I would love to hear from you! Let me know if you found this lesson helpful. INTERESTED IN THE JAZZ IMPROV COURSE? Sign up Here: adam-smale.aweb.page/p/8277ba1e-7bc7-4f6d-996d-e7a2ce49b6c3
Do not forsake these gifts! I’ve been a professional jazz guitarist for 42 years and this guy (Adam) knows what he’s talking about! I started doing this with my teacher years ago and it’s the concept that advanced my playing the most.
@@Poodleoop Thanks for being able to see the bigger picture! It’s all about being able to have the control and wherewithal to play whatever you want and being able to make something up on the spot. Of course one should look into what the masters did to add into the art of it all. Thanks for your comment!
Brother I’ve had a guitar in my hands since I was 7 years old. Self taught. I’m about to turn 43. This is the lesson I’ve been needing for the past 20 years…. I’m beyond grateful. Much love from Tennessee!❤
One of the best lessons on jazz guitar. The emphasis on chord tones and enclosures is right on the money. Getting to the stage of using these ideas fluently may take some time and work but it is really worth it. Invaluable advice from Adam.
This is really instant gratification concept. The most effective way to quickly achieve results and not to get lost in the forrest of different concepts... Well done!
@@zorranism It really is simple and to the point. The only thing that may hold someone back is not knowing your fretboard or all possible chords to know your chord tones. Thanks for checking it out!
@@JazzRockswithAdam Bro do not underestimate your teaching style...maybe being compared to Bob Ross doesn't sit well with you but it's explains (for me anyway) why I watch your videos from beginning to end. The worse thing for me is an instructor whose style is distracts from the content. Some guys speaking tempo is too fast...others distract with attempts at humor and irrelevant comments about their lives and experiences. They probably mean well, but I have a lot of self doubt and anxiety about my playing after playing numerous gigs over the years and receiving lots of compliments about my playing. Your calm approach and focus on the information gives me confidence. Thanks.
@ Thanks for the kind words. I didn’t take your Bob Ross comment in an off way. Just more like, “Hmmm. Interesting.” All cool man. Thanks for digging the material. My next video coming out soon is sort of a follow up to this video.
@@danewoods7880 Personally I also tend to gravitate towards instructors who have that laid back demeanor. I'm a bassist, by the way. Great stuff in this video!
Hi, I didn’t know about “chord tones on Beats 1 and 3”. I knew about “enclosures” but it was never explained and demonstrated as clearly. I didn’t know about “replacing the major 7 with a 6”. I’ll watch this again, and the next video of yours. So you asked for feedback, I’m a retired pro who went to Jazz college and I learned from this. Great job! Thanks!
@@m.vonhollen6673 Hey, so nice to hear from you. Yeah, by strategically placing your chord tones, you can literally play anything you want in between them and you will still sound like you’re “making the changes.”
Your teaching approach unravels a mystery to thousands of us who spin our wheels for years if not decades trying to grasp the language of jazz improv . rock solid directions to jazz improv foundation if willing to woodshed this lesson +/- 6 months . Staring with one chord then 2, 4, II-V-I, I-IV-II-V, song, etc… as you generally outline . Thanks helping us understand jazz.improv as a second language😅
@JoseVijarro-st3gm I made more progress learning from him in a few days more than I learned in the past 20 years. Now I'm 53 and I'm beginjng to understand jazz and improvise!
I did this on a G7 with a blues and it was by far the best thing that opened up the fretboard and made me sound like an actual guitar player. This and triad pairs. Thanks
@ Thank you. I have been doing exactly this! In a blues I’ve been landing on the b3to the 3rd on the changes. I should definitely try the enclosures on Standards too!! ❤️👍
This is where it starts for sure. This should be the foundation of a jazz guitarist. The genius is in the simplicity. The chord tones are the strongest notes. Swing them, enclose them, and you have decent jazz lines.
I came from rock with the figure it out yourself approach - chord scale relationships, etc. Definitely took many years 😅 and still didn't sound anything like jazz until I started using chromatic enclosures
@@JazzRockswithAdam Yes, exactly, thanks so much for these strategies. I was scratching my head until now, it will still take a bit of drill to get comfortable, but this is an enormous boost. I did like and subscribe, so you know.
Just stumbled on your channel and this lesson is pure gold! I took lessons from a very talented piano player years ago. He had me doing enclosures constantly, over scales and such. I was too young to really take advantage of it but years later I have a better foundation and this lesson is really bringing it all together. Many thanks! Looking forward to more brother!
Very interesting approach I have to admit. I'm always skeptical when I see a "this will change your life" type of video but this is really good advice. You give great tools for practicing.
@@TheStreetFabulous Thanks! No untrue hype on my channel. I’m just a professional musician giving advice because there are so many videos out there that are half-baked and not coming from a place of knowledge and experience. Thanks for watching!
@@JazzRockswithAdam I tried your very first exercice on the piano and already the phrasing makes much more sense. I'm going to try to practice this on both the guitar and the keyboard and see what happens. You have one more sub.
I am one of the people who needed this. I have spent a lot of time with chords, arpeggios, major modes, melodic/harmonic minor modes, bebop scales, pentatonic scales and licks, but I've done almost nothing with enclosures even though I know they are very important. Anytime I study a transcription of a solo by a jazz great, there are enclosures in it. Just yesterday it was Django's "I'll See You In My Dreams". You had some really good ideas there, like the 5-note enclosure in 4/4 that moves the target back a beat with every measure -- very cool.! Thanks. Now I will watch your other videos.
@@mbmillermo I am so glad you found this helpful. It makes me happy. Now you can also use all the scales you learned now as extra fodder and different colors to draw from to play in between the chord tones!
Great lesson, this is the link to the disconnect many of us have between just playing scale notes and and sounding like trash to having it sound like you know what you're doing...time to woodshed this.
Great video! I had searched for the topic of playing changes in a systematic way on YT, and finally found it here. I also appreciate the way you encourage watchers to go through the process and not to give up. Thanks so much Adam!!
These are some of toughest exercises I have tried - and they really move you forward. I still struggle though, to always remember the next chord in the progression in good time to move to those chord tones.
@@bjarnesegaard5701 But it can be done! If I was able to teach myself this, anyone can. The reality is, you ALWAYS have to know what is going to be happening next in any style of music. Thanks for your comment!
Excellent lesson, thank you! All stuff I’ve heard, and known, but your articulation was really helpful and inspired me to pull out my bass and start working! Would love to see a vid about “out” playing - chord substitutions, and generally what sounds ‘hip’ where. Thanks so much Adam!
Very helpful for someone who wants to get serious! I wished, when I was young -in the early 80s, I would have had a chance to have a teacher like this and internet..I would have made progress so much faster. I hope you get a lot of "Thank you's" from the players.
❤ I`m really grateful for this lesson or strategy. It filled a few holes and bridged some concepts for me. I wasn't studying or practicing anymore. But I really like your approach as it is clear, to the point, well organized and presented. The step by step is so coherent and easy to follow. I see A few short disciplined & focused sessions daily will result in great improvement in a few months. Thanks for the guidance and motivation.❤
Been teaching for 20 years and never really thought of this. Its a brilliant and instantly musical way to get new students away from the chord/scale syllabus type mentality. Thanks very much. This instantly became part of my teaching. Have you ever tried it using the 2 and 4 as your anchor points instead of the 1 and 3? And what about when theres 2 chords in the bar do you still keep it the same? One thing, for enclosures/approaches, the note a whole step above directly to the chord tone should be in the scale youre suggesting. Maybe you mentioned this and i missed it or maybe you disagree? If youre on a major 7th hitting that #9 to the maj7 is gunna be rough. If youre on a maj7 and you target the 3rd you may not want to suggest #4 by going from #4 directly to the 3rd. Etc. Same story for a whole step below the target chord tone. Half steps fine to not be in the scale. Edit: to add, i never really approach/enclose the maj7 in general as ive never been able to get it to sound good like you mentioned. Just used it as an example.
@@vivsavagex Unless you’re playing a really slow ballad, and not playing 32nd notes, you can play whatever you want. It only sounds wrong if you sustain a wrong note (one of them spicy ones you mentioned). The chord tones on beat 4 work great as an anticipation to beat one. Same with beat 2 anticipating beat 3. But if you only target beats 2 & 4 all the time it just sounds weird. The idea is to line up the strong notes on the strongest beats. And yes. It’s still the same if you have two chords in a measure. Target beats 1 and 3. As far as anticipation goes, I like anticipating on the “up beat“ more. It lightens things up and there’s more forward motion. But beat 4 can work too. Especially on a fast tune.
This is by far the best video on RUclips about writing a cohesive jazz line. You literally explain the foundation of jazz melody in a few minutes. Thank you for posting.
@@felixtani4030 Thanks for checking it out. I would put the chord tones on the beat that the chord changes on. Or, where the pulse is being felt/stressed. Say you’re in 5. It could be on count 1 & 4, or on 1 each time if you’re counting 12312. In 7: 1234123 for example which could also be thought of as 1 & 5. Any place in the “time feel” where a natural accent happens, in other words.
These execises are some of the toughest I have tried but thy really move you forward, I still have a hard time remembering the next chord in the progression in good time to get to the those chord tones
Good day to you Adam, usually I dont comment. I am so happy to stumble over this video though that I gladly do. In the past I never really found my way into improvising and was pretty frustrated about it. A couple days ago I picked up my sax again after a years long drought. Remembered immediately that I dont have any clue of what I am doing. Randomly your video appears in my youtube feat. This is just what I needed. A logic and simple approach, adaptable to any level and easy to progress with. I can grind now and dont have to consider taking lessons again. Thanks a lot buddy and all the best to you and everyone else from Berlin ✌🏻😉
@@muller8713 That is amazing! It makes me so happy that you found the video and mostly that you find it helpful. It literally changed my playing doing this. Eventually you can fear no set of chord changes again. The cool thing is there is sooo much room to develop your own sound and style this way. Thanks for your comment, my friend!
It is all down to discipline now 😅 That alone makes it a challenge I have to admit. But I am hopeful the structured approach will make it easier to improve and through this easier to motivate myself to practice. And you are absolutely right, while doing all this there is room for my creativity and developing my own style 💪🏻😎
Great video and well explained. I will integrate this into my practice straight away. Practice the head, practice playing through the chords, practice these exercises.
You've got it right!... As a rock and blues rock guitar player... It is extremely difficult for me to get passed my instinctive reflexes and safe zones and switch my brain to jazz. But I'm trying. Although I am not very disciplined your video will be a foundation to gradually practice with a different mind set. Thanks for sharing the knowledge!!!
@@UnoUrong I’m glad you are going to find it helpful and use this moving forward. Don’t forget to check in with what your favorite jazz musicians are doing and work into your playing what they’re doing as well. Thanks for your comment!
Interesting. I'll try it out with 'Autumn Leaves'. I'm a fan of Joe Pass and his style and it seems like a monumental task to unpack/figure out what and how he's soloing since he's playing so many notes per measure.
@@place_desjardins That’s a great tune to this on, or any tune really. It helps you to really learn whatever song you’re working on. You get a deeper understanding of the song and how to weave an improvised line through its chord changes. Thanks for checking it out!
This is a great lesson. I’d figured this out some time ago but it took me ages to get there. I was looking at lots of videos on enclosures and knew about them and neighbour tones but I couldn’t put them together and link them over chord progressions. That’s what’s missing with so many other videos. There are lots of videos that say “here is a minor chord and here are some enclosures on the chord tones”. Not many show that chord moving as part of a progression.
Great lesson man, first time catching one of your videos and it is awesome, is like one of those egg of Columbus thing, once someone tells you it seems pretty obvious, as you are basically breaking down a complex problem into more basic ones; feels like you can get endless practice from a single piece just following what you mentioned here. One thing I'm concerned though is the lack of focus in rhythm, as it's not one of my strong points, and sometimes the right rhythm can make even just a few notes sound great, I wonder if you cover that in another one of your videos, I'm going to try luck and look for it. Huge thanks!
@@antoniogutierrez7218 Thanks for comment. Funny you mention rhythm. My latest video deals with just that. And in the video I direct you to 2 other videos that go even deeper into rhythm (also listed in the description section): The BIG problem with JAZZ ruclips.net/video/wjIGJ-w2h7E/видео.html
@@JazzRockswithAdamdoing well thanks! getting chances to jam with the musicians here. Humbled by the talent here and YOURS! thanks for sharing the knowledge 😊
This is a truely great learning approach. Thanks. For bars with two chords, using your system, do you have a preferred strategy? The obvious to me would be to play just one note per chord.
@@enricopg2 Thank you! Something I’m always striving for. I wish it was something I could explain other than it’s what I hear in my head first. Thanks for watching!
@JazzRockswithAdam I studied an amazing band class with teacher @RenatoAlvesguitar who really put my playing to test and made me start learning all the arpeggios...
Great video lesson as usual, Adam. Perhaps, as a suggestion for a future topic, you could spend more time on what you touched on at the end, ways to transition from these exercises to freely improvising. That part has always been a mystery to me. It's a lot of work just to get to the point where you can run chord scales, arpeggios, and all the examples you gave over the changes to a tune, at a reasonable tempo, but even after all that you still have not achieved the final goal of being able to mix everything up (and more) to play interesting and unpredictable lines. Is it really just a case of learning to play the exercises so well that when you improvise freely, it (the magic good stuff) just happens?
@@DMMusicSound In a way, yes. I think it’s about hearing a line in your head and playing it! And I don’t necessarily mean having perfect pitch. I mean a shape with rhythms. Then I put all this stuff to the rhythms. The rhythm is what creates a phrases, punctuation included. If you check out the suggested video at the end, that’s exactly where that one gets into: This is why you suck at jazz ruclips.net/video/8x3gNE3GD50/видео.html
@@iamtheweirdestone Thanks for watching. It’s a Jim Dunlop L, calico. You can find them on Amazon if you do a search. But, I reshape them so they’re playable. I haven’t found one thumbpick that doesn’t need to be reshaped in order to be playable for me. If you are a thumbpick user you might find this video interesting: Thumbpick: Everything changed for me when THIS happened! ruclips.net/video/Wcux4fmPptU/видео.html
Duuuu, awesome. All the years of listening to jazz guitar teachers focusing on harmony only, NOT doing what you’re doing, what a waste, lol. When you said 1 and 3 I’m like “WTF! No shit!” Damn…
Hi sorry if this was mentioned somewhere in the video but I am a little confused. I know you say try different chord tones, does that mean you are not trying to bring out the chord tones specific to the chord you are playing over? It seems like there are chords (G7 for example) where you are playing a min7 over a dominant7 chord.
@@Benso39 Hey there. To be more clear, I meant try using different notes for each chord to create different outcomes. Each chord has a R-3-5-7, or R-3-5-6. So if you played R-3 last time around on that chord, play 5-7. On the dominant 7 chord, the b7 is in fact a min 7th interval. So you would be correct. If it’s a G7, the 4 notes you could play would be G-B-D-F.
@@JazzRockswithAdam Thanks for the quick response and clarification. I had a brain fart and thought Dominant 7 chords were built with a major 7, when they are indeed built with a min7 lol. It makes sense now.
@@martchef 😂 Yeah, you’re the perfect person for this! It should help you navigate through different chords. Trust me. There’s way more than that in this song!
Jazz does not always use 4 note chords. Jazz uses mainly 7th chords (Major, minor, Dominant/altered Dominant, minor 7b5, diminished). Having said that, many times these chords are expressed using two and three note voicings. (Especially guitarists).
@ Ummm…I’m pretty sure that’s what I said in the video. And as a jazz guitarist, I should know. And yes, we often use shell voicings. But 7 and 6 chords contain 4 notes: R-3-5-7 (or 6)
Unpopular opinion: there are no 4-note chords, except b7 or diminished maybe. It's always ultimately 3-note "perfect chords" with a 4th note as an embellishment. That's why chosing between 6 or M7 matters so little in the end. And one should learn 3-note arpeggios before anything else.
@ I think you’re confusing playing chord voicings compared to playing lines using all 4 valid notes of a chord that I refer to in the video: R-3-5-7 or R-3-5-6 The 3 note voicings you’re referring to are shell voicings which have the 5th removed. But you MOST CERTAINLY can play all 4 notes of a chord if one wanted to.
Without any aggression or disrespect to Jazz, i can't tell the difference between "before" and "after" 😂 Maybe first one sound... unsure and awkward a bit, but again - for someone who don't listen to jazz there is no way to tell it's bad and not intentional.
@ I think I’m on my 4th watch. I just finished my first semester of college learning theory. I’ve been playing guitar for 25 years already though. I got a late start. So far I’ve learned enough to start to follow what you’re saying.
@@JazzRockswithAdam I was being a tad facetious... great lesson as always! Your step by step approach is a super way to discipline myself. Thanks again!
I feel ive been cheated my whole life since i figured out all the major, minor and sevenths chords in my sisters keyboard when i was seven yo. I always thought i had to become a jazz guitarrist before reaching the 30 years. Then i discover Dylan and Silvio Rodriguez and forgot about jazz. Now im a poet and i hope that i dont blow it... And love to play flamenco which is FAR more difficult than jazz...that form of art consequence of two world wars...
@@Bandojy Every genre of music is challenging and requires study. But welcome back to jazz if you want to explore this road again, once more. Thanks for watching!
@@bjarnesegaard5701 I got all 3. If you’re commenting on the app, try refreshing by pulling down. I bet your comments will pop up. It me a while to figure that out myself.
Yep sounds like jazz, to my ears, a whole bunch of non melodic poppy cock strewn together, but I'm just mad cuz it makes zero sense to me, but it certainly isn't catchy, nor particularly pleasant to my ears. Still, unfortunately, it's all Greek to me, even though I've been playing for 30+ years, oh well, I prefer kurt cobain, the stooges, black flag and the stones anyway. But thank you for helping some folks!
@@nickrichards3579 It may be that some knowledge gaps might be making it challenging. Nothing that can’t be remedied. However, it’s not for everyone. What I laid out is the antithesis of non melodic. This is how strong melodies are built. If it doesn’t excite you, I would play what moves you! ALL music genres require study and dedication to play it well. Thanks for your comment, Nick!
Julian Lage, Tim Lerch, John Scofield, Bill Frisell, Danny Gatton, Robben Ford, Ted Greene, Ed Bickert, Mike Stern... surely they didn't get your memo. Lol
I would love to hear from you! Let me know if you found this lesson helpful.
INTERESTED IN THE JAZZ IMPROV COURSE? Sign up Here:
adam-smale.aweb.page/p/8277ba1e-7bc7-4f6d-996d-e7a2ce49b6c3
@@JazzRockswithAdam Thanks bey much. Great lesson. Are the exercise tabs available?
@ I often sell a pdf along with a video lesson. But not this time. Sorry.
Do not forsake these gifts! I’ve been a professional jazz guitarist for 42 years and this guy (Adam) knows what he’s talking about! I started doing this with my teacher years ago and it’s the concept that advanced my playing the most.
@@Poodleoop Thanks for being able to see the bigger picture! It’s all about being able to have the control and wherewithal to play whatever you want and being able to make something up on the spot. Of course one should look into what the masters did to add into the art of it all.
Thanks for your comment!
Brother I’ve had a guitar in my hands since I was 7 years old. Self taught. I’m about to turn 43. This is the lesson I’ve been needing for the past 20 years…. I’m beyond grateful.
Much love from Tennessee!❤
@@jasonslayton2970 Hey Jason, that’s great. You’re the person I made this lesson for. Thanks for watching! I started when I was 7 too!
@@JazzRockswithAdam if you’re ever doing a workshop/ lessons or performance near Nashville please lmk!
@ If you want to join my email list. That’s the best.
One of the best lessons on jazz guitar. The emphasis on chord tones and enclosures is right on the money. Getting to the stage of using these ideas fluently may take some time and work but it is really worth it. Invaluable advice from Adam.
@@irishmuso7129 Thanks for checking it out and for your comment!
This is really instant gratification concept. The most effective way to quickly achieve results and not to get lost in the forrest of different concepts... Well done!
@@zorranism It really is simple and to the point. The only thing that may hold someone back is not knowing your fretboard or all possible chords to know your chord tones. Thanks for checking it out!
I love your chill & comforting demeanor, it's like watching Bob Ross for jazz :)
@@evan2217 I guess that’s cool. Thanks. I hope you found the info helpful.
@@JazzRockswithAdam Bro do not underestimate your teaching style...maybe being compared to Bob Ross doesn't sit well with you but it's explains (for me anyway) why I watch your videos from beginning to end. The worse thing for me is an instructor whose style is distracts from the content. Some guys speaking tempo is too fast...others distract with attempts at humor and irrelevant comments about their lives and experiences. They probably mean well, but I have a lot of self doubt and anxiety about my playing after playing numerous gigs over the years and receiving lots of compliments about my playing. Your calm approach and focus on the information gives me confidence. Thanks.
@ Thanks for the kind words. I didn’t take your Bob Ross comment in an off way. Just more like, “Hmmm. Interesting.” All cool man. Thanks for digging the material. My next video coming out soon is sort of a follow up to this video.
@@danewoods7880 Personally I also tend to gravitate towards instructors who have that laid back demeanor. I'm a bassist, by the way. Great stuff in this video!
@MrClassicmetal Thanks! Welcome.
“Now it’s a chord, now it’s a scale”…….lightbulb moment! Thank you! 😎
@@innerstream That makes me happy!
Hi, I didn’t know about “chord tones on Beats 1 and 3”. I knew about “enclosures” but it was never explained and demonstrated as clearly. I didn’t know about “replacing the major 7 with a 6”. I’ll watch this again, and the next video of yours. So you asked for feedback, I’m a retired pro who went to Jazz college and I learned from this. Great job! Thanks!
@@m.vonhollen6673 Hey, so nice to hear from you. Yeah, by strategically placing your chord tones, you can literally play anything you want in between them and you will still sound like you’re “making the changes.”
Not a hard-and-fast rule. (Those probably don't exist...especially in jazz.) c.f. Charlie Parker, etc. etc.etc.
@ Exactly! Like Bird said (paraphrasing) “Learn the rules and break’m!”
Your teaching approach unravels a mystery to thousands of us who spin our wheels for years if not decades trying to grasp the language of jazz improv . rock solid directions to jazz improv foundation if willing to woodshed this lesson +/- 6 months . Staring with one chord then 2, 4, II-V-I, I-IV-II-V, song, etc… as you generally outline . Thanks helping us understand jazz.improv as a second language😅
@@JoseVijarro-st3gm Man! You couldn’t have summarized that better. I’m really glad you find it helpful. ❤️
Thanks for posting!
@JoseVijarro-st3gm I made more progress learning from him in a few days more than I learned in the past 20 years. Now I'm 53 and I'm beginjng to understand jazz and improvise!
I did this on a G7 with a blues and it was by far the best thing that opened up the fretboard and made me sound like an actual guitar player. This and triad pairs. Thanks
@@JiMMY-my1ds See if you can do that for each chord when the chord changes. Thanks for checking out the video!
@ Thank you. I have been doing exactly this! In a blues I’ve been landing on the b3to the 3rd on the changes. I should definitely try the enclosures on Standards too!! ❤️👍
@ You’re on to something!
Great lesson explained so well. Great job.
@@tomwindsor8718 Thanks. I hope it helps you a lot!
This is where it starts for sure. This should be the foundation of a jazz guitarist. The genius is in the simplicity. The chord tones are the strongest notes. Swing them, enclose them, and you have decent jazz lines.
@@alexhoward1884 You got it! But, all instruments. Not just a guitar thing. Thanks for watching and for your comment!
Dude this is so helpful! It would be sweet if you could demonstrate this over some more tunes as well!
@@dominicklawrence3726 I have. In LOTS of videos! 😉
I came from rock with the figure it out yourself approach - chord scale relationships, etc. Definitely took many years 😅 and still didn't sound anything like jazz until I started using chromatic enclosures
@@sydrose13 it’s definitely a big part of the sound, for sure. Phrasing is the other big part of the puzzle. Thanks for your comment.
I've drilled my arpeggios in the past to play sweeping licks, so this got me going immediately. Thanks.
@@Simrealism Cool. So you likely know your chord tones already. Now you just play them in a different way!
@@JazzRockswithAdam Yes, exactly, thanks so much for these strategies. I was scratching my head until now, it will still take a bit of drill to get comfortable, but this is an enormous boost.
I did like and subscribe, so you know.
@ THANK YOU!!
Just stumbled on your channel and this lesson is pure gold! I took lessons from a very talented piano player years ago. He had me doing enclosures constantly, over scales and such. I was too young to really take advantage of it but years later I have a better foundation and this lesson is really bringing it all together. Many thanks! Looking forward to more brother!
@@matthewsciera3251 That’s awesome! You have no idea how much this puts a smile on my face.
Thank you with all you share.
@@richardwashbrook541 👍
Very interesting approach I have to admit. I'm always skeptical when I see a "this will change your life" type of video but this is really good advice. You give great tools for practicing.
@@TheStreetFabulous Thanks! No untrue hype on my channel. I’m just a professional musician giving advice because there are so many videos out there that are half-baked and not coming from a place of knowledge and experience. Thanks for watching!
@@JazzRockswithAdam I tried your very first exercice on the piano and already the phrasing makes much more sense. I'm going to try to practice this on both the guitar and the keyboard and see what happens. You have one more sub.
@ That’s awesome!!
I am one of the people who needed this. I have spent a lot of time with chords, arpeggios, major modes, melodic/harmonic minor modes, bebop scales, pentatonic scales and licks, but I've done almost nothing with enclosures even though I know they are very important. Anytime I study a transcription of a solo by a jazz great, there are enclosures in it. Just yesterday it was Django's "I'll See You In My Dreams". You had some really good ideas there, like the 5-note enclosure in 4/4 that moves the target back a beat with every measure -- very cool.! Thanks. Now I will watch your other videos.
@@mbmillermo I am so glad you found this helpful. It makes me happy. Now you can also use all the scales you learned now as extra fodder and different colors to draw from to play in between the chord tones!
Great lesson, this is the link to the disconnect many of us have between just playing scale notes and and sounding like trash to having it sound like you know what you're doing...time to woodshed this.
@@sgazzz Yes! I’m so glad you made that connection. There are secrets to the trade. Once you know them…
THis was very inspiring. It's simple enough to use right away and I can see how it would become very powerful after only a little while
@@joebloggs339 You nailed it!
Great video! I had searched for the topic of playing changes in a systematic way on YT, and finally found it here. I also appreciate the way you encourage watchers to go through the process and not to give up. Thanks so much Adam!!
@@jamesp8819 Hi James, great to hear from you. I always say, “If I can do it, anyone can.” Or, “Anything I can do, you can do better!”
These are some of toughest exercises I have tried - and they really move you forward. I still struggle though, to always remember the next chord in the progression in good time to move to those chord tones.
@@bjarnesegaard5701 But it can be done! If I was able to teach myself this, anyone can. The reality is, you ALWAYS have to know what is going to be happening next in any style of music. Thanks for your comment!
Excellent lesson, thank you! All stuff I’ve heard, and known, but your articulation was really helpful and inspired me to pull out my bass and start working! Would love to see a vid about “out” playing - chord substitutions, and generally what sounds ‘hip’ where. Thanks so much Adam!
@@meatwad61 Hey, that’s awesome. Thanks for your great comment!
@ I appreciate your appreciation 😂 fr tho!! Would love more content in this vein. All the best!!
@ The BIG problem with JAZZ
ruclips.net/video/wjIGJ-w2h7E/видео.html
Good job Adam, so thankful for your generosity! Thousand Blessings
@@marcoborge2128 Thank you! Don’t forget to practice this stuff while checking out the masters at the same time!
This video is amazing. Thank you so much for the concepts explained simply!
@@roknrole So glad you got something from it. Now go practice! 😉😄
Very helpful for someone who wants to get serious! I wished, when I was young -in the early 80s, I would have had a chance to have a teacher like this and internet..I would have made progress so much faster. I hope you get a lot of "Thank you's" from the players.
@@wolfgangrittner6637 Awww. Thanks Wolfgang. I hope you keep working on this stuff and see results soon. Take care!
❤ I`m really grateful for this lesson or strategy. It filled a few holes and bridged some concepts for me. I wasn't studying or practicing anymore. But I really like your approach as it is clear, to the point, well organized and presented. The step by step is so coherent and easy to follow.
I see A few short disciplined & focused sessions daily will result in great improvement in a few months. Thanks for the guidance and motivation.❤
@@CRP2426 Awesome! I’m so glad it’s helpful for you!
Been teaching for 20 years and never really thought of this. Its a brilliant and instantly musical way to get new students away from the chord/scale syllabus type mentality. Thanks very much. This instantly became part of my teaching. Have you ever tried it using the 2 and 4 as your anchor points instead of the 1 and 3? And what about when theres 2 chords in the bar do you still keep it the same?
One thing, for enclosures/approaches, the note a whole step above directly to the chord tone should be in the scale youre suggesting. Maybe you mentioned this and i missed it or maybe you disagree? If youre on a major 7th hitting that #9 to the maj7 is gunna be rough. If youre on a maj7 and you target the 3rd you may not want to suggest #4 by going from #4 directly to the 3rd. Etc. Same story for a whole step below the target chord tone. Half steps fine to not be in the scale.
Edit: to add, i never really approach/enclose the maj7 in general as ive never been able to get it to sound good like you mentioned. Just used it as an example.
@@vivsavagex Unless you’re playing a really slow ballad, and not playing 32nd notes, you can play whatever you want. It only sounds wrong if you sustain a wrong note (one of them spicy ones you mentioned). The chord tones on beat 4 work great as an anticipation to beat one. Same with beat 2 anticipating beat 3. But if you only target beats 2 & 4 all the time it just sounds weird. The idea is to line up the strong notes on the strongest beats. And yes. It’s still the same if you have two chords in a measure. Target beats 1 and 3.
As far as anticipation goes, I like anticipating on the “up beat“ more. It lightens things up and there’s more forward motion. But beat 4 can work too. Especially on a fast tune.
This is by far the best video on RUclips about writing a cohesive jazz line. You literally explain the foundation of jazz melody in a few minutes. Thank you for posting.
@@dwightb8323 Hey, you’re welcome. Hope to see you around here some more.
This is great and useful for all instruments! Do have any ways of doing it in odd meters?
@@felixtani4030 Thanks for checking it out. I would put the chord tones on the beat that the chord changes on. Or, where the pulse is being felt/stressed. Say you’re in 5. It could be on count 1 & 4, or on 1 each time if you’re counting 12312. In 7: 1234123 for example which could also be thought of as 1 & 5. Any place in the “time feel” where a natural accent happens, in other words.
@ Agree!
These execises are some of the toughest I have tried but thy really move you forward, I still have a hard time remembering the next chord in the progression in good time to get to the those chord tones
Great vid!!!
@@guitar9310 Thanks! Hope it is helpful for you.
Great lesson professor, gracias y saludos desde México!
@@charlexguitar Hola! Thanks for your comment.
Good day to you Adam,
usually I dont comment. I am so happy to stumble over this video though that I gladly do.
In the past I never really found my way into improvising and was pretty frustrated about it.
A couple days ago I picked up my sax again after a years long drought. Remembered immediately that I dont have any clue of what I am doing.
Randomly your video appears in my youtube feat.
This is just what I needed. A logic and simple approach, adaptable to any level and easy to progress with.
I can grind now and dont have to consider taking lessons again.
Thanks a lot buddy and all the best to you and everyone else from Berlin ✌🏻😉
@@muller8713 That is amazing! It makes me so happy that you found the video and mostly that you find it helpful. It literally changed my playing doing this. Eventually you can fear no set of chord changes again. The cool thing is there is sooo much room to develop your own sound and style this way. Thanks for your comment, my friend!
It is all down to discipline now 😅 That alone makes it a challenge I have to admit. But I am hopeful the structured approach will make it easier to improve and through this easier to motivate myself to practice.
And you are absolutely right, while doing all this there is room for my creativity and developing my own style 💪🏻😎
@ Yes, that’s what is the leveling field for everyone: you have to do some work. Keep going man!
This is how I learned , too, Adam!! Unfortunately I had to figure this out on my own lol but I have a nice chromatic style as a result. Cheers!! 🥂
@@jwinchester1320 DIG!!
Great video and well explained. I will integrate this into my practice straight away. Practice the head, practice playing through the chords, practice these exercises.
@@leemorse7851 That right there is a great practice routine! You’ll find you’ll end up knowing the tune inside out!
You've got it right!... As a rock and blues rock guitar player... It is extremely difficult for me to get passed my instinctive reflexes and safe zones and switch my brain to jazz. But I'm trying. Although I am not very disciplined your video will be a foundation to gradually practice with a different mind set. Thanks for sharing the knowledge!!!
@@UnoUrong I’m glad you are going to find it helpful and use this moving forward. Don’t forget to check in with what your favorite jazz musicians are doing and work into your playing what they’re doing as well. Thanks for your comment!
Interesting. I'll try it out with 'Autumn Leaves'. I'm a fan of Joe Pass and his style and it seems like a monumental task to unpack/figure out what and how he's soloing since he's playing so many notes per measure.
@@place_desjardins That’s a great tune to this on, or any tune really. It helps you to really learn whatever song you’re working on. You get a deeper understanding of the song and how to weave an improvised line through its chord changes. Thanks for checking it out!
This is a great lesson. I’d figured this out some time ago but it took me ages to get there. I was looking at lots of videos on enclosures and knew about them and neighbour tones but I couldn’t put them together and link them over chord progressions. That’s what’s missing with so many other videos. There are lots of videos that say “here is a minor chord and here are some enclosures on the chord tones”. Not many show that chord moving as part of a progression.
@@guitarmatb123 Exactly! That’s where the rubber hits the road. I truly hope this will help you moving forward. Thanks for checking it out.
Adam! I'm diggin' your channel, brother! Thank you!
@@michaeldean9338 Awesome! Welcome.
Great lesson man, first time catching one of your videos and it is awesome, is like one of those egg of Columbus thing, once someone tells you it seems pretty obvious, as you are basically breaking down a complex problem into more basic ones; feels like you can get endless practice from a single piece just following what you mentioned here. One thing I'm concerned though is the lack of focus in rhythm, as it's not one of my strong points, and sometimes the right rhythm can make even just a few notes sound great, I wonder if you cover that in another one of your videos, I'm going to try luck and look for it. Huge thanks!
@@antoniogutierrez7218 Thanks for comment. Funny you mention rhythm. My latest video deals with just that. And in the video I direct you to 2 other videos that go even deeper into rhythm (also listed in the description section): The BIG problem with JAZZ
ruclips.net/video/wjIGJ-w2h7E/видео.html
@@JazzRockswithAdam appreciate it!
@ 👍
Thanks so much, great stuff, very precise.
@@jorgevidal5453 I’m so glad it can help you out!
Great lesson, man!
@@AlexVonCrank Thanks!
Great video lesson look forward to more.... you say it how it is
@@Alan-zi2rs Thanks a bunch Alan. I truly hope this helps you on your path.
This is where I am in lessons and it’s a great addition to have and play back to practice. Thank you Adam ….from the Soo! 😊🎸
@@innerstream Hey, how ya doing. Thanks for checking it out!
@@JazzRockswithAdamdoing well thanks! getting chances to jam with the musicians here. Humbled by the talent here and YOURS! thanks for sharing the knowledge 😊
@ It’s surprising how much talent there is in that small town, right?
@@JazzRockswithAdam yeah and there’s no shortage of performances these days both small and large venues
@ 👍
Ok ...This is a cheat code, this exercise is pretty profound for me, thank you.
@@courtlaw1 That’s fantastic! I hope it takes you far. It did me.
This is such a cool lesson!
@@jkbck1 Thanks! Don’t forget to check out what the masters are doing so you can put that into your playing while working on this stuff.
Thanks 👍😊
@@TonoAyalaB-cf7uj 💪
This was super helpful!
@@kendalljones99 Awesome! Glad it helped you.
Thank you sir!!
@@KakaBoonBoon you’re welcome.
Do the strong beats change, if i play sixteenth notes ? Are 1 and 3 still the strong beats ?
@@Sarpi2000 Yes, still 1 and 3. In 3/4 the strong beat is beat 1. In 6/8 it’s 1 and 4. Thanks for your comment.
This is a truely great learning approach. Thanks. For bars with two chords, using your system, do you have a preferred strategy? The obvious to me would be to play just one note per chord.
@@jneily6074 You are correct! Still Beats 1 & 3. Thanks for watching and for your question.
What a beautiful tone!!! How do I get close to it? I love it!
@@enricopg2 Thank you! Something I’m always striving for. I wish it was something I could explain other than it’s what I hear in my head first.
Thanks for watching!
I learned this about four years ago, but if I had learned this some 15 years ago, it would be a hell of another story...
@@leomilani_gtr Awesome! Where did you learn this from?
@JazzRockswithAdam I studied an amazing band class with teacher @RenatoAlvesguitar who really put my playing to test and made me start learning all the arpeggios...
@JazzRockswithAdam And by playing with other good musicians in that band class, I had to learn all the arpeggios not to get busted...
@ Man, you were so lucky! I wish I had something like that growing up.
@@JazzRockswithAdam unfortunately I was already a grownup... It wasn't a music school, but an independent course.
I play rock but jazz is still a mistery to me 😅 thanks a lot
@@claudedeleu1189 I hope it helps.
Obrigado mestre!🔥🔥🔥👌
@@alexandre7185 Thanks!
Great video lesson as usual, Adam. Perhaps, as a suggestion for a future topic, you could spend more time on what you touched on at the end, ways to transition from these exercises to freely improvising. That part has always been a mystery to me. It's a lot of work just to get to the point where you can run chord scales, arpeggios, and all the examples you gave over the changes to a tune, at a reasonable tempo, but even after all that you still have not achieved the final goal of being able to mix everything up (and more) to play interesting and unpredictable lines. Is it really just a case of learning to play the exercises so well that when you improvise freely, it (the magic good stuff) just happens?
@@DMMusicSound In a way, yes. I think it’s about hearing a line in your head and playing it! And I don’t necessarily mean having perfect pitch. I mean a shape with rhythms. Then I put all this stuff to the rhythms. The rhythm is what creates a phrases, punctuation included. If you check out the suggested video at the end, that’s exactly where that one gets into:
This is why you suck at jazz
ruclips.net/video/8x3gNE3GD50/видео.html
@@DMMusicSound Oh, and thanks for checking it out.
@@JazzRockswithAdam thanks, I will watch it again with this in mind.
@ 👍
My dumbass definitely read "from meth to jazz" and I don't think I've ever been more intrigued by a video title 🤣
@@AlexH4774 I hope the surprise was good.
Very good 👍
@@audioracket509 Thanks!
Hey, great vid... what brand of pick is that? Ty
@@iamtheweirdestone Thanks for watching. It’s a Jim Dunlop L, calico. You can find them on Amazon if you do a search. But, I reshape them so they’re playable. I haven’t found one thumbpick that doesn’t need to be reshaped in order to be playable for me.
If you are a thumbpick user you might find this video interesting:
Thumbpick: Everything changed for me when THIS happened!
ruclips.net/video/Wcux4fmPptU/видео.html
Duuuu, awesome. All the years of listening to jazz guitar teachers focusing on harmony only, NOT doing what you’re doing, what a waste, lol. When you said 1 and 3 I’m like “WTF! No shit!” Damn…
@@Sleestackx Awesome! Yeah, instead of chord tone -> notes; It’s notes -> chord tone.
Hi sorry if this was mentioned somewhere in the video but I am a little confused. I know you say try different chord tones, does that mean you are not trying to bring out the chord tones specific to the chord you are playing over? It seems like there are chords (G7 for example) where you are playing a min7 over a dominant7 chord.
@@Benso39 Hey there. To be more clear, I meant try using different notes for each chord to create different outcomes. Each chord has a R-3-5-7, or R-3-5-6. So if you played R-3 last time around on that chord, play 5-7. On the dominant 7 chord, the b7 is in fact a min 7th interval. So you would be correct. If it’s a G7, the 4 notes you could play would be G-B-D-F.
@@Benso39 Did you mean I was playing a Gm7 over a G7?
@@JazzRockswithAdam Thanks for the quick response and clarification. I had a brain fart and thought Dominant 7 chords were built with a major 7, when they are indeed built with a min7 lol. It makes sense now.
@ Awesome!
only 10 chords ! lol from a pop/blues /rock player here .
@@martchef 😂 Yeah, you’re the perfect person for this! It should help you navigate through different chords. Trust me. There’s way more than that in this song!
Jazz does not always use 4 note chords. Jazz uses mainly 7th chords (Major, minor, Dominant/altered Dominant, minor 7b5, diminished). Having said that, many times these chords are expressed using two and three note voicings. (Especially guitarists).
@ Ummm…I’m pretty sure that’s what I said in the video. And as a jazz guitarist, I should know. And yes, we often use shell voicings. But 7 and 6 chords contain 4 notes: R-3-5-7 (or 6)
7th chords are 4 note chords: root, third, fifth, seventh (or 6th). No contradiction here.
@ Totes!
Unpopular opinion: there are no 4-note chords, except b7 or diminished maybe. It's always ultimately 3-note "perfect chords" with a 4th note as an embellishment.
That's why chosing between 6 or M7 matters so little in the end.
And one should learn 3-note arpeggios before anything else.
@ I think you’re confusing playing chord voicings compared to playing lines using all 4 valid notes of a chord that I refer to in the video: R-3-5-7 or R-3-5-6
The 3 note voicings you’re referring to are shell voicings which have the 5th removed. But you MOST CERTAINLY can play all 4 notes of a chord if one wanted to.
Without any aggression or disrespect to Jazz, i can't tell the difference between "before" and "after" 😂
Maybe first one sound... unsure and awkward a bit, but again - for someone who don't listen to jazz there is no way to tell it's bad and not intentional.
@@oldensad5541 you have to practice.
Chromatics are always great for Jazz.
@@KimchiSpringRoll Absolutely! It’s learning how to play the “wrong” notes the “right” way!
I thought it was Tom Hanks on the thumbnail 😁
@@jeanklein2198 I’ve never got that one before. 🤣
So how many times has everyone watched this video?
@@davidmiller571 even I would like to know.
@ I think I’m on my 4th watch. I just finished my first semester of college learning theory. I’ve been playing guitar for 25 years already though. I got a late start. So far I’ve learned enough to start to follow what you’re saying.
@ That’s great! I hope you find it helpful
Absolutely, I’ll be coming back to re watch again I’m sure.
So... aim for a target note on 1 and 3 - but play anything to get there!
@@seattlevegas66 Just about right. Of course taste, feel, and appropriate things in that style are important. But yeah, pretty much!
@@JazzRockswithAdam I was being a tad facetious... great lesson as always! Your step by step approach is a super way to discipline myself. Thanks again!
@@seattlevegas66 Dig!
I feel ive been cheated my whole life since i figured out all the major, minor and sevenths chords in my sisters keyboard when i was seven yo.
I always thought i had to become a jazz guitarrist before reaching the 30 years. Then i discover Dylan and Silvio Rodriguez and forgot about jazz.
Now im a poet and i hope that i dont blow it...
And love to play flamenco which is FAR more difficult than jazz...that form of art consequence of two world wars...
@@Bandojy Every genre of music is challenging and requires study. But welcome back to jazz if you want to explore this road again, once more. Thanks for watching!
omments here disappear
@@bjarnesegaard5701 I got all 3. If you’re commenting on the app, try refreshing by pulling down. I bet your comments will pop up. It me a while to figure that out myself.
yes! your first letter has already been consumed by the void!!
😴😴😴
Too bad. There’s sooo much valuable information here to learn from…
Yep sounds like jazz, to my ears, a whole bunch of non melodic poppy cock strewn together, but I'm just mad cuz it makes zero sense to me, but it certainly isn't catchy, nor particularly pleasant to my ears. Still, unfortunately, it's all Greek to me, even though I've been playing for 30+ years, oh well, I prefer kurt cobain, the stooges, black flag and the stones anyway. But thank you for helping some folks!
@@nickrichards3579 It may be that some knowledge gaps might be making it challenging. Nothing that can’t be remedied. However, it’s not for everyone. What I laid out is the antithesis of non melodic. This is how strong melodies are built. If it doesn’t excite you, I would play what moves you! ALL music genres require study and dedication to play it well. Thanks for your comment, Nick!
jazz needs a jazz guitar, some chamber for fullness & color. fat hollobody best except sooo thick, hard to play. anything but tele
@@raffyzoo2130 You couldn’t be more wrong. I think you’re listening with your eyes. What about Ed Bickert?
@@raffyzoo2130 There’s no such thing as a “jazz guitar” in reality.
@@raffyzoo2130 Lol, what???
Julian Lage, Tim Lerch, John Scofield, Bill Frisell, Danny Gatton, Robben Ford, Ted Greene, Ed Bickert, Mike Stern... surely they didn't get your memo. Lol
Right, all Tele players. Except for maybe Sco.