WEEKLY WORKOUT
CHORD
SCALES
BY SCOTT NYGAARD
Chord Scales
Learn the function of the individual notes in scales
by matching them to the chords in your favorite songs
ost guitarists learn the fingerboard through scale practice. If you’ve done very
much of this you’ve probably realized that, while scales are great finger exercises and give you a basic sense of where the notes are on the fingerboard, if you
don’t combine your finger work with some mental muscle you’re not going to know
how to use those scales when it comes time to making music. (You’ve probably
noticed that very few pieces of music consist of long strings of scales.) So, in addition
to practicing scales, it’s good to remind yourself of the function of the individual notes
of those scales. One way to do this is by practicing “chord scales”—the appropriate
scale for each chord in a song’s progression. In this Weekly Workout we’ll do that with
the chords to the first eight bars of the jazz standard “Autumn Leaves.” Now before
you jazzophobes turn the page, let me point out that the first half of this progression
is basically Am–D–G–C (a vi–V–I–VI progression in the key of G) and the second half
is a ii–V–i in the key of Em, two basic progressions nearly anyone can relate to.
M
WATCH THE
VIDEO LESSON
ONLINE
© 2015 Stringletter
WEEKLY WORKOUT: Chord Scales
2
Week 1
A m7
#
& 44
D7
œ œœœœœœœ œœ
œ
œ
œ
œœœ
root
B
G maj7
7 root
0 2 3
024
0
œœœœœ
œœœ œœœ
œ œœœ
7 etc.
024
02
01
02
013
F #m7b5
C maj7
02
3
024
02
0
4
02
œœœœ
013
B 7b 9
E m7
œœ œœœœœœ
œ
œ
#
œ
œœ
0
2 3
124
02
24
02
7
root
320
310
2
7
10
root etc.
20
20
B
310
20
42 0
0
0
20
420
310
20
3
4
20
œœœœ
0 2 3
œœ
3 2
0
3 2 0
0 2 3
œœœœœ
310
42 1
œ œœ
013
A m7
D7
G maj7
C maj7
F #m7b5
B 7b 9
E m7
œ
# œœœœ
œ
œ
œ
œœœœœ œœœ
œ œ œ œ œ œœ
œ œ œœœœœœ
&
œœœ œ
œ
œ œ#œ œ œ œ
œ
œ œœœ
9
œ
0
œœ
20
42
3 2 0
b
A m7
D7
G maj7
C maj7
F #m7b5
E m7
œ B7 9
#4
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œœœ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
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& 4 œœœœœœ œœœœœ
œ
œ
œ
œ
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#œ œ œ
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œ œ œœ
œ
3
9 3
9 etc.
Week 2
WEEK ONE
Our first week’s workout starts with open-position scales that begin on
2 3the root of
2
35
3
35
35
each chord2 and
run
up
to
the
seventh,
using
one
chord
per
measure
in
the
“Autumn
4
245
2
245
245
24 5
245
2 4 5progression:
45
245
245
1 2
4 5
5
24
Leaves”
Am7–D7–Gmaj7–Cmaj7–F#m7b–B7b9–Em7.
Except for
the
scale
3 5
2 3 5
2 35
3
5
used for B7b9, every one of these scales uses the notes of the G major scale, starting
b5
b 9 on an E m7
A m7on the root D
maj7
C maj7
B 7start
of7each chord.GSo,
for example,
on the Am7Finm7
measure
1, we
A (the root) and run up to G, the seventh. In the second bar, D7, we start on the D
and run up to the C. This will probably feel pretty straightforward until you get to the
Cmaj7 chord: you’ll notice that instead of playing the Fn (the fourth in the C major
9
9
3 9
3 etc.
scale) we play an F#, because we’re in the key of G. The fifth measure, where the
5 32
32
2
chord is an F#m7b5
(the ii chord 5in3the key3 of Em), may also 5be3 a little foreign
53
53
42
542
5 4
542
542 542
542
sounding—starting
a
G
major
scale
on
an
F#
creates
a
Locrian
mode.
(Can
anyone
542
54
542
5 4 2 1 42
5
3
5 3 2
tell me5where
Locria is? No? I didn’t think so. I don’t know either.) The only note in
5 3
this workout that is not in the G scale is the D# in measure 6. This is the major third
Week 3 of B7, the V chord in Em. We change the D to D# to match the B7 chord, but the rest
Aof
m7
D 7 scale (B–C–D#–E–F#–G–A)
G maj7
C maj7
m7b5
B 7b 9 scale. E m7
the B7b9 chord
consists ofFnotes
in the G major
So there you have the chord scales for this progression. You’ll also notice that I’ve
included Em7 scales in different positions for the last two measures because the pro5
11 on
5 Em7 for 11
etc.two measures.
gression
stays
those
B
#
œ
& œœœœœœ œ œœœœœœ
œ œœœœ
#
œœœœœ
œœœœœ
œœ œœœœœ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ
œœ
œœ
#œ œ œ œ œ œ
B
#
œ
#4
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œœœ œ
œ
œ
œ
#
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
& 4 œœœœ
œœ
œœ
œœœœœ
œ œœœœ œœ
œ œ œœœ
57 8
B
57
45
4 5 7half of
4 5this
7 week’s workout 4gets
5 the brain
4 5 7 working a little harder.
4
45
The second
In the
457
7
457
57
457
457
second
eight bars, the chord scales
7
5 7 start on the seventh and run
5 7back down to the
8
root. This is a good time to think about recording yourself playing the underlying proA m7gression so D
7 can hear G
maj7
C maj7
F the
m7bchords.
5
B 7b 9 for
you
how
these scales
sound against
Otherwise,
example, the scale in measure 9, where the chord is Am7, will just sound like a
descending G major scale that didn’t make it down to the G. Hearing this scale in
relation to the Am7, where the initial G note is the seventh of the chord, will sound
11
5 11
5 etc.
completely different than if you have a G major tonality in your head.
7 8
57
457
457
578
5
#
E m7
œ œœœœ
œœœœœ
# œœœ
œ
œœœœœ œœ
œ #œ œ œ œ
œ
œ œ œœœ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
&
œœœ
œœœœ
œ
œœœœ œ
œœ
œœ œ œ
9
754
B
875
754
© 2015 Stringletter
7
754
7
54
75
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75
754
75
4
5 4
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75
8
54
754
5
87 5
75 4
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75
8 7
WEEKLY WORKOUT: Chord Scales
3
310
10
2
20
B
310
42 0
0
20
20
310
420
20
3
4
20
310
42 1
3 2
0
3 2 0
20
42
3 2 0
A m7
D7
G maj7
C maj7
F #m7b5
B 7b 9
E m7
œ
#4
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ œœœ
œ œœœœœœœ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
& 4 œœœœœœ œœœœœ
œ
œ
œ
œ
#œ œ œ
œ
œ œ œœœ œœ
œ œ œ œœ
œ
3
9 3
9 etc.
Week 2
B
3 5
245
24
45
245
35
2 3 5
245
2
245
245
3
245
35
23
1 24 5
24 5
5
245
35
A m7
D7
G maj7
C maj7
F #m7b5
B 7b 9
E m7
œ
œ
œ
# œ
œ
œ
œœœœ
œœœœ œœœ
œœœœ œœ
œœœœœ
œœœ
œœœœ
œ
œ œ œ œ #œ œœœ
&
œ
œœœ
9
9
3
42
B
9
53
542
3 etc.
5 32
542
5 3
54
53
5 4
3
32
542
542
53
2
3 5
œ
œœœœœ
2
542
542
542 1
42
5 3 2
2 35
53
24
œœ
542
5
5 3
Week 3
C maj7
F #m7b5
B 7b 9
E m7
# 4A m7 œ œ D 7 œ œ œ œ œG maj7
œ
œ
œ
œœœ œ
œ
#
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
& 4 œœœœ
œœ
œœ œœœ
œœ
œœœœœ
œ œœœ
œ œ œœœ
5
11 5
WEEK
TWO
B
5
In the second week’s workout, we’re going to use the same chord progression and the
57 8
57
45
578
same chord
but
that start on the
4 5 7scales,
45
7 we’re going to play
4 5ascending
4 5 scales
7
4 third of
45
457
457
7
457
57
457
457
457
the
scale
and
end
on
the
ninth
(measures
1–8)
followed
by
descending
scales
that
7
57
57
57
7 8
start on the ninth and end on the third (measures 9–16). One8thing jazz musicians, in
from sounding
like, well, scales,
A m7particular, doD to
7 keep scales
G maj7
C maj7
F m7isb5to start them
B 7b on
9 notes
E m7
other than the root of the chord that’s being played. It may take awhile to get used to
starting a melody on the ninth (or seventh or third) of the chords but it can be a very
cool sound, and even if it sounds odd to you, being able to do so gives you a real
11
5 11
sense of where
and what5alletc.
these notes are. One simple exercise you can use to get
5
used to this is8 to
go
through
the progression7and
75
5 find the ninth of each chord.
5 4So, in
87 5
7 5addition
4
7
5
4
5
4
7
5
4
4
5
4
75 4
to playing through all of these scales from beginning to end, try playing just
754
7
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75
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7 5Leaves” progression: B–E–A–D–G–C–F#.
75
75
the ninths7 of each chord in the “Autumn
# œœ
œœœœœ
&
9
B
11 etc.
© 2015 Stringletter
œœœœœ
#
œ œœœœ
œœœœ
œ #œ œ œ
œ œ œœ
œœ œœœœœœ
œœœ œœœœœ
œ
œœ
œœœ œ
œ
œœ
œ
8
8 7
WEEKLY WORKOUT: Chord Scales
4
42
B
542
542
5 3
5 4
54
542
542
542
542
542 1
42
542
5 3 2
5
5 3
Week 3
C maj7
F #m7b5
B 7b 9
E m7
# 4A m7 œ œ D 7 œ œ œ œ œG maj7
œ
œ
œ
œœœ œ
œ
#
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
& 4 œœœ
œ
œ œœ
œ
œœœœ
œ œœœ
œ œ œœœ
5
B
7
11
457
45 7
5
7
11 etc.
457
57 8
57
457
45
57
457
57
8
57
457
4
457
45
45
7 8
57
457
457
578
5
A m7
D7
G maj7
C maj7
F #m7b5
B 7b 9
E m7
œ œœœœ
œœœœœ
# œœ
œ
œ
œ
œ
#
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ œ œœ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
&
œœœ
œœœœ
œ
œœœœ œ
œœ
œœœ œ œ
9
11
5
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B
11
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5 etc.
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5 4
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8 7
WEEK THREE
If you predicted where this week’s workout was going, give yourself two theory nerd
points. Yes, after playing scales that go from the root to the seventh and then from the
third to the ninth, we’re going to play chord scales that start on the fifth and end on
the 11th. While sevenths and ninths are common color notes in many styles of music,
11ths are a little trickier. They sound good against minor chords and can create a sus4
sound with seventh chords but are not quite so useful with straight major triads or
major seventh and major ninth chords. In fact, they tend to sound like wrong notes.
So when you’re playing measure three (Gmaj7), you might want to proceed right past
that C note at the end of the scale to the D, or end on another note of the chord, like
the B just below the C. Strangely enough, the 11 played against the IV chord tends to
sound rather hip. Check out the sound of the F# (which is actually the #11) against
the Cmaj7. Starting a melodic line on the 11th can work on nearly any chord, as long
as you resolve it in a consonant manner.
These seven-note scales are probably starting to sound very familiar, primarily
because we’re repeating many of them over different chords. For example, the chord
scale that starts on the fifth of the Am7 chord is, of course, the same as the scale that
starts on the third of the C chord, and the scale that starts on the fifth of the D chord
is the same as the scale that starts on the third of the F#m7b5 chord, etc. I’ve written
these in different positions on the fingerboard, but if your head is starting to swim
from all of the scales that seem to sound the same (because they are), make sure
you’re hearing them against the appropriate chord.
© 2015 Stringletter
WEEKLY WORKOUT: Chord Scales
5
Week 4
# 4 œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ Jœ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œJ ‰ œ œ œ
‰J
‰ ‰
‰J
‰
& 4
A m7
D7
3
9
7
B
7
10
F #m7b5
#
& ‰œœ
5
9
œœœœ
3
10 8
7 8
10
9
5
9 7
7 9
B 7b 9
10
C maj7
11
5
8 7
7
11
10 8 10
7
7
9 7
E m7
œœœ
œœ œœœœ
œ
œ
#
œ
œ
œ
œ
‰ ‰
œœ‰ ‰œ
‰ ‰
‰
3
7 9 10
Ex. 1
3
9
8 7
B
G maj7
9
8 9
A m7
D7
7
3
9
5
7
10 9 7
9 10
# 4 œ œ œœ
œ.
& 4 ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œJ
7
11
3
9
10 8 7
8 10
G maj7
C maj7
7
3
j
nœ
7
7
9 7
# œ . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ Jœ
œ
WEEK FOUR
8 8could
7 continue our progression of scales
6 7 by starting the7next
8 10batch of
10chord scales
We
97
9
97
9
on the seventh
10 and
9 7 running
7 9up
10to the 13th, but I’ll
10 9let7 you do that yourself if you
9 10
want. In this workout we’re going to use some of this chord-scale work to create a
b5 single-note lines
F m7few
B 7b 9that would workEasm7solo lines to “Autumn Leaves.” The first half
of the first measure of Week Four’s workout is a motif that begins with a slightly syncopated three-note ascending scale fragment starting on the third of the chord, and
this is followed in the second half of the measure with a three-note descending scale
5
11fragment that begins
5 on the ninth. This 5motif is repeated for
11 the D7 chord, although
7 you’ll notice that the descending scale fragment is an octave 7lower.
8 10 Measures 3 and 4
10 8 7 10 8 7
7
7
10
continue the rhythmic
motif
and
basic
idea
but
start
the
ascending
phrase on the fifth
9
9 8
8
7 9
10 9 7 9 10
and the descending phrase10on the
11th. Measures 5, 6, and 8 begin the first phrase on
the third and the second on the ninth, but the rhythmic idea has changed, and mea7 begins the first phrase on the fifth and the second on the 11th with the same
Ex. 2 Asure
m7
D7
G maj7
C maj7
rhythmic idea as measures 5, 6, and 8. This may seem like a complicated, overly intellectual way to create simple melodic lines, and it is. But, once again, doing this consciously is a way to keep from starting every melody on basic chord tones like the
root
R 7and
3 third.
9 5 11 3
9
R 7 3 9 11 5
3
9
B
#
œ ˙
# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ
œ
&
J
B
œ . œ.
#4
œ
œ
œ
œ
j
œ ˙
œ
œœ
œ
Œ
œ
& 4œœ
J œ œ. J
œœ
J
J
B
7 5
5 4
5
F #m7b5
# œœœœœ .
&
Jœ
5
R 7 3 9 5 11
7 5
5
B
© 2015 Stringletter
8
5 4
7
5
5
4
4
5 4
B 7b 9
œ ˙
#œ. J
3
4
9
8
5 7
5
7
œ œ œ œJ œ œJ œ . j
œ
œ ˙
E m7
R 7 3 9 5 11
5
7
7
5
7 5
9
3
7
5
WEEKLY WORKOUT: Chord Scales
6
8 7
7 9 10
B
Ex. 1
9
8 9
A m7
D7
7
3
7
10 9 7
9 10
# 4 œ œ œœ
œ.
& 4 ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œJ
8 8
B
7
97
10 9 7
7 9 10
9 10
7
8 10
G maj7
C maj7
7
3
j
nœ
7
9 7
#œ. œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ Jœ
œœ œ
‰
6 7
9
10 8 7
97
9
10 9 7
7 8 10
10
F #m7b5
B 7b 9
E m7
œœ ˙
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
#
œ
œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ
œ
&
J
5
11
7
5
10 8 7 10 8 7
9
7
5
9 8
B
Ex. 2
A m7
10
8
10 9 7
D7
11
9 10
7
7 9
10
G maj7
7 8 10
C maj7
œ œ. œ. œ ˙
#4
œ œ j
œ œ Œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
œ
& 4 œ
J œ œ. J
œœ
J
J
R 7 3 9 5 11 3
B
7 5
5 4
5
F #m7b5
# œ œ œ œ œ œ.
&
J
5
R 7 3 9 5 11
7 5
5
8
5 4
7
9
R 7 3 9 11 5
5
5
4
4
5 4
B 7b 9
œ ˙
#œ. J
3
4
B
9
8
5 7
3
9
5
7
œ œ œ œJ œ œJ œ . j
œ
œ ˙
E m7
R 7 3 9 5 11
5
7
7
5
7 5
9
3
7
5
EXTRA CREDIT
The workout in Week Four is too mathematical sounding to be something you’d want
to play all the way through in a solo. So this extra credit uses some ideas derived
from chord scales but varies them enough to sound more like real solo lines. Example
1 consists of some scale-based lines that begin on the third, seventh, fifth, or 11th, as
indicated between the staffs. Once you’ve learned the function of the notes in the
scales you’re playing, you can use this knowledge in numerous ways. For example,
suppose you’ve come up with the melodic line notated as the first two bars of
Example 2. Do a simple analy­sis of the notes in the melody (shown between staffs)
and you’ll see that this melody consists of the root, seventh, third, ninth, fifth, and
11th of Am7, followed by the third and ninth of D7. If you want to re-create this melody over different chords, you just need to play the appropriate intervals when you go
to the next chord, as I’ve done in measures 3–4 over the Gmaj7 and Cmaj7 chords,
© 2015 Stringletter
WEEKLY WORKOUT: Chord Scales
7
measures 5–6 over the F#m7b5 and B7b9 chords, and measures 7–8 over the Em7
chord. You’ll notice that I’ve shifted octaves a few times and changed the rhythm of
the phrases to make them a little more varied. The only modification I’ve made in the
order of notes is on the Gmaj7 chord, where I swapped the fifth and 11th so the melody didn’t linger on the 11th of the Gmaj7 chord.
I hope these exercises not only give your fingers and brain a workout, but also give you
some ideas for creating solo lines. Try this with some of the other songs and chord progressions you play and your knowledge of the fingerboard should increase exponentially.
I hope these exercises not only give your fingers and brain a workout, but also give you
some ideas for creating solo lines. Try this with some of the other songs and chord progressions you play and your knowledge of the fingerboard should increase exponentially. 2.
© 2015 Stringletter
WEEKLY WORKOUT: Chord Scales
8
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repertoire.
CarterStyle
Guitar
baSiCS
LÁGRIMA
HOLIDAY
SONGS FOR
FINGERSTYLE
GUITAR
12 FULL
SONGS
TO PLAY
———
harmonics,
and percussive
elements
———————
Develop
solid swing
Music
Basics for
Guitarists
Acoustic Rock Basics
SPANISH REPERTOIRE
FOR CLASSICAL GUITAR
rhythm
access to audio
downloads included
By Sean McGowan
By David Surette
n
Complete arrangement of the Spanish
classical guitar piece “Lágrima” by composer
Francisco Tárrega
n
Presented in tab and standard notation
Includes
5 minutes
of video
By Patrick Francis
By Sean McGowan
Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar
Essentials
Carter-Style Guitar
Basics
Spanish Repertoire
for Classical Guitar
Holiday Songs for
Fingerstyle Guitar
Learn the art of fingerstyle jazz
Learn the boom-chuck rhythm,
Learn Spanish classical pieces
Unique fingerstyle arrangements
guitar with Sean McGowan.
pioneered by Maybelle Carter.
from Francisco Tárrega, Julian
of classic holiday songs.
Arcas, and more.
Shop now! Use code AGPDF2014 for 10% off at store.AcousticGuitar.com