Jazz Improvisation Tips

When it comes to coming to be an excellent jazz piano improvisation techniques improviser, it's all about learning jazz language. So unlike the 'half-step below approach' (which can be outside the range), when coming close to from over it appears far better when you keep your notes within the scale that you remain in. That's why it's called the 'chord range over' approach - it remains in the range.

So as opposed to playing 2 eight notes straight, which would last one quarter note ('one' - 'and'), you can split that quarter note into 3 '8th note triplet' notes - where each note of the triplet is the same size. The initial improvisation strategy is 'chord tone soloing', which implies to compose melodies making use of the 4 chord tones of the chord (1 3 5 7).

For this to work, it needs to be the next note up within the scale that the music remains in. This gives you 5 notes to play from over each chord (1 3 5 7 9) - which is plenty. This can be applied to any note length (fifty percent note, quarter note, 8th note) - however when soloing, it's generally related to 8th notes.

It's great for these rooms to come out of range, as long as they wind up resolving to the 'target note' - which will generally be one of the chord tones. The 'chord scale above' approach - precede any kind of chord tone (1 3 5 7) with the note over. In music, a 'triplet' is when you play three uniformly spaced notes in the area of 2.

Now you can play this 5 note range (the incorrect notes) over the same C minor 7 chord in your left hand. With this technique you just play the very same notes that you're currently playing in the chord. Chord range above - half-step below - target note (e.g. E - C# - D).

KEEP IN MIND: You also get a great collection of actions to play, from 7 - 1 - 9 - 3 - if you wish to play a brief range in your solo. However, to stop your playing from sounding predictable (and burst out of 8th note pattern), you need to differ the rhythms every now and then.