Fingering for Modes of the Major Scale

C Major F Major B♭ Major E♭ Major

C Ionian F Ionian B♭ Ionian E♭ Ionian

R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 R.H. 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 R.H. 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 3
L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 2 L.H. 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 2
D Dorian G Dorian C Dorian F Dorian
R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
E Phrygian A Phrygian D Phrygian G Phrygian
R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
F Lydian B♭ Lydian E♭ Lydian A♭ Lydian
R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 R.H. 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 R.H. 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 2 L.H. 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 2 L.H. 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 2
G Mixolydian C Mixolydian F Mixolydian B♭ Mixolydian
R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 R.H. 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4
L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 2
A Aeolian D Aeolian G Aeolian C Aeolian
R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
B Locrian E Locrian A Locrian D Locrian
R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
L.H. 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 L.H. 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 L.H. 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 L.H. 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1
A♭ Major D♭ Major G♭ Major B Major

A♭ Ionian D♭ Ionian G♭ Ionian B Ionian

R.H. 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 R.H. 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 R.H. 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
L.H. 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 2 L.H. 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 2 L.H. 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 2 L.H. 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1
B♭ Dorian E♭ Dorian A♭ Dorian C# Dorian
R.H. 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 R.H. 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 R.H. 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 R.H. 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2
L.H. 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 2 L.H. 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 2 L.H. 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 L.H. 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 2
C Phrygian F Phrygian B♭ Phrygian D# Phrygian
R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 R.H. 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 R.H. 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 3
L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 2 1 3 2 1 4 3 2 L.H. 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 2
D♭ Lydian G♭ Lydian C♭ Lydian E Lydian
R.H. 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 R.H. 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
L.H. 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 2 L.H. 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 2 L.H. 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
E♭ Mixolydian A♭ Mixolydian D♭ Mixolydian F# Mixolydian
R.H. 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 R.H. 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 R.H. 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 R.H. 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2
L.H. 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 2 L.H. 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 L.H. 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 2 L.H. 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 2
F Aeolian B♭ Aeolian E♭ Aeolian G# Aeolian
R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 R.H. 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 R.H. 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 2 1 3 2 1 4 3 2 L.H. 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 2 L.H. 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2
G Locrian C Locrian F Locrian A# Locrian
R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 R.H. 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4
L.H. 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 L.H. 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 2 1 3 2 1 4 3 2
 Fingering for Modes of the Major Scale

E Major A Major D Major G Major

E Ionian A Ionian D Ionian G Ionian

R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
F# Dorian B Dorian E Dorian A Dorian
R.H. 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
L.H. 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 2 L.H. 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
G# Phrygian C# Phrygian F# Phrygian B Phrygian
R.H. 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 R.H. 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 R.H. 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
L.H. 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 L.H. 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 2 L.H. 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 2 L.H. 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1
A Lydian D Lydian G Lydian C Lydian
R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 R.H. 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 R.H. 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
B Mixolydian E Mixolydian A Mixolydian D Mixolydian
R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
L.H. 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
C# Aeolian F# Aeolian B Aeolian E Aeolian
R.H. 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 R.H. 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 R.H. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
L.H. 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 2 L.H. 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 2 L.H. 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 L.H. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
D# Locrian G# Locrian C# Locrian F# Locrian
R.H. 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 R.H. 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 R.H. 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 R.H. 2 1 2 3 1 2 3 4
L.H. 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 2 L.H. 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 L.H. 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 2 L.H. 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 2
Level 1: So we have learned the chords and the melody of our song. At level 1, we will be
improvising by just using the melody of the song and embellishing it. We can add ornamentation,
and add fills over long notes or long rests. For example, in Autumn Leaves there are long notes in
bars 1, 3, 5 and 7. So we will be playing a short and simple phrase during and in place of those long
notes. We will primarily (though not necessarily) be using the Bb Major scale to improvise and
using a smooth, even swing rhythm. So first play the melody, then instead of holding the long note
(Eb), play a few notes from the Bb Major scale, then return back to the melody, and so on. This is
our first improvisation. And our little phrases in between the melody can use any of the 12 notes
(including ‘wrong’ notes outside of the Bb Major scale). Because we will always be returning back
to the melody we will be creating tension with the ‘wrong’ notes, and resolving it when we return to
the melody.

Level 2: Here we will just be arpeggiating the 7th chords of the progression (so start by
arpeggiating a Cm7 chord, then a F7 chord, and so on) using melodic continuity (a constant rhythm
of swung quarters or triplets). Continue playing with a smooth swing rhythm.

Aside: Melodic continuity is a great way to practice improvisation because it forces you to think
fast. You can’t stop and think, you have to just keep going, plough through and recover from any
mistakes. This is a very important skill to have.
Level 3: Next we will be using the relevant diatonic scale (Bb Major) to improvise over this
progression. Continue using melodic continuity and an even swing rhythm. Just run up and down
the Bb Major scale occasionally changing direction. This sounds like we are just playing scales or
exercises rather than improvising, but that’s kind of the point. We are just getting used to the sound
of the scale over the chords.

Level 4: Now we will continue using the Bb Major scale but instead of just running up and down
the scale (by step) we will also introduce skips and leaps to make our improvisation a bit more
interesting (but still only using the Bb Major scale).We will continue using melodic continuity, but
this time instead of playing a nice smooth swing rhythm, create a syncopated rhythm by accenting
at irregular times (both on and off-beats). Further, rather than playing any random note at any
particular time, try to play a Chord Tone (root, 3, 5 or 7 of the chord) on beat 1 of each bar. This is a
little bit tricker now as you have to pay attention to what chord you’re currently on and what note
you are playing. So now we have to think about one aspect of rhythm (the syncopation) and the
notes we are playing (targeting).

Level 5: Here again we will be using the Bb Major scale, but rather than using melodic continuity
we will instead create short phrases consisting of 3-5 notes (varying the duration of your notes).
After playing a short phrase we will pause for a moment, then play another short phrase, then pause
again, and so on. And try to end each phrase on a guide tone (3rd or 7th of chord). Further, try to
use some repetition and call & response in your solo. So here we have to think about two aspects of
rhythm (both the duration of the notes, and the accenting of the notes), the notes we are actually
playing, and the phrasing.

Level 6: Here we continue using the Bb Major scale, but we will begin introducing some ‘outside’
notes (notes outside the Bb Major scale) in the form of some simple improvisation techniques,
namely:
• Chromatic passing notes,
• Chromatic runs,
• Side-slipping, and
• Cycled patterns.

These outside notes will create some tension which we will then resolve by returning to the Bb
Major scale. This time play medium length phrases of 6-12 notes, continue to end each phrase on a
guide tone, and syncopate your rhythm. Here we are now thinking about two aspects of rhythm (the
duration of the notes, the accenting of the notes), the notes we are actually playing (both inside and
outside the Bb Major scale), and the phrasing. Up until this point, our overall ‘sound’ has been
purely diatonic – i.e. we are primarily using the Bb Major scale with some chromaticism at this
currently level.

Level 7: Now, instead of using the Bb Major exclusively, start using other applicable Major scale
modes. One suggestion is shown below:
 • Cm7 – C Aeolian (Eb Major)
• F7 – F Mixolydian (Bb Major)
• BbMaj7 – Bb Lydian (F Major)
• EbMaj7 – Eb Ionian (Eb Major)
• Am7b5 – A Locrian (Bb Major)
• D7 – D Mixolydian (G Major)
• Gm7 – G Dorian (F Major)

Use longer phrases of greater than 12 notes, and continue using a syncopated rhythm. This time
instead of finishing each phrase on a guide tone, finish each phrase on an available tension (9, 11 or
13). This will sound much more jazzy and create a very slight dissonance against the chord. And
instead of using pure repetition, use motivic development. This is where we take a phrase, the
repeat the phrase but with a slight change (either in pitch or rhythm) and thus ‘develop’ a similar
sounding but slightly different phrase. We are now thinking about two aspects of rhythm (the
duration of the notes, the accenting of the notes), the notes and scales we are actually playing
(various modes), the phrasing, as well as creating and developing little motifs – so as you can see
this is getting rather more complex. Because we are using Major scale modes, we are creating a
more polytonal sound. The chord progression is in the key of Bb Major (or G minor) but we are
using modes derived from lots of different Major scales over the top.

Level 8: Jazz arose out of a combination of Ragtime and Blues music. As such, the language of the
Blues is very much incorporated into Jazz. For this reason, we should practice improvising using
the blues scale (in this case the G blues scale). Continue creating longer phrases, finish each phrase
on the root note (1) or a blue not (b3, b5, or b7; so Bb, Db, or F), use a syncopated rhythm, and try
to incorporate some call & response and some nice blues licks into your solo. This, naturally, gives
us an overall blues sound.
Level 9: Now we’re going to branch out a bit. Instead of using the Bb Major scale, or even modes
derived from the Major scale, we are going to use more exotic scale to improvise over the
progression. One suggestion is shown below:
• Cm7 – C minor pentatonic
• F7 – F Wholetone
• BbMaj7 – Bb Lydian Augmented (G melodic minor)
• EbMaj7 – Eb Lydian Augmented (C melodic minor)
• Am7b5 – A Half diminished scale (C melodic minor)
• D7 – D H/W Diminished
• Gm7 – G Bebop Dorian

This time use irregular phrases (phrases typically last one, two or four bars. We call these ‘regular’.
Thus ‘irregular’ phrases last a number of measures other than those just mentioned. For example, an
irregular phrase could last three, five or six bars), start and end phrases at unusual times (like 1/3 of
the way through a bar), use irregular rhythms, and finish phrases on either a guide tone or an
available tension (alternate between the two). We are now thinking about two aspects of rhythm (the
duration of the notes, the accenting of the notes), the notes and scales we are actually playing, as
well as phrasing. Because we are using exotic scales now, we are creating a much more chromatic
sound.
Level 10: Finally, we will be using the chromatic scale to improvise (i.e. all 12 notes). Here we can
use any type of phrasing (short, medium, long, regular, irregular), try to create polyrhythms, and use
improvisation techniques such as superimposition (where you superimpose a completely new chord
progression over the existing one). While improvising, instead of creating and resolving tension, try
to create and then fail to resolve tension. This can be done by finish each phrase on an avoid note,
or using tone clusters.

Below is a table summarising the steps involved in developing your improvisation.