Jazz Guitar Improvisation

• I memorized and played the major and minor scales in five different positions along the guitar neck in the keys of C and G. Click here for recordings.

Over the next few days, I learned all seven modes (Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian). Modes are just variations on major or minor scales in which the root note changes. For example, D Dorian is a C major (Ionian) scale, with the root being a D rather than a C. I played the major modes (Ionian, Lydian, and Mixolydian) and the minor modes (Aeolian, Dorian, Phrygian, and Locrian) in the key of G. Click here for my recording of each mode in the key of G.

I then applied my knowledge of modes to the four songs I’m studying. I identified each song's key and the mode associated with each chord in the progression. The Roman numerals denote each chord's relationship to the root (for example, E minor is the III chord in the key of C major). I then played the mode for each chord. 

Autumn Leaves  (G minor)

Cmin7 (IV - C Dorian) → F7 (VII - F Mixolydian) → Bbmaj7 (III - Bb Ionian) → Ebmaj7 (VI - Eb Lydian) → Amin7b5 (II - A Locrian) → D7 (V - D Phrygian) → Gmin7 (I - G Aeolian)

Autumn Leaves Modes

Watermelon Man (F major)

F7 (I - F Mixolydian) → Bb7 (IV - Bb Mixolydian) → C7 (V - C Mixolydian)

Watermelon Man Modes

Midnight Blue (F minor)

Fmin7 (I - F Dorian) → Gmin7 (II - G Dorian) → Abmaj7 (III - Ab Lydian)

Midnight Blue Modes

Chitlins Con Carne (C major)

C7#9 (I - C Mixolydian) → F7 (IV - F Mixolydian) → G7 (V - G Mixolydian)

Chitlins Con Carne Modes

Week 2

This week, I began to apply the music theory I’ve learned to two songs: Autumn Leaves by Chet Baker and Blue Bossa by Dexter Gordan. I wrote out the full progressions for each song, including the scale degree of each chord's root and the corresponding mode. I highlighted aspects of the chord progression that demonstrate some of the theory concepts I've learned this week.

Autumn Leaves (Bb major/G minor)

A

Cmin7 (IV - C Dorian) → F7 (VII - F Mixolydian) → Bbmaj7 (III - Bb Ionian) → Ebmaj7 (VI - Eb Lydian) → Amin7b5 (II - A Locrian) → D7 (V - D Phrygian) → Gmin7 (I - G Aeolian)

B

Amin7b5 (II - A Locrian) → D7b9 (V - D Phrygian) → Gmin7 (I - G Aeolian) — → Cmin7 (IV - C Dorian) → F7 (VII - F Mixolydian) → Bbmaj7 (III - Bb Ionian) — → Amin7b5 (II - A Locrian) → D7 (V - D Phrygian) → Gmin7 - C7/F# → Fmin7 - Bb7/E → Ebmaj7 (VI - Eb Lydian) → D7b9 (V - D Phrygian) → Gmin7 (I - G Aeolian)

Blue Bossa (Eb major/C minor)

A

Cmin7 (VI - Dorian) — → Fmin7 (II - Dorian) —

B1 

Dmin7b5 (VII - Locrian) → G7 (II - Mixolydian) → Cmin7 (VI - Dorian) —

C (switches to Db major)

Ebmin7 (II - Dorian) → Ab7 (V - Mixolydian) → Dbmaj 7 (I - Ionian or Lydian)  — 

B2

Dmin7b5 (VII - Locrian) → G7 (II - Mixolydian) → Cmin7 (VI - Dorian) → G7 (II - Mixolydian).

Relative minor: Every major key has a relative minor with the same notes. The relative minor is always three half-steps (semitones) lower. For example, Autumn Leaves could either be in the key of Bb major or G minor. As both scales contain the same notes, the root note determines the key (centering around a G would create a minor sound, whereas centering around a Bb would create a major sound). Musicians tend to refer to the degrees of a scale in terms of its relative major. 

Secondary Dominants: In week 1, you may remember that the fifth chord in a minor scale is naturally minor. However, the D7 chord in Autumn Leaves is major instead. A major dominant V chord resolves to the I chord much more nicely than a minor chord. In this case, changing Dmin7 to D7 creates a stronger resolution to Gmin7. This common technique is called a secondary dominant.

9th, 11th, and 13th Extensions: A D7b9 chord is highlighted in green in the B section of Autumn Leaves. Adding 9th, 11th, and 13th extensions is a common jazz technique to enrich the flavor of a chord. As a scale contains seven notes, the 9th is equivalent to the 2nd, the 11th is equivalent to the 4th, and the 13th is equivalent to the 6th. 

Key Changes: You may have noticed that the chords in the C section of Blue Bossa do not belong to the song's key of Eb major. That's because the song briefly switches to Db major—one whole step lower. The chords in this section follow the common progression in jazz—the II-V-I progression.

The next steps...

• I came up with three different ways to voice the chords in the A-section of Autumn Leaves. The guitar has six strings and multiple octaves, so there are many ways to play the same chord. For example, instead of playing a G7 chord like this: G-B-D-F, you could play D-F-G-B. 

• I learned the full chord progressions and melodies for both Autumn Leaves and Blue Bossa. 

• Navigating chord changes that pass by quickly can be challenging, so I worked on two patterns to target the notes in each chord of Autumn Leaves. I targeted the third of each new chord because the third is the most distinct note of a chord. 

Here are all the recordings for Autumn Leaves and Blue Bossa.

To any juniors considering the project, if there’s a skill you really want to learn or a hobby you want to take to the next level, I would definitely recommend the SIP. If it’s something you would regret not doing, then take advantage of this opportunity. It is a lot of work, so make sure it’s something you enjoy and would do on your own without someone pushing you to meet deadlines. Plan ambitiously (you can always remove stuff), set concrete goals, and enjoy the process. 

• The C section starts the same as the B section, but this time, the Gmin6 chord walks down chromatically (Gmin7 → Gb7 → Fmin7 → E7). The last three chords are not in the diatonic key of G minor, which creates a richer harmony. 

• In some versions of the song, a C7 chord takes the place of the Gb7 in order to serve as a secondary dominant to Fmin7. However, this progression substitutes a Gb7, which is a tritone (six semitones) away from C. This is a common technique in jazz called tritone substitution.

• The E7 serves as a secondary dominant for Amin7b5. 

At this point, I knew which scales to play over which chords, except for one... the D7b13. This chord requires an altered scale, the formula for which is 1, b2, b3, b4, b5, b6, b7. Specifically, the D altered scale is D, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C. Click here for a recording of me playing the D altered scale. 

With all the chord and scale knowledge, I began improvising over the entire form of Autumn Leaves. I focussed on targeting the third of each new chord, which is the most distinct note in a chord. The most difficult part is being aware of each chord while trying to improvise. Here's a recording of me improvising over the entire song.

Check back next week for recordings and analysis of the solos played by Chet Baker and Dexter Gordan in Autumn Leaves and Blue Bossa.

The numbers represent each position in the scale relative to the root note of each chord. For example, the first note over the Cmin7 chord is a Bb, the flat 7 in a C Dorian scale. In measure 46, the same note, Bb, becomes the flat 3 over the Gmin chord. Chet Baker often uses arpeggios to emphasize each chord, such as the A diminished arpeggio in measure 44. He frequently plays an Adim7 arpeggio—the same as D7b9—over the D7 chord. In measure 50, notice how Chet plays the sequence D-F-A-C. This is a D7 arpeggio, but it works over the Bbmaj7 because it comprises the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th degrees of the Bb major scale. Chromatic movements, such as in measures 40, 65, 69, and 77, enrich the transition between diatonic notes in the scale. Approach tones, such as in measures 64 and 69, anticipate the next chord by playing notes central to that chord (e.g., the root, 3rd, 5th, or 7th). 

Motivic phrases marked by the same shape have similar rhythmic and melodic lines, but Chet tends to vary them each time. For example, the phrases in measures 52-53 and 64-65 start similarly. However, the first phrase ends with an ascending and descending D-altered scale, while the second ends with a chromatic approach to D, the root. 

To recap, this song's form is ABCB. The A section (measures 2-5) is two bars of Cmin7 followed by two bars of Fmin7. The B section (measures 6-9) is Dmin7b5 → G7 → Cmin7 for two bars, which is an II-V-I in C minor.  The C section (measures 10-13) is Ebmin7 → Ab7 → Dbmaj7 for two bars, which is a II-V-I in Db major (this section switches to the key of Db major). Measures 14-17 are like measures 6-9, but with a G7 in the last measure to resolve to Cmin7 (secondary dominant). These are the scales associated with each: C Dorian and F Dorian over the A section; D Locrian, G Altered, and C Dorian over the B section; Eb Dorian, Ab Mixolydian, and Db Ionian over the C section. 

Motifs marked with a star demonstrate Gordan's tendency to maneuver up and down the scale for long stretches. However, each motif is unique. For example, measure 25 begins with 5-2-4-2 before ascending the scale. Meanwhile, measure 33 begins with b3-4-2-4 before ascending, reversing the high-low pattern in measure 25. If Gordan wanted to vary this motif further, he could play the scale in measures 33-34 ascending first and then descending. 

Interestingly, he plays a descending Gbmaj7 arpeggio in the second half of measure 28 over the Ab7 chord. As the B section switches to Db major, Gbmaj is in the diatonic key. Gordan often plays long strings of 8th notes that ascend and descend, with a pair of 16th notes at the top,  such as in measures 25-26 and 27-28. 

Navigating a rapidly changing chord progression can be difficult and daunting, so I created a system of arpeggios connecting each chord. I use these arpeggios as a home base for improvising more creative melodies. 

Using these arpeggios for guidance, I created a number of melodic ideas. Here are a few: 

In the next couple of days, I plan to experiment with building new arpeggios from the third of each chord. For example, a Cmin7 chord contains the notes C(1), Eb(b3), G(5), Bb(b7). Starting with the third, we have the notes Eb, G, Bb, which is an Eb major triad. We can add a D (the ninth of C minor) to make this an Ebmaj7 chord. The same process works for the next chord, F7, which contains the notes, F(1), A(3), C(5), Eb (b7). Starting from the third, the new chord is A, C, Eb, an A diminished triad. We could add the ninth (G) to make it a half-diminished seventh chord (A, C, Eb, G), or the flat ninth (Gb) to make it a fully diminished seventh chord (A, C, Eb, Gb). Viewing each chord as a new chord starting from the third opens up more melodic possibilities. 

When I began this project, I knew that mastering jazz improvisation was going to take a bit longer than five weeks. However, I've learned a lot of music theory, improved my technique, and built more vocabulary for improvising. This project has given me a solid foundation of knowledge and the tools to keep exploring jazz improvisation in the future. I highly recommend it to any juniors interested in music.