An Improvisational Approach to Practicing Scales in Thirds Over a Chord Progression
Can’t figure out how to go from practicing your scales to actually playing them in your solos? Give this exercise a try.
Use Simple Triads to Get Away from Root-Based Improvising
Guide tone lines and triads are a concrete way to sound good over any chord changes, especially difficult, non-functional harmony.
Using the Keyboard to Transcribe Harmony from a Pop Song (EWF “Sign On”)
This is on the intermediate to advanced side, but no reason not to start doing this even if it feels over your head currently. I can’t overstate how important it is to get to the keyboard to visualize harmony.
How I practice soloing over a 4-chord rock loop (Plus a transcription challenge)
Ever wonder how to go from just scales and chords to soloing? Here’s how I do it.
Explaining Pentatonic Scale Variations
This video explains the basic pentatonic scales and a few of their lesser-used but awesome-sounding (if slightly confusing) cousins.
A Modern Sound on Minor II-Vs: Applying the Pentatonic Flat 3 Scale
This five-note scale type, applied to different parts of a chord progression, yields a really cool sound.
Enclosures: 12 Exercises to Help You Understand (and Practice) Them
Enclosures are notes that enclose a target note (and a staple of bebop). These 12 exercises will help you get a hold of the concept in a quick, practical way.
4 Important “Jazz” Scales Derived from Melodic Minor
Melodic minor is an important scale in jazz. But it can be a bit confusing at first. Here’s how I approach it (and 4 important jazz scales derived from it).
Lower Neighboring Tones – an Example from John Coltrane’s Solo on My Shining Hour
By turning Coltrane’s phrase into an exercise, we can develop facility for playing more interesting (chromatically decorated) lines over chord changes.
Step by Step Process to Play Scales with Speed and Perfect Execution
A rock-solid approach to getting things under your fingers—without your fingers flying—and leading you to more responsive and even execution.
Exploring the sounds of Ionian vs Lydian—and why choose one vs the other
Practicing for chord tones, common tones, intervals, relevant, scales, and motivic ideas.
Using Vocabulary to Practice Technique (Starring Bis and Side Bb)
Zoom in (and out) on a sliver of a song to address important technical limitations.
What does it mean to work on triads on a scale?
This exercise opens up tons of options as an improviser. It helps break you out of a scale-based, or stepwise sound.
Add More Grease to Your Groove Playing (by Practicing This)
A (conceptually) simple way to get to the next level when playing over static, repetitive, or loop-based chord sequences.
Dealing with Identical chords a half step apart
What makes this kind of thing work is intervallic movement, contrary motion and solid connection between chords.
Minor II-V, Tritone Sub, and the Harmonic Minor Scale: the Last 4 Bars of “Sugar”
Brian asked a great question in the Forum about some of the harmonic features in “Sugar.” I want to address one of the harmonic moves he mentioned.
Working the altered dominant scale – Tubby Hayes’ solo on Pint of Bitter
A very blues-y (almost Stanley Turrentine-esque) tenor solo with some great altered scale action.
Let’s talk about practicing scales: common mistakes and a better approach
There is no “one way” to do it, but there are definite things to avoid—and things to do—that will have a massive impact on your control of the instrument over time.
Chord Exercises 3 – Dominant Descending (from flat 7)
Sharpen your technique while familiarizing yourself with dominant 7th chords throughout your instrument.
Chord Exercises 2 – Augmented Descending
Sharpen your technique while familiarizing yourself with major thirds all over your instrument.
Chord Exercises 1 – Diminished Descending
Sharpen your technique while familiarizing yourself with minor thirds all over your instrument.
Practicing Patterns Efficiently
Patterns can be used for good or evil. Here’s how to make spectacular use of them in the shortest amount of time possible.
Playing Bebop Over a Dominant 7th Groove
Making a straight-ahead bebop line work over a one-chord groove.
I don’t know how to play the more jazzy and colorful notes of chord changes
Those juicy notes you’re looking for, they’re inside that chord and scale. Here are some ways I prefer to find them.