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Scales for Improv on Major and Minor Chords

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Instructor
Jonny May
Workshop
Beginner
Intermediate
00:54:28

One of the most fun things you can do at the piano is improvise, which means making up your own music on the spot. But when you’re playing a chord and want to jam over it, it’s not always clear which notes will sound good. This course answers that question by showing you exactly which scales to use over major and minor chords, and how to turn them into beautiful musical lines.

You’ll start with major chords, learning a couple of common chord progressions and three scales that sound great over them. Then you’ll learn simple ways to turn those scales into melodies, using small skips between notes, different rhythms and decorative flourishes called turns. Next, you’ll do the same for minor chords, with common minor chord progressions and three scales that create gorgeous, expressive sounds.

This course was recorded as a live workshop, so you’ll hear questions from Piano with Jonny members along the way, which may answer some of your own questions too. Sheet music and backing tracks are included, so you can practice jamming along with the band. By the end, you’ll be able to sit down at any major or minor chord progression and improvise with confidence and freedom.

Course Objectives
  • Learn three scales for improvising over major chords and three for minor chords
  • Play common chord progressions in major and minor keys
  • Create melodic lines using second and third intervals, eighth notes and sixteenth notes
  • Add expression to your improvisations with turns and melodic patterns
  • Improvise confidently over major and minor chord progressions with backing tracks
Learning Focus
  • Chords
  • Improvisation
  • Scales
Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

Nice to hear you play
I’m still struggling with hands separate work so I made up a chord chart in C for a fake song. This way I can start memorizing the chart and just work on different left hand patterns while I improve with my right hand. Hopefully this works🤪😫
Scales for improv
Great course! Thanks.
Best course yet!
This course was the most fun I've had so far on PWJ. Highly recommended.
Different and fun
Learning how notes work best with chords in scales
Awesome lessons
Jonny and the team you're fantastic

Course Lessons

1
Scales for Improv on Major & Minor Chords – Lesson 1
16:03

2 Progressions, Major Scale, Principles of Soloing

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2
Scales for Improv on Major & Minor Chords – Lesson 2
11:09

C Major 9 Scale, Cluster Positions, Pentatonic Scale

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3
Scales for Improv on Major & Minor Chords – Lesson 3
17:31

2 Minor Progressions, Natural Minor Scale, Minor 11, & Minor Pentatonic

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4
Scales for Improv on Major & Minor Chords – Lesson 4
9:45

Q&A with Members

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Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

Nice to hear you play
I’m still struggling with hands separate work so I made up a chord chart in C for a fake song. This way I can start memorizing the chart and just work on different left hand patterns while I improve with my right hand. Hopefully this works🤪😫
Scales for improv
Great course! Thanks.
Best course yet!
This course was the most fun I've had so far on PWJ. Highly recommended.
Different and fun
Learning how notes work best with chords in scales
Awesome lessons
Jonny and the team you're fantastic
Related Courses
Scales for Improv on 7th Chords

Learn the essential scales used to improvise over the most common 7th chords found in jazz and popular music. Scales are the musical building blocks used to create interesting solos.

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