Music theory, made playable
The concepts behind improvising — short and practical.
Intervals & degreesthe building blocksHow chords are builttriads & 7thsKeys & the circle of 5thsfind what fitsThe 7 modescolour & mood
Chord–scale relationships
Improvisation starts by understanding which scales work over which chords. Each chord implies a scale or mode that contains its chord tones.
Target notes
When improvising, certain notes create stronger resolutions. These target notes are usually chord tones — the root, 3rd, 5th and 7th.
1Root
3Third
5Fifth
7Seventh
Tension & release
Great improvisation balances tension and release. Tension notes (2, 4, 6, b9, #11) create interest when resolved to stable chord tones.
Tension→Resolution
How Improvisio helps
Improvisio analyzes your progression to suggest:
- •The most appropriate scales for each chord
- •Highlighted target notes for stable resolutions
- •Visual guides for creating melodic phrases
- •Tension notes that create interest when resolved
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