How To Improvise Over Major Chords

In this guitar lesson we'll have a look at the guitar scales, arpeggios and substitutions we can use to improvise over major guitar chords.

  
Do you have questions or feedback about this tutorial? Join the Discussion at the Forum.

Here's a play-along track in C major for you to test and practice the scales and arpeggios suggested below. I used Band in a Box to create this track, a piece of software you can use to create play-along tracks in real time by entering chord symbols with your computer keyboard. Click here to learn more about about Band in a Box 2010...

We use a Cmajor chord for all examples.

 Major 7 Chords

1) The C Major Scale

The major scale (aka the Ionian mode) is the obvious choice of scale to play over a major chord. Beginners might want to read this music theory lesson: How to Construct Major Scales

The Ionian mode is played over I chords, in II V I chord progressions for example.

Something to look out for when using the major scale: the 11 (F in C major) is a so called avoid note for major chords because it is one half step above a chord note (the 3 or e). This does not mean you can not play this note, but is rather disharmonic when you keep hanging on it or use it as a target note.       

Over the Cmaj7 we play the C Ionian scale:

Here's the C Ionian mode in its root position on the guitar neck:

Here's a Metheny-esque example:

2) The Major Bebop Scale

The major bebop scale is a major scale with a chormatic passing tone between the 6 and 5 (b6). Learn more about the Bebop Scale...

3) The Cmaj7 Arpeggio

An obvious option as well: the C major arpeggio (C  E  G  B).
Here's a guitar lesson about Basic Arpeggio Shapes.

4) The Em7 Arpeggio

An Em7 arpeggio over C major gives us the 9 sound.

In this example I play an Em7 arpeggio with some chromatic notes:

5) Guitar Chord Shapes

An effective way to outline the harmony of a song is by playing single note lines that follow the shape of a guitar voicing. Play the voicing like you would play an arpeggio, fret one note at a time (do not let ring).

The following guitar lick uses the outlines of these basic chord voicings:

Band in a Box is the most significant contribution to jazz education since Jamey Aebersold records - Down Beat Magazine Click here for more information about how Band in a Box 2010 can help you learn how to improvise over chord changes...

 Major 6 Chords

6) The C Major Pentatonic Scale

The C major (=A minor) pentatonic scale is the C major scale minus 2 notes (11 and 7). The 11 is gone, which might be a good thing because it is an avoid note. The 7 is ommited as well, which gives this scale a bit more basic and less colorful sound. Such a sound can be effective for major chords with a strong tonic function (like ending chords) or for traditional jazz styles like Dixieland.

7) The E Minor Pentatonic Scale

The E minor (=G major) pentatonic scale has every note of the C major scale minus the 1 and 11, the least important notes of a chord.

An example:

8) The Am7 Arpeggio

The Am7 arpeggio gives us the C triad + the 6.

 Major #11 Chords

9) The Lydian Scale

The Lydian scale is the 4th degree of the modes and is played over major chords that have a IV function. Its only difference with the normal major scale is the #11. Because the 11 is raised a half tone, there is no avoid note in the Lydian scale.

10) B Minor Pentatonic Scale

The B minor (=D major) pentatonic scale works well over major #11 chords. It has the 3 and 7 + all the tensions. You can also use the B minor blues scale.

In this example I start with a blues lick and end with a F#m7b5 arpeggio (see point 13):

11) Gmaj7 Arpeggio

The Gmaj7 is a good choice to play over Cmaj7#11.

Here are the guitar tabs and mp3:

12) D7 Arpeggio

A D7 arpeggio works well as well:

13) F#m7b5 Arpeggio

A F#m7b5 arpeggio sounds nice. I use it in the example of point 10.

14) Bm7 Arpeggio

A Bm7 is good for ad lib phrases on ending chords because it contains the 6, 9 and #11, all popular tensions for end voicings. More about Jazz Endings...

Do you have more ideas? If you do, let us know here...

Related Links:

• 13 Ways to Improvise Over Minor Chords
• 13 Ways to Imporvise Over Half Diminished Chords

Back to Guitar Lessons