Quencho092
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im looking to improve my jazz improvisation skills. When i do jazz improv i typically stick to melodic minor and major scales. Somebody help me out!?
improving jazz improv skills
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seafoamer
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Re: improving jazz improv skills
Take a jazz standard & use only chord tones to solo through the form. Do it in every postion on the neck. Then do it on one stg at a time. Try to be melodic while just using chord tones. When u get good at that, you can do the same thing with the tensions of the chords instead.
Take a jazz standard & use only chord tones to solo through the form. Do it in every postion on the neck. Then do it on one stg at a time. Try to be melodic while just using chord tones. When u get good at that, you can do the same thing with the tensions of the chords instead.
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Quencho092
New member
Re: improving jazz improv skills
ok this confuses me.
I know chord tones are the separate notes that make up a chord. So you're saying get the chords of the song, and only use those chord notes to improvise? It's like compressing a scale down to chord or using arpeggios right?
What's a good jazz standard to do this to. I have satin doll, autumn leaves, natural blues in D by Wes, and a couple of other jazz songs. Is there a site that has jazz jam tracks to experiment this with?
ok this confuses me.
I know chord tones are the separate notes that make up a chord. So you're saying get the chords of the song, and only use those chord notes to improvise? It's like compressing a scale down to chord or using arpeggios right?
What's a good jazz standard to do this to. I have satin doll, autumn leaves, natural blues in D by Wes, and a couple of other jazz songs. Is there a site that has jazz jam tracks to experiment this with?
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seafoamer
Guest
Re: improving jazz improv skills
Yes, that's it. Those tunes are fine.
The point is, that when you come upon a chord change, say Dm7, you should be able to look at the neck as a palette that pertains to that chord. To see all the chord tones is the first step.
For years I used to jam along with Jamey Abersol music minus one Cd's. There are tons of them. Live jazz musicians were used, so the feels are excellent.
Yes, that's it. Those tunes are fine.
The point is, that when you come upon a chord change, say Dm7, you should be able to look at the neck as a palette that pertains to that chord. To see all the chord tones is the first step.
For years I used to jam along with Jamey Abersol music minus one Cd's. There are tons of them. Live jazz musicians were used, so the feels are excellent.
Quencho092
New member
Re: improving jazz improv skills
how many tones do chords consist of? root, 5th, 3rd, other stuff....
how many tones do chords consist of? root, 5th, 3rd, other stuff....
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seafoamer
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Re: improving jazz improv skills
Major: 1 3 5
Minor: 1 b3 5
diminished: 1 b3 b5
Augmented: 1 3 #5
Major 7: 1 3 5 7
Minor 7: 1 b3 5 b7
Dominant: 1 3 5 b7
Minor 7 b5: 1 b3 b5 b7
Diminished 7: 1 b3 b5 bb7
Major 7 #5: 1 3 #5 7
Minor/major 7: 1 b3 5 7
tensions are 9 11 13. each of these can be flated, natural or raised (#'ed)
i.e. I can play a A7b9 chord and add a #11 and #13 into my lines if I so desired.
Major: 1 3 5
Minor: 1 b3 5
diminished: 1 b3 b5
Augmented: 1 3 #5
Major 7: 1 3 5 7
Minor 7: 1 b3 5 b7
Dominant: 1 3 5 b7
Minor 7 b5: 1 b3 b5 b7
Diminished 7: 1 b3 b5 bb7
Major 7 #5: 1 3 #5 7
Minor/major 7: 1 b3 5 7
tensions are 9 11 13. each of these can be flated, natural or raised (#'ed)
i.e. I can play a A7b9 chord and add a #11 and #13 into my lines if I so desired.
Quencho092
New member
Re: improving jazz improv skills
the 9th 11th and 13th would be equivalent to the 2nd 4th and 6th right? Just up a scale?
During a song, do you play the chord tones for the key of the song and key changes, or for all the chords? I saw a video of some dude doing this on an acoustic and it sounded great, but i didn't understand it.
I guess ill map out a fretboard drawing to try and get these chord tones down or something.
the 9th 11th and 13th would be equivalent to the 2nd 4th and 6th right? Just up a scale?
During a song, do you play the chord tones for the key of the song and key changes, or for all the chords? I saw a video of some dude doing this on an acoustic and it sounded great, but i didn't understand it.
I guess ill map out a fretboard drawing to try and get these chord tones down or something.
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seafoamer
Guest
Re: improving jazz improv skills
Do it for each chord. U should be able to play really well "inside" a chord, before playing "outside" a chord.
Satin Doll is a great tune to work this on. It does a lot of ii-V-I progressions in a lot of different keys.
Do u have a real book? I used the illegal one for years. Hal Leanord just finally got the copyrights to print it legally. No jazzer should be without it. I think the new Hal Leanord one is the 6th edition. I saw it advertized in the Berklee newspaper thingie that they send me.
Right. Just up an octave.Quencho092 said:
Do it for each chord. U should be able to play really well "inside" a chord, before playing "outside" a chord.
Satin Doll is a great tune to work this on. It does a lot of ii-V-I progressions in a lot of different keys.
Do u have a real book? I used the illegal one for years. Hal Leanord just finally got the copyrights to print it legally. No jazzer should be without it. I think the new Hal Leanord one is the 6th edition. I saw it advertized in the Berklee newspaper thingie that they send me.
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seafoamer
Guest
Re: improving jazz improv skills
Start easy. If u know the notes in open position the best, start there. Figure out the chord tones to each chord of the song and play eight notes throughout the form hitting nothing but those chord tones. Do it till you really know the notes. You will also start hearing the inside lines and resolutions that exist in the chord progressions.
Another thing that is often overlooked is: the melody of the song. Play it and sing in lots until you can play it spot on anywhere on the neck.
It's amazing how many so called guitarist can't play "Happy Birthday" straight through from any note on the fretboard. try it. It's not as easy as it sounds. If you know your keys and your fretboard it's easy.
So So La So Do Ti
So So La So re Do
So So So Me do ti la
Fa Fa me do re do
When I used to do private lessons I used to point to a note and ask my students to play the song. Then I would let them point to a note anywhere on my board, and ask them which finger i should start from. Then I'd stay in that position and play it for them.
Melody is KEY! if you can't play simple melodies, Jazz will never happen.
Quencho092 said:
Start easy. If u know the notes in open position the best, start there. Figure out the chord tones to each chord of the song and play eight notes throughout the form hitting nothing but those chord tones. Do it till you really know the notes. You will also start hearing the inside lines and resolutions that exist in the chord progressions.
Another thing that is often overlooked is: the melody of the song. Play it and sing in lots until you can play it spot on anywhere on the neck.
It's amazing how many so called guitarist can't play "Happy Birthday" straight through from any note on the fretboard. try it. It's not as easy as it sounds. If you know your keys and your fretboard it's easy.
So So La So Do Ti
So So La So re Do
So So So Me do ti la
Fa Fa me do re do
When I used to do private lessons I used to point to a note and ask my students to play the song. Then I would let them point to a note anywhere on my board, and ask them which finger i should start from. Then I'd stay in that position and play it for them.
Melody is KEY! if you can't play simple melodies, Jazz will never happen.
Marinblues
New member
Re: improving jazz improv skills
This is a good FREE site which can help:
http://jazz-primer.com/
Marin
This is a good FREE site which can help:
http://jazz-primer.com/
Marin
