Mt.

San Antonio College

Jazz ensemble Handbook
Scales, Chords, Patterns and Rhythms

Jeff Ellwood: director of

Instrumental Jazz Studies

Circle of 4 th s

What is the Circle of Keys?

The circle of keys is a diagram used in music theory that
helps students memorize and understand the 12 major
and 12 minor keys used in music, key relationships, and
many chord relatio nships.
Learn to recite the notes on the circle from memory. Be
able to start on any note (not just C) and go all the way
around the circle in both directions.

Scales for Improvisation

Mt. San Antonio College

C Maj7

&c

Basic Major Scale: To be used on Major chords

C7

&

*
b

*
b

Mixolydian Scale: To construct a Mixolydian scale-take a major scale and

lower the 7th degree of the scale by a 1/2 step.
Or can be thought of as the 5th degree of a Major scale (i.e. C7 mixolydian
shares the same key signature as a F Major scale

C min7

&

*
b

*
b

*
b

Dorian Scale: To construct a Dorian scale-take a major scale and lower the
3rd & 7th degree by a 1/2 step
Or can be thought of as the 2nd degree of a Major scale (i.e. cmi7 Dorian
shares the same key signature as a Bflat Major scale

&

C m(maj7)

*
b

B 7# 9

*
b

Jazz Melodic Minor scale: To construct a Melodic Minor scale-take a Major

scale and lower the 3rd degree a 1/2 step
The Melodic Minor scale is one of the most useful scales in jazz
improvisation

Scales for Improvisation

Mt. San Antonio College

?c
C Maj7

Basic Major Scale: To be used on Major chords

C7

*
b

b *

Mixolydian Scale: To construct a Mixolydian scale-take a major scale and

lower the 7th degree of the scale by a 1/2 step.
Or can be thought of as the 5th degree of a Major scale (i.e. C7 mixolydian
shares the same key signature as a F Major scale

C min7

*
b

b *

*
b

Dorian Scale: To construct a Dorian scale-take a major scale and lower the
3rd & 7th degree by a 1/2 step
Or can be thought of as the 2nd degree of a Major scale (i.e. cmi7 Dorian
shares the same key signature as a Bflat Major scale

C m(maj7)

b *

B 7# 9

b *

Jazz Melodic Minor scale: To construct a Melodic Minor scale-take a Major

scale and lower the 3rd degree a 1/2 step
The Melodic Minor scale is one of the most useful scales in jazz
improvisation

Basic Chords

Chords are constructed by taking the root, 3rd, 5th & 7th of a scale

Asending
C Maj7

&c

1-3-5-7

C min7

&

1-b3-5-b7

C7

1-3-5-b7
C

1-b3-b5-b7

Descending
C Maj7

&

7-5-3-1

C min7

& b

b7-5-b3-1

C7

b7-5-3-1
C

b7-b5-b3-1

Basic Chords

Chords are constructed by taking the root, 3rd, 5th & 7th of a scale

Asending
C Maj7

?c

1-3-5-7

C min7

1-b3-5-b7

C7

1-3-5-b7
C

1-b3-b5-b7

Descending

C Maj7

7-5-3-1

? b

C min7

b7-5-b3-1

C7

b7-5-3-1

b7-b5-b3-1

C Instruments

Root Progressions
A guide to studying scales

Half-steps
Whole-Steps
Circle of 4ths
Major 3rds
Minor 3rds

#1) Bb
#2) Bb
#3) Bb
#4) Bb
#5) Bb

B C C# D Eb E F F# G Ab A
C D E F# Ab / B C# Eb F G A
Eb Ab Db F# B E A D G C F
D F# / B Eb G / C E Ab / C# F A
Db E G / B D F Ab / C Eb F# A

Four Shapes: #1) #2) #3) #4)

Things to Practice using Root Progressions:
1#) Scales
Major
Mixolydian
Dorian
Melodic Minor
Natural Minor
Harmonic
Minor
2#) Chords:
Major 7
Dominant 7
Minor 7
Minor 7b5

#3) Number Patterns

In 24 combinations
(1235, 5132, 3521, etc..)

Scale, chord, & pattern practice needs

to be done daily and with a metronome.
Pick one scale type, one chord type & one number pattern
and spend a week working on them.
Practice what you have chosen through all root
progressions and shapes at various tempos

B-flat Instruments

Root Progressions
A guide to studying scales

Half-steps
Whole-Steps
Circle of 4ths
Major 3rds
Minor 3rds

#1) C
#2) C
#3) C
#4) C
#5) C

C# D Eb E F F# G Ab A Bb B
D E F# Ab Bb / C# Eb F G A B
F Bb Eb Ab C# F# B E A D G
E Ab / C# F A / D F# Bb / Eb G B
Eb F# A / C# E G Bb / D F Ab B

Four Shapes: #1) #2) #3) #4)

Things to Practice using Root Progressions:
#3) Number Patterns
1#) Scales
In 24 combinations
Major
(1235, 5132, 3521, etc..)
Mixolydian
Dorian
Melodic Minor
Scale, chord, & pattern practice needs
Natural Minor
to be done daily and with a metronome.
Harmonic
Pick one scale type, one chord type & one number pattern
Minor
and spend a week working on them.

2#) Chords:
Major 7
Dominant 7
Minor 7
Minor 7b5

Practice what you have chosen through all root

progressions and shapes at various tempos

Eb Instruments

Root Progressions
A guide to studying scales

Half-steps
Whole-Steps
Circle of 4ths
Major 3rds
Minor 3rds

#1) G
#2) G
#3) G
#4) G
#5) G

Ab A Bb B C C# D Eb E F F#
A B C# Eb F / Ab Bb C D E F#
C F Bb Eb Ab Db F# B E A D
B Eb / Ab C E / A C# F / Bb D F#
Bb C# E / Ab B D F / A C Eb F#

Four Shapes: #1) #2) #3) #4)

Things to Practice using Root Progressions:
1#) Scales
Major
Mixolydian
Dorian
Melodic Minor
Natural Minor
Harmonic
Minor
2#) Chords:
Major 7
Dominant 7
Minor 7
Minor 7b5

#3) Number Patterns

In 24 combinations
(1235, 5132, 3521, etc..)

Scale, chord, & pattern practice needs

to be done daily and with a metronome.
Pick one scale type, one chord type & one number pattern
and spend a week working on them.
Practice what you have chosen through all root
progressions and shapes at various tempos

Root Progressions
Examples

Jeff Ellwood

Example using Major scale, Major chord & 1-2-3-5 Number pattern
Major scale through root progression #1 using ascending shape (#1)

&c

b
b

bb

b b
# #

Major scale through root progression #1 using descending shape (#2)

# # #
&b b
# #
b

#
# # # # # # #

Major Scale through root progression #1 using ascending & descending

shape (#3)

&

# # # #
b

# # # #
# #
b b

Major scale through root progression #4 using ascending & descending

shape (#3)

# #

& b
# # #
b

13

# # #
# #

Major scale descending in whole steps (progression #2) using descending

shape (#2)

b
b b b b b b b # # # # #
# #
&
# #
# #

17

Major scale through root progression #5 using descending and ascending

shape (#4)

b b
b # # #
b
&

# # b b b b b

21

******Practice all scale types: Major, Mixolydian, Dorian, Melodic Minor,

Harmonic Minor, Natural Minor

Root Progressions

Major chords through root progression #1 using ascending shape (#1)

&

25

# b # #

# #
b
n #

& # # # # # # # # # b b # #
b
n

Major chords through root progression #1 using desending shape (#2)

29

Major chords through root progression #1 using ascending & descending

shape (#3)

&

33

b
#
#

# n

# # #
b
b

major chords through root progression #5 using ascending & descending

shape (#3)

b
#

# n # n
b
& b b #

37

Major chords through root progression #3 using decending & ascending

shape (#4)

# #
b
#

b
#
& b
#
b

41

******Practice all chord types: Major 7, Dominant 7, Minor 7, Minor 7 flat5,

Diminished

Root Progressions

1-2-3-5 number pattern through root progression #1 using ascending

shape (#1)

& # # # b b b # b n b # # n n
b
n

45

n
b b b n n # # # # n n n n # # b n n b
&

49

1-2-3-5 (descending) number pattern through root progression #1 using

descending shape (#2) 1-2-3-5 in descending shape becomes 5-3-2-1

& # # # # # # # # b b # # n n
b

53

1-2-3-5 number pattern through root progression #1 using ascending &

descending shape (#3)

&

57

b n b # # n n

# # n
# #
b

1-3-2-5 number pattern through root progression #5 using ascending &

descending shape (#3)

&

61

b b
n

b
#

b b #
# n
b
# #

*****Practice all 24 combinations of number patterns in Major, Minor, &

Minor 7flat5

Number Patterns
Mt. San Antonio college

Jeff Ellwood

Number Patterns are essential for developing improvisational skills

Number Patterns are a set of number arranged in various combinations
We will start with the number 1-2-3-5 of a given scale
1-2-3-5 can be arranged into 24 different combinations
Example: 1-3-2-5, 5-2-1-3, 3-1-2-5, 2-5-3-1, 1-5-2-3, 5-3-2-1, 3-5-2-1, 2-1-3-5, etc...
Below are examples of number patterns in Major, Mixolydian, minor, & minor flat-5
C

&c

C7

1-2-3-5

&

1-2-b3-5

&

b b

1-2-b3-b5

2-5-3-1

3-1-2-5

b b

2-5-b3-1

2-b5-b3-1

b3-1-2-5

b3-1-2-b5

5-2-3-1

5-2-b3-1

b5-2-b3-1

Mt. SAC Jazz 1

Tune List

Jazz band students are required to learn 1 jazz standard tune per semester.
Upper division students and people holding solo chairs must learn 3 tunes.
o The melody, scales and chord arpeggios must be memorized.
This will be your final exam.

Autumn leaves (1)

Alone Together (2)
All the Things You Are (3)
All of Me (1)
All Blues (1)
Beautiful Love (1)
Bessies Blues (Eb blues) (2)
Blue Bossa (1)
Blue Monk (Bb blues) (1)
Body & Soul (3)
Blues for Alice (2)
Confirmation (3)
Cherokee (3)
Days of Wine & Roses (2)
Dexterity (3)
Donna Lee (3)
Equinox (c minor blues) (1)
Footprints (1)
Four (2)
Freddie the Freeloader (1)

Easy (1)
Intermediate (2)
Advanced (3)

Groovin High (2)

Have You Met Miss Jones (3)

How High the Moon/Ornithology (2)

Impressions/So What (1)

In a Sentimental Mood (3)
Inner Urge (3)
Invitation (3)
Just Friends (2)
Lady Bird (2)
My Funny Valentine (2)
Nardis (3)
Night & Day (2)
Out of Nowhere (2)

Oleo/Anthropology (Ryhthm Changes) (2)

Recordame (2)
Round Midnight (3)
Satin Doll (1)
Song For My Father (1)
Solar (2)
Stella by Starlight (3)
Take the A Train (2)
There is No Greater Love (2)
There Will Never Be Another You (2)
Well you Neednt (2)

Download play - alongs at

https://app.box.com/playalongs

G7

Bebop Lines

Jeff Ellwood

Developing lines

4
&4

G7

Break the bebop scale up into 4 parts that connect chord tones using scale motion
1-5

5-1

7-3
#

7-3

1-5

3-7

5-1

&

3-7

&

After learning the scales motion, we must now learn arpeggio's built form primary chord tones (7-5-3)
7th degree = Major 7

&

12

5th degree = Minor 7

3rd degree = Half Diminished

same chords as above, but with the 2nd note displaced down an octave (this allows us the use the same concept
as above, but in a descending fashion)

&

15

Notice that a chord was not built from the root of the chord. Here we will just insert the bebop passing link

&

Bebop passing link

18

COPYRIGHT

Bebop Lines

Here are sample lines using the arpeggio's built from chord tones with the bebop passing link. These line will
consist of the ascending and decending versions mixed together.
The formula will always move this way 7-5-3-bebop passing. (wash rinse, repeat) even if we start on another chord
tones, it still follows the same cycle (3-bebop passing-7-5, 5-3-bebop passing-7)

G7

&

&

&

19

23

27

G7

&
b

31

&
b

34

#
b b

&

&

38

42

Bebop Lines

Now all the material must be worked out if there are alterations on the Dominant chord
b
We will now focus on applying the same concept to a G 7 {b139 } chord
take the same scale shapes and alter the 9 & 13 (2 & 6).

& b

b #

# b

& b

b b

b b

46

50

Now the arpeggio's and their chord qualities need to be figured out
7th degree = Minor 7

&

54

displaced octave

&

57

5th degree = half diminished

b9

G 7 {b13}

68

& b
&

64

60

&

3rd degree = diminished

Bebop Lines

9
7 {bb13
}

b b A

&

72

b
b A

b A #

b
b b A b A

&
b

b b b b b b b b A #

75

&

79

b b b
b b

& b A

83

These ideas work great over dominant 7 chords, but what do we do over minor 7 chords?
I use the same ideas on minor, although I don't use a minor bebop scale. When I see a minor 7 chord, i use the
dominant 7 chord that is a 4th away.
(example Dmi7 = G7, Cmi7 = F7, Emi7b5 = A7b9b13, Dmi7b5 = G7b9b13 etc....)

Let's apply this concept to a tune. We are going to use the changes to

C mi7

C mi7

&

F7

&

G 7 {b13}

87

91

b9

G 7 {b13}

D mi7( 5)

E mi7

99

F7

D ma7

C mi7

D ma7

D ma7

b9

G 7 {b13}

D mi7( 5)

&

b7

F mi7

b7

C mi7

b9

& A b7

95

F mi7

Blue Bossa

b9

G 7 {b13}

C mi7
F7

b9

G 7 {b13}
b9

G 7 {b13}

Bebop Lines

Notice how I simplified the chord chages to mostly all dominant 7 chords in the previous example
Here is a solo using our bebop concept with the simplified changes

b7

b b

b b
b

b b b

&

103

F7

b9

F7

G 7 {b13}

b
b b

&
b

107

&

111

b7

b b n b b b
b9

G 7 {b13}

b b b
b

D ma7

b b b b
C mi7

b
& b b b b

115

b9

G 7 {b13}

The solo above sounds a bit boring, WHY? Every phrase starts on a downbeat, and jazz is a syncopated music.
The best way to solve this issue is starting a phrase on the & of the beat, but our bebop lines will sound odd if they
are displaced by an 1/8 note. We can solve this problem by using one of our no primary chord tones (scale degrees
2-4-6) as approach notes. We can also use chromatic approach notes.
We can also anticipate the note on the & of the beat
Another important tool is editing. can we remove some note of the phrase to make it sound better? Yes!!!
Let's take the same solo and do some editing and apply some approach notes

b7

b b

b b
b

J
&
b b b J
F7

119

Bebop Lines
b9

G 7 {b13}

F7

b b
b b
b
b

&
b

123

&

127

b7

b9

G 7 {b13}

b b b
b
J

b b

D ma7

b b

C mi7

b
& b b b b

131

b9

G 7 {b13}

Jeff Ellwood
Mt San Antonio college

Bebop Ideas
G7 Chord

The Bebop scale is one of the most important sounds in jazz improvisation. The bebop scale is a mixolydian scale
with a major 7 passing. The passing tone helps to ensure that primary chord tones (1 3 5 7) fall on strong beats
(1 2 3 4) see expample below

& 44

G7

Cmaj7

the notes with the (o) above are the strong beats of the measure, but are not primary chord tones (1 3 5 7). Those
notes are actually (1 6 4 2). Here is the same scale with the major 7 passing tone. See example below

o b
G7

&

CMaj7

Notice how the notes with (o) above are primary chord tones and falling on strong beats. This extra passing
helps to keep better resolution between chords
Below are some simple exercises to practice. They are small scale sequences using the bebop scale. Each
exercise starts on a primary chord tone ( 1 3 5 7)

&
Root

&

b
Root

3rd

7th

5th

5th

7th

3rd

Bebop Ideas

using are simple bebop excersises, we can now start adding link ideas. Below are some link ideas that start on
primary chords. These ideas are common language used in improvisation. Play each link idea to get the sound of
it in your ear. All these links will be used on a G7 chord

& #

& #

#6

#1

13

#5

#2

#9

b
& #
#12

& b #
#16

& # #

29

#10

# b

#17

& #

#11

#14

b # b

33

#8

b #

& #

37

#4

#7

#13

#19

#21

#3

#15

#18

# n b

#22

#20

b b

#23
b

Bebop Ideas

Using the simple scale exercises (page 1) and combining that with the link ideas (page 2), one can develop endless
improvisational vocabulary. See the examples below.......(Note: These G7 ideas can also work on a ii-7 V7 progression
(D-7 G7 Cmaj7)
G7

&

&

41

Link #1

43

scale Sequence

scale sequence

Link #5

Link #13

Link #14

# n b
&

48

&

51

link #20

b b b
Link #22

54

&

57

Scale sequence

# n b
Link # 20

link #11

Link #2

Scale sequence

Scale sequence

Link #3

link #12

Link #14

Link #3

Link #4

Link #2

Link #4

scale sequence

b #

scale sequence

& b
Link #6

#
&

45

Link #1

Bebop Ideas

Having studied the bebop scale sequence combined with links, one could come up with a variety of misical ideas.
These ideas allow us to create lines on a specific chord type, but now the must be further study in resolving
these musical ideas to their home base, the tonic chord (V7-I, G7 to Cmaj7).
We will now shift our foucs to the resolutions to the major chord.
Below is a series on resolution exercises to help create proper resolution to the tonic. This is where many
students lack strength. resolving a weak chord (G7) to a point of strength (Cmaj7)
These fisrt resolution studies will deal with descending scale motion exercises from the primary
chord tones of G7. We will call these Downward resolutions
G7

&

60

G7

&

64

Root

5th

Cmaj7

CMaj7

G7

G7

3rd

CMaj7

Cmaj7

7th

The next resolution studies will deal with ascending scale motion with a leap of a third between the
last two notes. We will call these Upward Resolutions

G7

&

68

G7

&

72

Root

5th

CMaj7

w
w

CMaj7

G7

G7

CMaj7

3rd

7th

CMaj7

Bebop Ideas

These next resolutions are based on arpeggio's. These arrpegio's will be built from primary chord tones (1 3 5 7)

G7

&

76

G7

&

78

Root

CMaj7

CMaj7

CMaj7

CMaj7

3rd (Bmi7b5)

G7

&

80

5th (Dmi7)

G7

&

82

7th (FMaj7)

Notice the various other chord types one can use from building arpeggio's from othe chord tones
Root=G7
3rd=Bmi7b5
5th=Dmi7
7th=FMaj7
Let's construct some lines using bebop scale sequences, links and resolution exercises to create lines
resolving G7 to Cmaj7

&

84

G7

CMaj7

Bebop Ideas

& # n w

# b n w

& w

b b

CMaj7

G7

86

90

& b

94

& #

# b

&

G7 (dmi7)

98

101

G7

#
n

b
& #

b # n

&
b

&

104

107

110

CMaj7

w
w