UPDATED
Apr 6, 2020
Essential Jazz Scales for `Ukulele
Melody, chords, licks and riffs all can be related back to scales.
PUBLISHED: Oct 5, 2012 UPDATED: Apr 6, 2020 • VIEWS: 33 • LESSON CODE: UL04j •
Instruments: ukulele Subjects: advanced • intermediate • jazz • scales
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Essential Jazz Scales for `Ukulele
A scale is simply a collection of pitches or notes, not really “this is a Jazz scale", “this is a Blues” or “this is a Rock scale”. It’s how a scale is used that really matters.
Most music starts with a scale. The melody, chords, licks and riffs all can be related back to a particular scale or scales.
After you mastering the six essentials scales below and start to explore more advanced styles of music, especially jazz. There are a few more scales that are needed to cover the broader harmonic palette that a typical jazz tune draws from.
Checkout the Related Video below for Examples in C Tuning, Open Position .
Due to the rich harmonic content of songs and somposition in the jazz repertoire the essential scale are, with their alternate names :
Scale Modes
- Ionian (Major)
- Dorian (Minor)
- Phrygian
- Lydian
- Mixolydian (Dominant)
- Aeolian (Natural Minor)
- Locrian
Traditional Scales
- Harmonic Minor
- Jazz Minor - Descending Melodic Minor, Tonic Minor
- Whole Tone
- Diminished
Alterted Scales
- Mixolydian +4 (Lydian Dominant)
- Mixolydian -2 -6
- Whole Tone
- Diminished
Contemporary Scales
- Blues (Minor Pentatonic)
- Pentatonic (Major Pentatonic)
And a few other altered and add notes scale are common. However after master the above scales is should be no problem deriving addtional scales from these essential scales.
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Videos
Videos for Essential Jazz Scales for `Ukulele.
The Seven Scale Modes, Open Position Examples
The seven scale modes on ukulele in open postions with TAB and scale diagrams.
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Related Lessons
Related Lessons for Essential Jazz Scales for `Ukulele at this time.
Diminished Scale for `Ukulele - C Tuning • Updated: Jan 4, 2016
The Diminished Scale scale is a symmetrical scale with a repeating pattern of whole steps and half steps. You only need three Diminished scales to cover all 15 keys.
C D Eb F Gb A Bbb Cb C'
Db Eb Fb G Abb Bbb Cbb Db'
D E F G Ab Bb Cb Db D'
Based on the major scale the Diminished Scale contains the following scale degrees: 1 2 b3 4 b5 6 bb7 b8 8
The theoretically correct spelling of the Diminished scale with the double flats (bb) are shown. However enharmonic note names can be used too make it a little easier to remember. Or simply use the repeating whole step and half step pattern.
The Harmonized Major and Minor Scale Charts • Updated: Sep 5, 2011
The Major Scale or Ionian scale is a diatonic scale, made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first one octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables “Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti/Si, (Do)”, the “Do” in the parenthesis at the end being the octave of the root.
A Practical Approach to Exploring Scales • Updated: Dec 21, 2019
On ukulele there aren't many positions where you can play a one octave scale from the root to octave. An instrument like the guitar with the additional lower strings five and six allows one to play a one octave scale in multiple positions in the basic 4-fret, 4-finger position. On ukulele there might be one or two depending on the scale and the key - and whether your using a low string four tuning.
This lesson offers a practical approach to practicing your scales on ukulele.
Six Essential Scales for `Ukulele • Updated: Apr 3, 2020
The six essential scales are: Blues, Major Pentatonic, Mixolydian, Dorian, Aeolian, and Ionian. From the six essential scales, you can get through a wide variety of traditional and contemporary music.
A scale is simply a collection of pitches or notes, not really a "this is a Jazz scale", "this is a Blues" or "this is a Rock scale". It's how a scale is used that really matters not its name.
Most music starts with a scale. The melody, chords, licks and riffs all can be related back to a particular scale or scales.
Related Books
Related Books for Essential Jazz Scales for `Ukulele at this time.
Related Lesson Series
Related Lessons Series for Essential Jazz Scales for `Ukulele at this time.
Related Lesson Files, Resources and Assets
Related Assets for Essential Jazz Scales for `Ukulele at this time.
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