Scale Syllabus

An interactive adaptation of Jamey Aebersold's "Scale Syllabus" that can be transposed to all keys

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Note: Please use a desktop-size screen for best user experience.

This page is an interactive version of Jamey Aebersold's free scale syllabus. You can purchase his book with audio recordings by Dave Liebman here.

Consider using this scale syllabus along with our free and interactive scale degree flashcards.

Instructions:

  1. Select a root via the buttons below
  2. Scroll down to view some of the many possible scale choices
  3. Click "notate" to see that scale notated on a treble clef staff

Note: This is not an endorsement of improvisation instruction that relies primarily on chord-scale relationships. Scales don’t make improvisations interesting. Focus on developing a strong time-feel, knowledge of voice-leading, and an understanding of idiomatic phrasing before getting too concerned with scales. I also recommend thinking of these not as scales, but as collections of pitch classes, with each pitch class having its own tendency, dependent upon the associated chord and its function.

Spot an error or typo? Please let me know and I'll fix it ASAP.

Click on a note (above) to choose a key.

Jump to a category:
Basic Chord Choices Major Chord Choices Dominant Chord Choices minor Chord Choices Half-Diminished Chord Choices Diminished Chord Choices

Basic Chords

Chord Symbol Scale Name Scale Degrees Scale in Key of Notate
Button
Major Notate
7 Dominant 7th (Mixolydian)     Notate
- Minor (Dorian)     Notate
Ø Half Diminished (Locrian)     Notate
° Diminished (8 tone scale)     Notate

Major Chord Choices

Chord Symbol Scale Name Scale Degrees Scale in Key of Notate
Button
Δ
(Can be written C)		 Major   Notate
Major Pentatonic WW-3W-3   Notate
maj+4 Lydian (major scale with +4) WWWHWWH   Notate
maj7 Bebop (Major) WW H W H H W H   Notate
majb6 Harmonic Major W W H W H -3 H   Notate
maj+5+4 Lydian Augmented WWWWHWH   Notate
Augmented -3 H -3 H -3 H   Notate
6th Mode of Harmonic Minor -3 H W H W W H   Notate
Diminished (begin with H step) HWHWHWHW   Notate
Blues Scale -3 W H H -3 W Notate

Dominant Chord Choices

Chord Symbol Scale Name Scale Degrees Scale in Key of Notate
Button
7 Dominant 7th     Notate
7 Major Pentatonic     Notate
7 Dominant Bebop     Notate
7b9 Spanish or Jewish scale     Notate
7+4 Lydian Dominant     Notate
7b6 Hindu     Notate
7+
(has #4 and #5)		 Whole Tone (6 tone scale)     Notate
7b9
(alsso has #4 and #5)		 Diminished (begin with H step)     Notate
7+9
(also hasb9, #4, #5))		 Diminished Whole Tone     Notate
7 Blues Scale     Notate
7sus4 Dom. &th scale but don't emphasize the third     Notate
7sus4 Major Pentatnoic build on b7     Notate
7sus4 Bebop Scale   Notate

Minor Scale Choices

Chord Symbols Scale Name Scale Degrees Scale in key of Notate
Button
- or -7 Minor (Dorian) Notate
- or -7 Pentatonic (Minor Pentatonic)     Notate
- or -7 Bebop (Minor)     Notate
-Maj7 Melodic Minor (ascending)     Notate
- or -6 or -7 Bebop Minor No. 2     Notate
- or -7 Blues Scale     Notate
-Maj7
(b6 and maj 7th)		 Harmonic Minor     Notate
- or -7 Diminished (begin with W step)     Notate
- or -b9b6 Phrygian     Notate
- or -b6 Natural Minor (Aeolian)   Notate

Half Diminished Scale Choices

Half Diminished Scale Choices Scale Name Scale Degrees Scale in key of Notate
Button
Ø Half Diminished (Locrian)     Notate
Ø#2 (Ø9) Half Diminished #2 (Locrian #2)     Notate
Ø
(with or without #2)		 Bebop Scale *off b13*   Notate

Diminished Scale Choices

Diminished Scale Choices Scale Name Scale Degrees Scale in key of Notate
Button
° Diminished (8 tone scale)   Notate