fundamental difference between jazz harmony and traditional classical practice.

An avoid note is a note in a jazz scale that is considered, in jazz theory and practice, too dissonant to be played against the underlying chord, and so is either avoided or chromatically altered.[3] For example, in major-key harmony the fourth, and thus 11th, is an avoid note and thus either treated as a passing tone or augmented (raised a semitone).[4] Avoid notes are often a minor second (or a minor ninth) above another note[5] or a perfect fourth above the root of the chord.[6]

[One] can get a good sense of the difference between classical and non-classical harmony from looking at how they deal with dissonances. Classical treats all notes that don't belong to the chord (i.e., the triad) as potential dissonances to be resolved. ... Non-classical harmony just tells you which note in the scale to avoid ["what is sometimes called an avoid-note"] (because it's really dissonant), meaning that all the others are okay

Contents  [hide] 

1 Modes of the major scale
2 Bebop scales
3 Modes of the melodic minor scale
4 Symmetric diminished/Octatonic scale
5 Whole tone scale
6 Pentatonic scales
7 Blues scale
8 Harmonic minor scale
9 Altered dominant scale
10 Sources
11 Further reading
12 External links
[edit]Modes of the major scale






Pattern of whole and half steps in the major scale.
The number of scales available to improvising musicians continues to expand. As modern techniques and musical constructions appear, jazz players find the ones they can put into compositions or use as material for melodic exploration. Prominent examples are the seven modes of the diatonic major scale and added-note scales.
I Ionian mode C D E F G A B C (associated with C Major 7 chord)
ii Dorian mode C D E♭ F G A B♭ C (associated with C-6 or C-7 13 chord)
iii Phrygian mode C D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C (associated with Csus4 ♭9)
IV Lydian mode C D E F♯ G A B C (associated with C Maj7 ♯11 chord)
V Mixolydian mode C D E F G A B♭ C (associated with C7 chord)
vi Aeolian mode C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C (associated with C-7 ♭13 chord)
viio Locrian mode C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C (associated with C-7♭5 chord)
Compare each of the modes to the major scale for clues as to the subtle differences between them. Ionian is based on the 1st degree of the major scale, Dorian on the 2nd, Phrygian on the 3rd, etc.
C Ionian C D E F G A B C (associated with C Major 7 chord)
D Dorian D E F G A B C D (associated with D-6 or D-7 13 chord)
E Phrygian E F G A B C D E (associated with Esus4 ♭9 chord)
F Lydian F G A B C D E F (associated with F Maj7 ♯11 chord)
G Mixolydian G A B C D E F G (associated with G7 chord)
A Aeolian A B C D E F G A (associated with A-7 ♭13 chord)
B Locrian B C D E F G A B (associated with B-7♭5 chord)
Combinations of the characteristic details of these modes are also in common use. For example, the Lydian dominant uses the raised 4th degree of the Lydian with the flatted seventh of the Mixolydian, yielding C D E F♯ G A B♭ C. Chromatic alterations are also useful,as in the Lydian Augumented scale C D E F♯ G♯ A B C for use on the chord Cmaj7+5.
[edit]Bebop scales


Bebop scales add a single chromatic passing tone to the 7 note major scale (Ionian and Mixolydian modes). The added passing tone creates an 8 tone scale that fits rhythmically evenly within a 4/4 measure of eight 8th notes, thus making it useful in practicing. When an 8th note bebop scale run starts on the beat from a chord tone (Root, 3rd, 5th or ♭7th) the other chord notes will also fall on the beats. As a result all of the "non-chord tones" will fall on the upbeats (the "ands" when counting "one and two and three and four and") and become passing tones.
There are two commonly used types of bebop scales:
Dominant bebop scale, which adds the raised 7th to Mixolydian: Ascending: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 7 (8) Descending: 8 ♭7 6 ♭6 5 4 3 2 (1)
Major bebop scale, which adds ♯5 to Ionian: 1 2 3 4 5 ♯5 6 7 (8)
NOTE: A dominant bebop scale works well over an entire ii V. 









Modes of the melodic minor scale






A melodic minor ascending  Play (help·info).
A great deal of modern jazz harmony arises from the modes of the ascending form of the melodic minor scale, also known as the jazz melodic minor scale.[7] (see jazz minor scale) This scale is essentially a diatonic major scale with a flatted third, for example C D E♭ F G A B C (Exactly the same as in "classical" music and its theory, in Jazz the melodic minor scale's sixth and seventh are not necessarily flattened when descending). As with any other scale, the modes are derived from playing the scale from different root notes, causing a series of jazz scales to emerge.[7]
Modes of C ascending melodic minor:
i ascending melodic minor T, 2,♭3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (associated with C- maj7 or C-6 chords, functions as a i minor)
II Phrygian ♮6 (or Dorian ♭2) T,♭2,♭3, 4, 5, 6,♭7 (associated with D7 sus ♭9 chord, functions as a dominant)
III Lydian augmented (Lydian ♯5) T, 2, 3,♯4,♯5, 6, 7 (associated with E♭ maj7 +5 chord, functions as a I+)
IV Lydian dominant (also, "Lydian ♭7")(also known as Mixolydian ♯4) T, 2, 3,♯4, 5, 6,♭7 (associated with F7 ♯11 chord, functions as a dominant not going to I)
V Mixolydian ♭6 (or simply "fifth mode") T, 2, 3, 4, 5,♭6,♭7 (associated with G7 ♭13 chord, functions as a dominant)
vi Locrian ♮2 (also known as "half-diminished" scale) T, 2,♭3, 4, ♭5,♭6,♭7 (associated with Ami7 ♭5, which functions as a ii chord in minor)
VII Super Locrian (also "altered dominant scale", or "altered scale") T,♭2,♭3, ♭4,♭5,♭6,♭7 (associated with B7 ♯9 ♭13 chord, functions as a dominant)
It should be noted that 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 Natural 6, the second mode of the melodic minor, is named so because it is the same as the Phrygian mode of the major scale except with a raised (i.e.,♮6) sixth.

Symmetric diminished/Octatonic scale

Diminished scales on E♭, D, and D♭, ascending

There are two types of symmetric diminished scales. These scales are sometimes called octatonic scales because they contain eight tones. They are based on a series of alternating half steps and whole steps. One type starts with a half-step (H-W-H-W-H-W-H-W), and one starts with a whole step (W-H-W-H-W-H-W-H).
Because of the repetition of the interval pattern after only two notes, each note in the scale can be a root in another symmetric diminished scale. For example, the C symmetric diminished scale of the half-step-first type, is composed with the same notes as the half-step-first type E♭ scale, and the whole-step-first type D♭ scale:
C symmetric (half, whole) diminished  Play (help·info): C D♭ E♭ E F♯ G A B♭ C
E♭ symmetric (half, whole) diminished: E♭ E F♯ G A B♭ C D♭ E♭
D♭ symmetric (whole, half) diminished: D♭ E♭ E F♯ G A B♭ C D♭
All three are composed with the same group of notes: C D♭ E♭ E F♯ G A B♭ C D♭ E♭ E F♯ G A B♭
In fact, all symmetric diminished scales are composed with only three groups of notes.

Whole tone scale

Whole tone scale on B  Play (help·info): {B, D♭, E♭, F, G, A, B}.

The Whole tone scale, consisting exclusively of whole steps, is often used on V7 +5 chords (G7 + for example).


Pentatonic scales

Main article: Pentatonic scale
Two pentatonic scales common to jazz are the major pentatonic scale and the minor pentatonic scale. They are both modes to each other, respectively.
The major pentatonic scale begins with a major scale and omits the fourth and the seventh scale degrees. The C major scale is ( C, D, E, F, G, A, B ), so the C major pentatonic scale is ( C, D, E, G, A ) :

C major pentatonic scale  Play
The minor pentatonic scale uses the same notes as the major pentatonic scale, but begins on the sixth scale degree of the corresponding major scale. Continuing the example above, A is the sixth scale degree of C major, so the A minor pentatonic scale would be ( A, C, D, E, G ) :

A minor pentatonic scale  Play (help·info).
The nomenclature, "minor pentatonic scale," minor is employed in the sense of relative key, as the diatonic A minor scale is the relative minor of the diatonic C major scale.
The minor pentatonic scale replaces the 2nd scale degree with an augmented 4 followed by the fifth and is commonly known as a blues scale.
Jazz improvisers, particularly bassist and guitarist, use these scales in a number of interesting ways. For example, over Bb Maj7#11, one can use a major pentatonic based on the 2nd scale degree of Bb (C D E G A) to imply 9, 3, ♯11, 13, and 7 respectively. Similarly, over a fully altered F#7 chord, one can use the same major pentatonic, this time based on the tritone (C D E G A) to imply ♭5, ♭13, ♭7, ♭9, and ♯9.
[edit]Blues scale



Blues scale as minor pentatonic plus flat-5th/sharp-4th  Play (help·info).
Blues scales also come in major and minor varieties. The C minor blues scale is C E♭ F F♯ G B♭ C ascending or C B♭ G G♭ F E♭ C descending. The difference in the up and down versions is only in its enharmonic spelling, i.e. G♭ vs F♯.
The C major blues scale is C D D♯ E G A C ascending or C A G E E♭ D C descending.
Guitarists often mix the major and minor pentatonics together along with the blues scale. The dorian and mixolydian modes are similar to this combination and they can also be used in the same context.


Blues scale as a chromatic variant of the major scale  Play (help·info).
Winthrop Sargeant describes the jazz scale as the above scale, defined as, "a definite series of tones within an octave used as the basis of a musical composition," compiled instead from multiple compositions and improvisations (according to Stearns: "a great many jazz records") and is hypothesized as displaying the influence of African music.[8] The E♭ and B♭ are blue notes.[9]
[edit]Harmonic minor scale

Main article: Harmonic minor scale


A harmonic minor  Play (help·info).
The harmonic minor scale is also of value to many improvisors, as it provides an alternative color for many common chords and chord progressions. An example is C-D-E♭-F-G-A♭-B-C. The C harmonic minor scale can be used on the chords of a piece in C minor, especially on the minor ii V7 i chord progression.
[edit]Altered dominant scale

Main article: Altered scale


Altered dominant scale on C.
The altered dominant scale, also loosely called the altered scale, is so named because all the scale members that can be altered relative to the basic dominant scale (the Mixolydian mode), without losing the dominant quality, are altered. The scale includes both altered ninths (raised and lowered), and both altered fifths (raised and lowered). Starting on C, it contains the notes: C, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭ and B♭. The altered fifths coincide enharmonically with the sharp eleventh and the flat thirteenth which would also be considered altered relative to their Mixolydian forms. The tonic, major third, and dominant seventh are retained as essential to the dominant quality.
The scale can also be understood as a mode of the ascending melodic minor scale starting from the 7th scale degree. For a C7 chord, the C♯ melodic minor scale starting from B♯ (C enharmonically) produces the C altered dominant scale enharmonically.
This scale is also called the superlocrian scale, as it is indeed reminiscent of a locrian scale with a flattened 4th, but it is usually regarded as that of major quality.
Another name for this scale is the diminished-wholetone scale because the first tetrachord is that of a (half, whole) diminished scale and the second tetrachord is whole-tone (or locrian).

Did you know that jazz was born in the United States? Did you know that the drum set was invented by jazz musicians? Did you know that the word "cool" and "hip" were originally jazz terms?


Join us in learning more about the history of jazz from its birth in New Orleans, Louisiana, to the music we hear on the radio today. Grammy-Award winning trumpeter and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center Wynton Marsalis invites you to take a tour of jazz — see the people, read about the events, and listen to the music. The following history is adapted from the Jazz for Young People Curriculum by Jazz at Lincoln Center. You will need RealAudio to listen to the music pieces, to learn how to get RealPlayer, click here. (It's free!)







   
Late 1800s–Today 
The Blues: Back to the Source 
Born in the South, the blues is an African American-derived music form that recognized the pain of lost love and injustice and gave expression to the victory of outlasting a broken heart and facing down adversity. The blues evolved from hymns, work songs, and field hollers — music used to accompany spiritual, work and social functions. Blues is the foundation of jazz as well as the prime source of rhythm and blues, rock 'n' roll, and country music. The blues is still evolving and is still widely played today.


You shouldn't have to feel sad when listening to the blues. Wynton Marsalis explains why.


To learn more the blues, click here.











1900s
New Orleans: The Melting Pot of Sound


Mardi Gras in New Orleans at the turn of the century
Photo: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Detroit Publishing Company Collection. "New Orleans had a great tradition of celebration. Opera, military marching bands, folk music, the blues, different types of church music, ragtime, echoes of traditional African drumming, and all of the dance styles that went with this music could be heard and seen throughout the city. When all of these kinds of music blended into one, jazz was born." —Wynton Marsalis


Listen to this traditional New Orleans standard called "Second Line." The melody is repetitive and very singable. Notice the banjo rhythms in the background, and listen to the musicians break away from the melody into collective improvisations. 
To learn more about New Orleans jazz, click here.







   
1901
Louis Armstrong is born: The Jazz Original


Louis Armstrong
Photo: William P. Gottlieb/Ira and Leonore S. Gershwin Fund Collection, Music Division, Library of Congress."Through his clear, warm sound, unbelievable sense of swing, perfect grasp of harmony, and supremely intelligent and melodic improvisations, he taught us all to play jazz." —Wynton Marsalis


Louis Armstrong was one of the most influential artists in the history of music. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 4, 1901, he began playing the cornet at the age of 13. Armstrong perfected the improvised jazz solo as we know it (see Improvisation). Before Armstrong, Dixieland was the style of jazz that everyone was playing. This was a style that featured collective improvisation where everyone soloed at once. Armstrong developed the idea of musicians playing during breaks that expanded into musicians playing individual solos. This became the norm. Affectionately known as "Pops" and "Satchmo," Louis was loved and admired throughout the world. He died in New York City on July 6, 1971.


Listen to the drama expressed by the trumpet and clarinet solos in "Potato Head Blues." 


To learn more about Louis Armstrong, click here.











Improvisation: The Expression of Freedom
Improvisation is the most defining feature of jazz. Improvisation is creating, or making up, music as you go along. Jazz musician play from printed music and they improvise solos. From the collective improvisation of early jazz to the solo improvisation of Louis Armstrong to the free jazz of Albert Ayler, Ornette Coleman, and John Coltrane, improvisation is central to jazz.


Listen to Mr. Marsalis's explanation of improvisation. 


To practice improvising, click on PBS's "Improvisation Station." (You will need to download a free plug-in.)







   
Mid–1930s
Swing: Sound in Motion
Swing is the basic rhythm of jazz. Swinging means being in sync with other people and loving it. Swing as a jazz style first appeared during the Great Depression. The optimistic feeling of swing lifted the spirits of everyone in America. By the mid-1930s, a period known as the "swing" era, swing dancing had become our national dance and big bands were playing this style of music. Orchestra leaders such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, Paul Whiteman, and Benny Goodman led some of the greatest bands of the era.


Learn about the swing rhythm and listen to how the vocalists accent the second and fourth beats to create that rhythm. These accents give the music a sense of motion and make you want to dance.  


To learn more about the swing era, click here.









Duke Ellington: Master Composer


Duke Ellington
Photo: Library of Congress One of the most significant figures in music history, Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was born on April 29, 1899, in Washington, D.C. He began studying the piano at the age of seven. He started playing jazz as a teenager, and moved to New York City to become a bandleader. As a pianist, composer, and bandleader, Ellington was one of the creators of the big band sound, which fueled the "swing" era. He continued leading and composing for his jazz orchestra until his death in 1974. "Ellington plays the piano, but his real instrument is his band. Each member of his band is to him a distinctive tone color and set of emotions, which he mixes with others equally distinctive to produce a third thing, which I like to call the 'Ellington Effect.'" —Billy Strayhorn, composer and arranger


Listen to Wynton Marsalis explain the "Ellington Effect."   


To learn more about Duke Ellington, click here.  




   
1940s
Bebop: The Summit of Sound
"If you really understand the meaning of bebop, you understand the meaning of freedom." —Thelonious Monk, pianist and composer


In the early 1940s, jazz musicians were looking for new directions to explore. A new style of jazz was born, called bebop, had fast tempos, intricate melodies, and complex harmonies. Bebop was considered jazz for intellectuals. No longer were there huge big bands, but smaller groups that did not play for dancing audiences but for listening audiences.


Listen to a short history of the beginning of bebop, and learn how to scat!  


To learn more about bebop, click here.









Dizzy Gillespie: A Jazz Visionary


Dizzy Gillespie
Photo: William P. Gottlieb/Ira and Leonore S. Gershwin Fund Collection, Music Division, Library of Congress. "The first time you hear Dizzy Gillespie play the trumpet, you may think that the tape was recorded at the wrong speed. He played so high, so fast, so correctly." —Wynton Marsalis


Trumpeter, bandleader, and composer John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was born on October 21, 1917, in Cheraw, South Carolina. He got his first music lesson from his father and took off from there. He moved to New York City in 1937 and met musicians such as Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker. Together they experimented with jazz and came up with the bebop sound. Dizzy also helped to introduce Latin American rhythms to modern jazz through his collaborations with artists such as Machito and Chano Pozo. His bold trumpet playing, unique style of improvisation, and inspired teachings had a major influence, not only on other trumpet players, but on all jazz musicians in the years to come. He died in Englewood, New Jersey, on January 6, 1993.



How did Dizzy get his name? Wynton Marsalis explains his famous nickname and what made Dizzy so unique as a musician.

THE HISTORY OF JAZZ MUSIC

The History Of Jazz Music - Pre Swing Era  JAZZ RADIO & JAZZ HISTORY Jazz Radio Audio

History Of Jazz Part 1

Early hot jazz bands, the hotel dance bands and the history of jazz music leading up to the Big Band era.


History Of Jazz Part II
The role of economics, early recording technology, and radio relative to the history of jazz and the Big Band era.


The Recording Ban Of 1942
Scans of a 1942 Down Beat magazine article detailing one of the most devastating events of the Big Band era; the James Petrillo / AFM recording ban.


Webb Cuts Basie At The Savoy 
Another of the many jazz magazine articles on the site detailing the history of jazz music. This piece recounts the Count Basie vs. Chick Webb big band music Battle Of Swing held at Harlem's Savoy Ballroom in January of 1938.


On this page of our journey into the history of jazz music we focus on pre Big Band era jazz music history as recorded before 1935. We use this date and classification of this period of jazz for timeline measuring-stick purposes only. Although most historians regard the year 1935 as the start of the Big Band era, it is still a debatable topic as big band jazz had indeed been recorded as early as the 1920s.
In 1917 the Original Dixieland Jass Band cut the first recorded jazz records in history. It is a pity the honor could not have been bestowed upon a true pioneer of the genre. Most jazz historians regard this small group as simply a poor copycat band, lucky to ever have been recorded. Nevertheless, their recordings sold over a million copies and enabled jazz to be heard all over the country.


Jazz began its development in New Orleans where King Oliver, a cornet player that Louis Armstrong idolized, was performing in the early 1900's. Steamboats using the Mississippi further helped spread the sound of jazz as many of the New Orleans jazz bands and musicians performed as entertainment on the boats.


In the 1920s the music of jazz began to migrate to a big band format combining elements of ragtime, black spirituals, blues, and European music. Duke Ellington, Ben Pollack, Don Redman, and Fletcher Henderson sported some of the more popular early big bands playing hot music. These bands contained burgeoning jazz stars and future big bandleaders like Coleman Hawkins, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Red Allen, Roy Eldridge, Benny Carter, and John Kirby.


While the aforementioned musicians were playing big band jazz; the popularity of the hotel dance bands of the 1920s was also an important factor in the evolution of the Big Band era. Paul Whiteman, The California Ramblers, Ted Lewis, Jean Goldkette, and Vincent Lopez were a few of the successful hotel dance bandleaders of the 1920s. Their main sources of revenue came from playing for ballroom dance crowds and doing radio remote broadcasts in the 1920s and early 1930s.


The hot jazz orchestras of the day soon found the necessity of using an "arranger" for their pieces of music. His job became an all-important function in the making of big band jazz. While small group jazz had previously allowed a group of musicians to basically just "blow," structure became necessary with large gatherings of musicians. Although improvisation in solos was still allowed, the arranger took a written piece of music and assigned various parts to the different sections in a band and also dictated when solos were to be taken. The big band sounds of The Dorsey Brothers, Fletcher Henderson, Cab Calloway, The Casa Loma Orchestra, and Duke Ellington's orchestra as well as the styling in jazz vocals of The Mills Brothers and The Boswell Sisters were all moving toward an "arranged" and easy flowing style of jazz which would become known as swing.


With this new structure and sound the stage was set for the rise in popularity of big band music, played in this new swing style, that took the country by storm in the mid 1930s. The popularity of the music increased as Americans invented exciting, new, dances to be done in rhythm with the music. The Savoy Ballroom in Harlem opened its doors in 1926 and later became a hotbed for swing bands during the Big Band era. It was here that a swing dance style called the Lindy Hop was named, refined, and popularized. Through the press, through recordings, and through live radio remote broadcasts the masses were about to hear about this new swing music and dance craze.


On the next page of this two-part article on early jazz we explore other factors that helped in the spread, rise, and popularity of big band jazz and the birth of the Big Band era.