Jazz Improvisation Over Simplified!

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[@paulsimmons5726]

Richie, I’m a bassist who loves this channel. The basic theory of music is the same regardless of the range you’re playing in and your explanations are helpful to increase awareness!
Thanks for posting all these lessons, they are really appreciated!
Take care and be well!

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Paul, glad to be of help!

[@graxjpg]

This is what I have been doing basically, just beginning to become aware of the extensions and movements. This really does work! The more you pay attention to the true harmony while having something to latch onto tonally, the more you’ll see the possible melodies of the true harmony pass you by.

[@geckobaldy]

Hi Richie. ref the Dbm7 treatment, I understand the theory of what you are saying but don't understand the reasoning. I can see how it works using the backdoor dominant (Gb7 - Abmaj) idea though. Thanks for a great lesson.

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks! The way I see it is the theory explains the reasoning. Unless I don't understand what you mean by "reasoning" here.
😊

[@williamstanford7994]

Thank God for Richie....!!

[@gerardohormazabal1946]

Te quiero mucho Richie

[@lindsayblack8698]

Thanks for another great lesson/video Richie!

[@RichieZellon]

Glad you liked it!

[@dantoniomg3712]

This lesson is pure gold! Thanks

[@RichieZellon]

Very welcome!

[@gregb91401]

This is great. Can you explain what you're doing for target notes? I'm assuming you're starting your mixolydian or ionian scale on a chord tone from the measure your on? Are you also trying to outline chord tones on the quarter notes?

[@RichieZellon]

In all honesty when I'm improvising by just super-imposing the dominant and tonic scales, I'm mainly using my ear and not targeting specific chord tones that I hear like I normally would when playing over the original changes. That's because the chord tones of the super-imposed scales take on a different identity than what they would be in the original changes. What you view and hear as a 3rd or 7th might actually be called something different if you analyze the original changes. So if you want to target chord tones that represent those in the true chord changes, this is not the way to go. Like I said, it's a temporary simplified way of getting through the changes. Other than that, it's also a great ear training exercise because you have to create melodies that blend with the accompaniment while playing only 2 scales! As far as rhythms you don't have to limit yourself to anything. Swing 8th notes are the base.

[@archinsoni1254]

The real challenge I always face is to remember the next chord in line and try to play variation of the mode of that chord taken from harmonic minor or melodic minor.
Hell even if I just play the major scale modes it doesn't sound very smooth and musical.
How do you train yourself to smoothly shift from one set of notes to another thinking only and chord in the harmony.
It's just overwhelming.

[@RichieZellon]

There is no truly easy way to play jazz. You'll always be limited using 1 or 2 scales. That's why I stressed it in my disclaimer. The questions you ask cannot be answered in a sentence. They require an entire study. By the way, my online course gets into it in vivid detail: bebopguitar.richiezellon.com

[@terrymiller111]

Great concept and playing.

[@kurisurokku]

Thank you for this lesson Richie, I think this is going to be very helpful for me. Looking forward to working through these concepts.

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Shaun, glad to know it's helpful!

[@MikeS29]

I was keeping up for the first few minutes... Baby steps! Thanks for stimulating my (slow) growth.

[@RichieZellon]

You're welcome! Hang in there, learning and playing jazz is a lifetime journey...

[@mindjob]

Rule 3 is the most useful and easiest to use

[@MrRFasters]

Well. If you call this simple. I'll stick to blues, rock and pop ...

[@RichieZellon]

Well...I think you should because this is as easy as it'll get with jazz! :-)

[@udayanmustafi3963]

🎸

[@jazzwithgus2690]

You cannot do that for any standard but great idea ! For example I’m studying Armando’s Rhumba

[@RichieZellon]

That's why I said "almost". Note that I'm referring here to tunes based on functional harmony and not post bop harmony like in Chick Corea tunes. Those are not standards for beginners!

[@jazzwithgus2690]

@@RichieZellon yes right !