Jazz Guitar Lesson: How to Improvise Over Rhythm Changes

[m3ntalcollid3r]

Can you apply the same concept to different songs that have faster changes that are not be bop tunes. I was looking/refering to Angle Eyes(I know there are other songs), but Im playing this for a gig I want to the hang of soloing over the B section. Any suggetions IsaacDarcheMusic?

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@m3ntalcollid3r Yes- the whole point of this approach is this: if you improvise using chord tones, it sounds like the changes. If the chords are changing really fast and you use scales, it will not sound like the changes.

[m3ntalcollid3r]

@IsaacDarcheMusic Ok, got it the song is a slow blues any ways I just want try to get away from scales for a while, do you have any videos on Arpeggios and if you dont mind considering doing some?

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@m3ntalcollid3r good idea :)

[1123stevewagner]

thanks DARSH! south park? anyone?

[rubbersoul420]

Is this Luke Wilson, I feel like I'm watching bad AT&T commercials.

[ProjectBerklee]

and which scales are we supposed to use??

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@ProjectBerklee check out my video on ii V I progressions- the chords change so fast that scales aren't really useful. And yes, I recommend memorizing all the possible fingerings for chord tones.

[ProjectBerklee]

how do you spontaneously find the chordtones SO FAST while improvising? are you supposed to work them out as you go along, or should you memorize where all the possible chord tones are before improvising? please someone answer! thanks a lot =D

[MrAzomite]

thanks isaac, really helpful stuff. i am especially interested in your comment that, upon looking at transcriptions of bird and trane, we will see a lot of roots and fifths: would this include Giant Steps era coltrane? also, i've heard it said from people who've transcribed (i'm just at the beginning of my jazz guitar journey and haven't got started with this yet) that a surprising amount of notes will be plain ol' diatonic, like 80%. is this your conclusion too?

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@MrAzomite Absolutely. If you transcribe Coltrane's actual solo to Giant Steps, you'll find he uses diatonic shapes extensively (arpeggio inversions and 1,2,3,5 of a major scale also called a "tetrachord". In fact, you HAVE to use diatonic shapes to play Giant Steps. Chromatic means color- throw in some chromatic notes for color. 80% diatonic, 20% chromatic is a good start. Transcribe Bird and Trane. Learn the language. They always play melodies - even at super fast tempos.

[Josiahjjr]

Very good lesson. I'm applying this to my trombone playing as well.

[thepuzzler1]

What cool about jazz guitar is at first it sounds like random notes but if you try to play just random notes it sounds like crap so its a unique style if music that takes a lot of practice and experimentation to master

[moncmon]

I LOVE YOU MAN!!! THANK YOU

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@moncmon cool man. You're welcome :)

[ddbunker]

Really nice work Isaac, thanks for the great support, guitar designer, and fan

[flipadiddle]

luke wilson's jazz guitar lesson

[BASSHEAD89030]

@flipadiddle HAHAHA THATS WUT I THOUGHT 2

[SetMiner]

Good lesson I can hear the changes when your playing your lines.

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@SetMiner Thanks man- yeah that's the whole point- using this method, the lines outline the changes



[lillbern]

i've found that what William is saying very true for comping! For soloing I know that the root and fifth are extremely strong tones to use as well as the third of course. AS guitar players we are often told to leave out roots and fifths in chords but, again that is usually said for rhthym playing in big bands or comping situations. Just another opinion.

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@lillbern yes, but this isn't a lesson about comping. It's about playing lines through rhythm changes. qualifying statement: many players avoid the 5th because the bass and piano are often resolving to the root at the same time. if you are resolving to the 5th in parallel motion, the result will be parallel 5ths, which is against the rules in tonal counterpoint. However, you can resolve to the 5th in contrary motion. That said, most jazz does not follow the rules of counterpoint anyway.

[getupanddosomething]

Thank you for this video Isaac. I learned a valuable lesson, and that's that I've been trying to play too many chord tones. I've been trying to play them on the 1 and the 3 and it's been near impossible over rhythm changes. Thanks for simplifying it all. You have a good sound and I can tell you are a great player. Even just by that tags! Keep putting out lessons, I'm subscribed now, and I'll be looking forward to the next video!

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@getupanddosomething thanks for the positive vibes! I'll have a video on practice up soon.

[maxpowd3r]

great lesson, thanks!

[zotos777]

Dear Isaac, the 8th notes between the chord tones are played according to the scale chorresponding to the chord. So say there is a chord change from G7 to Am than I can start with a 1,3,7 on G7, play the mixolydian or melodic minor ( corresponding to G7) and move to Am. I would land on the first beat of Am with 1,3,5 and play, say the dorian ( 8th note s) until i reach the next chord on the 1,3, 5,7 ??????

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@zotos777 thats correct. 2 things- 1) If you resolve to chord tones in the C major triad you get C, E and G which are the 3, 5 and 7 of the Am7 chord. So, you can play the same lines that you would if you were resolving to C major.

2) IMPORTANT you only have three 8th notes before the next chord tone. A scale is 7 notes. DO NOT PLAY A SCALE for each chord. You can repeat notes and you can use chromatic notes not in the scale. Transcribe. Scales are useless for songs w/ lots of chords.

[zotos777]

Dear Isaac, the 8th notes between the chord tones are played according to the scale chorresponding to the chord. So say there is a chord change from G7 to Am than I can start with a 1,3,7 on G7, play the mixolydian or melodic minor ( corresponding to G7) and move to Am. I would land on the first beat of Am with 1,3,5 and play, say the dorian ( 8th note s) until i reach the next chord on the 1,3, 5,7

[GLeone221]

Play the 3rds and 7ths of the chords... thats how you hear the changes...

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@GLeone221 Play the root, 3rd, 5th or 7th- that's how you hear the changes. That's what I mean by chord tones. Don't limit yourself to 3rds and 7ths- Coltrane, Parker, Davis don't. 

[William102582]

@IsaacDarcheMusic 3rds and 7ths define the harmony a lot more that the root and 5th. Of course you can use all 12 notes too;-)

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@William102582 Wrong! If you transcribe John Coltrane and Charlie Parker, you'll see. They use the root and 5th very often and almost never resolve to the 7th on the tonic chord. Somehow 3rd and 7th have become jazz education orthodoxy, but if you transcribe a lot of the greats, they don't do that.

[William102582]

@IsaacDarcheMusic Play the root and 5th can you hear if it's major or minor?

[William102582]

@IsaacDarcheMusic Play the root and the 5th, can you hear if it's major or minor?

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@William102582 can you tell if a chord is major or minor if you play the 7th? No. This is an exercise for playing lines, not just guide tones. Improvising lines if much more complicated than simply playing guide tones. If I were you, I would start with Charlie Parker. Have you checked him out?

[William102582]

@IsaacDarcheMusic I didn't say not to play other notes other than the 3 and 7! either you just don't want to understand me or you're just plain dumb.

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@William102582 william- No need to get nasty. I understand you fine. I simply disagree with you. I believe my lesson speaks for itself- not only can you hear the harmony in the lines I play, but the lines I play are creative and integrated. The lines I play are not memorized bebop licks, yet they still "make the changes." I felt that your comment took away, rather than added to my lesson, perhaps because you did not pay close attention to what I was saying and playing or we disagree.

[ramitelaviv]

thank !

do us good and play your improvision slowly

since minute 2:08

so we can study what you play

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@ramitelaviv Thanks for the nice note. You can transcribe what I do, but it's more important to come up with your own lines using this rule. Don't just copy me!

[signalphx]

Finally, something with logic that is playable and repeatable on rhythm changes.. thank you. How about finishing the verse and then doing the bridge. Thanks

[BeatBay]

you are awesome i love your lessons. THANK YOU

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@BeatBay Thanks man, I'm gonna have more up soon. Best,

Isaac



[BeatBay]

@IsaacDarcheMusic I am looking forward to your new lessons, Issac! You are a great Teacher!

[qrstvids]

Thanks, this is a great way to give a novice some direction in jazz improvising!

[HendrixcommaMartin]

What kind of guitar is that?

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

@HendrixcommaMartin It a custom archtop made by Dave Bunker bunkerguitars(.)com

[iranegbi]

great lesson! thank you

[iPR0SH0T]

@johnnypeace37 haha he looks just like that guy

[BrettSaraghi]

Thanks Isaac,

swingin'

[Gminor7]

Thanks Isaac, great lesson!

[belectronix]

hey great playing man!

[handdancin]

sounds great! i cant believe how few guitarists can actually play rhythm changes- I have heard so many atrocious solos that hardly hit the changes...even on the radio!

[IsaacDarcheMusic]

Thanks for checking the video out. You can use notes from the scale on the offbeats . You can also use chromatic notes not in the scale.

[gtrdoc911]

Isaac, thanks for explaining this concept. I think I'll have to listen to this many times over to fully understand what you're talking about so I'll give this vid plenty of hits:). So the offbeat notes can even be off the scale you're playing, right?