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Jazz Improvisation

The document provides guidance on jazz improvisation. It lists influential jazz instrumentalists and vocalists to listen to such as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, and Ella Fitzgerald. It also outlines common scales used in jazz improvisation like the blues scale and pentatonic scales. Finally, it discusses approaches to composing an improvised solo such as developing a theme over multiple choruses and varying the melodic, rhythmic, and technical elements.

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686 views2 pages

Jazz Improvisation

The document provides guidance on jazz improvisation. It lists influential jazz instrumentalists and vocalists to listen to such as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, and Ella Fitzgerald. It also outlines common scales used in jazz improvisation like the blues scale and pentatonic scales. Finally, it discusses approaches to composing an improvised solo such as developing a theme over multiple choruses and varying the melodic, rhythmic, and technical elements.

Uploaded by

kathrynmnelson
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Jazz Improvisation

Basic Elements and Design LISTENING!! This is what will help you become a great soloist the fastest here is short list of jazz greats to go listen to:
Instrumentalists Duke Ellington (18991974), Louis Armstrong (19011971), Count Basie (19041984), Fats Waller (19041943), Sun Ra (1914-1993), Dizzy Gillespie (19171993), Thelonious Monk (19171982), Charlie Parker (19201955), Charlie Mingus (19221979), Oscar Peterson (19252007), Miles Davis (19261991), John Coltrane (19261967), Ornette Coleman (born 1930) Vocalists Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996), Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990)

Soloing Basic Ingredients


Common Scales (and there formulas): Blues Scale = 1, b3, 4, #4, 5, b7 Major Pentatonic Scale = 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 Minor Pentatonic Scale = 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 (based on natural minor scale) Modes: Ionian Major Scale X Dorian Second Degree of Major Scale X Phrygian - Third Degree of Major Scale X Lydian - Fourth Degree of Major Scale X Mixolydian - Fifth Degree of Major Scale X Aeolian - Sixth Degree of Major Scale X Locrian - Seventh Degree of Major Scale X

Most Common Chord/Scale Relationship Information: X7 = Mixolydian Mode X-7 = Dorian Mode XMaj7 = Ionian Mode XMaj7#11 = Lydian Mode X-7b9 = Phrygian Mode Common Progressions:

BLUES PROGRESSION USE BLUES SCALE BASED ON I

I7 IV7 I7 I7 IV7 IV7 17 17 V7 IV7 17 17


ii/V/I PROGRESSION USE MAJOR SCALE OF I FOR ALL THREE CHORDS

ii7 V7 IMaj7 = IMaj7


ex: Bb-7

Eb7#11 AbMaj7

You can use the Ab Major Scale to solo over all three chords

Composing a Solo
What are you trying to say dont say too much all at once Practice having a plan for each chorus Lyrical, Melodic, Rhythmic, Space, Leaps, Scalar etc Develop your chosen theme over a period of time Remind the listener of what you are trying to say

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