Piano backing tracks for Major scales

Music in major keys without piano parts made for improvise and exercise with on keyboard or piano.

Backing track for C Major scale including melody example

Only backing track:

C Major backing track with only chords (pdf)

Backing track with piano melody:

C Major backing track with melody notes (pdf)

Scale diagram for the backing track:
C major scale diagram

These backing tracks are music arrangements made for play along with using various Major scales, which are indicated with charts adjacent to each track. The Major Scales Backing Tracks album include instrumental tracks, in pop, rock and other genres.

The tracks are created to fit with a specific scale; therefore, you don't have to change scale during the song. A tip nevertheless: if you can't recognize the chords, be restrictive with – or use primarily as passing tones – the 4th and 7th notes (weak tones) in the scale since they will create dissonance against the 3rd and 1st scale notes in the I chord. For example, the 7th in C Major is B. Whereas the B tone will sound great over most diatonic chords in the key of C, it will sound a little dissonant played over the C chord (I chord).

It will usually not sound especially great when soloing with a backing track in the beginning. But if you continue the journey, your vocabulary (licks and phrases) will develop and that you play will sound more and more interesting.

But don't be afraid to experiment with notes outside the scale, which in sparse use can contribute a lot. For instance, try to find if the neighbor key to the root note in the scale will add some interest at some part of a track.

A melodic technique that can be incorporated is enclosure. This is practiced by playing notes, diatonic and/or chromatic, that surrounds a target note. This can, for example, be made when a chord changes and the target note could in that case be the root of the new chord.

Click on “Show scale” below the audio element for a diagram of the scale to use.

Backing tracks for Major scales presented by Pianoscales.org.