(Music) Jazz - Chord Scales Via Modal Theory Part 2.pdf

XIII. Chord Scales Via Modal Theory (Part 2)
A. Modes as Scales In Their Own Right
We have seen that each of the modes of the major scale has it’s own individual qualities. When using the
modes as chord-scales for melodic improvisation there will always be two distinct plimentary ways of
viewing them and of constructing them.
Up until now we have considered that, for example, the Mixo-Lydian mode is simply a major scale starting
on it’s 5th degree or put another way that the Mixo-Lydian scale is the 5th mode of some other major scale.
That’s pretty simple to understand and if you know your major scales really well you can always figure out
some way to play one starting on it’s 5th degree.
Consider this though:
On G7, in the key of C major, the usual chord-scale would be G Mixo-Lydian.
The only avoid note in this scale on a G7 chord is C.
If you are thinking of G Mixo-Lydian as being some sort of a C scale chances are you will wind up playing
“C-ish” types of things and you will probably be hitting that avoid note more often and with more emphasis
than is musically desirable.
If, on the other hand, you view G Mixo-Lydian as being some sort of a G scale, a G scale with a flatted 7th
degree, and you are consciously relating all of the intervals in the scale to how they vertically fit the G chord
you are actually playing on you stand a better chance of playing