Making the changes

[adan]

I have a slight problem. I read a jazz theory book and the book explained a lot and really helped.but i'm still confused about making the changes when improvising.what i want to know is if a song has a lot of chord changes. what can i do to ease up the strain of making the changes from scale to scale. i understand modes, using guide tones, using the appegios of extended and altered chords, and chromatics to make the changes.Is there any other way to ease upm the strain?also with music with alot of changes can i use 4th voicings andcan i go outside the music with scales that are not related such as a half step away or tritone substitutions.

 

[Linky Lee]

You can use the method you're using, fitting scales to chords and playing the changes this way.

Or you could use the key centre method, which I think is easier to get into but maybe harder in the long run.

You relate the chords to a key and use the scale of that key. Your choice of note then changes as the chords change, but you still use the same key, You can then ebellish these with notes from other modes, related key's and blue notes to be harmonically more interesting with the chords moving underneath.

There is a book I have on improvisiong which is ok, I wouldn't say it's fabulous (Simon@Jazzwise probably knows some much better books) but it gives a basis of both methods.

It's called 'amazing phrasing'. It has a few good ideas in it and some mediocre exercises. It works all right as an all round summary, but if you wanted to go into detail you'd want something else.

 

[phil_edwards]

Linky_Lee wrote:
You can use the method you're using, fitting scales to chords and playing the changes this way.

Or you could use the key centre method, which I think is easier to get into but maybe harder in the long run.

You relate the chords to a key and use the scale of that key. Your choice of note then changes as the chords change, but you still use the same key,

Hi Linky, can you clarify this with an example? I think I know what you mean but not certain.

regards, Phil

 

[Linky Lee]

Ermmm.. I'll try.

Take the chord sequence Cm7, F7, Bb7.

You could decide to play Dorian on C over the Cm7 as Dorian is a minor scale and fits.

C, D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb

Then you might decide that you will play an F blues scale

F, Ab, Bb, B, C, Eb,

Then you'll take a Bb major scale for the third chord.

Bb C D Eb F G A Bb

Instead of thinking in terms of scales for each chord you could choose this method:

Cm7 is chord II of Bb Major
F7 is chord V of Bb Major
Bb7 is obviously Chord I of Bb Major.

So you use the Bb major scale for the whole lot.

You then choose your notes from that scale and miss out certain notes depending upon the chord underneath.
To make it more interesting you'll embellish with tones from outside the scale, like introducing the Ab over the F7 and Bb7 chord as the minor 3rd, then the 7th.

As the chords relate together a lot, the example isn't drastic. But when you have chords that aren't do obviously related or are substitutions, it gets complicated as you're note choices get very limited and it's often better to start looking at a new key centre.

If the next chords where C7, F7, G7. They'd all fit within a Bb key pretty easily, but it would be easier to think in C major over the three chords. with a I, IV, V progression instead of a IImaj, V, VIMaj progression in Bb.

 

[phil_edwards]

Got it, thanks

Phil

 

[Simon]

.. don't play all the chords!

Most of the time you don't need to anyway and in fact trying to run every chord just (to me) sounds mechanical cos you end up in the 1/8th note dash of monotony.

I've just spent a week on the Jazzwise Summer School... and one of the main points to really get as a saxophonist is that music is way more than just the harmony notes.

Check out the great tunes - they've all got strong melodies and/or driving rhythms. Where's the changing running? If you understand and can play guidetones and all that altered stuff, what's missing - melody and rhythm. Harmony's only one factor man.

Refocus, study melody, articulation / phrasing and listen to what's gone before...

My 5p,

Simon

Adan wrote:
I have a slight problem. I read a jazz theory book and the book explained a lot and really helped.but i'm still confused about making the changes when improvising.what i want to know is if a song has a lot of chord changes. what can i do to ease up the strain of making the changes from scale to scale. i understand modes, using guide tones, using the appegios of extended and altered chords, and chromatics to make the changes.Is there any other way to ease upm the strain?also with music with alot of changes can i use 4th voicings andcan i go outside the music with scales that are not related such as a half step away or tritone substitutions.

 

[philthd]

remember that you can play any note over any change as long as it makes sense in some way.

its at last as important that the shape and line and melody of a solo has some form of inner logic to it, and the odd "clashing" note - especially if it fits within the overall tonality of the piece - will just provide some tension.

theres a lot to be said for slavishly staying within the changes - but its not the be all and end all, especially if your rhythm section decide to sub the changes

 

[adan]

I cant thank you enough. that was really helpful. some of what u explained i had noticed but by accident. but u enlightened my understanding. so thanks.