The turnaround on the modern changes is one of my favourite things about this whole progression. It sits in an interesting harmonic grey area — not quite major, not quite minor — and that ambiguity is exactly what makes it so rich to improvise over.
What you’ll get out of this lesson
A clear understanding of the two-bar turnaround, why it works harmonically, and a comprehensive list of scale options to experiment with over each chord. There’s also a loop to practise against straight away.
The turnaround itself
It’s a variation of a I–VI–ii–V that functions in a minor key. The progression is:
A-7 — F#m7b5 — B-11 (or B-7b5) — E7alt
This two-bar loop blurs the lines between a traditional major I–VI–ii–V and a minor i–VI–ii–V. The root movement and chord qualities pull in both directions, and that tension is exactly what makes this turnaround sound so compelling in a modern/fusion context. Here’s a loop of just those two bars to experiment with:
Arpeggios first
Before going to scales, nail the arpeggios over each chord. Outlining the chord tones directly is the clearest way to navigate a progression, and it will make any scales you add on top sound more deliberate and musical.
Scale options for each chord
A minor 7: Dorian, minor pentatonic, Aeolian, harmonic minor, melodic minor, Dorian #4, Dorian pentatonic (1 b3 4 5 6)
F#m7b5: Locrian, Locrian natural 2, Locrian natural 6, half-whole diminished
Bm11: Dorian, Locrian, Locrian natural 2, Dorian pentatonic (1 b3 4 5 6), Locrian pentatonic (1 b3 b5 b6 b7)
E7alt: Mixolydian, altered, Phrygian Dominant, half-whole diminished, Mixolydian b2, Mixolydian b6, altered pentatonic (1 b2 3 b5 b6)
Making sense of the ambiguity
The reason this turnaround sits between major and minor is that the A-7 could be the i chord in A minor or the vi chord in C major; the F#m7b5 hints at a VI chord in A minor; and the B-11 to E7alt is a classic ii–V pulling back to A minor. When you improvise, you can lean into that major-minor tension deliberately — for instance, playing a major sound over the A-7 before resolving into something darker over the E7alt.
Taking it further
Try using just the Dorian pentatonic (1 b3 4 5 6) over the whole turnaround and notice how it navigates all four chords with minimal clashes. Then contrast that with using the altered scale exclusively over the E7alt — hear how much more tension and release that creates on the V chord.
Your homework
Loop the two-bar audio above and spend ten minutes experimenting with the scale options listed. Pick one scale per chord and stick with it for a full minute before swapping. By the end of the session you should have a clear sense of which options are your personal favourites on each chord.