Foreword
What follows are a variety of approaches to improvisation, each with numerous applications.
These approaches include basic aspects of music, as well as scales, modes, chords and chord combinations. Their presentation is progressively more complex, so learning them in sequence should make it easier to grasp them as each appears.
Experiment using simple, specific actions to create each type of improvisation or change. Work on one exercise at a time until you have a good understanding and feel for how to do it well. Become aware of its impact on the music.
As you feel comfortable with a specific type of change, combine 2 types of changes together. Do this with as many different combinations of types of change as make sense. Gradually increase the number of types of change that you make. Introduce changes that you are comfortable with into your playing. Continue at this and you will eventually find yourself with a large library of resources by which to imaginatively and competently improvise.
A few very general tips are to start simply, work through the chords and rhythm and say something. Conceive of the shape of the musical line, its destination, the actual path followed and the atmosphere intended as you move through your improvisation.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. General – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 1
a. Definition
b. Description
c. Song Components
A. Initial Approaches – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -2
a. Improv Strategy
II. Time – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -2
a. Changes in tempo
b. Changes in meter
c. Changes in note length
III. Volume – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -3
a. Changes in loudness
b. Changes in accent
IV. Pitch Range – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -4
a. Changes in register (pitch location)
B. Advanced Approaches – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -5
a. Detailed Steps
V. Notes – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 7
a. Omissions
1. Essential Tones
2. Omitted Note Choices
b. Additions
1. Chord tones
a. Doublings
2. Non-chord tones
a. Runs
b. Ornaments
c. Substitutions
VI. Intervals – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 11
a. Definitions
b. Selected Intervals
c. Same Type Intervals
d. Mixed Type Intervals
e. Inverted Intervals
f. Altered Intervals
VII. Scales – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 16
a. Definition
b. Major Pentatonic Scale
c. Minor Pentatonic Scale
d. Major Blues Scale
e. Minor Blues Scale
f. Major Scale
g. Minor Scale
h. Modal Scale
i. Ambiguous Scales
j. Other Scales as Major Scale Alterations
VIII. Chords – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 22
a. Omissions
1. Essential Tones
2. Omitted Note Choices
b. Additions
1. Tensions
2. Chord Progressions
c. Substitutions
1. Inversions
2. Substitute Chords
IX. Modes, Scales and Chords – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -27
a. Chord Usage by Mode
b. Chord Usage Scale
X. Appendices – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -29
a. Interval Possibilities
b. Table of Relative Consonance
c. Scale Definitions
d. Modes by Major Scale Alteration
e. Scales by Major Scale Alteration
f. Essential Tones by Chord
g. Optional Tones by Chord
h. Chord Tensions
i. Chord Usage by Scale – In Depth