BookatlasPiano Rabbit Hole: Improvisation Theory & Practice
861 / 18210 · Module 18 — Scales and Modes for Improvisation: What to Use, When, and Why← prev⊞ allnext →

18.40A practical scale hierarchy

When you see a chord:

First

Identify chord tones.

Second

Identify the key/context.

Third

Use the simplest scale containing those chord tones and fitting the context.

Fourth

Choose special colors only deliberately.

This is much better than:

“Chord symbol → memorize corresponding scale name.”