Lesson 11
Lesson 11 • Motivic Playing on Giant Steps Part II Here’s the rest of the Giant Steps exercise, again with the emphasis on rhythmic motifs. While you’re at it, check […]
Lesson Ten
Lesson Ten • Motivic Playing on Giant Steps As discussed in the last lesson, a well-conceived solo usually consists of about 70% melodic ideas and 30% running eighth note lines. This […]
Lesson Nine
Lesson Nine • Developing Rhythmic Accuracy One important aspect of improvising is maintaining rhythmic interest. A well-conceived solo consists of about 70% melodic ideas and 30% running eighth note lines. […]
Lesson Eight
Lesson Eight • Reharmonizing with ii-7 V7s from the Diminished Scale Previously, we isolated four minor tetrachords found within the Diminished Scale. This lesson uses this material to give you […]
Lesson Seven
Lesson Seven • Diminished Scale Tetrachords When last we encountered the Diminished Scale, we isolated four 7th-chord arpeggios that are contained in it. This time out we’ll look at the minor tetrachords (four-note […]
Lesson Six
Lesson Six • Diminished Scale Structures The Diminished Scale in Jazz is mostly used as an expression of a dominant chord with b9, #9, #11 and natural 13. The exception […]
Chord of the Week 33
Here’s a chord that can be moved around the neck. No open strings. This is also usable as Eb Ma7+4, F13, B7alt, and A-7b5. Maybe even Dsusb9? Not bad. The […]
Chord of the Week 32
Note: I wrote this in 2004! I don’t know how these scurrilous accusations about resolution and voice leading come from. But, my fellow carbon-based life forms, you have my fullest […]
Chord of the Week 31
Note: I wrote this in 2004! Any notion that last week’s chord and this here chord could be used as a ii-7 V7, and that they do, in fact, voice […]
Lesson Five
Lesson Five • Using Triad Arpeggios Last time out, I wrote some triad fragments to get you started playing triad arpeggios. This lesson is about why you might want to […]
Chord of the Week 30
If you combine a basic B-7 voicing with the open E you get consecutive whole steps on top. And extra credit. Can you say “Bossa Nova”? I knew you could.
Chord of the Week 29
If you left out the open E on top, you’d have a plain old vanilla voicing for F minor. Which might be great on a piece of pie, but we’re […]
Chord of the Week 28
Sometimes moving four fingers is just too much work—especially when it’s hot and humid out. If you’re feeling lethargic, take the previous chord and just move two fingers to create […]
Chord of the Week 27
If I didn’t know better, I would swear the previous two chords and this one were resolving around the cycle (up a 4th). Hopefully, when I wake up, it will […]
Chord of the Week 26
Oh yeah, but if you have so much tension for the first chord, how do you follow it with something that’s just as, if not more, interesting? I have absolutely […]