We will take a look at jazz radio in the following article. It is a good place to start if you are new to the subject. There is a lot more information available for those that want to make a more detailed study.
Playing Jazz Guitar – Common Scales Used In Jazz Guitar (part 2)
By Craig Bassett
Playing jazz guitar fluently is definitely a challenge. It is a lifelong study. People new to jazz often underestimate the sheer volume of information that needs to be absorbed. Especially in the area of jazz guitar scales!
In this article we continue looking at the most common scales used in jazz guitar. Mastering these common scales will help you build a valuable foundation of guitar scale knowledge and technique. This foundation will eventually enable you to learn more complex jazz guitar scales.
***Jazz Guitar Scales #2: The Mixolydian Mode***
–The Mixolydian Mode: Some Basic Theory–
This is a great sounding scale! To my ears it has a warm, rounded and bluesy sound. It is absolutely essential that you master it. No excuses. 
The mixolydian mode has the following formula…
1 2 3 4 5 6 b7
So what does this formula tell us? It tells us that the mixolydian mode is the same as the major scale (Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7), except it has a flattened 7th. Let’s work out the notes of the G mixolydian mode to make this clear…
Step 1:
Write down the notes of the G major scale. This gives us these notes…
G A B C D E F#
Step 2:
Flatten the seventh note of the G major scale. We have to do this because the formula of the mixolydian mode has a b7. So if we flattened the seventh, this gives us these notes…
G A B C D E F
These are the notes of the G mixolydian mode.
–The Mixolydian Mode: Where To Use It–
The mixolydian mode works really well over dominant 7th chords. This means that in the example above we would use the G mixolydian mode over G dominant 7th chords. The mixolydian mode works over dominant 7th chords because the formula for dominant chords is 1 3 5 b7. These chord tones are also found within the formula of the mixolydian mode.
To finish off this article, here is a chord progression for you to improvise over. To gain maximum benefit, you will need to record it so that you can solo over it. Another option would be to get a friend to play the chords for you…
// G dom7 / G dom7 / Bb dom7 / Bb dom7 //
To solo over this, use G mixolydian for the first two bars and Bb mixolydian for the last two bars. Be patient with yourself if you find this challenging. It just takes time and practice. It WILL get easier.
If you’re more advanced, you could make the progression harder by adding some extra chords. Here’s an example of what you could do…
// G dom7 / F dom7 / Bb dom7 / D dom7 //
Or here’s another variation…
// G dom7 / B dom7 / Bb dom7 / Ab dom7 //
Have fun with this stuff!
About the Author: Playing jazz guitar is nearly impossible if you don’t master scales. If you would like a step-by-step plan for doing this, then go to:
Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=150833&ca=Advice
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