FENDER PLAYERS CLUB JAZZ GUITAR

From the book:

Hal Leonard Guitar Method:

JAZZ GUITAR
by Jeff Schroedl
Improvising Over #HL 695359 Book/CD $14.95 (US).

Dominant Chords Read more...

by Jeff Schroedl

There are seven different scales that work well over dominant chords. Following is an explanation of when
and how each scale is used, along with common licks to both help illustrate the resulting sounds and
develop your vocabulary.

Mixolydian (1-2-3-4-5-6-b7)
The Mixolydian mode is best suited for playing over unaltered dominant chords (e.g., 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th). It
effectively complements these chords in both cadential, or functioning, harmonic progressions (such as a
resolving V–I progression) and non-cadential, or non-functioning, harmonic progressions (such as a non-
resolving V–IV progression).

AUDIO CLIP
G7
œ
G7
œ œ. œ
& 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó & 44 ˙ J Ó
œ œ
T 3 T 12 10
A 5 4 2 A 9 12
5 3 2 5 3 12
B 5
3 5 B
G7 œ œ œ œ
G7

4 œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ w
œ
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & 44 œ
œ
5 12 10
T 3 6 5 3 T 13 10
A 2 2 5 4 A 10
3 2 3 14 12
B 2 5 B 12
Phrygian Dominant (1-b2-3-4-5-b6-b7)
Phrygian dominant, the V mode of harmonic minor, is best suited for playing over 7b9, 7#9, or 7b9/#5 chords. It
also works well over unaltered dominant chords. The scale is usually used in cadential harmonic progressions
that resolve to either a im7 or Imaj7 chord.

AUDIO CLIP
G7 Cmaj7
bGœ7 œ œ œ n œ b œ Cm7

4 œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ w 4 œ œ bw
&4 &4
4 3 11 10
T 3 3 6 6 5 T 13 13 12
A 5 4 A 13 12 10
13
B B

G7 G7
œ œ bœ œ bœ Cm7
w
œ bœ œ œ nœ 4 œ œ b œ œ
& 44 œ œ œ bw &4
3

10 11
T 6 4 3 T 10 12
12
13 10 12
A 5 4 A
3 5 6 12 13
B 5 B

Lydian Dominant (1-2-3-#4-5-6-b7)

The Lydian dominant scale (a.k.a. Mixolydian #4) is best suited for playing over 7#11, or 7b5, chords. It also
works well over unaltered dominant chords. The scale is usually used in non-cadential harmonic progressions.

AUDIO CLIP
G7 G7
œ #œ œ œ w
œ #œ œ œ œ
& 44 œ œ
#œ w
4
& 4 ‰ Jœ œ
3

12 10
T 6
6
5 3
2
T 10
10 14
A 3 2 A 12
B 4 B 14

G7 G7
j œ œ œ #œ œ œ #œ œ ˙
œ œ œ
& 44 #œ œ œ #œ œ œ & 44 ‰ œ # œ
3

9 12 13 9 12 10
T 5 2
2
T 9 12 9 10
10
A 3 2 A 11
B 4 5 B 12
Super Locrian (1-b2-b3-b4-b5-b6-b7)
The super Locrian scale (a.k.a. the altered scale) is best suited for playing over altered dominant chords (e.g.,
7#9, 7#5, 7b9, 7b5, 7#9/#5, 7b9/b5, 7#9/b5, 7b9/#5). Since the alterations create so much dissonance, the scale is
almost always used in cadential, or resolving harmonic progressions.

AUDIO CLIP
G7 Cmaj7 G7 Cm7
bœ bœ œ œ bœ œ bœ œ œ bœ
4
&4 bœ bœ bœ w 4
&4 bœ bœ bœ w

6 4 3
T 6 4 T 12
A 4 3 A 13 12 10
6 5 13 9
B B 13 11 10

G7 Cm7
œ b œ b œ G7
nœ bœ bœ œ œ Cm7

& 44 b œ
bœ bœ bœ œ bœ
œ œ bw & 44 J bœ bœ œ bw

T 4 T 11 12 11
A 3 6 4 3 12 13 13 13 12 10
6 5 3 A 11 13
B 6 B 13

Dominant Diminished (1-b2-#2-3-#4-5-6-b7)

The dominant diminished scale (a.k.a. half-whole diminished) is best suited for playing over chords with b5,
b9, and #9 alterations. It also works well over unaltered dominant chords. The scale is usually used in cadential
harmonic progressions.

AUDIO CLIP
G7
œ #œ œ œ œ bœ
Cmaj7
œ œ œ œ #œ œ bœ bœ
G7 Cmaj7
w
& 44 bœ w & 44

12 10
T 6 5 3 T 12 14 12 11
A 6 4 3 A 12 13 12
6 5
B B
Whole Tone (1-2-3-#4-#5-b7)
The whole tone scale is best suited for playing over 7#5 chords, but it also works well over unaltered dominant
chords. The scale can be used in both cadential and non-cadential harmonic progressions.

AUDIO CLIP
G7
G7
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
& 44 œ # œ # œ œ & 44 œ œ œ #œ #œ

3 5 3
T 4 4 6 T 10
A 4 6 A 10 12
11 13
B B 10 12 14

Mixolydian b6 (1-2-3-4-5-b6-b7)
Mixolydian b6, the V mode of melodic minor, is best suited for playing over 7#5 and 9#5 chords (note that the
9th degree should not be altered). It also works well over unaltered dominant chords. The scale can be used in
either cadential or non-cadential harmonic progressions.

AUDIO CLIP
G7
G7 Cm7
œ œ œ
& 44 œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ w & 44 œ bœ œ œ w

T 5 4
3
5
T 13 10
A A 10
7 3 5 12 13 9 12
B 5 6 B