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I know that in jazz, we have numerous scale options over any given chord.

If we have a C major 7 and want an alternative to playing C Ionian, we pick a different scale that has the same 3rd and 7th and use that to add extra colour. Alternatives in this case are often Lydian, Lydian augmented and harmonic major.

Learning recently about 'avoid notes', using these scales seem to contradict some of the 'rules'. The sharp 5 in Lydian augmented will clash with the perfect 5th (essentially as a minor 2nd). Likewise, the flat 6 of harmonic major will also 'clash' in the same way. However, if we then 'avoid' these notes, then there is no point in picking either scale as you will just be left with conventional Lydian and Ionian.

Do we therefore talk about 'avoid notes' only in a different context to this sort of modal mixture?

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  • I’m not an expert on the concept of avoid notes but I dislike the term and feel it was poorly chosen. You can play any note any time, you just will hear different consequences. Sometimes you want the flavor of #4 and 5 rubbing against each other (Lydian) but it’s a strong flavor so you want to be aware of when it goes best. I think you’re coming up against the problem that the concept of “avoid notes” is too binary. It might be better to think of them as “be careful” notes. Don’t avoid them, just use them wisely.
    – Todd Wilcox
    Commented Sep 27 at 15:10

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Avoid notes are a concept used with beginning players to help navigate the basic scales taught in the chord-scale system. A player advanced enough to begin experimenting outside those basics — i.e., considering "alternative" scales — is expected to have a solid intuitive sense of which notes to use at what times.

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  • 'Avoid notes' were a thing long before we tried to kill melodic, chord-based improvisation with 'the chord-scale system'.
    – Laurence
    Commented Oct 27 at 17:28

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