Hi again!!!

I would like to speak something about the various choices of scales for playing over the chord for example Cmaj7.I will talk first about usual approach.

Ok, I suppose everybody knows that the first choice is C Lydian ( C,D.E,F#,G,A,B), you can play an F as a passing tone. C Lydian is a 4^th mode from G major(Ionian) mode.

Linking with these scales you can play a E minor pentatonic scale which is 3^rd degree in

Key of C called Phrygian. You can also play a A (Aeolian) and D (Dorian) minor pentatonic but both of them don’t contain a B tone as a one of important tone in Cmaj7 chord. The basic rule is to play 3^rd and 7^th in this case E and B and you will find that in all Jazz theory books. But, we are not satisfied with that, are we?

Further we can use an Lydian Augmented scale it’s a 3^rd mode of melodic minor scale and in our case it’s a C Lydian Augmented scale(C,D,E,F#,G#,A,B) derived as 3^rd mode from A melodic minor (A,B,C,D,E,F#,G#). You can notice we got a new tone G# the one we haven’t originally had in Cmaj7. We can make a lot interesting melodies using this scale along with the ones we mentioned before. There are chromatics E,F,F#,G,G# so your melodies could be more colorful.

There is another possibility . We can use a Harmonic Major scale (C,D,E,F,G,Ab,B) but here we need to avoid F or to play it as a passing not with chromatics .Than we can use a 6^th mode of Harmonic Major scale in our case it’s a C Lydian Augmented with sharp 9^th (C,D#,E,F#,G#,A,H) or we can call that E Harmonic Major(E,F#,G#,A,B,C,D#) . You can sound very out by using this one.

The point is to mix them all and to make melodies. Melody is most important and the only thing that counts. The melody shows that you are thinking musically and have some purpose and attitude .

Ok , we can go further. We can use 3^rd and 6^th mode of harmonic minor . Third (C,D,E,F,G#,A,B) is derived from A harmonic minor ( A,B,C,D,E,F,G#) and sixth (C,D#E,F#,G,A,B). There are a lot of possibilities hidden in these: triads, augmented triads , hybrid scales. This all depends on you, your musicality, and hard work. One more thing , when you better look you can see that we were talking about DIATONIC SCALES: MAJOR, MELODIC MINOR, HARMONIC MAJOR, HARMONIC MINOR .There only four scales and their modes; you need to practice to play very in and very out over Cmaj7. Obviosly there are more things to learn but start with these ones.
All these you can find in the books below. Practice, learning, practice , learning and of course playing ,what else?

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