When you read “played over _ chords,” it simply means to play the scales indicated in either hand while playing a chord in the other. Here’s a list of essential scales for jazz and blues piano players. Major and minor scales and chords are most certainly used, but some things must be different in order for it not to sound like anything else. While jazz and blues (considered a sub-genre of jazz) may sometimes sound complex, it’s built very simply from the bottom up, so to speak. There are essential scales that jazz and blues players should know. Many classically trained piano players never even attempt to learn it, while some would love to try, but just don’t know how. For pianists, it can be a challenging and illusive genre. To listen to jazz is to listen to America. A combination of the historical music forms of both African and Caribbean slaves and European immigrants, it may be the only way in which the “melting pot” objective was ever successful. Jazz music has been called the only truly American art form, born and raised on this very soil. You’ll learn scales, plus what you see in the video below (and much more!): The best way to master these scales is to sign up for piano lessons. Ultimately, the scale that a jazz musician chooses to use is up to their personal preference, and they may even use multiple scales in a single piece of music.

For example, the blues scale is often used to create sad or nostalgic tunes, while the major and minor pentatonic scales are more commonly used for happy or upbeat songs. While there are many different scales that can be used in jazz, some of the most popular include the:Įach of these scales has a distinct sound that can be used to create a wide range of melodies. Are you ready to learn? Let’s get started! What Scales Do They Use in Jazz?

In this blog post, we will discuss the major scale, the minor scale, the ii-V-I progression, and how to solo over each one.

These scales will help you to create smooth and melodic lines over chord progressions, and will give you a greater understanding of how to solo over these styles of music. In order to become a successful jazz or blues pianist, you must learn the essential scales. Curious about playing jazz or blues on the piano? Learn about some of the essential scales to learn in this guest post by Augustine, FL piano teacher Heather L.

G flat major scale jazz