jazz lessons

7/23/2019 Jazz Lessons

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/jazz-lessons 1/152

..............................*** LESSON NUMBER 21 ***..........................

.....

Lessons 12-15 gave recommended DVD's and CD's for wise purchasing.Lessons 16-20 gave enough information on chords to last you a full year.

Now we will return to basic instruction going along with the book again.In Lesson 9, we studied some basic scale patterns that can be used forplaying along with the first few tracks on the CD. These patterns aren'texactly "licks" and should simply be thought of as patterns that will helpyou get used to the scales, and offer a starting point for improvization.

The basic patterns and some helpful tips for practice are given on pages9-19, but we have just used the first seven patterns so far (pages 9-13).Now it's time to go ahead and look at the rest of the patterns (20 in all),so review pages 9-13 now, then continue reading all the way to page 19.

When you're finished with the reading, turn back to page 78 in the book,and you will remember that all the suggested patterns are written out inthe key of Bb here, for trumpeters to use with track 2. You can play thepatterns with track 2 by simply reading them all right off the page!

Some super organized people will have the urge to systematically learn

all 20 patterns, in every possible key and mode there is before going on.There is no need for this. I would probably only play paterns 3, 7, 11, 12,13, 19 and 20, and only over the minor scales given on pages 78 thru 82.This will give you a great start without repeating alot of material in wholenotes, half notes, and quarter notes, etc. You should go ahead and markthose recommended patterns on pages 78-82, and then you're all set.

You can practice these patterns away from the CD, or along with it. Try tovary the rhythms a bit, which will bring you a little closer to improvizationalready. When playing them along with the tracks, you should not feel thatyou must play them exactly as written. Remember they are a springboardto launch improvization from. If you feel inspired to experiment, go aheadand have some fun. Experimentation is exactly what you need.

Experiment all the time, but take it slowly... always trying to prehear eachidea in your mind. Do not just play a bunch of random notes. If all you canhear is just a note or two, then that's what you should play... Later you willhear 3 or 4 notes, and then more. You crawl, then you walk, then you run!!Do experiment by improvizing without the CD tracks too. Trying to keep upwith the count, and the chord changes can hamper the creative process.

You can improvize some on all 12 major scales as you're working on them.Spend the most time with the "newer, harder ones". Do improvize a little onevery scale as you practice it. This will help you to learn them even faster.

Be sure to practice your seven minor (dorian) scales this way too, as well

as your four minor blues scales. You will find those scales are just beggingto be played. Don't worry about these scale patterns too much, they're justthere to help get you started...

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 22 ***........................

.........



"FOUR MEASURE CADENCES" ...or... "THE II/V7/I CHORD PROGRESSION"

This lesson represents a big and very important step in the improvizationstudent's developement. You should re-read Lesson 16 "the 7 modes" andLesson 17 "the 7 diatonic chords" at this point before going on...

You'll recall that the major scales can be played starting on each of theirseven tones, making seven "modes". You'll also recall that all the majorscales have seven different "diatonic chords" associated with them, eachstarting on a different scale step (just like the modes). So each of the 12major scales have seven modes, and seven diatonic chords.

Also recall that each of the seven diatonic chords is labelled with a romannumeral, depending on which step of the scale it is built from, and each ofthe seven modes has a special name (Ionian, Dorian, Mixolydian, etc...).

Now turn to page 74 of the play-along section in your book, and look at theTrack 6 "FOUR MEASURE CADENCES" section. The first line has the chordsG-, C7, and F Maj. This would be the II chord, the V chord, and the I chordin the key of F major. Some are triads, and some are seventh chords, butthis makes no difference to us right now. The only thing that matters is thatthey are built on the 2nd step, the 5th step and the 1st step of the F majorscale, and therefore they are the "II, V and I chords in the key of F".

It's probably better to point out that the V chord is really a V7 chord, but assoloists, it won't matter to us if the piano player is using a triad, a 7th chord,or even a 9th chord, since it won't effect what scale we will use to improvizewith anyway. I'll talk about this more later. The main thing is just to see that we're using the II, V7, and I chord in F major.

Now let's look at the scales that are recommended for use with each of thesechords. LOOK! They're all modes of the F major scale. Notice the II chorduses the 2nd mode, the V chord uses the 5th mode, and the I chord uses thefirst mode (Dorian, Mixolydian, and Ionian).

The notes of the F major scale will sound good over every chord on thatwhole first line! This is some very important stuff here folks. It's now timeto really make sure you get this!! I know we're using different modes witheach chord, but they are all modes of the same F major scale. They all usethe exact same notes. All the chords are built from the tones of the F majorscale, and all the notes of the F major scale sound good when played overall of these chords. When you think about it, it all makes perfect sense!And... it all works in every key! Let's check it out:

First line ........... II/ V7/ I in F ............ F major scale works throughout!Second line........ II/ V7/ I in G .......... G major scale works throughout!Third line........... II/ V7/ I in A ........... A major scale works throughout!

Fourth line......... II/ V7/ I in Bb ........ Bb major scale works throughout!Fifth line............ II/ V7/ I in C ........... C major scale works throughout!Sixth line .......... II/ V7/ I in D ........... D major scale works throughout!

Feeling brave??? You know what to do! Review this lesson a little, then...GO FOR IT!!! Put that CD in the player and advance it to Track 6. Noticeeach line repeats so you don't get lost. Now, jump right in!! You'll most



likely want to listen to the track a bit first, then play along.

You could try just playing the first five tones under each chord symbol aseighth notes to get you rolling... then, gradually begin improvizing freely,bravely, without the slightest sadness that you miss some notes now andthen. Keep it simple, simple, SIMPLE, but don't worry about mistakes!!

Experiment... and make lots of mistakes! Who cares? It's your first time...Stop occasionally just to listen. Hum, and count measures. Begin to feel thechord changes just like you did on the earlier tracks, then play some more.

It'll feel a bit awkward at first! How could it be any other way? But it DOESget better and better, day by day, week by week... until it's so easy you'lllook back and wonder how it ever felt so odd at first!! HAVE FUN!

..................................*** LESSON NUMBER 23 ***......................

............

..."THAT TRICKY FOURTH STEP OF THE MIXOLYDIAN AND IONIAN MODES"...

When we played along with Tracks 2 thru 5, we were using one minor scale

over one minor chord for several measures at a time. We were able to holdany of the scale tones at any moment and it would sound pretty good. If youhave already begun playing along with Track 6, presented just above in ourLesson 22, you might have already noticed that there are a couple notes inthe scales, that if held at certain times can sound "wrong or bad". You mighthave wondered how there could be any "clinkers" in these suggested scales.

While we notice that the first line on Track 6 can be played using only onemajor scale all the way through, for this discussion I'd prefer to refer to thescales used for each chord by their "modal names". In other words the scaleunder the G- symbol would be G dorian, the scale under the C7 symbol willbe C mixolydian, and we'll call the scale under the F Maj symbol F ionian.

The problem lies with the fourth steps of the mixolydian and ionian modes...Look at the material for Track 6 again on page 74 in the book. During the C7chord, the fourth step of its corresponding mixolydian mode can sound wrongif held for a couple of beats or more. Similarly, during the F Major chord, thefourth step of its corresponding ionian mode will also sound wrong if held forany length of time.

During the C7 chord the "problem note" would be F, and during the F Majorchord the "problem note" would be Bb... If you have not yet noticed this onyour own, go now to the CD player and put on Track #6. Do remember thatwe are using the first line as our example here, but this problem exists withthe fourth step of all the mixolydian and ionian modes. Play along now withTrack 6 and intentionally hold out the note F during the C7 chord, and also

hold the note Bb during the F Major chord. Not very pretty, are they?!

If you just play them for a short time, passing through on the way to othernotes of the scale, there's no problem. It's when you hold those notes out fora couple of beats or more that the problem arises. The fourth step in each ofthese two scales "clash" with the third step, which exist in the chords.

There is no problem with the fourth step of the minor/dorian scale we usedwith the G- chord (for example) and its fourth step can be held anytime w/osounding bad. It is just the fourth step of the mixolydian and ionian modes



that we have to be careful with.

It's not a very big issue if one is playing notes that they've "pre-heard" as partof a melodic idea. Your mind won't tell you to hold that "problem note" anyway,since you instinctively know it would sound bad. Just go slowly and pass through it on the way to other "good sounding" notes. If you always play what you 'hear' you won't have any problems. There is an old saying in jazz that I once heard(and later originated) that goes something like this: "If you hear it, it can'tbewrong!" There is alot of truth to that statement...

Just go slowly and be careful with that fourth step, and later you won't haveproblems with this tricky note at all. Soon you won't even notice it anymore.Keep practicing, and do give yourself a break. Don't be so hard on yourself.Remember that trial and error is a great teacher. We learn as much from allthe mistakes as we do from the successes. If you never make mistakes thensomething is terribly wrong. So, don't be shy, and don't worry about makinga few mistakes! Our mistakes teach us what doesn't work!!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 24 ***........................

.........

"MORE TIPS ON PLAYING THE II/ V7/ I CHORD PROGRESSION, TRACK 6"

So, now you're playing along with Track 6 over the II/V7/I chord changes.Here are some tips that will help you to improve your playing on this track.

(1) Try starting each line on the first note of the minor/dorian scale shownunder each II chord. Example: First line, start on G. Second line, start onA. Third line, start on B, etc... Beginning your ideas on the root of each II

chord will help get you oriented, and help you to hear the chords, and feelthe rhythm.

(2) Try to land on the chord tones of the I chord in the third measure eachtime. Example: On the F Major chord, land on the notes F, A, C, E and G...Doing this will also help keep you oriented, and help you to hear and feelthe resolution of the chords. Land mostly on F, A and C at first. Later you'llfind that the upper chord tones E and G sound very nice as well, having acertain bitter-sweet quality to them. (Notice that the chord tones for eachmeasure have been darkened in to make it easier for you to see and use.)

(3) After landing on a chord tone, perhaps in the third measure, rest a fewbeats to make sure you can start the next II chord on its root once again.

Keep repeating this proceedure many times (suggestions 1-3). Later you'llbe able to improvize more freely without these rules, making connectionsmore smoothly, but for now these tips will help you to "get the feel of it".

Later on we will begin learning "licks" that will take you on to another level.Right now you should just continue with "free" improvization, having no licksat all. This will force you to play what you hear in your mind, and begins theprocess of "ear training". I feel that a person should go at least three monthsbefore learning any licks whatsoever. Too many people learn a few licks waytoo soon, and then just start mindlessly "plugging them in" every time they



get a chance.

If the truth were told, too many "pros" are simply plugging in licks all overthe place, and not really creating music, not really making any art. Too manysound like computers with all their licks, and some just seem to be trying toplay as many notes as possible. That's not art, and not what jazz is supposedto be. We will learn many licks in the future, but we will only use them whenwe hear them as part of a melodic developement, not just because we "knowthey will fit" with certain chords. Hope that all makes sense... sermon over.

Ooops... just one more semonette. If anyone ever asks you who are someof the most influential people in jazz today, when you tell them about artistssuch as Wynton Marsalis, or Arturo Sandoval, etc... Be sure to also mentionJamey Aebersold. I think he has had perhaps the largest hand in the rebirthof jazz in this country... I'd say 90% of my own education came through hismaterials, and the jam sessions I shared with many jazz playing friends andthe Aebersold play-along sets. I started wearing out his records abouth 30years ago, and now have about 85 of his book/cd sets (there are now wellover 100)! THANKYOU JAMEY AEBERSOLD!! History will count you as one ofthe greatest for all your contributions to our art!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 25 ***................................

I'd say there are three various groups of people who are using this thread:

(1) People who are just starting out, and now working on the early lessons.(2) People who started in the past. I'm just catching up to where they were.(3) People who are ahead and waiting for me to catch up to where they are.

I hope everyone benefits at their own level, and at their own pace. Perhapseven the advanced players get something too, if only a thorough review. Bythis time the novice should have learned his 12 major scales, and he should

keep on working on them daily, spending most of his practice on the newerones, until they are all nearly equally mastered.

By this time you should have those first seven minor/dorian scales used inTracks 2-5 well under control, as well as the four minor/blues scales I haveassigned too. Make sure you know those four, starting on G, F, E and C! Ifyou are unsure about any of the scales I just mentioned, go no further withthe lessons until you really have all these firmly under your control...

On page 19, there are some excellent recommendations for other methodbooks, jazz patterns books, and videos. Let me give some suggestions too.

(1) "Anyone Can Improvize" .................... by Jamey Aebersold (video set)

(2) "Jazz Ear Training" ............................. by Jamey Aebersold (book/cds)(3) "Patterns for Jazz" .............................. by Jerry Coker (licks, patterns)(4) "Improvizing Jazz" .............................. by Jerry Coker (method book)(5) "Jazz Improvization" ........................... by David Baker (method book)(6) "The Jazz Language" ........................... by Dan Haerle (method book)(7) "28 Modern Jazz Trumpet Solos" .......... by Ken Slone (volumes 1 & 2)



I believe all these are probably for sale on Jamey Aebersold's website (nottoo sure about that), but I would recommend getting at least the two JerryCoker books (#3 and #4 above) as I will start refering to them pretty soon.If you can go ahead and purchase them all at one time, you'll have a librarythat will satisfy all your jazz study needs for a VERY long time! At any rate,do get the two Jerry Coker items because we will be using them soon!

Now it is time to read on in the book. Some of the material will be familiarto you already from these lessons. Read pages 20-26 now. You should nothave any problem at all with the concepts given there. If needed just backup and re-read any section that doesn't sink in right away. Jamey's writingis very clear, and also very thorough. Just take your time, and I'll be backlater with a short review. See you later, and do read those pages (20-26)!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 26 ***.......................

.........

I have only a short assignment to make today. Up until now we have only

worked on four of the blues scales. Please turn now to page 40 and beginby reading it one more time. Notice that the minor/blues scales are to beused with minor chords that last for at least two measures or more.

These scales would not work well on the minor II chord of a II/V7/I chordprogression for instance. They do work well with extended minor chords...(like the ones we see on tracks 2-5). I want you now to go ahead and learnthe rest of the minor/blues scales you'll need for those tracks. So, that is atotal of seven to go along with the seven minor/dorian scales you alreadyknow (7 minor/dorian scales, and 7 minor/blues scales).

The seven total blues scales you should now know are C, D, E, F, G, A & B.Mark them on page 40, then write them in on page 73 to use along with the

CD. Just write in the letter names of each note under the "8 bar symbols"on track 4 or 5. Be sure you experiment with all these scales as you playalong with tracks 2 through 5. Use the minor/dorian scales for awhile, andthen the minor/blues scales.

Do notice the difference in sound these scales have. On track 4 you mighttry playing the minor/dorian for four bars, then the minor/blues for four...Also work on those scales away from the CD player as well, and get themdown as good as you possibly can. Well that's the lesson for this time. Besure to learn all these 7 minor/blues scale now as soon as possible!

...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 27 ***.........................

.........

Another short lesson: "THE MINOR/PENTATONIC" scales, are yet anotherchoice for use with the minor type chords... They represent a new color toadd to your palate of scale choices, and they are very easy to learn!

"Pentatonic" means "five tones". There are two types of pentatonic scales,



the major/pentatonic and the minor/pentatonic. For now I will discuss onlythe minor version. If you took the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th tones outof a minor/dorian scale, you'd have a minor/pentatonic scale. In G minor...this would give you the notes G, Bb, C, D, F and G. In the key of D minor...this would give you the notes D, F, G, A, C and D.

Another way to vizualize the minor/pentatonic scales is to think of them asminor/blues scales but without the fourth tone. This would probably be moreuseful for now, so here are two more examples:

G minor/blues................... G, Bb, C, C#, D, F, GG minor/pentatonic............ G, Bb. C, D, F, G................. (see, no C#)

D minor/blues................... D, F, G, G#, A, C, DD minor/pentatonic............ D, F, G, A, C, D................... (see, no G#)

I want you to go now to page 73 in the book again, where you should havewritten in the notes for the seven minor/blues scales underneath the "8 barsymbols" for track 4 or 5. Use a highlighting marker or ( ) marks to indicatethe fourth tone of each of the seven minor/blues scales you wrote in there.

Now add this variation of the minor/blues scale to your list... Whenever youpractice the seven minor/blues scales, also practic the minor/pentatonics aswell. Whenever you play tracks 2, 3, 4 or 5, try using the minor/ dorian, the

minor/blues, and now the minor/pentatonic scales as well. That makes threedifferent scales you now have for use with the minor type chords.

I'm only asking you to learn and use these minor type scales in the sevenkeys (C-, D-, E-, F-, G-, A- and B-) for use with tracks 2 through 4 for now,but all 12 of the major scales must be thoroughly mastered as soon as youpossibly can! Keep on working the less familiar ones the most, until they areall nearly equally learned, then start practicing them over a wider and widerrange on your instrument. In other words, play down below the root... thengo on up above the top note of each scale as well. You should do this withall your scales. We don't just improvize in one octave at a time!

Well that's it for this time. Each lesson is one significant bite to digest. Kee

previewing earlier lessons, since you want to thoroughly master every singlebit of this knowledge, and keep playing along with the CD and practicing thescales... The next lesson will cover the "major/pentatonic" scales... They areeven easier to learn! This variety of scales is what wiil give you a broad andbeautiful variety of colors to choose from in the future! Learn to love them...they are your friends. Practice scales at least a little bit every single day!

...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 28 ***.........................

......

Another short lesson: "THE MAJOR/PENTATONIC" scales, are yet anotherchoice for use with the major type chords... They represent another colorto add to your palate of scale choices as well. Each scale I am presentinghas it's own unique sound. You've heard all of them a million times... andthey're all in your head already. You just didn't have names for them all,or realize you knew them before now.

OK, take the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 8th tones out of a major scale andyou have the major/pentatonic scale. We use it primarily with major chords



(such as the I chord at the end of the II/ V7/ I progressions in track 6). Goahead and write them in real small under the third measure of each line fortrack 6 on page 74. Experiment by playing them right there for now. Thereis no real need to learn all 12 yet, but I bet you can imagine how easy thatproject will be when you do eventually tackle them all. For now just pencilthem in on page 74 and have some fun experimenting with them... As youbegin trying out each new scale you'll probably feel you've heard them allbefore, and you have... literally thousands of times!!!

You should also go ahead and read pages 30 and 31 in the book about thetwo kinds of pentatonic scales. You will notice that much other informationand useage suggestions are given there for these scales. For now, all you'llreally need to do is use the minor/pentatonic scales on tracks 2 through 5,and the major/pentatonic scales on track 6 as I've suggested.

Don't worry if you don't understand everything on pages 30 and 31, justknow that in the future there are other great ways to use these scales aswell and we'll eventually get to those too! You should notice that each newscale I'm presenting is simply a slight variation of some scale you learnedbefore. It keeps getting easier and easier the farther along you get. Mastereach step as well as possible before going on. You'll thank yourself later asyou progress. It'll be less frustrating this way, and you'll be building a verysolid foundation on which you can build for as long as you like!

Here are the six MAJOR/PENTATONIC SCALES for you to use with track 6:

F, G, A, C, D, F .............. G, A, B, D, E, G ........... A, B, C#, E, F#, A......Bb, C, D, F, G, Bb .......... C, D, E, G, A, C ........... D, E, F#, A, B, D ........

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 29 ***........................

.........

Another short lesson: "THE MAJOR/BLUES SCALES" are the last of severalscales I'm presenting all at once. These scales are similar in construction,so it makes sense to group them this way. This will also be the last scale Iwill present for quite some time, so you'll now have all the scales, chords,and music theory needed for the Aebersold Volume 1 book/cd set. You willalso have about 95% of all the theory needed for a whole year of study!

The major/pentatonic scales presented just above in Lesson 28 were madeby extracting the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th & 8th tones from each major scale.In the key of C this would be C, D, E, G, A and C. If you added the one noteD# to this scale you would then have the new scale "C MAJOR/BLUES". Thiswould be C, D, D#, E, G, A & C. Here are a few more examples given in the

same keys as in the lesson above:

F, G, G#, A, C, D, F ........ G, A, A#, B, D, E, G ....... A, B, C, C#, E, F#, A Bb, C, C#, D, F, G, Bb..... C, D, D#, E, G, A, C ....... D, E, F, F#, A, B, D

We refer to the added note in this new scale as "the raised second" since itis a half step higher than the usual 2nd step. We often write this as "+2", sothe formula for building this scale would be "1, 2, +2, 3, 5, 6, 8". Do reviewthis new notation system as we will begin using it more in the near future!



Well, that is pretty much it for this lesson! This new "major/blues" scaleis also used with major type chords, the same as the "major/pentatonic"scales above, so you can pencil in the extra note with each of the scalesyou wrote in to play with Track 6. The "+2" should be used for now as a"passing tone", slipped in between the 2nd and 3rd scale steps. It shouldnot be held out, but simply "passed through" for now.

Experiment with this new sound... It will grow on you, as you learn just howto handle that raised second step. There's no need to try memorizing all 12yet, just experiment with the six I listed above along with track 6! So, do besure to write in those extra (+2) notes as suggested.

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 30 ***........................

........

Seems like a good time for a "BIG REVIEW" so here is a review of the stuffwe've covered so far, and just a few more suggestions for practice, then I'llstart teaching how to play the 12 Bar blues as seen in Tracks 7 and 8... Thiswill also be a very good time to pause after this lesson, to really make sureyou've digested all the material presented up to this point, and that you've

also memorized ALL THE SCALES given so far.

(1) THE MAJOR SCALES AND THE MODES... By now you should have the 12major scales VERY MUCH under control. You should also go ahead now andlearn the 12 dorian and 12 mixolydian modes as well. Once the major scalesare mastered, the dorian and mixolydian modes will follow quite easily. Thedorian (minor/dorian) is simply a major scale played from the 2nd step upto the ninth. Learn all 12 now. The mixolydian (dominant/mixolydian) is justa major scale played starting on the 5th step. Learn all 12 of them now too.

Just a brief note about mixolydian. While it is true that it is like a major scalestarting on the fifth step, there is an easier way of to think of it that will h

elpyou to learn all 12. You may have noticed that the mixolydian scales are justthe same as major scales starting on the first note, with one exception... The7th tone has been lowered a half step. I want you to think of the mixolydianscale as a major scale with a lowerer 7th step as you now learn all 12.

(2) THE MINOR/PENTATONIC AND MINOR/BLUES SCALES... By now youneed to have these two very similar scales thoroughly memorized in theseven keys given for use along with minor/dorian on Tracks 2 through 5.

(3) THE MAJOR/PENTATONIC AND MAJOR/BLUES SCALES... By now youneed to have these two very similar scales thoroughly memorized in the

six keys given for use on the major I chords found on Track 6, that is all.

(4) THE VARIOUS TYPES OF CHORDS... At this point you should go aheadand memorize the diatonic chord types given in lesson 20. You should alsobe very familiar with the different types of chord symbols listed there too.You should know that the chords we are presently working with are all builtusing "thirds". It's not necessary for you to memorize each of the formulasgiven for the chords, just that they are built in thirds, and that the scalesused with each of them contain the "chord tones".



(5) PLAYING ALONG WITH THE TRACKS ON THE CD... We have not yet triedto learn a single "lick", and it will still be a little while before we do... So, youshould just continue playing fairly short melodic ideas using all the scales wehave studied with those first six tracks. Keep going slow and pause betweeneach idea to reflect, and also to try to "hear" the next short idea. Later, your ideas will get better, and longer, and begin to flow much more smoothly!

Use all the scales you have learned so far when playing along with the tracks.Just let all of them sink in very, very deeply!! This is what you need more than anything else in the world. Just be patient, and keep experimenting... and alsodo improvize away from the CD player as well. Every single scale you practiceshould be improvized on WITHOUT the CD, as well as with!

(6) LISTENNING TO JAZZ SOLOISTS... One of the most important parts of anyjazz study, and often one of the most neglected, is LISTENNING... I hope youare able to buy some of the DVDs and CDs I recommended for you. The ChetBaker and Miles Davis things I pushed really are fantastic. If you only had theChet, Wynton, and Freddy DVDs I recommended in Lesson 12, you'd be veryhappy. Also the one CD with Miles and Charlie Parker called "My Old Flame" isso beautiful you will be in jazz heaven. It is also marketed as "Bird and Miles",

and also sold under the Charlie Parker titles as "The Best of the Dial Years"...

(7) REVIEW THE MATERIAL ON SCHEDULE... One of the very best things youcan do is to practice and review using a schedule. Make a list of all the scales you need to master, then start checking them off... Make sure you improvizeon all of them regularly with and without the CD... The most important thingI would want you to do is to constantly go back and review the material I'vepresented in these lessons, and the material we've covered in the book.

Make a schedule listing all the scales, and all the lessons, and start checkingthem off. I will try to hold off posting any more lesson for a while. If you hav

eany questions at all do feel free to post them right here on this thread... I am sure the answers will benefit everyone, so don't be shy... I will just be waitingright here... patiently rolling my eyes.

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 31 ***........................

.......

NO QUESTIONS, ALRIGHT THEN, GET READY TO ADVANCE MUCH FASTER!

One more thing I'd like to mention: If you have everything learned, up tothis point, you are now ready to go the rest of the way through Volume 1.

You have all the theory and scales needed, and you also have about 95%of everything you'll need to go all the way through volumes 2, 3 and 5!! Ifthat's a surprize, then I'm sure it's a good one! You're now about to reallystart moving and advancing much more quickly. Very soon we'll begin thenext leg of the journey, the 12 bar blues. Now, you will actually be playing



real songs. The hardest part is over, and you'll begin using all the materialyou've learned in real musical contexts now, so get ready to really move!!

I'll give you a little more time to make sure everthing's in order, then we'llbegin playing some real jazz. This is where it really starts to get fun!!!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 32 ***........................

........

TRACK SEVEN ...... BLUES IN THE KEY OF Bb CONCERT ...... LET'S BEGIN!

First of all, let me say a few things... All advanced improvizers understandthat there are infinite possibilities when it comes to playing 12 Bar Blues...(or any other jazz soloing for that matter). We have many various ways toapproach a solo. In reality, they truly are infinite!! Right now we are at thebeginner level, so I will keep it all very simple. Later, we will come back tothe Blues and add more information and possibilities when you are ready.

Please open your book to page 74 where you will see Track 7 "Blues in thekey of Bb Concert". For trumpet players, this would be the key of C. Notice

that there are scales written below the chord symbols as usual, but also atthe bottom of the page there are two more listed... These two scales wouldbe the C minor/blues scale, and the C minor/pentatonic.

Now flip to page 77, and see the "Bb Instrument Blues Melodies". The firstthree are for use with Track 7; the last two will be used later with Track 8.These melodies are actual songs that use the 12 bar blues chord changes.Count the measures in these short songs, and you'll see that each of themare 12 measures long, just like the song form for Track 7. These melodieswill all fit with Track 7... There have been many thousands of songs writtento fit with these particular chords, and these three are all great examples.

Jazz players have a special name for the melody in each song. They call it

"the head". We generally play the head a time or two... then we take turnsplaying improvized solos... then we play the head again to end the song. Itis a time honored format that is used all over the world. Obviously, we willbe using the scales listed with Track 7 to improvize with... but I'll leave thediscussion of the scales for the next lesson. The only thing I want you to doright now is to learn the three heads, "Tenor Madness", "Pentatonic Blues",and "The Roving Third".

You may want to review the information given on page 15 about playing in"swing". I haven't really talked about this yet, but basically in swing rhythmthe eighth notes are played with roughly a 2/3 and 1/3 division of the beatinstead of the usual 1/2 and 1/2 that we're all familiar with... I want you tolearn these three heads as thoroughly as possible, using the swing rhythm

as described on page 15. So review and make sure you understand swing.

As you learn each of these three heads, you should practice playing themalong with the recorded track as well... You should learn them so well thatyou can even change the rhythms a bit just for fun, or perhaps even add afew notes here and there. Experiment! Play with these melodies! The earlyblues players did just that, and for now that's all I want from you. Don't tryusing any of the scales just yet. Play the heads only, and just a few simplevariations, and that's all. Memorize all three heads so well that you can justclose your eyes and experiment. Learn them very thoroughly and this'll get



you used to the 12 bar form. When you begin to improvize freely using thescales it will be much, much easier. So... MASTER THESE THREE HEADS!

PLAY THEM, SING THEM, VARY THE RHYTHMS A BIT, TRY ADDING JUST AFEW NOTES HERE AND THERE, AND PLAY ALL THREE WITH AND WITHOUTTHE CD TRACKS. NOW, BECOME OBSESSED WITH THOSE THREE HEADS!

I'll be back shortly, so start now on this project, and you'll be ready! This'll really make the improvizing go so much easier, so don't delay. BTW, thesethree tunes are full of great "licks" that you can use when improvizing, so...you are now learning your first licks as well. Get obsessed with this lesson;it's one of the most important ones so far!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 33 ***........................

.........

Now, it is time for "MORE INFORMATION ON 12 BAR BLUES" as I promised.

By this point you should know the first three blues heads given on page 77so well that they are completely memorized, and you are able to play them

in swing rhythm, and with slight variations as well. You must be able to varythe rhythms a bit, as well as add a few notes here and there on the spur ofthe moment. This is, of course, exactly how jazz improvization began!

One thing you should have noticed is how the third tone of the C scale keptgoing back and forth from E to Eb... Look again now at "Tenor Madness" and"The Roving Third". See how the E in the melody over the C7 chord changeseach time to Eb over the F7 chord. In fact, the title "The Roving Third" refersto this. The third step of the scale keeps roving from E to Eb and back again.As you play these heads you should continue to experiment with this as well.

Now turn to page 74 where the chords and scales are presented for Track 7.Look at the scales under each chord symbol and you will notice that the note

E is used with the C7 chord in its dominant/mixolydian scale, and the note Ebis used with the F7 chord in its dominant/mixolydian scale. This is exactly howthey were used in the heads as well. It's a very good idea to emphasize these"roving third" tones when improvizing over these chords too!

You should now begin to improvize using the suggested scales. All of thosedominant 7th chords use their corresponding dominant/mixolydian scales. Itold you that these could be thought of as a major scale starting on the fifthtone, but that it is actually easier to think of them as major scales where the7th tones have been lowered by a half step. If you are unsure about this, goreview the third paragraph of lesson 30 right now, since almost every singlechord in this 12 Bar Blues uses this scale.

There is one chord here that will use a minor/dorian scale... and it is that D-chord which you see in the 9th measure. You've played it in Tracks 4 and 5,but you've also played it in Track 6 as part of the II/V7/I progression... Thatis actually how it is being used here... Notice that the D- chord is followed by the G7 chord, and they both use basically the same scale. Remember this asyou begin to improvize using these scales.

Now here is how you can put it all together: Start by simply playing the scaleswithout the CD background. Ignore the beats and measures for now. Just play



the scale in the first measure up and down, then the next scale up and down,then the third, and so on. Don't try to play them "in time" at all. Just play veryslowly, listenning to how each scale sounds. You'll probably feel as though youcan almost hear the chords changing in your head!

Next begin improvizing on each of the scales in the same manner, still withoutusing the CD backgrounds. Continue to ignore trying to play the scales in time.Very gradually... perhaps over the course of a week or so, you will continue toimprove to the point where you can put on the CD and play along with Track 7.

Be patient! Allow yourself time to get to this point little by little... You'llspendalot of time working towards this goal without the CD. But when you do get toplaying with the CD... you can now feel that you have definitely made it to the"next level". Go ahead and try playing any of the heads along with the CD andthen go directly into an solo. Now you're really getting the feel of it!

You're playing your first real jazz tunes and improvizing with them!! This isreally a major milestone in the path to becoming a true jazz musician! Takeat least a week or two with this. Go back to playing the heads. Then go backto just playing the scales. CRAWL, THEN WALK, THEN RUN. Take all the timeyou need! It's all fun, so don't rush it! Many people break down at this pointbecause the transition from playing simple exercises to playing a real song,

where the scales change so quickly, simply overwhelms them, and they giveup. DON'T GIVE UP! JUST TAKE IT SLOWLY, PIECE BY PIECE!

One last thing, but it's a goodie!!! The two scales listed at the bottom of thepage, the C minor/blues scale and the C minor/pentatonic can both actuallybe used all the way throught the whole song. Go ahead and try it... Yes, youcan use one or the other or both all the way through the whole song. It is agood idea to try playing an occasional E natural with those C7 chords so youcan hear that too, but this is why those two scales are at the bottom of thatpage. All jazz players use those scales but it's important not to overuse them.Think of them as a spice to sprinkle into your solos, and continue working themost on getting to the point where you can play using the scales suggestedunder each individual chord. Also experiment with putting bits and pieces of

the heads (licks) into your solos as well. These are the kinds of things thatseperate a simple "blues player" from a real jazz musician!!

No need to go beyond this point for at least a few weeks!!! Just be patient andkeep reviewing earlier material, and the earlier tracks... Now you'll be playing more and more, and studying less and less. Remember, I said you have all thescales and theory needed for the rest of Volume 1, and about 95% of all you'llneed for a whole year! Play more, study less... Cool, huh?

Now, do take alot of time with this phase. Absolutely don't rush through this!!! You'll fly right through the next three book/CD sets! The hardest part is alread

yover. When you've finished this set, you won't be a beginner anymore! I am...

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 34 ***........................

.......



This lesson could be called "A BLUES REVIEW". So let's review the blues!

Below is a summary of the steps I suggested in the previous two lessonsto work gradually towards playing along with Track 7, the 12 bar blues...

1. Start by thoroughly memorizing the first three heads given on page77.2. Next, try varying the rhythms, and adding a few notes to the melodies.3. Then start playing the suggested scales out of time, without the tracks.4. Now start improvizing on the scales, still out of time and without the cd.5. When you can do all that, begin playing along with the cd backgrounds.6. The chords & scales change rapidly, so keep it quite simple for a while.7. Play very few notes at first, so you can really nail those chord changes.8. Experiment by adding some licks from the heads into your improvizing.9. Be sure to try playing the note E with the C7 chord, and Eb with the F7.

And finally suggestion #10..... Try using the C minor/blues scale, and alsothe C minor/pentatonic scale all the way through all twelve measures. Younow have a recap of all the steps I've given so far on playing 12 bar blues.

All the material I've suggested can now be used freely in your soloing. Youwould start Track 7 rolling and then begin by playing one of the heads onceor twice. Feel free to vary the rhythms and add notes if you feel like it!

Then begin to improvize a solo. Start slow to get your bearings and use just

the suggested scales under the chords at first. Keep it very simple! Next, tryusing a lick or two borrowed from the heads you learnd so thoroughly... Playwith those licks, and repeat them a time or two using slight variations. This is your solo and you can do almost anything you want with it! HAVE SOME FUN!

Try using those minor/blues and minor/pentatonic scales exclusively a while,and then go back to the scales listed under each chord, along with some licksyou particularly like from those heads. To end the song, you simply play thehead again a time or two, and you're done!

Once you can do this, even just playing very short simple ideas, you are nolonger a "beginner" anymore. You are playing exactly the same way as real

jazz musicians do everyday. They mix playing a few licks and material fromthe melody, along with freely improvized material using all the scales, into aspontaneous solo on the spur of the moment. You are now a jazz player!

Remember that it is a good idea to go no further than this for at least a fewweeks... Keep playing all the tracks up to this point, and reviewing all of thematerial I've presented here as well. If you will be patient, and let all of thissink in very deeply, it will make everything that follows much easier!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 34 ***.......................

...........

Now for some more... "ANOTHER BLUES, TRACK 8" ... for trumpeters, it is ablues in G. Everything that applied in the previous lesson for blues in C, alsoapplies to this blues in G. First, go to page 77 again. There you'll see the two heads, "Blues By Five" and "Slippery Blues". These two heads will fit with the12 bar blues in Track 8, just as the others fit with Track 7.



Apply all the suggestions in Lesson 33 to this Track too. It should go mucheasier this time, as you've already done it all with the C blues on Track 7...Everything is just the same as before except that this time the song is in G.Even the minor/blues and minor/pentatonic scales are given just as before,except this time in the key of G. Apply everything suggested in lesson 33 tothis track as well.

It's very important to go slow and let everything sink in deeply. The longeryou take with all this the better. We're building a foundation... we're building YOUR FOUNDATION. Don't cheat yourself. Practice consistently. Go back andreview often. Now that you have all the basic theory, it is pretty much all funnow. All the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into place already.

Again, DON'T BE IN ANY RUSH! I'm continuing to post each day for mid-leveland advancing players, so beginners should not try to keep up. Just go slow,at YOUR OWN pace! These lessons will all be waiting right here for you whenyou're ready for them. Above all else, take your time, and HAVE FUN!

...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 35 ***.........................

.....

Time to play, "TRACK 9, CYCLE OF DOMINANT 7th CHORDS"... Let's go!!!

The dominant 7th chord has a special quality to its sound. It usually has akind of unsettled feeling, that needs to "resolve" to the next chord... Manyof you have probably played this game. You sing a song but then you stopand hold the next-to-the-last-note without progressing to the final tone. Itsounds so unfinished that we cringe until we hear that final note. The reliefwe feel upon hearing that final tone is called "resolution".

How chords move from one to the next is called chord progression. Track 9is all about the progression and resolution of the dominant 7th chords. When

you play this track you will feel how each chord seems to 'need' to progressand resolve to the next. There are two tones in the each dominant 7th chordthat create this "unresolved" quality the most... the 3rd and 7th tones.

Now look at the first D7 chord in Track 9. Under the D7 chord symbol you'llsee the expected scale that goes with it, the D dominant/mixolydian scale...The 3rd and 7th tones in this case are the notes F# and C. These two notes,more than any others, have a need to 'resolve' or 'progress' to the tones ofthe next chord.

If you were to hold the note F#, when the chord changes to G7, you'd hearthe need to resolve it to the G in the new chord... We call this "resoving thethird". If you held onto the note C, you'd strongly feel the need to resolve it

to the B in the new chord. We call that "resolving the 7th".

If you play with that first dominant/mixolydian scale, even without that CDbackground, you'll hear and feel the need these tones have to resolve as Idescribed. Go ahead and play with this effect right now. Play and improvizeon that first scale a bit, and you'll find that holding the F# creates the needto resolve to G, and holding the C creates the need to resolve to B.... Takeyour time with this and just experiment a while without the CD. Then put onTrack 9 and experiment with this same thing, WITH the CD background.



Go ahead and play the whole track. You'll notice that the chord tones havebeen darkened in the corresponding scales, so this will make it easier to beaware of which tones are the 3rds and 7ths in each scale. If you improvizefreely on each scale without regard for keeping track of those chord tones,you will still sense the need to resolve them carefully each time the chordschange. Go slowly so you can really hear this "resolution" effect each time.

Well, that's really about all there is to it. Dominant seventh chords feel likethey need to "move onward" to the next chord. Just play this track using thedominant/mixolydian scales given below each chord symbol, and listen howthey resolve. If you feel as though you've hit a "clinker", it's likely that you held one of those 3rds or 7ths too long. It's no crisis when this happens!

Actually it's kind of good to make these mistakes many times, as it will teachyour subconscious mind "what not to do"... The mistakes teach us even morethan our successes sometimes. Just go ahead and play, and don't be timid!

One more thing... I've told you that the mixolydian scale is the fifth mode ofa major scale. Please notice that it is also just like a major scale starting on the first step, but with the one exception that the 7th tone has been loweredone half step. This is how I want you to learn them and think of them... as a"major scale with a lowered 7th".

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 36 ***.......................

........

It is time to review a good "NOTATION SYSTEM" that I introduced earlier.

I just reminded you, in the last paragraph of the last lesson, about anotherway to think of the dominant/mixolydian scale. While it's true that the scaleis basically the fifth mode of the major scale, there's an easier way to think

of it. It can be thought of as a major scale with a lowered 7th step. When Isay lowered, I mean that is has been moved down by one half step.

To see this, simply look at the C7 chord, and the mixolydian scale beneathit on Track 9 once again. It's easy to see that the C mixolydian scale wouldcompare quite closely with the C major scale.... We could say that it has thefollowing formula: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, -7, 8. This uses the "notation system" I've refered to above. The system shows how this particular scale compares witha major scale starting on the same note.

Here is another example, using this system to describe the dorian scale.To see this, simply look at the C- chord, and the dorian scale beneath it,

on Track 5 once again. It's easy to see that the C dorian scale comparesclosely with the C major scale as well..... This time the formula would bethis: 1, 2, -3, 4, 5, 6, -7, 8. In other words, the dorian scale is also like amajor scale, but with a lowered 3rd step and a lowered 7th step.

Any scale or chord can be compared to its own major scale, and a formulasuch as this could be used to describe it. Here are some more examples:

(1) Major scale.................................... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8(2) Dorian scale................................... 1, 2, -3, 4, 5, 6, -7, 8



(3) Mixolydian scale.............................. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, -7, 8(4) Major pentatonic............................. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8(5) Minor pentatonic............................. 1, -3, 4, 5, -7, 8

In every case... the formula is merely a comparison with the major scale!!And here are examples using this notation system with a variety of chords:

(1) Major 7th chord............................... 1, 3, 5, 7(2) Minor 7th chord............................... 1, -3, 5, -7(3) Dominant 7th chord......................... 1, 3, 5, -7(4) Augmented chord............................ 1, 3, +5(5) Half diminished 7th chord................. 1, -3, -5, -7

The key to understanding how to use this notation system, is to understandthat in each case we are comparing a scale or chord to the major scale thatis built starting on the same note. Here is another way to look at it:

The C major 7th chord has the notes 1, 3, 5, 7 from the C major scale.The D major 7th chord has the notes 1, 3, 5, 7 from the D major scale.The E major 7th chord has the notes 1, 3, 5, 7 from the E major scale.

C mixolydian has the notes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, -7, 8 from the C major scale.D mixolydian has the notes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, -7, 8 from the D major scale.E mixolydian has the notes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, -7, 8 from the E major scale.

Jazz players use this formula type notation all the time. It's much easierthan other systems in certain circumstances. Make sure you understandthis system of formulas, since I will begin using it more often in the nearfuture. It has many advantages as you will come to see. The main thingyou should remember, is that we are comparing the various chords andscales to "their own major scales".... This system will make many thingseasier to understand. A good example: mixolydian 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, -7, 8.

That was easier than thinking of it as the fifth mode of some other scale!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 37 ***.......................

..........

It's time to clear up "SOME CONFUSING TERMINOLOGY" that we're using...

Jamey Aebersold uses the name of each chord type (minor, dominant, etc.)in the terminology he uses for the scales that are most often used with each.Since I'm using his system as a reference, I am doing the same thing. Thereis some possibility of confusion arrising from this practice, so I want to takea moment to try and make things more clear.

Minor chords generally use the dorian mode as their first choice of scales...Really, the term "dorian mode" is the most correct, but you'll see it referedto by other names as well. Here are some examples. Do remember that allof these names refer to the exact same scale.

(1) The "C dorian mode".................................. (The most correct)(2) The "C dorian scale"................................... (A bit less correct) (3) The "C minor scale".................................... (Jamey's invention)(4) The "C minor/dorian scale".......................... (Tom's compromise)



Next, a few example of names you'll see for the "mixolydian mode"...

(1) The "C mixolydian mode"............................ (The most correct)(2) The "C mixolydian scale"............................. (A bit less correct)(3) The "C dominant scale"............................... (Jamey's invention)(4) The "C dominant/mixolydian scale".............. (Tom's compromise)

These are all names of scales, NOT CHORDS! Jamey's use of the names forthe various types of chords in his terminology for scales is intended to makethings easier for the beginner. It would help them to connect the chord namedirectly to the scale name, thereby removing a step in the process of tryingto figure out which scales to use with the various types of chords. It wouldgo something like this:

For a minor chord, use "the minor scale". (That is Jamey's term for dorian.)For a dominant chord, use "the dominant scale". (JA's term for mixolydian.)

Jamey will sometimes use one set of terminology and then later use another.This is really helpful as it gets the student used to seeing all the various waysthe chords and scales are refered to.... Jazz is such a new art form that thereare no real conventions established yet. That's why so many different versionsexist for the various chord symbols as well... Jazz musicians try to be familiar

with as much of the terminology as they can. Hope this helps, and do be sureto review all this stuff about notation systems, and terminology, some more!!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 38 ***.......................

...........

Now for "MORE INFORMATION ON THOSE DOMINANT 7th CHORDS" Track 9.

This will be a fairly short lesson, but a really good one. Remember how the

minor/blues and minor/pentatonic scales worked well with the longer minorchords (like those found in Track 2-5) but not with the shorter ones (like theones in Track 6)?

There are also some scales that similarly work well with longer dominant typechords (such as the ones found in Track 9) but not as well with shorter ones...Here are the four scales I'm refering to:

(1) Major/blues(2) Major/pentatonic(3) Minor/blues(4) Minor/pentatonic

You've learned 6 of the major/blues and 6 of the major /pentatonic scales.You've learned 7 of the minor/blues and 7 of the minor/pentatonic scales...

Go ahead now, and try using some of these scales along with the dominant7th chords in Track 9. Just go very slowly so you can hear how each scalesounds and fits with each chord. Do remember that these scales would notwork well with short dominant type chords, such as those found in Track 6,just with the longer ones!

A comment about the major/blues scale: Remember to use the raised 2nd



just as a "passing tone" when you play this scale. Don't hold it out, just passthrough it on the way to the 2nd or 3rd steps.

A comment about the minor/blues scale: Although the scale has the lowered3rd step in it, which you'd normally expect might conflict with the "unaltered"3rd step found in the dominant chord, it will still sound "right", at least on thelonger dominant chords like we're dealing with here. This has to do with the"unsettled" or "unresolved" quality of those dominant chords. Don't worry ifit doesn't seem to make perfect sense, just go ahead and experiment withit, and you'll see what I mean.

One last comment to everyone... If you just know a few (6 or 7) examplesof each of these scales that I assigned before, that's fine, just use those. Ifyou're more advanced, or just more ambitious, you can go ahead and learnall twelve of each scale listed above now. Then you could try using any or allof them with this track... In any event, I'd suggest learning all of these soonanyway, thereby filling in all the gaps in your current "scale arsenol". You'dthen know all the major, dorian, and mixolydian scales, as well as all of themajor/blues, major/pentatonic, minor/blues and minor/pentatonic scales...Don't let this scare you!

If you've been checking off scales one at a time, you're pretty close to knowing

all of these already. You are becoming a well equiped jazz improvizer, ready totackle anything that comes your way! Make that schedule I keep mentioning, andcheck off scales, and other lessons and materials, in an organized manner.

Time WILL pass, and you WILL get them all. Just keep checking off each scaleone at a time, and then use them all with the recorded tracks. Also be sure toimprovize on each scale a bit, as you work on them without the CD as well.

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 39 ***........................

......

Now it's time for "TRACK 10, A GREAT 24 MEASURE SONG"... so let's go!

I'd like you to use a pencil to number the measures in this song.... In theleft margin, write "1-4" before the first line, then "5-8" before the second,"9-12" before the third line, etc, etc... This'll make it easier for you to find the measures I'll keep refering back to. Here are the suggested scales foryou to use:

Measures 1-2 .................. D major scaleMeasures 3-4 .................. Bb mixolydian

Measures 5-8 .................. II/ V7/ I in DMeasures 9-10 ................ G major scaleMeasures 11-12 ............... Eb mixolydianMeasures 13-14 ............... E mixolydianMeasures 15-18 ............... II/ V7/ I in DMeasures 19-20 ............... Bb mixolydianMeasures 21-24 ............... II/ V7/ I in D

The scales are also given there in the book, below the chord symbols. Youwill also notice that no melody is given for this song... but I assure you that



this is not just another exercise. Like the 12 bar blues tracks, this should bethought of as a "real jazz song". Although there is no key signature given atthe beginning, the song is in the key of D major, so you'd expect that muchof the song should use the D major scale, and you would be right!

This song would use a D major scale in those first two measures... then aBb mixolydian scale in measures 3-4... Then in measures 5 thru 8 we seethe II/V7/I chord progression. Let's talk about this II/V7/I for a moment.

First of all this II/V7/I chord progression is identical to the one in the lastlineof Track 6... It is in the key of D major, and it can be played using modes ofthe D major scale exclusively, just exactly as we did in Track 6.

E minor chord............... uses E dorian.............. (the 2nd mode of D major)A dominant 7 chord....... uses A mixolydian....... (the 5th mode of D major)D major chord.............. uses D ionian.............. (the 1st mode of D major)

The main thing to remember is that every suggested scale is a mode of theone "D major scale". They all start on various different steps of the D majorscale, but they all use the same notes. You will notice that I used all of their

"modal names"... dorian, mixolydian, and even ionian. But again, all of themare made up of notes from the D major scale. If you have any doubts aboutthis concept.... go and review the info on the II/V7/I chord progression rightnow in LESSON 22. Always learn all the info in each lesson before you go on!

So, now for the big picture... look at my list of suggested scales above, andyou'll see that this whole song can be improvized over using nothing but theD and G major scales, and the Bb, Eb and E mixolydian scales.

The next part should come as no surprise... Open the book to page 76, lookat Track 10, and begin playing up and down the scales a bit without the CD.Then improvise on each scale a while with no regard for beats, tempos, andtrying to "keep up" with the chord changes. Remember, when you get to the

II/V7/I chord progressions... just think of the whole four measure sequenceas simply using the D major scale all the way through. There is no need tothink about each individual mode for now...

Continue without the CD until you can play, improvizing pretty much in time,hitting all the chord/scale changes with a steady but slow beat. Tap your footvery slowly to force yourself to play in time, then very gradually pick up thetempo until you feel you can "hang with those Aebersold boys".

Get brave... put on Track 10... and dive in! Play very, very, very few notesat first! Yup, same advice I've given every single time! Use only a few noteswith lots of silence, so you can actually hit EVERY SINGLE CHORD CHANGE!Later you'll gradually use more notes, and play more flowing lines... but for

now, KEEP IT REALLY SIMPLE and NAIL DOWN THOSE CHORD CHANGES!

Well, there it is. There is only one track left to finish Volume 1! If you're thisfar along, it is definitely time to order Volume 2, 3 and 5. Yes, go ahead andget all three right now. I'll jump around a bit from one to another, so get allthree right away. Most beginners should have taken 3-6 months to really geteverything I've presented and learn all the scales up to this point. I keep onposting at this rate mainly for the intermediate level players. They can makesure they're really up to speed, and keep up with me... but beginners should



take all this in quite slowly...

You also need to own Jerry Coker's books "Improvizing Jazz", and especially"Patterns for Jazz". I'm pretty sure you can get both books along with all thebook/CD sets at the Aebersold website, or from Pender's Music in Denton, TX.

www.Aebersold.com

www.Penders.com

Just one more track to go. I've taught you much more theory than you mightrealize, and many more concepts than most people would cover going throughthis one volume. If you really absorbed everything I've given... you're well onyour way to becomming a jazz improvizer. You are already improvizing with afew jazz songs, and you are quickly becoming a true jazz musician!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 40 ***........................

........

Time for the last track... "MINOR TO DOMINANT"... Aebersold Volume One!

Look at the title in the book for this "Track 11" and notice the (II/V7) there.You've already seen the II/V7/I progression in Track 6 and also in Track 10.This track is just about the II/V7 part of the II/V7/I progression. It's 24 bars long, and it gives us the II/V7 progression in all 12 keys.

The first two measures are the II/V7 progression in C major......... D-, G7The next two measures are the II/V7 progression in Bb major....... C-, F7

This continues through all twelve keys. It is very common to see this chordprogression, and it is handled the same way as the full II/V7/I progressionexcept that it doesn't resolve to the I chord, so the best way to conceive of

the scale we use with it is a little different.

Instead of thinking of it as one major scale through the two measures, it isbeneficial to think of it as one dorian scale this time. The reason for this has to do with the fact that it doesn't resolve to the I chord as before. It may not be clear to you why we should think of the same notes in two or even threedifferent ways at various times, but because the chords don't resolve in theusual manner, you should think of all these scales as being DORIAN!

Think "D dorian" through measures 1+2......... (not C major)Think "C dorian" through measures 3+4......... (not Bb major)

In fact, you should do this very intentionally. I don't want you to even thinkof the "parent key" for each II/V7 at all. Just look at the dorian scales givenbelow each minor chord and play them for two measures at a time, then goon to the next dorian scale and play IT for two measures, and so on...

This will be very much like playing Tracks 2-5, using only dorian scales... Infact, you should simply ignore the dominant 7th chords altogether... In otherwords, just pretend that measures 1+2 are both D-, and measures 3+4 areboth C-, and so forth all the way through the whole track. JUST IGNORE THE



DOMINANT 7th CHORDS AS IF THEY WEREN'T EVEN THERE. Anytime you seethe II/V7 progression it should be handled this manner.

Make sure you learn all 12 dorian scales so well that you never have to thinkabout how each one is really just "another major scale starting on the secondstep". When you improvize, there's no time for that. You must simply think ofdorian as a scale unto itself... There is just not enough time to consider which major scale each is built from, and there won't be any scales there below thechord symbols to guide you. In a jazz group setting, the soloist's sheet musicwill have the chord symbols printed out for him, but no suggested scales.

It's assumed that he knows what scales to use, and there's always more thanjust one possible scale for an improvizer to choose from anyway, each havingits own special sound or flavor. So, the bottom line is... learn all of the scalesyou'll use so well that you don't have to do any kind of thinking or calculating whatsoever. In time, you'll become so familiar with them that you won't evenhave to think about it!!! You'll also know exactly how each one sounds... andwhen you "hear" various musical ideas in your head, you'll know which notesand scales they're built from instantly! OH YEAH, IT WILL HAPPEN!!!

Go ahead and get Volumes 2, 3 and 5, and also Jerry Coker's book "Patterns

for Jazz" (and his paperback "Improvizing Jazz" if at all possible). This should be enough material to last almost any improv student for a full year! I am...

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 41 ***.......................

.........

Now it's time to "LOOK BACK AND REVIEW VOLUME ONE" so let's do that!!

Track 1 .......... The Tuning notes: for trumpeters, this would be our C & B

Tracks 2-5 ...... Long minor chords: using dorian, minor/blues, minor/pentTrack 6 .......... II/V7/I progression: using major scales for four bars eachTracks 6-7....... 12 Bar Blues: uses all of the scales listed in Lessons 32-34Track 9 .......... Cycle of Dominants: using all the scales listed in Lesson 35Track 10 ......... 24 Measure Song: using 2 major scales, and 3 mixolydianTrack 11 ......... Minor to Dominant: use all 12 dorian scales two bars each

This list should be looking pretty simple by this point... Taking each lessonone at a time, IS fairly simple. But we've covered alot of ground, and nowyou are quickly becoming a real jazz improvizer.

I had you read pages 1 to 23 plus a few others, then pretty much suppliedall the rest of the info you need for the rest of the tracks my own way. The

book has alot of the same info that I presented with the appropriate tracksbut in a different order. You should read the whole book at your own pace.You'll recognize most of the concepts from my lessons, and have an easiertime understanding it all now, since you're already familiar with most of it.

There are a many more scales and chords listed in the syllabus that you'llnot need yet... some scales there that you may never choose to include inyour own personal palette of colors and sounds, but all very good material.

If any of the information in Jamey's book seems hard to understand at this



point even with all my lessons... imagine what it would've been like to go italone without them. Even if you read nothing else in the book you're readyto start Volume 2, "Nothin But Blues". But, do at least take this opportunityto review a while and then we're moving on...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 42 ***.......................

.........

The next volume is called "NOTHIN' BUT BLUES", and this pretty much saysit all. Most of the tracks in Volume 1 had a swing feel rhythm. More of thesetracks in Volume 2 have a rock feel to them... so do be ready to swing androck too! Go ahead and read the articles and introductory material. You willnotice that there is no new theoretical information given in this entire book!Remember, I told you that we have 95% of all that stuff covered for quite awhile! I wasn't kidding, was I?!!!

The main thing I want you to notice is the licks that are presented on page 3.You'll need to "transpose" these licks to be able to use them with all the blues tracks in the various keys... Also, notice that all these blues tracks come with melodies, each containing many short ideas that can also be used as licks. Totranspose a lick, you move it from one key into another... The "lick" C, Eb, F,F#, G is built using the C minor/blues scale. Transposed into the key of G, forinstance (using the G minor/blues scale) it would be G, Bb, C, C#, D. This canbe done to use any lick in any key at all. Review this concept some more andbe certain you understand it. We will be doing this alot!

Feel free to start a notebook to write down your favorites. Also notice that all

the "blues licks" given on page 3 use the "minor/blues" scales as their basis!!This will help you when you begin trying to play them in other keys. I will nowtreat you as an intermediate level player, since that's exactly what you are. Iwon't keep telling you how slowly you should go... or to keep reviewing all theearlier material anymore although I certainly hope you'll continue to apply theprinciples I've presented so far... WITH EVERY SINGLE THING YOU LEARN!

So make sure you're serious about this project, and get ready to be a bit moreself-reliant. I will continue pointing the way, but it's up to you to take eachstep.When I'm through, you'll be able to continue on your own without any need forteachers at all. In my opinion, this should be the goal of all educators!

..................................*** LESSON NUMBER 43 ***......................

.........

We will now begin with, "TRACK 4, SLOW BLUES IN F". You may recall that Isaid I'd be jumping around a bit, and taking things out of order... well here Igo! I start with this track because it is virtually identical to Track 8 in Volu



meOne. For trumpeters, this would be blues in the key of G, and it is located onpage 18 of your book.

A few comments: First of all, those "dotted eighth and sixteenth" rhythms aremeant to be played with a 2/3 and 1/3 division, not 3/4 and 1/4 as written!! Itis basically a slow swinging blues in a New Orleans kind of style. Not dixieland,but a very slow bump and grind kind of down and dirty feel. You can obviouslyuse the suggested scales, but you should especially experiment using your oldfriend, the G minor/blues scale!

Also experiment by using the "roving third" concept we studied before, whereyou'd emphasize the B natural in the G7 chord, and the B flat in the C7 chord.

Also try using a lick or two from the blues licks given on page 3, and the blues licks you learned from the heads in Volume 1, and also try using some stylisticphrasing like one might hear walking down Bourbon Street, at 11 PM on a hotSaturday night!

Bending notes a little flat can get a very "bluesy sound", and flutter tonguingor growling are also effective techniques here, but don't overdo them... Theyshould be thought of as spices that are sprinkled in here and there. And... as

you know... too much spice will ruin the gumbo!

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans? If not, you better go andorder that Wynton Marsalis DVD I told you about, "Blues and Swing". If youdon't love it more than any DVD ever, then there's just something basicallywrong with that! Just kidding, but not about getting that DVD. Do it now!

Be sure you have all your Aebersold sets (Volumes 1, 2, 3 and 5) as well asJerry Cokers, "Patterns for Jazz" and "Improvizing Jazz". Ya gotta have 'em!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 44 ***.................................

Now let's skip over to "TRACK 10, FAST BLUES IN F", again that would be inthe key of G for us trumpeters. Well, everything about the scales and chordsis exactly the same as the slow blues track in Lesson 43. The only differenceis the style and tempo.

So how do we handle it? Well, it's not "bumping and grinding", it's not "downand dirty", and it's definitely not "Bourbon Street on a hot Saturday night"!!!It's your first taste of "bebop"... just a taste, but enough to get the idea. Thisstyle is faster, and we try to play more smooth, flowing eighth note lines. It's

harder to play because of the speed, and it takes more time to get the hangof it... but it's no more complex than the blues we just studied... only faster!

Play up and down the suggested scales without skipping notes very much.In other words, you'll be playing the notes in consecutive order more, andskipping around less. You'll find it's easier to play fast when you don't skipnotes as much. Spend a considerable amount of time with those suggested



dominant/mixolydian scales, and the G major scale too... gradually gainingmore and more speed. Play the heads for Track 4 and 10 with variations aswe did before, working for more and more speed. Use the two heads in thiskey from Volume 1 at this faster tempo as well, again with the added notesand rhythmic variations. All these heads can be used here, and they are allperfect for the job. Mix and match phrases from all of the heads together inorder to create a solo... blending in purely improvized material using all thesuggested scales as well.

This is the time to really get some speed going. Play without the backgroundtrack at first, working with all the sources of licks and scales I just listed andjust keep on speeding things up until you "break through to the bebop zone".Give this track alot of your attention for a week or so, and you will really besurprized. In two weeks you may be amazed, and in one month you will findyou are able to play much faster than you ever thought possible!! Start slow,keep at it, and in a short time you'll be flying!

You will also notice something else happens as you learn to burn it up on thistrack... All your playing, on all the tracks... will also become more connected, smoother, and faster as well... Learning how to play fast on just one track will carry over into all your other playing!!! May I be struck down by lightening if

I'm telling a lie... ... ...

It really does happen this way. It all "carries over". Your mind and body willsimply gain the "knack of it", and it's almost like magic! It'll blow you away!! I've never urged you to go fast before, and even now you must start slowly,but take a few weeks with this and YOU WILL BE PLAYING AT BEBOP SPEED!

You'll find some licks naturally suited to faster tempos, and you will probablycome up with a few original licks of your own along the way. Use these lickswhen playing faster, that's only natural..... The faster you go, the more licksyou'll need to use. That's ok, and it works this way for everyone. This is yourfirst taste of bebop, and you will definitely need to rely on more licks now at

this faster pace! You MUST own Jerry Cokers "Patterns for Jazz" by this point,and you'll have a goldmine of licks to draw from... Many of them are alreadyin your head... you just haven't seen them written down on paper before!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 45 ***........................

.........

Now let's skip over to "TRACK 5, FAST BLUES IN Bb"... That's the key of Cfor trumpet players. This is another fast, bebop type track, and it would belogical to go ahead and address it now. Every bit of advice applying to that

fast blues in Lesson 44 also applies here so I will simply recap... This bluesis in the same key as the one on Track 5 of Volume 1. Again the only thingdifferent about the two tracks is the speed. Here are the same suggestionsI gave for learning the fast blues above... but now abbreviated and appliedto this key instead.

1. Learn and use all the material from this head in your improvized solos.2. Use the first 3 heads from Vol. 1 page 77 in your improvized solos too.3. Use the last 2 heads from Vol. 1 page 77 and transpose them to fit too.4. Vary the rhythms and add notes to all these heads and speed them up.



5. Use the suggested scales using more consectutive steps and less skips.6. Mix all these materials together freely, and play with that "roving third".7. Take blues licks from page 3 and transpose them so they fit in this key.8. Gradually increase the speed of all these materials over several weeks.

Well, as you can see, all the suggestion are the same as those in Lesson 44.This should come as no surprize. You must go slow at first and be patient. Itwill obviously take more time to reach these tempos. Again you must rely abit more on the licks you've learned from the heads and other sources sincethe speeds are so fast. There's less time to pause and reflect or think aheadin order to "pre-hear" the next idea. Even so, it still happens, just at a muchfaster speed than before.

The main piece of advice I would stress is this: Reaching the faster temposwill take more time, that is all. Don't try to just throw on the CD and expectit to happen the first day. Plan ahead more than before. Gradually work thematerials you'll be using up to speed over a few weeks. Again, as you workon these two faster blues tracks, all of your playing will accelerate from that"carry over" effect I described before... In fact, everything you learn carriesover into all other areas of your playing. Time will pass, and you'll just keepon getting better and better! Stick with it, be patient, and just try to cover a little more ground each day.

Your progress will get a certain kind of momentum to it as all the pieces ofthe puzzle fall into place. It is very satisfying watching this process, so just enjoy the journey, and you'll go far! It just takes time... v

...................................*** LESSON NUMBER 46 ***.....................

.............

Jerry Coker's book entitled "PATTERNS FOR JAZZ" is the next topic to discuss.Alright, I've been telling you to get this book... so if you still don't have it

, youwill want to get it right away! www.aebersold.com or www.penders.com

So far we have only used very few "patterns" or "licks". They are also oftenrefered to as "riffs" and "motiffs". Whatever you call them... they are simplyshort fragments of melodic material that jazz players use in building solos. Iusually call them "licks". All jazz players use licks when they play, and thereare a variety of ways that one can get licks to use in their improvizations.

One way is to just buy a book of jazz patterns, such as the one that we'll bediscussing here, "Patterns for Jazz", by Jerry Coker.... There are many othersuch collections on the market. Some are suggested in Volume 1 on page 19.

Another way to get licks is to take them from jazz tunes, as I have had youdoing in the last few lessons. This is a great idea. You'll simply extract ideas you like from jazz heads, or any other songs for that matter, and weave thebest ones into your solos in appropriate places. It's a very good idea to startand keep updating a notebook of your favorite jazz licks... This is somethingthat you really ought to do! Get a notebook of blank music manuscript paperfrom your local music store and start collecting. I'd have different sections in this notebook for various types of licks... You should be able to enter quite a



few 'Blues licks' into a notebook right now, after the recent work we've beendoing with all those blues tracks.

Another fantastic way to get licks it to extract them from transcription books...These are books where actual famous jazz solos have been written out for useby jazz musicians. "28 Modern Jazz Trumpet Solos" volumes 1 & 2 can both beordered from Jamey Aebersold's website www.aebersold.com and these aretwo of the best collections ever assembled.

Another great way to aquire jazz licks is to extract them from jazz solos youlike, by simply listenning to them, and then figuring out how to play the bestones on your own. Students often do this and even write out entire solos thatthey really love. This is called transcribing, and is not only a good way to get yourself some licks, but it is also very valuable in trainng the ear as well!

In my opinion... the very best way to get licks is to get them from yourself!!Here is how this works: If you just sing along with a jazz tune or even someplay-along tracks, you will be improvizing using your own licks. Not all will be jems, but a few definitely will be, especially for use by YOU!! The ideas you'dsing are the ones that will keep coming out of you over and over again. In away, this could be considered "the real you". These ideas are your very own

personal licks, and they are a part of your very own personal style! ...

It's a great idea to put on some play-along tracks and just skat sing along with them while recording yourself. Then later go back and write down the very beststuff, the licks that seem the very best TO YOU! Write down those licks that you already "hear" frequently in your head... I don't know why more people don't dothis or why I don't see others recommending this, but believe me... these wouldbe some of your very best licks, and it really is "the real you". If you learn howto play the licks that already come out of you then you'll actually be able to play

what you "hear" all the time! What could be cooler than that?!!

Go ahead and read the introduction to "Patterns for Jazz" several times now...I value this book even more for the theory instruction and playing philosophiesthan for the patterns themselves! It is a great book, so start your reading now!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 47 ***.......................

.........

Now for some more from "PATTERNS FOR JAZZ" by Jerry Coker & friends.

You've now read the introduction. Some of the most important points are:

1. Jazz improvization is a craft... not some mysterious gift for only a few.2. Jazz players use patterns from many sources in a spotaneous manner.3. Jazz players pre-hear musical ideas in their minds before playing them.4. The skills are all habitualized actions, requiring conditioning in advance.5. Much theoretical information was put into this book along with patterns.6. The patterns can be altered and transposed to fit any chord in any key.



7. Students should listen to great players & fill their minds w/ great ideas.

MAJOR TRIADS (pages 1-9)

Many of the patterns in the book are meant to be training exercises, leadingup to actual useable jazz licks. All of the patterns here fall into this category.You would not actually use these first few patterns as licks when improvizingsince they are merely meant as preperatory exercises. You'll notice the fourbasic types of root movement here that are mentioned in the introduction:

(1) "cycle of fifths" ............ roots moving down by fifths........... C down to F(2) "chromatic" ................. roots moving up by 1/2 steps........... C up to Db(3) "stepwise" ................... roots moving up by whole steps........ C up to D(4) "minor thirds" .............. roots moving up by minor thirds....... C up to Eb

These are considered to be the four most common types of root movement...I would also include root movement downward by 1/2 steps to this list as well.So, you should practice patterns using this "down by 1/2 steps" sequence too!

MAJOR SIXTH CHORDS (Pages 10-11)

I haven't introduced you to this "major type chord" yet. I'll do it using theformula type notation I discussed in Lesson 36. The formula for the majorsixth chord is: 1, 3, 5, 6 (again, this means the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 6th tonesfrom a major scale) So as you can see starting on page 10 the CM6 chordhas the notes C, E, G, A... the DM6 chord has the notes D, F#, A, B, etc...All these patterns are preperatory in nature as well, not really jazz licks.

They could be made to sound like "real" licks with a little improvement ontheir rhythms though, and then they'd all work with "major sixth chords",

and with the other major type chords too, like M, M6, M7, M9, etc...

MAJOR 7TH AND 9TH CHORDS (pages 12-15)

Some of these patterns are much more melodic just as they are, and couldtherefore be used as jazz licks without any modification at all... I see four of them that would make good licks for use with M7 and M9 chords right now!

Patterns #18, 19, 24 and 26 are pretty good examples... Play through justa few chords on each of the patterns in this section to see if you agree. Youmay like some of those enough to want to put them into your personal bag

right now, or you may want to play with some rhythms a bit, or alter someof them a little in other ways before you really like them. This is where youreally start to take control of your own destiny... If you don't like how a lick sounds, ditch it and move on. If you feel it may have potential for you thentry some slight variations before you decide. If you positively love a patternthen put it right straight into your notebook, and then you'll have it forever.

I hope all this makes sense to you. I will leave you now to read, study andpractice on your own. I'll also treat you as an intermediate level player and



I trust you completely to make all your own decisions about which licks youlike and which ones go into the scrap heap. Your eventual stylistic directionis completely up to you! Perhaps you'll already love some of the patterns inthis section. If so you can go ahead and practice them and even try playingthem over any of the major chords with the Jamey Aebersold tracks too.

Even the preperatory patterns should at least be practiced some to help youto get used to the chords. BTW, I'm sure you're noticing we're using chordsto build licks from (as well as the usual scales)... It makes perfect sense!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 48 ***........................

........

Now for even more from "PATTERNS FOR JAZZ" by Jerry Coker & friends.

MAJOR SCALES ( pages 16-22 )

Notice on page 16 there is a paragraph of instructional notes, stating that themajor patterns presented in this book will work with all the major type chords.

These patterns will work with the major triad, M6, M7, and M9 chords whetherthey're built primarily using chord tones or scale tones. For this reason I oftenlump all these chords together into one group, and simply refer to them all as"major type chords", and the corresponding patterns as "major type patterns".

Most of the patterns in this section are once again preliminary type patterns,not intended to be used as jazz licks in solos, but a couple come pretty close.Notice patterns #38 and 39 are similar to the Clarke studies most of us haveplayed. These, and a few others, may be adaptable a jazz licks. You can seewhat you think. If your own Clarks studies patterns are pretty fast you mightconsider some of these as good fast material for use with major type chords...Again all of this is entirely up to you...

DIGITAL PATTERNS ON MAJOR ( pages 23-28 )

Look at the patterns presented starting on page 23. These patterns all havean underlying repeated mathematical type sequence to each of them... Jazzmusicians refer to these as "digital patterns"... (Actually many of the earlierpatterns could be considered "digital" in nature as well.)

Again, most of these are meant to be thought as exercises to prepare playersfor usable licks. When I was at this level in my playing, I prefered to play thattype of pattern a time or two, and then go on to the ones that were alot more

musical or melodic in nature. I'd practice those much, much more, and I'd getin all the chord and scale practice in a way that would benefit my jazz playingeven more.

I would concentrate on the licks that were worthy of going into my notebookas actual "jazz licks" and give the others much less of my time... Why spendhours and hours on scale and chord patterns I'd never be able to use as jazzlicks, when I could get all the same benefits from the ones I could really use?

So, I suggest the same to you. You should pick at least two or three patterns



from each section to put in your own notebook and practice, to at least makesure you don't miss anything, but then just concentrate on the ones that arethe most melodic and useful. I hope all that makes sense to you.

MAJOR SCALE INTERVALS ( pages 28-31 )

The interval studies in thirds would probably be the most valuable to spendsome time with here, as most all chords are built using the third interval. I'ddefinitely spend some time with those.

From pages 16-31, I personally find the patterns that follow to be some of themost melodic and useful licks, or at lease very valuable to spend some of yourtime with as preperatory material: Patterns #29, 33, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 46, 50, 58, 59, and 60. Again, some of these seem quite valuable as training exercises,while others seem to be more useable licks. I especially like the last two (prettymuch the same, I know) and have incorporated a slightly extended variation ofthat lick into my own arsenal of favorites. The Clarke-like patterns, adapted to minor chords and scales, are also often heard coming out the end of my bell.

Some guys feel funny revealing their own frequently used licks... I don't think

that way... I'll share anything I know, but I've seen lots of guys clam up if youask them, "Hey, what was that lick you just played?" Some feel they've workedtoo hard on their own "arsenol of weapons" to share them so easily with others.I've never felt that way. I'll give up all the secrets anytime!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 49 ***.......................

.........

Now back to "NOTHIN BUT BLUES, TRACK 2, MR. SUPER HIP". So, let's go!!

This is your first "rockin' blues" and also your first "minor blues"... The keyis G minor, and the rhythm has a rock feel, no swinging eighth notes here!!First, let's study the form and the chords we will be using:

Bars 1-4................ G-7 chordBars 5-6................ C-7 chordBars 7-8................ G-7 chordBars 9-12.............. A-7/D in bass, G-7/C in bass

On the G-7 and C-7 chords, you can use any of the minor type scales we havecovered so far. (such as the dorian, minor/blues, and minor/pentatonic scales)

Let's discuss those other two new chords briefly... "D in bass" & "C in bass"means that the rhythm section players will do something unusual. While thepiano and guitar players will play the A-7 and G-7 chords as usual, the bassplayer will play the note D (with the A-7 chord) and C (with the G-7 chord).

Sometimes the pianist may even join in, by playing those "bass notes" withhis left hand as well. A creative guitarist may even do the same, by playingthe "bass notes" on his lowest strings. This is optional for them... but not for the bass player. He will always play those special notes and it makes a very



deep, rich kind of sound. It's pretty cool!

Now, how does this unusual activity in the rhythm section effect the soloist?!!It doesnt effect him at all. He can simply ignore those bass notes, and handlethe chords in the usual way. He just uses the usual minor type scales with theminor type chords and it all works just the same as always... So, in bars 9-12the solois would simply alternate between the A dorian and G dorian scales...He could also use the corresponding minor/blues and minor/pentatonic scalesthere as well, just as he did in the first eight measures.

Sooooo... You're an intermediate level player now, and you no longer needme to tell you how to tackle this song. Simply apply the usual techniques ofbreaking this project down into smaller parts, and then put them all togetherto play the head and improvize, using all your scales, and licks, and even afew parts of this and other heads to build your solos.

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 50 ***........................

.........

This is another blues track... "MODAL BLUES"... from JA Volume 2, Track 3.

This blues is also in a minor key, D minor for us trumpeters, with a 6/4 timesignature. If you haven't played any songs in 6/4 before, it's really not veryhard. Just pretend that each measure is made from two bars of 3/4. So it isbasically the same feel as any waltz you've played before, since the accentscome on beats 1 and 4.

Bars 1-4................. D-7 chordBars 5-6................. F-7 chordBars 7-8................. D-7 chordBars 9-10............... E7+9 and A7+9Bars 11-12.............. D-7 chord

On all the minor 7th chords you would use any of the minor type scales you've

learned before (such as the minor/blues, the minor/pentatonic, and also all thedorian scales) just exactly as you did in the blues above, with "Mr. Super Hip".

There are once again two new chords used in this blues, so let's discuss them.The chords appearing in measures 9 and 10 are E7+9 and A7+9. These chordsare both dominant 7th chords with one exception... Each of them have had theraised 9th tone stacked on top... I will use that "formula notation system" againto describe this. The formula for these two chords would be: 1, 3, 5, -7, +9. I'llgive you another example in the key of C... since that is often easier to grasp:

The chord C7+9 has the notes C, E, G, Bb, and D#.

Now, what scale should we use with these? The answer is "the diminished wholetone scale"... The "d-w-t" scale for each of the chords E7+9 and A7+9 are thereon the page underneath the chord symbols. They're built using something calleda "diminished" scale, joined together with a "whole tone" scale... Fully describingthese scales is a little complicated, and will happen in a future lesson, so for now,trust me and use the scales as they are printed underneath each of those chords.



Another way to handle these two new chords is by playind a D minor/blues scaleover both of them, and you could even experiment using that exact same scale(D minor/blues) over this entire track!

You've now covered five of the tracks on "Nothin' but Blues" and, you've alsogotten a good start with the "Patterns for Jazz" collection by Jerry Coker too!! Feel free to read onward in it, if you like. It is also a very good idea to reviewin all the books at this time... Go back to Volume 1, and read everthing we'veskipped over. Don't worry if it doesn't all make sense to you right now. I hopeyou're having fun. I'll just be waiting right here, patiently rolling my eyes.

..................................*** LESSON NUMBER 51 ***......................

.........

It's time for more blues "LONG METER JAZZ/ROCK" Track 6, 24 measures.

Here is another minor key blues that is 24 bars long. It has a jazz/rock feelto the rhythm, and being 24 measures in length, you have probably already

thought to yourself that this is 12 X 2=24. This is a good way to think of thistrack. It is still like a 12 bar blues in form, but everything has been doubled. This is really a simple one:

Bars 1-8 .................... E-7Bars 9-12 .................. A-7Bars 13-16 ................ E-7Bars 17-20 ................ C-7Bars 21-24 ................ B-7

OK now, this blues is in the key of E minor... but I wouldn't try using thatE minor/blues scale over the whole thing this time. All the previous blues

tracks you've played were fairly suitable for use with one minor/blues orone minor/pentatonic scale to be use for extended periods of time. Sincethis one visits chords that aren't in the parent key (of E minor) for longerthan just one or two measures at a time, this easy way of improvizing onthe chord changes will not work. You'll have to change scales, every timethe chords change.

E-7....................... Uses any of the E minor type scales.A-7....................... Uses any of the A minor type scales.C-7....................... Uses any of the C minor type scales.B-7....................... Uses any of the B minor type scales......HOWEVER...

I would really try to concentrate on using those dorian scales exclusively!

Play up and down the scales, and also try using third intervals to help youbreak away from using too many consecutive scale tones.

Experiment with using rhythms similar to those found in the head!! Play longcontinuous phrases on those dorian scales as well. Try to stretch out phraseslonger and longer without stopping. This is a very good track for this project.

Try using some digital type patterns. My message: Do everything you possiblycan with these four dorian scales!!! Then occasionally use minor/blues or evenminor/pentatonic to break up the monotony. Use the other scales emphasizing



their unique characteristic sounds for a while, then go straight back to dorian!!

Well, this makes your sixth track from "Nothin' But Blues". Each time I strongly recommend experimenting with a certain aspect of your playing on a particulartrack, it is because that track is very well suited for it. In some styles, youwillbump and grind, using just one "earthy" minor/blues scale for the whole song.

On some other modern tune you might experiment more with minor/pentatonicscales, and on other songs (like this one) you should do everything you can with the various dorian scales. Each scale has it's own sound, and each has different strengths that are more suited to one style or another... That is what I'm helpingyou to discover for yourself. You need to choose the right scale for the right job,so you need to become very familiar with what each one has to offer!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 52 ***.................................

........"VOLUME THREE, TRACK 1, THE II/V7/I CHORD PROGRESSION........

Well, if you are up to this point, then you have finished all of Volume 1, andabout half of Volume 2 "Nothin' But Blues". It's now time to jump over to thenext book/CD, Volume 3... "The II/V7/I Progression". We have already seenthe II/V7/I and the II/V7 progressions in Volume 1, so you are already veryfamiliar with the basic concept here. Now we will expand on it. The "changes"we've worked with so far have come from major keys. Now we will introducethese progressions as they appear in minor keys as well... but not quite yet.

Open the book for volume 3 (to page 9).......... and look at track 1.Open the book for volume 1 (to page 74)........ and look at track 6.

You should notice that they are identical exercises... exept that only sixkeys are covered in Vol 1, while all 12 keys are covered in vol 3.... Thetwo tracks are handled exactly the same. Here's a review of how we'vedealt with them so far:

The II chords are minor................ and use the minor/dorian scales.The V7 chords are dominant.......... use dominant/mixolydian scales.The I chords are major................. and use major, or 'ionian' scales.

Notice once again I'll use the full names for each scale, including the modalname, plus the chord types, etc. But, the main thing to grasp is that, thougheach scale starts on a different tone, they all use the same notes. If you areunsure about this stuff in any way, you must review Lessons 22 and 24 untilyou fully grasp this. Simply put... one scale will work throught each four barcadence (chord progression), and this makes it all pretty easy. So review ifneeded and ALWAYS try to master the knowledge presented in each lessonbefore going on.

For now, simply play these II/V7/I progressions the same way as you did in



volume 1, except of course, be brave and take them on in all 12 keys. Folksthat don't have all their major scales thoroughly master by now... should notbe working on lessons this far along. By now you should know your 12 majorscales, the 12 dorian, and 12 mixolydian. You should also know many of themajor/blues and major/pentatonic scales, and also many of the minor/bluesand minor/pentatonic scales. Just keep checking them off one at a time. It'llprobably take 3-6 months, before you'll know all seven of these scales in allof the keys, but these scale will be some of your very best friends for life!

Now, back to Track 1... Go especially slow at first... playing only a few notesso that you can really nail it when the scales change each eight measures!! Ifanything is just too hard, simply back up, slow it down, play simpler ideas andwork scales some more. The biggest stumbling block here is impatience. Don'tlet it get you! Just take things a little at a time. It all kicks in after a while, andthen it all moves forward much easier and with much less frustration. Go slow!

Very soon I will be introducing patterns, or 'licks' that fit with these changes and also patterns that will work with Track 2 as well. But for now it is best to simply continue experimenting with free improvization a while longer beforemoving on. Trust me... I'm teaching in a way that will give you a foundationon which you can build for as long as you want. OK, it's all your's!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 53 ***........................

.......

......... "VOLUME THREE, TRACK 2, II/V7 RANDOM PROGRESSION" .........

Open the book for volume 3 (to page 10)........... and look at track 2.Open the book for volume 1 (to page 76)........... and look at track 11.

Just as in the two tracks compared in the lesson above, you should notice

that these two tracks are identical as well, with the one exception that thistrack repeats each two measures. Once again, we'll handle this new trackjust the same as we did in volume one... and the full discussion of how wedeal with this particular progression is presented in Lesson 40... So pleasego back and review as needed.

In this track, each two measure section repeats... so... each II/V7 changelasts for a total of four measures. This will not effect how we handle them.

As before, we will use the scales printed below the chords, the dorian andmixolydian, but we'll simply think of them as dorian only. Since they don'tfinally resolve to a I chord they have the effect of sounding much more asI and IV chords from a minor key. In a minor key the I chord is minor and

the IV chord is dominant... so our II/V7 progression now acts like a I/IV ina minor key. It may help to read Davo's question to me and my answer atthe bottom of page 5 of this thread to help clarify this concept further.

The main thing I want you to do at this point is to notice that the scales onthe page are dorian and mixolydian (having exactly the same notes) but Iwant you to think of them as simply being the one dorian scale, lasting forfour measures. It's still the same notes, just thought of a little differently.

As usual, go slowly at first, using only a few notes. That gives you enough



time to be able to really think and nail each chord/scale change. Later, youwill gradually pick up the pace and play longer, more flowing lines, that willconnect the changes more smoothly. Still... I don't want you to just run upand down the scales mindlessly. Pause repeatedly to reflect on what you'vejust played, and try to "pre-hear what ought to come next". This is so veryimportant, and so ofter overlooked. This is the key to making real creativemusic, instead of just running up and down scales and plugging in licks!

Very soon, I will present patterns that will work with Tracks 1 and 2. We allneed to learn patterns or "licks", and we will indeed weave parts and piecesof them into our solos, but mostly when they are HEARD as part of a biggermusical idea. Occasionaly when one hears nothing, or the tempo is too fastto allow for as much pre-hearing as we'd like, we'll actually resort to simplyplugging in a few licks that are understood to work in certain situations.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the use of licks, and we'll learnand use many for sure. I just hate to hear the kind of solos that aren't reallymusical in any way... but merely a bunch of scales and licks strung togetherwithout any real artistry to them. Perhaps you've heard some of that kind ofplaying. That is the way to get started, but eventually we need to create art!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 54 ***.......................

.........

..........."VOLUME 5, TIME TO PLAY MUSIC, TRACK 1, GROOVITIS"............

I told you that you would need to own Volumes 1, 2, 3, and 5 from this JAImprov series. Well, now you see I wasn't kidding. I will jump around fromVolumes 2, 3 and 5 quite a bit. This way you can play actual songs and geteverything you need in an appropriate manner. Volume 4 isn't in my groupas it is quite a bit more advanced, so we'll just ignore it for now.

TRACK 1, "GROOVITIS"

Turn to page 9 to see the song in the trumpet key of D minor... Like someof the blues tracks you've played, this song is in a minor key. I haven't yetexplained minor keys fully, but I will definitely spend some time with this inan upcoming lesson. For now all you need to know is that they a built usingminor type scales, and they have a certain sad or bluesy sound to them.

Similar to some of the blues tracks you've played before, this song can behandled by playing all the way through using one scale, the (D minor/bluesscale) with one ecxeption. In the last two measures of the song, on the Bb7chord, it is best to abandon that D minor/blues scale temporarily and use aBb dominant/mixolydian scale, just as it is written under the chord symbols.

It is possible to use the D minor/pentatonic over the majority of this song aswell, or even the D dorian scale... Feel free to experiment with these scales,but always use the Bb mixolydian as suggested in the last two measures. Ifyou would like to try using all of the scales shown under the chord symbols,that is fine too, but there is really no need to at this point. After I teach somemore about the various scales you see there... I will revisit several tracks toapply new material when you are better equiped to handle it all. For now justuse the simpler methods I suggested earlier.



Just a couple more comments, and then I'll let you play. Although this songis written using many dotted eighth and sixteenth rhythm patterns, they aremeant to be played with a 2/3 and 1/3 division of the beat, and not the 3/4and 1/4 one would naturally expect. One last comment now, just to tease...

You will see the two chords "E half-diminished and A7+9" repeatedly duringthis song. Those are the II and V chords in D minor. Perhaps you will be ableto see why the D minor/blues scale works so well through most of this song.

Just as a major scale works all the way through a II/V7/I chord progressionin a major key... one minor scale can similarly work all the way through theII/V7+9/I chord progression in a minor key. Just something to think about...I will come back to all this "minor key" stuff very soon!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 55 ***........................

........

...................."VOLUME 5, TRACK 4, SNAP CRACKLE & POP"....................

This song is a pretty easy one. The rhythmic feel is rock, so there will be

no "swing feel" to it at all. Everything is played exactly as written, and thesong is found on page 11, in the key of C minor for trumpeters.

This song has only two chords in it, that constantly "rock" back and forthfrom one to the other. The chords for trumpet players are C minor and Fdominant... While they might appear to be a II/V7 progression in the keyof Bb major, this is definitely NOT the case.

You should recall how I mentioned in earlier lessons how the II/V7 chordscould actually sound and function as the I/IV progression in a minor key...Well, here it is in a way that can't possibly be mistaken for anything otherthan that, a I chord and a IV chord in the key of C minor! So you will thinkof using only one scale, just as you did in previous similar situations. That

is NOT a II/V7 in a major key... it's a I/IV in a MINOR KEY!!!

An alternate melody is provided at the bottom of the page in case the realmelody proves to be a little too difficult... You can use bits and pieces fromboth of these melodies in your solos. This song should be improvized overusing the C minor/blues and the C minor/pentatonic scales suggested andprovided at the bottom of the page. You can also mix in some C dorian too.This song is part rock and part funk, soooooooo... GET FUNKY!! OH YEAH!!LET YOUR HAIR DOWN, AND FUNK! YOU DA FUNKMEISTER NOW BABY!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 56 ***........................

.........

........................."VOLUME 5, TRACK 6, MODAL VOYAGE"......................

..

This song is very cool!! It's rhythm uses straight eighths (not swing) and thechord changes are very straightforward. Though quite simple on the surface,it lends itself to much experimentation and discovery if approached properly.



There are only four chords, and therefore only four basic scales are neededto play the improvised solos. I will suggest a few others you may try as well.

The first thing you will notice is the unusual chord symbols... You'll probablyrecall seeing chords such as "B-/E in bass"... which means that your rhythmsection players play a B minor chord, while the bass player plays the note E.The 'B-/E' means the same thing. 'C-/F' means a C minor chord with F in thebass. Then comes A-/D, and G-/C, etc. They all refer to a certain chord, butwith a note in the bass other than the usual root we'd normally expect.

So..... you will probably also recall that the unusual note in the bass has noeffect on which scale the improvizer uses in his solos. Under the B-/E chordis the B dorian scale, just the same as you'd expect to see without any E inthe bass. Similarly, under the C-/F there is a C dorian scale. Again the F inthe bass has no effect on our choice of scales.

Basically, we will use four different dorian scales, for four measures each. Itis also possible to substitute the corresponding minor/blues scales, as well asthe minor/pentatonic scales in the same manner, four bars each. It's probablymore beneficial at this level to play one scale for four full four measures at a time... just to continue drilling the sound of each scale into your head as much as possible. Later we will come back to these simple tracks and do much more

with them as you learn more patterns, scales, and strategies, etc...

Actually, we'll be back to revisit some of these "easy tracks" again and again.This one is particularly useful for introducing several new concept as we keepprogressing. Even the simplest music can have infinite possibilities!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 57 ***.......................

.........

............................"VOLUME 5, TRACK 8, BEAUTITUDE".....................

.....

This is another Latin sounding song with even, "straight eighth" notes. Onceagain, no swing feel here. This time there are only five different chords, andfive suggested scales are given (although I'll suggest a couple of others too).

This song would probably fall into the category of what jazz players call aballad.... Some wouldn't call it that, but a jazzer's definitions tend to havea little wider scope than others. The whole song is only eight bars long. Itmay be the shortest song I know of... I'm pretty sure it is!

As you can see, JA suggests using the major scale with each of these majorchords. Then on the Ab major (+4) chord he suggests the use of lydian. You

should recall that lydian is the fourth mode of a major scale. In this case theAb lydian scale would be the fouth mode of the Eb major scale.

You'll also recall that I've told you to think of mixolydian simply as a majorscale with a lowered seventh tone 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, -7, 8. The lydian scale isso similar to the major scale that I want you to think of it in a similar way... as a major scale with a raised fourth tone 1, 2, 3, +4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Make any comparisons you need to, and you'll find that the lydian scale is



just like a major scale with the fourth tone being raised a half step. I wantyou to think of it that way when you use it. (This is much easier that tryingto visualize it as the fourth mode of some other scale.)

So use the major scales with the major chords, then use lydian with the Abmajor (+4) chord... Actually all of the major chords would sound nice usinglydian as well, so do experiment with that too. 1, 2, 3, +4, 5, 6, 7, 8... Someother "major type scales" that you can use would be the major/blues and themajor/pentatonic scales. Try these out and you will find that some work wellin this particular style, and others don't. It's the kind of thing you should findout for yourself. There is one other thing you ought to experiment with... Wehave begun using a few patterns from the Coker book, 'Patterns For Jazz'. Ifyou have found a major type pattern there that appeals to you, it would nowbe a good time to try transposing it into the keys for use with these chords.

..................................*** LESSON NUMBER 58 ***......................

...........

In this lesson we shall study "CHROMATICISM". So please open your book

for Volume 1 to page 32. I've asked you to read all of Volume 1 before, soyou have already seen this concept, but probably not fully understood it all.Now we will give it much more attention. Go ahead and read the section onchromaticism starting on page 32 once more right now... then return to thislesson. It will only take a second, since there's not much to read. There aresome good jazz patterns presented there too, and I'll discuss them as well!

Alright, chromaticism simply refers to using notes of the chromatic scale butin a special way. We don't just use any of the notes randomly. We use themslipped in between the notes of the usual scales we play, as "passing tones",and also placed just ahead of the usual notes of the scale as "leading tones".These are the two most common ways jazz players use chromaticism.

In other words, we may be playing a C major scale, then slip in the note G#between the G and the A. Typically the G and A come on downbeats, and theG# comes on the upbeat. (I'm referring to the down and up part of a beat asyou learned to tap your foot as a beginner, 'down up down up'.) This way the"chromatic note" is not emphasized, but merely connects the two scale tonessmoothly. Using this technique makes your sound immediately more complexand mature at the same time. This is how chromatic notes are used as what Irefer to as "passing tones". When a chromatic note is simply placed before ascale tone (a half step above or below it) this is what I will often refer to as a"leading tone".

The chromatic notes don't always have to come on the "upbeats", but they

usually do more often than not. Sometimes we can use large portions of achromatic scale... and it will sound good. It may feel as though it is right inthe key, or it may sound like a temporary departure from the key, but thisscales is so smooth sounding with all its half steps, that the sound is almostalways fairly acceptable to the ear (because of this "smoothness"). Severalof the patterns presented here (on pages 33-35) are especially nice. Someof the ones I really like are:

page 33..... line 2, and line 6page 34..... line 6, and line 7



page 35..... lines 1, 4, 5, 7, 9

These are some patterns you may want to add into your personal notebook.When I built up my own notebook over many years I always included a fewgood "preperatory type patterns" at first, followed by only the very best licksI could find, that really appealed to me the most. I will talk some more aboutgetting your own notebook going the right way in upcoming lessons.

Well, that's about it for chromaticism... Slipping in a note between two scaletones for a smooth connection is one common use. Another, seen in the lickspresented, is to use an extra note to "lead in" to a scale tone by a half step.

Another way to use chromaticism is to take large pieces of chromatic scalesand use them, which sounds right due to their smoothness... I will leave younow to experiment some on your own... Put on some basic Aebersold tracksand experiment. That will help you to understand it all more than a thousandof my words. So, use fairly basic tracks and experiment for yourself.

Later on, you'll begin to hear those notes in your mind while improvizing... Ionce heard an old jazzer say, "If you hear it, it can't be wrong". I think there is a whole lot of truth to that old saying. Always feel free to post questions.Ifthere is something you're wondering about, I'm sure many others will benefit

from the answers as well. Remember... have fun! NOW, GO EXPERIMENT!!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 59 ***........................

.........

In this lesson we will study "ARTICULATION". So please open the book forVolume 1 to page 48, and read the three page section on articulation rightnow. Again, all this should be a review, as I've already asked you to readall of Volume 1 in an earlier lesson.

Jamey Aebersold gives some very good advice on this subject. Study thissection thoroughly. He says that one should think of articulation as properenunciation. No one likes listenning to a speaker who cannot enunciate orspeak clearly. So it is with jazz, or any other style of music. Jazz has a bitdifferent style of articulation associated with it, though... and we need thatspecial, distinct style when playing jazz music.

Typical of much jazz... is the presence of that swing feel or rhythm. We allknow that we play "swing eighths" with a 2/3 and 1/3 division of the beat...but that is not all there is to swing. Two other elements are crucial to beingable to get a good swing feel. These have to do with accents and slurring.

Most swinging eighths are accented in an unusual way. Instead of accenting

the downbeat, we accent the upbeats. Look at the first written examples onpage 49. You will notice that the accents fall on the upbeats. This is not onlycommon to swing style jazz, but it is the standard practice.

Also notice in these examples how these notes are slurred. The slurring andtonguing patterns are also representative of the swing style as well. If you'dtry playing those three examples with or without the accents and articulationpatterns there, you will get some very different results. Without the patternsof articulation and accents, the lines will lack the energy associated with this



style of music. It will also sound stiff or "square". By introducing the accents as written, we get more "bounce" or "lilt"... and by using the slurred patternswe get the "cool" element as well. Excitement, plus that cool feeling togetheris what people associate with jazz... Even the tongued notes are often playedwith a more legato style. Without these elements we might as well be playingin a marching band. Correct articulation for the jazz style is so important.

Even when playing a rock/jazz or funk/jazz groove without swinging eighths...we will still use a syncopated accenting format, and even a different aticulationas well. All jazz music has alot of expression in it, and it's our job to get all thesubtle nuances across so that the listener feels this cool excitement too. Makesure to do your jazz listenning. That will help alot too. NOW GO EXPERIMENT!!!

..................................*** LESSON NUMBER 60 ***......................

.........

We'll discuss "YOUR PERSONAL JAZZ PATTERN NOTEBOOK" in this lesson.I've been making reference to having your own personal collection of jazz

"patterns", "licks", "riffs" or "motiffs" in a notebook. Note that these are all various names for the short melodic segments that jazz improvizors learn,alter, and use by weaving them creatively into their improvized solos... I'lljust call them all "patterns" or "licks" for now.

You need to buy at least two books of blank music manuscript paper rightaway if you haven't done so already. These are usually spiral bound booksof staff paper without music on them. I'd get at least two really big ones.

Now you will be entering jazz patterns into these notebooks. They'll mostlybe your absolute favorite patterns in the world, that you love the most andwant to incorporate into your own personal style for life. The other category

of patterns that will go into these notebooks will be of the preperatory type,the kind that aren't intended to be actual licks you'd use when improvizinga real solo... but you'll be needing those too.

I would divide the notebooks this way: First notebook: general patterns ofevery kind, seperated into categories. Second notebook: transcribed solosand song forms that you compose written solos for, like 12 bar blues... and"rhythm changes". I'll explain more about this in another lesson very soon.

The first notebook could simply have all kinds of patterns stuck in it, in anyorder you happen to run across them. This would not be as good as havingthe notebook divided into sections, so you can easily organize them and bemore able to locate your favorite patterns when you need them.

My personal choice of categories could easily be debated. Some licks couldappear in more than one category, and some licks could need to be put intoseperate categories of their own. All this is true with any list of categories a guy could come up with. I have a list of my own that I'll give as a suggestedguideline . I had previous notebooks that I consolidated after many years toone big book, and I find that these categories seem to be quite workable.

1. Major Type Patterns



2. Major II/V7/I Patterns3. One Bar Major II/V7/Is

4. Minor and Blues Patterns5. Minor II/V7+9/I Patterns6. One Bar Minor II/V7+9s

7. Altered V7/I Patterns8. Turnaround Patterns9. Pentatonic Patterns

10. Cycle of Dominants11. Digital Scale Patterns12. Digital Chord Patterns13. Outside Type Patterns

OK, now where do we get these patterns from? Well, please read Lesson 46again right away. It will explain how to get jazz patterns form "jazz patternsbooks" that are commercialy available and how to extract nice melodic licksout of jazz tunes or heads that you particularly like. One can also buy booksof "transcribed solos" and select appealing licks from there to enter into yournotebook, or you can simply transcribe solos yourself in order to get a bunchof really great material that way. And, by the way, transcribing solos yourselfis extremely valuable to the "training of the ears" as well. There have already

been quite a few great licks presented right here in the Aebersold play-alongset books as well. There are many great patterns in Volumes 1, 2 and 3, bothof the preliminary type and the real useable jazz licks type too! And, as you'll recall, I feel that the most valuable licks of all come right straight out of yourown head. These licks will keep coming around again and again. I feel they'reas close as you can get to expressing the real you, and that being able to playwhat you hear, is the best thing you can play. You can sing along with variousbasic Aebersold type tracks, or even jazz solos from CDs etc, and then simplyrecord yourself singing... Later, go back and figure out how to write down thebest stuff you sang. The further you go... the better your own ideas will get!

Well, this is it for Lesson 60... I will discuss this first notebook of jazz patternsin the next lesson much more, as well as the second notebook that will containtranscribed solos, and also your own composed solos to fit with standard songforms such as 12 bar blues, and something called "rhythm changes". That 2ndnotebook is going to begin way off the in future still. I really just wanted you tostart thinking about it a little... In Lesson 61 I'll give you the rest of whatyou'llneed to get that first notebook of jazz patterns going... If you get some musicmanuscript paper at the music store, be sure to get at least two of the biggestspiral bound type books that you can find. www.penders.com

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 61 ***........................

.........

Now for more "YOUR PERSONAL JAZZ PATTERN NOTEBOOK"... So let's go!OK, now I've given you the idea about this notebook... Let's get into all thedetails now. First of all you'll need to write page numbers on every page ofthis 'first notebook', front and back sides both. Then you should make your



'contents page' in the front of the book. We'll just be talking about the "first notebook" for now, containing many general patterns.

The brand of notebook I used is the "Sightation" Manuscript Book. It is alsolabeled "No.103-96 pages". This 96 pages is enough for most people. If youever run out of room with this, just start another and keep going. I feel surethis will not likely happen to anyone for many years... especially if they limit themselves to the licks they find to be appealing enough to keep for life... Afew people will write down every single pattern they come across, but therejust isn't enough time to learn every one of them in all 12 keys, so limit thiscollection to the "REAL KEEPERS"... Only about 5% will fall into this category.Transcriptions books yield even less. I only want the "best of the best" to gointo my personal bag. I would strongly advise you to do the same.

In Lesson 60 I listed the titles to the various sections or "chapters" in my own personal notebook. I will give you an idea of about how many pages you canallow for each section if you use the same kind of notebook and sections as Idid with mine. This is a very realistic outline, and it will work for you as well!

1. Major Type Patterns....................10 pages

2. Major II/V7/I Patterns.................10 pages3. One Bar Major II/V7/Is................ 6 pages

4. Minor and Blues Patterns.............10 pages5. Minor II/V7+9/I Patterns...............6 pages6. One Bar Minor II/V7+9/Is..............6 pages

7. Altered V7/I Patterns.....................6 pages8. Turnaround Patterns....................10 pages9. Pentatonic Patterns........................8 pages

10. Cycle of Dominants.....................6 pages11. Digital Scale Patterns...................4 pages

12. Digital Chord Patterns..................4 pages13. Outside Type Patterns..................8 pages

That makes 94 pages, plus a contents page and one blank page totals 96 inall. That fits perfectly with this 96 page notebook... and it also gives a fairlyappropriate number of pages to each section. As you can tell, the categoriesyou'll use the most are the ones using 10 pages... The other categories areequally important, but the licks are either shorter, or you probably wouldn'tneed as many examples from those in your repetoir. At any rate this seemsto me to be very realistic if you only keep the "best of the best" licks, and Idoubt you'll ever run out of room with a notebook like this.

I am actually over estimating what I think the average improvizer would everneed. I am in favor of learning fewer licks extremely well, instead of hundredsand hundreds half way. When you learn fewer licks extremely well you'll easilybegin spontaneously improvizing variations of them in time... You'll branch outmore naturally from the foundation you've built, and also be more able to truly"play what you hear"... I'll spend more time helping you to completely get yourpatterns notebook together in the next lesson as well, so you may want to holdoff on actually entering licks into it at this time. After collecting licks fora while,players will often start over with a new notebook and re-enter licks into it mor



eneatly, and more organized, and more useable, so don't worry about it at all.

If you aren't happy with your first draft, you can always redo it again later on...I treat my notebook with the highest repect. I wouldn't let it go for thousandsofdollars $$$ (unless I had made a copy of it first, of course!)... ... I'll be back!

................................***LESSON NUMBER 62 ***.........................

.........

Last visit to "YOUR PERSONAL JAZZ PATTERN NOTEBOOK". So here we go!!We have now set up the "first notebook" and are ready to begin putting jazzpatterns into it. But first, a few general statements and suggestions:

(1) Some patterns can easily go into more that one section of the notebook.That's just fine. Feel free to enter them as you like. It's your notebook, andits only purpose is to give you a permanent place to put those licks you wantto hang on to... (2) Each section should begin with preliminary type patterns

that just provide a foundation upon which to build future, more useable jazzlicks... (3) When adding new licks to your notebook, over the many monthsand years to come, you should only add the licks you really love the most!

Sometimes you'll find a lick that needs a little altering, to be really appealingto you. Do alter them in any way you like. Invent your own. Beg, borrow andsteal licks freely from any source you find. When I put a lick into my personalnotebook, I always write down a source for it if I have one. Even licks I thinkI originated get marked as "original"... although I will almost alway find themsomewhere else later on. You can probably imagine how that goes...

OK, I am treating you as an intermediate level improvizor now... so a little

less spoon feeding, and a little more review and research on your own. So,preliminary exersises that will go into the first part of each section... will besimple chord and scale type patterns. They are not very melodic. They willmerely run up and down the chords and scales in a way that is meant for abeginner to become familiar with the material that will be used to derive thereal jazz licks that will follow. Put them in first then leave some space for afew more to come later as you find them. Many of you will simply be able tomake up some preliminary exercises as well.

1. Major Type Patterns... These are composed from major type scales suchas Major, Lydian, Major/blues, and Major/pentatonic. They can also be builtusing any of the Major type chords such as CM, CM6, CM7, CM9. If you see

a pattern under a Major chord symbol, that is a "Major Type Pattern".

2. Major II/V7/I Patterns... These are the kind of Patterns found in JA Vol 3.They are designed to fit with the II/V7/I chord progression. On these, the IIchord lasts one measure, and the V7 chord lasts for one bar as well. At timesthe I chord will also have appropriate notes to go with it too, or this part may simply be left up to the improvisor to put in his own resolving major type lickat that point for the I chord. So... sometimes you just put in one of your ownmajor type licks at the I chord. One more thing about this category: You will



recall I told you that the II/V7 part of this progressin can sound and functionas I and IV chords from a minor key... when the progression doesn't resolveto the final I chord. We handle it with just the dorian scale only to achieve theproper sound, and not set up our listeners for a resolution that never comes.Dorian is great to use through the two measures, and minor/pentatonic worksvery well too. You can enter licks appropriate for this purpose here as well...The same thing is suggested below for the "one Bar" versions also.

3. One Bar Major II/V7/Is... This is similar to the licks just above except that the II chord lasts ony two beats, and the V7 chord lasts just two beats as well. Again, the I chord may or may not have notes with it, leaving the resolution toa major type lick up to the improvizer. That's why I call them "One Bar". ThatII/V7 part lasts only one bar. This section should also include what we call One Bar II/V7 licks as well (that never resolve to I, and usually sound and funtionmore like the I and IV chords from a minor key)... If any of this is losing you, then you need more review of earlier lessons!!! Be patient and master all theinfo in each lesson before moving on. Keep it slow and simple. It will be muchless frustating, and alot more fun!

4. Minor and Blues Patterns... These are the type of licks suggested in JAVolume 2, and provided in the blues heads there... and available from theCoker book, etc, etc.... They can be built from any of the minor and bluestype scales or minor chords, or any combination thereof.

5. Minor II/V7+9/I Patterns... Same situation as in #2 above except in aminor key. The II and the V7+9 chords last one full measue each, and theresolution to the I chord is often left to the improvizer. We haven't coveredthese yet, so don't worry about this.

6. One Bar Minor II/V7+9/Is... Like #3 above, the II and V7+9 chords lastonly two beats each and the resolution to the I chord is sometimes left forthe improvizer. That's why I call them "One Bar". The II/V7+9 part lasts for

only one bar, and the final resolution is often left to the improv student. This hasn't been covered yet either, so don't sweat it...

7. Altered V7/I Patterns... Haven't covered those yet, but will soon... Thisrefers to a V7 chord that has alterations like +9, -9, +5, -5, and +13, andresolves down a fifth to a I chord. The V chord often has alterations, evenseveral at the same time.

8. Turnaround Patterns... Haven't covered those either, but this refers to avery common chord progression used in jazz. One version is the III/VI/II/Vturnaround. We will spend some time with this in future lessons. It is a veryimportant and useful chord progression, just like those various II/V7/Is...

9. Pentatonic Patterns... You should feel free to enter basic preliminary typemajor and minor pentatonic type licks, and even some real useable jazz licksbuilt from these scales too. Remember all the different sources you can drawfrom... I listed them in Lessons 46 and 60... Use these sources to get licks toput in all the categories covered so far. Some, like minor pentatonic patternsfrom a blues head you learned, can be entered in category #4 and category#8 as well. Some other licks can be entered in more than one category too!

10. Cycle of Dominants... Not really been covered yet, but we did play some



in Volume 1... We used mixolydian primarily, but several othe scales workedthere as well. You should probably hold off on making any entries here too.

11. Digital Scale Patterns... Please do remember that the word "digital" refersto licks that have a kind of mathematical formula applied to a scale... or evena chord. I seperate them into categories of their own, since these patterns canusually be applied to a variety of different scale and chord types... You can listthem under a digital category... then when you find one that works particularlywell with a certain type of chord, then list the pattern within these appropriatecategories as well... like Major Patterns, or Minor and Blues, etc.

12. Digital Chord Patterns... These are simply digital type patterns appliedto chords. They are various forms of arpeggios that are also very useful tojazz players. Just like the digital scale patterns above, they will go into this category. Then later on, the ones that work especially well with certain typesof chords will go into those appropriate categories as well.

13. Outside type patterns... The most exotic of all licks in a sense, outsidepatterns refer to licks that depart from the traditional harmony of a song...They create a certain feeling of chaos by temporarily building lots of tensionbut then they are eloquently resolved back smoothly into the key. This kind

of lick ventures "outside of the key"... but then hopefully resolves back intothe key in a way that creates a dramatic resolution. Many of them are builtusing "pentatonis scales", and even "fouth intervals" in very unusual ways.

They will be left to lessons still far in the future... One needs to learn to playsolidly within the traditional harmony before venturing outside of it. We'll leadup to the outside patterns in a logical fashion, covering intermediate steps toget us to that point gradually, enabling us to use this type of pattern in a veryartistic fashion. Too many players simply plug in these licks in a mindless andrandom way. They should be used correctly, or not used at all...

Well as I said... I'm treating you as an intermediate player now. You canstart entering both the preliminary type patterns and exercises into yournew notebook, as well as the really good useable authentic jazz licks youget from all the sources I mentiond in both lessons 46 and 60... Now is agood time to thoroughly review all the lessons, and the sources, and thenget busy with this notebook. Later, I'll get you to start a second notebookfor transcription, as well as written solos for some common song forms...By the time we get there, it will all make sense and be fairly easy as well.

One last point... I would go ahead and get the books, "Twenty Eight ModernTrumpet Solos", (Volumes 1 and 2) and also purchase JA Volume 54... titled"Maiden Voyage". We'll start playind some great songs from there very soon

too. You'll soon have enough repetoir to actual play three sets in public then,using nothing but Aebersold tunes. Think about that for a minute!!!

Be sure and get the two books and JA's Maiden Voyage, and you're rolling!Also go through every souce mentioned in Lessons 46 and 60 and get all thepossible preliminary and useable patterns that really appeal to you. Be verymethodical and go through each JA volume and the Coker Patterns book too.Remember those heads, including all the blues heads, are great sources too,and I bet you 'hear them all' already too! Take your time, this is just for you!



While I recomended allowing several pages for each of these categories oflicks, I'd like to repeat that I strongly advise learning fewer licks extremelythoroughly rather than hundreds half way. I just don't wan't you to possiblyrun out of room in a notebook that should last you for many years, or evena lifetime, and most people will put many licks into their notebooks that willnot seem so great to them later on. I want you to have lots of extra room inyour notebook for both of these reasons, so don't panic... We won't learnseveral hundred licks in all keys!! We'll master fewer.... and then branch outnaturally, with variations of our mastered material! Keep on practicing... andjust take everything one small piece at a time. Very soon you'll have enoughsongs, just from your JA repetoir alone, to play three sets in a nightclub!!

..................................*** LESSON NUMBER 63 ***......................

........

A real short discussion of "THE OTHER NOTEBOOK" I keep on mentioning.But first I want to repeat one thing about the first notebook, the "patternscollection" we've been discussing... I don't advise trying to learn hundredsand hundreds of licks. I advise collecting all the patterns you come across

that really appeal to you, and that's why I suggest using a notebook whichallows you so many pages that you may never run out of room. If you canlimit yourself to learning the very best licks only you'll learn them all muchmore thoroughly, and be able to hear them too... Then later on, variationswill begin to form in your mind... that will take you onward to higher levelsand in a much more artistic way. Jazz is not a contest to see who can playthe most notes or patterns. We should try to play the most beautiful musicwe possibly can. Limit yourself to learning only "the very best of the best".

The second notebook I keep refering to will be started later on. It'll servethree purposes. (1) It will be your transcriptions notebook... You'll use it towrite down some of your favorite recorded solos. You memorize each partof a solo and then write it down for future reference. You can take favorite

licks from solos for your own use, and the process of transcribing is reallygood for your ear training. (2) You'll also compose melodies yourself, andwrite them in this second notebook as well. There are a few very standardsong forms you'll use, such as the 12 bar blues and others... One commonform is called "Rhythm Changes". This refers to the chord changes to thatold song called "I Got Rhythm". If you don't know that song, it is the samechord changes that go with the 'Flintstones' theme from the cartoon series.(3) The third purpose of this other notebook will be to serve as a catch allto the first notebook. If you feel that you need more categories of licks, oryou need anything else at all that didn't fit into the first notebook, then this second notebook can handle that too. Between the two notebooks you mayjust be all set, for a lifetime of jazz materials for improvization. I'm helping

you as much as possible to do just that!! These notebooks will become twoof your most valued possesions in time, and you'll thank me for getting youstarted this way. They'll be full of your favorite material, not mine, and notanyone else's. They will form the foundation, for all that your own personalstyle will evolve into and it's all completely under your own control. You canbecome a true artist... with your own distinct, personal sound and style withan approach such as this... Treat your notebooks with respect, and you'll bedoing yourself the biggest favor possible. OK, sermon over...



You need to buy "Twenty Eight Modern Trumpet Solos" Volumes 1 & 2, andalso please get JA's Volume 54, "Maiden Voyage" right away. The two solosbooks contain fifty six great and famous trumpet solos... They are a wealthof patterns and ideas that are worth their weight in gold!!! Volume 54 is fullof great songs, that'll continue at the appropriate difficulty level from wherewe are now in these lessons... Again, let me say that by the time you learnthe songs in it, along with all the others in your current JA collection, you'll actually have enough JA repetoir to play an evening at a club!!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 64 ***.......................

..........

This lesson is about "MINOR KEYS & CHORD CHANGES"... We've discussedmajor keys, and the diatonic chords and modes associated with them quitea bit. Now it is time to discuss minor keys. Many of you already know somethings about minor keys, from classical music theory... I'll present this areaof music theory from this perspective then discuss how modern improvizersdeal with it in more detail later on.

The major scale has seven modes as you already know. The sixth of thesemodes is called aeolian, but it also has another special name, "pure minor".They're the same thing (AEOLIAN=PURE MINOR). If you wrote a song usingthis scale as the basis, we would say that the song was in a "minor key". I'lluse the C major scale and its aeolian mode to illustrate this:

C Major scale............... "Ionian... or 1st mode" ........ C, D, E, F, G, A,B, CA 'Pure Minor'.............. "Aeolian... or 6th mode" ....... A, B, C, D, E, F,G, A

C major is the "relative major" to the key of A minor, and is often referedto as the "parent key" for A minor, and all the other modes built from that

C major scale as well. Similarly, A minor is called the "relative minor", forthe key of C major. Be sure to review all of this until you really get it!!

Each of the twelve major scales would have a corresponding relative minorscale associated with it, so... this means there are 12 minor keys. All minorscale have the same exact notes as their parent keys (relative major), andeach minor key uses the same key signature as its relative major too. So ifyou see a key signature with no sharps or flats, the key could be C major...or it might be the key of "A minor"... This works the same for all of the keysignatures. Each of them represents one major, and one minor key.

The pure minor scale has a kind of sad quality to its sound. Seven diatonicchords can be constructed from its tones, just as with the major scale, but

in minor keys these seven diatonic chords are very frequently altered... sooften in fact... that we rarely, if ever, see them in their unaltered, diatonicforms. Here is the way we'll see them most often. Again, I'll use A minor...

The I chord......... A minor 7.................... or A- with the major 7th addedThe II chord........ B half-diminished 7The III chord....... C major 7................... or C+ the rare augmented triad The IV chord....... D minor 7



The V chord......... E dominant 7............... often with +9, -9, +5, -5, or +11The VI chord........ F major 7The VII chord...... G dominant 7............... or even G# fully-diminished 7th

As most advanced improvizers know, there is more to this subject that willbe covered later on, but for now you have all you need to cover the rest ofthe JA volumes we are currently dealing with... Volumes 1, 2, 3, 5, and 54.

Just to give you something to chew on, that has only been briefly discussedbefore, I want you to notice again that the II/V7/I progression that you willoften see in major keys, also has its counterpart in minor keys. For examplein the key of A minor, it would usually appear as:

B half-diminished 7, E dominant 7+9, and then A minor 7. (You've alreadyseen this type of chord progression in some Aebersold tracks. In the minorkeys, we refer to this as the II/V7+9/I progression.)

Well, now you have it. I may introduce a new scale or two along the way,but if you fully comprehend all the information I've dished out so far, youalready have an extremely solid foundation for a lifetime of jazz playing!!You have covered enough to last most serious students of improvization avery long time. At minimum you are ready for at least a year or two. Afterthat you'll be an advanced player... studying advanced material. Review it

all until it gradually becomes part of you!! Just a little bit each day adds upover long period of time, so don't stop! The time will pass, and you'll be soglad you stuck with it!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 65 ***........................

.........

It's a good time to discuss "HARMONIC MINOR" while we're on the subjectof minor scales... Sometimes it is possible to add or change only one note

in a scale in order to get a whole new scale. Example: Lower that 7th toneof a major scale, and you get mixolydian. Another example: Add the +2 tothe major pentatonic scale, and you get the major blues scale. Add the +4to the minor pentatonic scale, and you get the minor blues scale.

It sure is easy to learn the second scale in each of these three examples,once you've learned the first. Now back to "harmonic minor". If you raisethe seventh tone of the pure minor scale, you get harmonic minor. That'sall there is to it. Of course there are 12 pure minor, and also 12 harmonicminor scales. I will now show these two scales using "formula notation".

Pure minor scale..........................1, 2, -3, 4, 5, -6, -7, 8Harmonic minor scale...................1, 2, -3, 4, 5, -6, 7, 8

(Please remember that this formula system is a way of describing a scale orchord by comparing it to a major scale with the same starting note. This canbe a little confusing at first... but this system makes things much easier later on. I just want you to get used to using it.) I also want you to notice that the pure minor scale is like a major scale with lowered 3rd, 6th, and 7th steps...and harmonic minor is like a major scale with the lowered 3rd and 6th steps.



The harmonic minor scale produces an unusual sound, that is very useful toa jazz improvizer. It sounds a little Egytian, or Spanish, or Italian... or even a little Jewish depending on how it is handled. In the key of A, this harmonicminor scale would be the notes A, B, C, D, E, F, G#, A. You should play withthis scale just a bit right now to see what I mean about the different sounds.

Another interesting thing the more advanced players might notice, is the factthat the "altered chords" mentioned in Lesson 64 above almost all come fromdiatonic chords built and then "borrowed" from this harmonic minor scale!

I.............A, C, E, G#.............. the A- chord with a "major 7th"II............B, D, F, A................. the B half-diminished 7th chordIII..........C, E, G#................... the "rare" C+ augmented chordIV...........D, F, A, C................. the typical, unaltered IV chordV............E, G#. B. D............... the V chord, now a dominant 7VI...........F, A. C. E.................. the typical, unaltered VI chordVII..........G#, B. D. F............... the fully-diminished, built on +7

Intermediate level students may compare these "altered chords"to the chart in Lesson 64, and notice how they're all derived fromdiatonic chords built from the example "A harmonic minor scale".When you see some strange looking chords in minor keys... andwonder where they came from, the answer is nearly always that

they were constructed using this harmonic minor scale.

Chords built strictly from the pure minor scale do not work well inmodern jazz, but those built from harmonic minor do. It would bea little hard to explain it all, but trust me, this is why we see manyaltered chords in minor keys, and this is the scale we get them allfrom. And, one last point I'd like to make. When you see all thesechords being used, that harmonic minor scale is a great choice forthe improvizer to use over them.... I'll give just one example. TheII/V7+9/I progression can be handled well... using minor/ blues asI told you before. But using the harmonic minor through the chordprogression will often sound even more "right".... In fact, you maythink of using the 2nd, 5th, and 1st "modes" of the harmonic minor

scale, just as you'd think dorian, mixolydian, and ionian in a majorkey. It works exactly the same, just using harmonic minor instead.

This is a really great way to handle the II/V7+9/I progression, in aminor key! You won't sound Egyptian in this context, but you mightwant to "walk like an Egyptian" anyway. If you don't know the jokeI'm making, it's probably better. It's a pretty bad joke...

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 66 ***.......................

.........

The third minor scale is the "MELODIC MINOR"... and it's another variation ofthe pure minor scale. It is unusual in that the ascending form is different than the descending. When ascending, the scale is like the pure minor, except thatthe 6th and 7th steps have been raised by a 1/2 step... When descending, it'sidentical to pure minor. This is how the classical musician learns about it in hiscollege training, and how he regularly sees it in classical compositions.



The jazz improvizer is only concerned with the ascending form. We refer to itas the "ascending form of melodic minor". Perhaps you have seen this phraseand wondered what it meant... This scale is often used over minor chords thathave the "major 7th" added, like the altered I chord often seen in minor keys.It has other uses as well, which I will introduce you to at the appropriate time.

For the sake of completeness... I'll summarize all three of theminor scales we've covered, in "formula notation" once again:

Pure minor scale........................... 1, 2, -3, 4, 5, -6, -7, 8Harmonic minor scale.................... 1, 2, -3, 4, 5, -6, 7, 8Melodic minor scale....................... 1, 2, -3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Again, we are only concerned with the ascending form of melodic minor. Sothere they are, all three of the classic "minor scales". They are variations ofthe aeolian (or sixth) mode of the major scale... Pure minor is just the sameas aeolian. Harmonic minor is the same as pure minor... but with the "raised7th step", and melodic minor has both the "raised 6th and 7th steps". As youcan see... all the scales we've ever talked about are simply variations of oneanother. Once your major scales are utterly mastered, all the others fall intoplace like a line of dominoes... Learning licks built from these scales will alsobecome very easy for you as well. You don't need to learn all these scales at

this time. Just review, and be sure you understand how each is constructed.

.........................*** LESSON NUMBER 67 ***..........................

Now it is time for... "TOM'S SERMONETTE"... This WILL be short.

If you just keep taking in a little more each day, you will coveran incredible amount of ground... in a relatively short period oftime, and it will all begin to look very simple. In a glance, you'llrecognize chord symbols, know what scales and licks work with

them, and spontaneously form and perform musical ideas at anamazing speed. You'll get to a point where almost no consciouseffort is required... You'll then close your eyes, and simply playwhatever your mind hears and tells you "ought to come next"!

Sometimes you will become completely lost in the process.... likewhen you're reading a book and suddenly realize you're not eventhinking about the mechanics of reading anymore... It'll simply flyout of your trumpet with almost no effort whatsoever.

Charlie Parker once said something to the effect that, "You shouldmaster everything about your instrument and music theory... theneventually you forget about it all and just play"!! There is really no

mystery to it at all, only routine practice, and some good listening!

Give this project 15 minutes a day, and you'll be very advanced injust a few years. Give it 30 minutes a day, and you'll be playing asa pro in two or three years. Give it an hour a day, and you'll be anadvanced player within a year. I kid you not!!! But, no matter whatpace you choose to go, if you stick with it, IT WILL HAPPEN!

My approach is like that of Charlie Parker. We'll learn everything sowell, so that later we don't even have to think about it!! Think about



THAT!! At that point you simply play what you hear. This is realistic,and it cannot fail if you simply STICK WITH IT!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 68 ***.......................

.......

This lesson will be "SCALES, SCALES AND MORE SCALES".... I don't wantyou to try to learn the minor scales from lessons 64-66 yet, nor do I wantyou to begin learning the ones I'll present in this lesson either. I just wantto introduce them to you all at once, then later I'll have you begin playingthem in a special way.

I'll show you where you can use these various scales in some of the tunesyou're currently playing in your JA repetoir already... And, I won't ask youto learn them in all 12 keys even then. I will only want you to play them incertain songs, and only in the keys needed for each specific situation. Youmay already know why too. I will want you to become accustomed to howthey are used, and how they sound very gradually first. I'll point out just afew places where the new scales can be used... and I only want you to usethem in those spots and only in the keys needed to handle them there. Fornow, all I want you to do is to read all these lessons on scales, and just be

sure you understand the construction of each one at this time.

1. The Whole Tone Scale: This is an unusual scale, built entirelyusing nothing but whole steps. It is often used with dominant 7thchords, with the #4 and/or #5 added. Two Examples:

C, D, E, F#, G#, A#, C.Db, Eb, F, G, A, B, Db.

2. The W/H Diminished Scale: This is also an unusual scale builtfrom alternating whole steps and half steps. The 'W/T' stands forthe "whole steps and half steps". It is most often used with fullydiminished chords. Three Examples:

C, D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, B, C.Db, Eb, E, F#, G, A, Bb, C, Db.D, E, F, G, G#, A#, B, C#, D.

3. The H/W Diminished Scale: This one is similar to that diminishedscale above, except that it begins with a half step then a whole step.The 'H/W' signifies that it starts with the "half step then whole step".It is most often used with a dominant 7th chord with a b9 and/or #9added. Three Examples:

C, Db, D#, E, F#, G, A, Bb, C.C#, D, E, F, G, G#, A#, B, C#.

D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, B, C, D.

4. The Diminished/Whole Tone Scale: The first half of this scale isjust like the H/W diminished scale above, and the second half of thescale is like a whole tone scale. It is most often used with dominant7th chords with many altered tones added (like b9, #9, #4, and #5).In fact, this scale contains all of those altered tones! One Example:

C, Db, Eb, E, F#, G#, A#, C.



5. The Locrian Scale (or mode): We have discussed this scale before.It is the seventh mode of the major scale. It is most often used with ahalf-diminished 7th chord. One Example:

B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B.

6. The Major Bebop Scale: This is the same thing as a major scale butwith a raised fifth step added... It is use with the common major typechords. One Example:

C, D, E, F, G, G#, A, B, C.

7. The Dominant Bebop Scale: This is the same thing as a mixolydianscale but with a raised seventh step added. It is most often used withunaltered dominant type chords (with no #4, #5, b9, #9, etc...). OneExample:

C, D, E, F, G, A, Bb, B, C.

Now remember, I don't want you to start working on all these scales unlessyou happen to be quite advanced already and determined to go all the way.Most folks who have gotten this far need to clarify their personal jazz goalsjust a bit... so the next lesson will be about that. Then we're moving on!!

..............................*** LESSON NUMBER 69 ***..........................

...

?????????? "WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL GOALS IN JAZZ" ???????????

SOME QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

1. Now, how many different types of scales has Tom presented?..........nearly twenty

2. How many different types of scales does JA have in his syllabus?..........nearly thirty3. How many different types of scales are there around the world?..........maybe hundreds

4. How many different types of scales should one realisticly eventuallytry to master? Well, that's the real question, isn't it? And, the answer isdifferent for each jazz improvizer. If you want to eventually play on theleading edge of experimental avant garde jazz...the total number you'dlearn might be very different than if you simply wanted to play beautifultraditional standards and ballads. If you just want to play dixieland jazzyou'd probably need even less... and, if you just want to play in a bluesbar playing only the simplest blues solos, you'd hardly need any at all!

I like to play standards and ballads mostly. I also play some funk with anelectronic set up and effects rack. The scales I've presented form most ofmy own regularly used repetoir of scales. My licks are built from about 20or so scales... and it enables me to have more than enough choices for allmy modern jazz, funk, and traditional needs. I never find myself wishing Ihad that Hindu scale, or phrigian mode, or another exotic Chinese scale inmy arsenal... What I use is appropriate for all the styles I play. Most folkswould never need any more than this. If you eventualy master this manyscales, you should be set for life.



I'd like to address one more thing... The way I've been teaching has beensimple and straightforward, but at the same time very complete. It is donein a way that would take a total beginner, building a very broad foundationof knowledge and skill... to the very advanced position of being able to playthe jazz improv spot in a professional big band or combo. He'd then be ableto take a chart he's never seen before, quickly analyze the chord changes,and then immediately play a very artful solo the very first time through.

But what if your goal were more like this? You really just want to be ableto play in a high school or college big band, and be able to work on a soloat home for a few days and then come back and play a decent solo. Well,this is a goal that is much easier reached. If you're in this lesson becauseyou've already gone through the previous lessons, and have control overthat material, then you're already at a low college improv level right now.

Here's another thought. Suppose you're out of school, and you'd just like tohave a repetoir of 30 songs you can play and improvize nicely on in a smallcombo... Maybe you just want enough skill to jam on thirty songs with somefriends in a club. Well this is very doable right now too! I'm about to analyzeanother dozen standards and ballads very quickly for you that will bring youto the level where you'd be able to do that yourself as well, and easily learnto solo quite well on thirty intermediate difficulty songs very quickly!! If you

have followed me to this point, you're almost to that point riight now! What'sreally nice about this approach is you only need to learn the scales & enoughlicks to play "THOSE THIRTY SONGS"... and you only have to learn materialin the keys needed for those songs as well. This is about a tenth of the workit would take to become a pro, playing every solo artfully the very first timehe sees a new chart. Perhaps your goal is somwhere in the middle... Decidewhere your goals fall in this continuum. This will help more than anything.

Some folks out there just need to start getting their song lists together now,and then just simply work on their 30 favorite standards, ballads, and blues,and they're all ready to go. What are your goals? The answer to this is whatshould dictate your own personal path... I will continue to write in a way thatwill help people with goals anywhere along this spectrum, to achieve all they

desire from jazz improvization, from the hobbyist to the professional...

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 70 ***.......................

.........

This lesson will be a "QUICK REVIEW, THEN ON WE GO". I've been dishingout a lot of scales in the last few lessons (ten new scales to be exact) and Ihave also been telling you not to try to learn them all at this time. Here's ashort recap of where we're going with all this.

Various people will follow this thread for different reasons. Some may wantto progress to an extremely advanced professional level where they can goand play the jazz chair in any band, and play great solos the very first timethey lay eyes on a new chart... Others here have lesser goals in mind, suchas just being able to play solos in a high school or college band, after doingsome work on them at home... Others simply want to play with friends as ahobby, and merely gain a thirty song repetoir that they could use to play ina nightclub setting with a small combo. Those last two categories of playersare very quickly reaching their goals already. They are already getting very



close to having the ability to work up individual songs, in order to be able toplay and improvize on 'those songs'. These are really very different kinds ofgoals, but up to this point they should both be approached in the same way.

I plan to continue teaching in a way that will get everyone to where they'rehoping to be, in the most efficient and effective way possible... Really, evenpeople with the highest aspirations need to apply all these various skills theylearn to actual songs, so the path I have in mind is really good for all groupsof players. Guys that want to form a combo and play with friends as quicklyas possible, and those who need to be competent in their school jazz bands,and even those that plan to achieve the highest artistic levels, all need to godown the same path, acquiring the same skills, and in the same order.

The only difference is that the "all out artist group" is going to start thinkingabout learning many more scales (and licks) in all the various keys.... whilethe other players will probably only need to learn specific scales and licks asthey need them to solo on the specific tunes they plan to perform. I do hopeall this makes sense. Just relax and know that I've got it covered.

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 71 ***.......................

........

It's now time to begin "USING THE TEN NEW SCALES", so let's jump on in!!Remember that I want you to get used to the way each of these new scalessound and the way they are used, very gradually. I will now suggest placeswhere each of them can be used in songs you've already learned... I'll onlywant you to try them in the spots I suggest.

Write them into your JA books at the appropriate places, and each time youplay those songs, you should experiment with the new scales there (and onlythere, just for now). Keep it very simple with each new scale, just as you didin the early lessons... You should just play up and down each of them at firstwithout the background tracks, then slowly add them in while using the CDs.

Later, as you become familiar with each one, you can do more and more.

Take lots of time with each new scale, to really learn how each one sounds.Using these new scales only in these spots for now (only in one or two keys)will really help you to learn how they sound. These scales are quite unusual,and they will all be less familiar to your ear... Some will sound quite strangeto you at first. Then later, as you get the feel for each one, you will come torealize they were much better than you first thought... It's when we begin touse licks built from these scales, that we truly realize their value. At first wejust need to run up and down a few, and simply get used to their sounds.

The first song we'll use is "Groovitis", from track 1 of JA Volume 5... This is

agreat jam in the key of D minor, and it will allow us to experiment with someof these new scale sounds. You already know the D minor/blues scale can beused all the way through this song except for the last two measures... wherewe'd use a Bb mixolydian scale. This song is full of D- chords, and also manyE half-diminished and A7+9 chords. These are the II and V chords in D minorand that's why that D minor/blues scale works almost all the way through.

Now let's take a closer look at the II/V7+9/I progression that occurs severaltimes in this song. First I want you to pencil in small measure numbers under



each bar line. Don't label the measure with the pickup notes. The first full bar will be the whole note A, under the D- chord. Go ahead and label all 16 bars.

Now we'll start with measures 7-9, the II/V7+9/I progression in D minor. Thefirst scale to try using here, is the one printed below that "E half-diminished" chord. It is the E locrian scale (or mode) mentioned in Lesson 68 as workingwell with half-diminished chords. You'd use it only in measure 7 for now. Thenext scale we will use will be the "diminished/whole tone", also mentioned inLesson 68 as working well with altered dominant chords... You'll use it only inmeasure 8 for now. These are the two scales JA always suggests for use withthe II/V7+9/I progression in minor keys, and that is all the the scales we willcover in this lesson, but I will discuss this progression a little more...

The II/V7+9/I seen in measures 2 and 3 is what I refer to as a "one bar minorII/V7+9/I" in earlier lessons. I call it that because the "II/V7+9" part lasts onlyone measure (or one bar). BTW, don't try using the new scales there just yet...Just use the two new scales in measures 7 and 8, and just continue using yourold friend, "the D minor/blues scale" over the rest...

The II/V7+9/I progression in measures 7-9, is what I call a "minor II/V7+9/I" in

my earlier lessons. The II/V7+9 part lasts for two whole measures. I just wanted to make my own terminology for these progressions clear. That's how I label this chord change in the 'patterns notebook' as well. One more thing you might notice is that all the tracks I've skipped in Volumes 2, 3 and 5 have been because of thepresence of this particular chord progression... Now we'll cover almost all of thempretty soon as well, since you'll know how to deal with them now.

Alright, that is all for now, just these two new scales, used in this one sectio

n, ofonly one song. It may not sound like much but it really is! You should be sure youpractice these two scales a lot without the CD at first, I mean A LOT! Practicethemone at a time, then hook the two together in order, then play them with a completeresolution to the minor I chord using D minor/blues at the end. You will be playingthe entire minor II/V7+9/I chord progression this way without any CD backgroundat all... Keep it simple, and gradually work your way up to being able to "plugit in"with the background track playing... Keep it simple and really nail it. Do this

many,many times so you'll begin to actually hear these scale sounds before playing them.This is so very important! Go slow, and spend lots of time on these two scales!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 72 ***........................

.........



each time you play Groovitis in the future, experiment with these new scales. Also,do be sure to write in the D harmonic minor scale under measures 7-8 just so you won't forget. If you'd like to use this scale just a bit more, I will tell you that it canbe used throughout the whole song, just like the other 'minor type' scales before...(except for those last two measures) but just keep all these new scales I've givenyou for use with Groovitis only, at least for a while...

...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 73 ***.........................

.....

How to Improvize with "THE PURE MINOR SCALE" will be subject of thislesson... The pure minor scale is not usually the first choice for modernjazz players to use with minor chords... but they do work well in certainsituations... Pure minor is the foundation of minor keys used in classicalmusic. This scale has a kind of classical or baroque sound to it, and can

be used to good effect, especially over a tonic minor chord that's playedfor an extended time in a minor key (tonic refers to the I chord).

There is a very good track for experimenting with this sound in Volume 2"Nothin But Blues". It is the "Long-Meter Jazz/Rock" found on Track 6. I'llwant you to use the E pure minor scale over the entire first 16 measures.This scale consists of the notes E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E.

You will recall that pure minor is the same as 'aeolian', the sixth mode ofa major scale (in this case the G major scale). See how the notes are thesame for E pure minor, and G major.

You can compare E pure minor to the E dorian scale, suggested for use in

the book... There is only one note that's different between the two scales,and it is not a chord tone (C and C#). Write the E pure minor scale, thereon page 19 of your book somewhere, along with a note that it can be usedthrought the entire first 16 measures. You'll notice that the A dorian scale,writen under the A- chord, is another mode of the same G major scale. Ithas the same notes as E pure minor (AKA "E aeolian"), and this is why theone scale can be used so well, right through all 16 measures. Take time tomake all the comparisons for yourself. This song is perfect for using the Epure minor scale with. There is no C# anywhere in the melody for the first16 measures either. This helps make pure minor a very good scale choice.

This is the only place I want you to use pure minor for now. You'll get usedto the sound this way, and not be ovewhelmed by any complexities. Simply

experiment with this scale each time you play this track. This lesson shouldbe pretty easy for you.

....................................*** LESSON NUMBER 74 ***....................

..........

Well here we have "ANOTHER GREAT MINOR BLUES TRACK" also in E minor.



The very next blues track in Volume 5, is also in E minor, and is also a verysuitable track for using the E pure minor scale with. Let's take a look!

............VOLUME 2, NOTHIN BUT BLUES, TRACK 7, HOME STRETCH............

This blues should be pretty easy to understand, especially now that we havediscussed the II/V7+9/I progression seen in the minor keys. This whole trackcan be handled with the E minor/blues or the E minor/pentatonic scale. It canalso be handled using the various dorian (and other) scales JA suggests. Theonly suggested scales I'd avoid... are in the "one bar minor II/V7+9/I" chordprogression in measure 10... It just goes by so fast, that I would simply keepon using one of the "minor type scales" and just blow right through it!

This track, like the one before it, is also a perfect track to use the E pure minorscale with. The only measure this scale might not sound too good with would bethe 9th bar with the G7 chord, but even there it wouldn't sound bad... Just don'tplay the F# in that measure, since it clashes with the F natural in the G7 chord.

What elese is there to say? These tracks are stating to look pretty easy, aren't they? Add this song to your repetoir, and do experiment with all the scales I've

mentioned, including the E pure minor. Well, that's it! You know what to do!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 75 ***.......................

.........

.............VOLUME 2, NOTHIN BUT BLUES, TRACK 8, HORIZONTAL.............

This will be a short lesson. I want you to use all the scales that JA suggests

with one exception. During the first four measures only, I want you to startexperimenting with the "Dominant Bebop Scale". The notes of this scale foruse with a D7 chord are: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C, C#, D.... Remember that thisscale has both the lowererd 7th (C) and the higher 7th (C#). This'll basicallyform a short chromatic type section in the scale... and running up and downa 'bebop scale' makes the chord tones land on the beats. Review page 28 inVolume 1 again to refresh yourself on this scale and how it is used.

Once again... I only want you to use this 'D dominant bebop scale' in this onesong for now. Use it for the first for measures. Of course you should also usethe D dominant/mixolydian there sometimes, along with the other scales thatwork well with longer dominant 7th chords.... such as the D major/pentatonicand the D major/blues scales... All these are good to use, especially over the

first four measures. Write these suggested scales in, right there on the page!

The last six measures are a little unusual... Do use the suggested scale rightthere on the page. You may need to practice running the scales for those sixbars a number of times without the CD before you will be comfortable there.

All this is gradually moving you forward, towards a more and more advancedlevel of playing ability. Just continue moving forward at your own happy pace!

There is no need to rush anything at all. Hurrying through this material will ju



stfrustrate and even hurt you in the end, so just TAKE YOUR TIME, and digest allthe information fully and master all the skills thoroughly. You'll be glad you did!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 76 ***.......................

.........

..........VOLUME 2, NOTHIN BUT BLUES, TRACK 9, SLOW BLUES IN G.........

This is another slow blues in "Concert G", that's the key of A for trumpeters.

Well this will be another very short lesson. I want you to once again use thescales JA has suggested in the book... I would also like you to pay particularattention to how the IV chord appears in the second measure... Just use thatdominant scale there, but really make sure you nail that chord. Spend sometime just listening to the track without playing so you can really hear that IVchord... Try singing along with the track, and make sure you really hear andnail that chord change later on when you're playing with the CD.

The lessons get shorter, the farther you progress... You are an intermediatelevel player already. You're able to analyze basic songs now, and you shouldeven be able to know what scales work with each of the chords you now see.

In real jazz sheet music, one gets to see the chord symbols, but there are nosuggested scales beneath them. It is assumed that you will know what scaleswork with the various chords and progressions... and all scale choices are leftup to you. Nobody tells the soloist what to play! The jazz improvizer is a veryrespected member of any band, and he enjoys the right to play whatever hechooses!! Lead players and jazz soloists are the most important guys around.Being a jazz improvizer is an honor. We are continuing a truly noble tradition!We should be proud of this. It sets us apart from all the rest!!

.................................** LESSON NUMBER 77 ***........................

.........

......."VOLUME 2, NOTHIN BUT BLUES, TRACK 11, MINOR BLUES IN C"......

This blues is in the 'trumpet key' of D minor. In classical music we'd expectto see a key signature here with one flat. This would be the same signatureas you'd see for F major (the relative major) in this case. It's fairly commonfor jazz compozers to write songs without using a key signature at all. Many

jazz compositions move about from one key center to another so frequentlythat it can actually be difficult to say exactly what key a piece of music is in.

This is not the case with these particular songs, but you might have noticedthat none of the songs in 'Nothin But Blues' have any key signature at all.

Well, as I said, this one is in D minor for us trumpet players. All of the chordsand progressions in this song are also found in the song, 'Groovitis', from JA's



Volume 5. It's even in the same key as "Groovitis" which is very convenient.

I gave my instructions for Groovitis in Lesson 54 and also gave tips on how tohandle the minor II/V7+9/I progression in Lesson 71 and Lesson 72..... Thesethree lessons should tell you everything you need to know in order to play thisminor blues. Review them if you need to. I'll now assume that you understandall previously covered material, so be certain that you fully comprehend everylesson before moving on. This is very important!

So here is how I start to help you the most, by not giving you any more helpwith this song. It has chords and progressions that are all found in a song youpreviously studied, and you'll simply review those lessons I cited above if youaren't already able to start improvizing to this minor blues already. You mustgradually become more and more self-sufficient!

I'll continue providing all the guidence you need... and I'll even frquently referyou back to earlier lessons that you might need to review, but you need to domore and more for yourself. Look at this blues and realize that you don't needany more help. All you need... is to apply all the things you already know!

You have all of JA's suggested scales written there for you right now, but in the

world of the jazz improvizer, there are no scales written in, only chord symbols!

Bottom line is... I'll spend less and less time on the basics now and assume you have that stuff covered. Any time you feel confused, it's because you're movingtoo fast! Please go back and review earlier lessons, and only check them off the review list (you have one of those, don't you ) when they are fully mastered.

I'll stop with the blues tracks now... and go back to finish up all the rest ofthesongs in Volume 5, "Time To Play Music"... Then after that we'll cover all of th

esongs on Volume 54, "Maiden Voyage". Counting all the blues heads you havelearned, from Volumes 1 and 2, and all the songs from Volumes 5 and 54, youwill already have a repetoir of over 30 songs you could perform. That would beenough material to play three or four full sets in a nightclub with a combo!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 78 ***........................

.........

"ANOTHER QUICK REVIEW, ANOTHER SERMONETTE... THEN AWAY WE GO!"

We have covered every track on Volume 1... and every track on Volume 2...except the last one, which we won't address for quite some time. So basicallywe are done with those two sets, and within a short time you'll be able to playevery song on Volumes 5 and 54 as well... It would normally take a person atleast a year to cover this much ground through my tutelage... especially sinceI dish out all the appropriate theory along the way. This builds a foundation on which you can continue to grow for a lifetime with no limitations. GO SLOWLY!



As I mentioned in some recent lessons, this is the point at which you decideif you just want to play as a hobby and only be able to work up the ability toperform improvized solos on specific songs... or if you want to go all the wayto being able to play artistically on almost any song, the first time you see it,or even sometimes... simply hear it!! In any event, you all needed everthingI've presented so far. Both groups of students can continue to progress withthis as far as they want to go. I will continue teaching all the more advancedtheory as it comes up while covering more and more advanced songs.

You need JA's Volume 54, "Maiden Voyage" next. You will be covering groundmore quickly now as each new song is built from the same building blocks youare already familiar with. Like any other course of study, you'll be increasinglyable to learn more material all the time as you master the earlier material. All the pieces of the puzzle just start falling into place faster and faster the closeryou get to achieving "the big picture". And once you get there, everything willstart to look very simple! Your ability to improvize jazz is absolutely one of themost valuable things you will ever learn... and once you have it, it will always be there for you. I love jazz so much, I couldn't imagine a world without it!

GO ORDER VOLUME 54, MAIDEN VOYAGE!

..................................*** LESSON NUMBER 79 ***......................

......

Now we'll discuss... "BIRD BLUES, VOLUME 2, TRACK 12", for PRogers!!!

Hi "PR"...

I was planning on taking them directly to "Giant Steps", "Countdown" and"Moments Notice", since Yardbird's blues just weren't challenging enough!

Just kidding. For those of you that don't know PRogers... he's actually oneof the most jazz literate high school trumpeters you would ever meet!! Heis a dedicated student of jazz improvization, and reminds me of myself atthat age. I began practicing obsesively at 16 and 17 years old... and I hadlots of people telling me a career in music was no good. Don't listen to thenay sayers "PR". Stick to your dreams!

Perhaps you're right. Let's go ahead and talk about that last blues track onVolume 5, "Bird Blues". I'm just kidding about this being for PRogers. I am

sure he's playing it in several keys already... I love to play this one myselfand I do agree... it IS probably the "funnest" blues of all time!

Now let's get serious. This blues is a real jump forward, not so much in thedifficulty department, but because of sheer speed. This is some really goodbebop, and Charly Parker gets the credit.... This particular blues transitionsfrom chord to chord in a most ingenius and eloquent way.... It will scrambleyour mind at first, but you'll gradually come to realize that it's an amazinglyconstructed piece of art!



Here is how to approach it. First of all, you must realize that this is a longterm project, that should be started VERY slowly... and gradually speededup over several weeks, or even months, before you'll be able to deal withthe very fast tempo. However, there is some good news!! The chords andscales are made of the exact same material you've already been studying.Also, once you do get this up to speed you'll know these tempos really areattainable, and breaking into the "bebop zone" will carry over into all yourother playing as well. Other songs won't seem nearly so fast after you getused to this!

I'll pause now for a moment, and then post all the details regarding this bigproject in the following lesson. Remember that this track is optional for now,and it can (and probably should) be returned to at a later date. But for thosewho really love a challenge, here comes a good one!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 80 ***.......................

..........

VOLUME 2, NOTHIN BUT BLUES, TRACK 12, BIRD BLUES, ALL THE DETAILS

OK, this blues is in the key of G, but it's not one you'd use a G minor/bluesscale over. This isn't New Orleans bump and grind! This is pure bebop, andyou'll be using a very flowing eigth note style... so put your blues scales onhold for now, and get ready to roll!

You should not even attempt to play along with the CD for quite a while, I'mtalking weeks here for intermediate students. Just play and nail every singlechord change in super slow motion many, many times... Keep it very simpleand just be patient. If you give it just a little time every day, it will graduallyincrease in speed, to the point where you can play along with the CD.

Bar 1 consists of a I chord in G major. You could simply use the G major

scale there or any of the other "major type" scales in G. I would stronglysuggest experimenting with the G major/blues scale there. The notes forthis G major/blues are: G, A, A#, B, D, E, G.

Bar 2 is a 'minor II/V7+9 progression' in E minor. While JA has suggestedscales for use there, the eventual tempo will make them impractical. Whatwe need there are licks that'll work with the one bar II/V7+9 progression.These can be extracted from licks books, or heads (like Groovitis), but I'dsuggest using the lick that is right there in this head. In fact, that lick is sogood, it should immediately be entered into your patterns notebook as thefirst "one bar II/V7+9/I pattern". More can be gotten from Groovitis that'llalso fit into this song nicely, and also into your notebook as well... For now

you should just use the riff in this measure as your own lick, every time itcomes around... Learning licks that fit with certain chords, will often unlockthe door to being able to "hear" that particular progression. The lick in thishead is ideal for this purpose as well. It's simple, and it's perfect... Use it!!

Bar 3 is one of those 'one bar II/Vs' that really functions and sounds like aI and a IV chord in E minor, and so you'll simply play (and think) 'E dorian'through that measure. Remember that's how we think of it because it doesnot resolve to a I chord in D major so we handle it like I and IV in E minor.



Bars 4 and 5 make a complete 'one bar II/V7/I chord progression' in thekey of C major. Some perfect licks for this short progression are locatedin the Jerry Coker Patterns book on pages 91-93. You will of course needto transpose them for use in this key. There are four great licks there, allsuitable for these measures... and all are good enough to be in a patternsnotebook as well. Put them in your notebook now!! You'll probably want totranspose them all into the key of C before you do, which is just fine sincethat's the key you need to plug them in for this song anyway!! Use all fourof those licks in these two measures. Again... it will help you to "hear" thisvery important progression. Go ahead and plug those licks in at this point,and it will connect everything smoothly and help train your ear at the verysame time!

Bar 6 is C-7...... Use that C dorian scale there, or a lick if you dare!

Bar 7 is B-7...... Use B dorian in bar 7, or a lick made in heaven!

Bar 8 is Bb-7.... Use Bb dorian, or some licks even morian!

I know... That was pretty bad. Sorry about that, but I'll make up for it now.Here is something you can do in the last three measures... 6, 7 and 8, thatis just soooo cool, you'll forgive all my puns and poetry! If you use a shortminor type lick in bar 6, try repeating it in bar 7 exactly as before, but in B

minor, then again in bar 9 in Bb minor. Just transpose the same lick into allthree keys as you play over the three chords! You'll love this, I promise!

Bars 9 and 10 form a "two bar II/V7" that really sounds and functions morelike I and IV chords in A minor, so again you'll 'think dorian' as before, andsimply play the A dorian scale right through those two measures. There arealso some nice licks in the Coker book that would work well in these 2 bars.They are 'two bar II/V7 licks' that do not resolve to a I chord, and thereforeare perfect for the job... They are on pages 97-100, and the very best ones,in my humble opinion, are #144, #145, and #148. Again I'd transpose theminto C before entering them into your notebook, then transpose them into Gfor use with the II/V7 progression in measures 9 and 10. Again, these don'tresolve to a I chord, which makes them ideal for this situation!

Bars 11 and 12 form a chord progression we haven't dealt with yet called aturnaround. Perhaps you've heard of this before but didn't know what it was.There are patterns designed for this two measure progression which we willcertainly study later, but for now we will handle it with a more basic method.Each of these two measures is again a 'one bar II/V7 progression', and bothcan be handled as before with one dorian scale for each bar. Measure 11 willuse the B dorian scale, and measure 12 will use the A dorian scale resolvingthis time to the Major I chord in Bar 1... There are also some patterns in theCoker book that can be played over these "one bar II/V7s" and they are onpages 85-90. Some that seem appropriate for starting out would be patterns#126, #131, and #134... It would again be a nice effect to use the same lickon each of these last two measures... transposed to fit the two keys. (This is

how many turnaround patterns are actually constructed, and playing the twomeasures this way will help you to "hear" this new 'turnaround' progression.)

That is the whole 12 bar blues "Bird Blues"... Now you can see why I wasreluctant to cover it so soon in your developement... If it seems too muchof a challenge at this time for you, feel free to just skip it. If you just love a challenge and are VERY patient, then just go VERY slow and ignore timeand tempos for a while, to get comfortable with the scales and patterns.



Later, still going VERY slowly... you would begin keeping a strick beat, andabsolutely nail every single chord change. You'll probably need to do it thisway for weeks... then very gradually increase the speed, day by day, untilfaster tempos are reached. It will probably take a couple of months beforeyou are able to play this up to speed with the CD background. It's all up toyou, but once you can play this one you are well on your way to becomingan advanced level improvizer! Again, this track is entirely optional...

Well, whether you take on Charly Parker at this time, or just hold off a while,at least we have covered every track on Volume 2 now... and you know howto tackle a song such as this!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 81 ***........................

.......

More discussion of "YOUR JAZZ PATTERNS NOTEBOOK", and Jerry Coker.

After covering that last "Bird Blues" above, I realize that it would be goodidea to spend time with the patterns notebook project some more, beforegoing further. Review Lesson 46, which thoroughly discusses sources thatcan provide you with jazz patterns... Also please remember my advice onhow to get your own licks, from the riffs that already come from your own

mind. These licks will just keep getting better and better in the future, andthey'll be some of the very best ones for you! You'll keep hearing them allthe time in your mind, so learn those for sure. Learn how to play what youhear! What could be better than that?!!

In Lesson 47 we put some "major type licks" into our notebooks that camefrom the Coker Patterns book.... built using major triads, major 6th chords,major 7th chords, and major ninth chords. Review that section and be sureyou got all the patterns from Coker into your notebook you want, both realjazz licks... and the preliminary exercise type patterns as well.

In Lesson 48, we put more "major type licks" into our notebooks that camefrom the Coker book... built using major scales, major digital patterns, and

major scale intervals. Please review those now as well and be sure you getall of those you like too... Those preliminary patterns need not be beautiful,just valuable to the process of building a solid foundation.

In Lesson 80 above, I had you get some more licks from the Jerry Cokerbook as well. We took licks from pages 85-100 that fit with the II/V7, andthe II/V7/I progressions for major keys. These come in two varieties thatI refer to as the "one bar" and "two bar" versions... If the II/V7 part lastsfor one measure I call it a 'one bar', and if the II/V7 part lasts for two fullmeasures I call it a 'two bar'. I put the one bar II/V7s and II/V7/Is, in thesame section of the notebook together. Then I put the two bar II/V7s andII/V7/Is together in a different section of the notebook. If you haven't setup your notebook yet, look at Lessons 60-62 to see what I mean and also

to get your notebook started now... You'll definitely need this to be able togo on with these lessons!

Do review Coker's patterns in pages 85-100 and put any usefull licks fromthere into your notebook. You write them in one time each in the key of C,and label each one above the lick with a number and sourse like #1 Coker,#2 Aebersold, #3 Original, #4 Hubbard, etc. I hope that makes sense. Youshould be able to write in about three to five licks per line.... depending ontheir length. Write slow, and as neatly as possible. You'll be looking at thisnotebook for many years!



Now you should have every pattern that interests you from Coker's pages4-31, and 85-100 entered into your notebook. I've also suggested taking alick or two from "Bird Blues" and "Groovitis" to put in the notebook as well,and also some minor blues type licks... from those suggested in Volume 2,page 3, as well as all the various "blues heads" in both Volumes 1 and 2. Itwould be a good idea to go through every single head you studied so far toextract every pattern that appeals to you. Most won't seem so great, but afew will really grab you. Get those into your notebook, in their appropriateplaces, and then your notebook will already have a very good foundation!

It's a a good idea to write in your basic scales as preliminary patterns too!After all, just playing up and down the scales with a little rhythm is a greatplace to start!! Write in scales in their appropriate categories too... such asmajor type patterns, minor type patterns, minor II/V7+9/I patterns, cycleof dominants, altered V7/I patterns, and pentatonic patterns.

When you've absolutely exhausted all your current sources of licks, comeback and check out the next lesson for even more patterns and ideas...Dobe sure to get Volume 54, "Maiden Voyage", and the two solo transcriptionbooks, "Twenty Eight Modern Trumpet Solos", Volumes 1 and 2. Then youwill have 56 great solos to extract licks from as well.

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 82 ***........................

.........

More on "JERRY COKER AND YOUR JAZZ PATTERNS NOTEBOOK", so read!

Read everything from the beginning of the book to page 100. Reading thiswill only take about thirty minutes or so. There is really nothing new there,so it will just be a review of the theory you are already familiar with... Thiswill also allow you to scan the patterns we are about to study in Lesson 83.

You'll notice that much of the book is filled with chord symbols. These chordsymbols are meant to suggest some good orders to practice the licks in. Themost common root movements are listed there as explained in the intro, butwithout the very common root movement of downward by half steps... It's agood idea to practice licks in these suggested orders. They'll help you to geta feel for typical root movements.... My favorite sequences are down by halfsteps, up by half steps, and up by fourths.

You've probably noticed that I still have not once asked you to learn a singlepattern in all twelve keys yet... Most jazz teachers would have had you learna bunch, and start plugging them in everywhere already... We'll do our shareof this for sure... I find it's very helpful to play for a while without this, to get

students to form a foundation based upon "hearing original ideas" first. If wejust start "plugging in a bunch of licks" right away many players will continuewith this kind of approach forever, never really getting to a point where theyplay any kind of real art at all. I hear this kind of playing all the time.

I'm not against the use of patterns at all... I just play them when I hear themas part of a bigger musical idea... Too many people simply plug in licks that'll fit with the chords, but aren't really part of a creative musical idea. Some just



sound like computers with no real creativity at all.

Read everything in the Coker book to page 100... Underline everything youfeel would be helpful to future reviews. Continue to experiment with the newscales and licks we've covered just in the suggested places. We are going tocontinue working through the songs in Volume 5, then Volume 54... learningonly what is needed along the way.

By that time, all should be able to analyze jazz tunes on their own, and knowwhat kinds of scales and licks can be used in almost any situation. I will go to more advanced theory and technique after that, and then I'll expect studentsto learn all kinds of scales and licks in every key... One can go as far as they like with this art. The basic rules are fairly simple, however... the possibilitiesare virtually endless!

..................................*** LESSON NUMBER 83 ***......................

...........

And now "MORE OF COKER'S PATTERNS GO INTO YOUR NOTEBOOK" let's go!

OK, you've just finished Lesson 81 where we took licks from every source wecould find. Then, in Lesson 82 you read everything in the Coker book throughpage 100... Now it is time to take many more good licks from the Coker bookand put them into your notebook too.... While it's true that over the years youshould fill your notebook with the very best licks you come across, during theearly stages, you just need to get only a few fundamental patterns into all thecategories, along with a few usable jazz licks, so that you'll have examples todraw from as you need them. The first few licks in each category do not haveto be the greatest patterns. They should just be simple and sound fairly good.

Remember how I told you that knowing licks that fit with certain chords and

progresions can unlock the door to hearing those particular harmonies? Well,you need at least one or two good licks in all categories, as soon as possible,to help you improvize... but also to help unlock all those doors as well!

Let's take some more licks from the Coker book right now!! I hope you'vealready been getting all the licks you possibly could, from the sources thatI mentioned in Lesson 46. There are many licks in the Aebersold books forVolumes 1 and 3, as well as all the blues and other type heads in Volumes3 and 5... We already extracted a few major type licks, digital major licks,and various kinds of II/V7 and II/V7/I patterns from the Jerry Coker book.Now, we will extract even more licks from the Coker book, from the pageswe skipped before (pages 31 to 85). Then we will have fully covered all thetheory, and grabbed all the good licks, all the way through page 100 in the

Jerry Coker "Patterns for Jazz" book.

Page 31, "Embellishing tones". I refered to these as leading tones in LessonNumber 58 on 'chromaticism'. You'll notice that on page 32, patterns #68-71are all the same... presented with different "root movement practice orders".Pattern #68 is a good one!! You would just enter this into your notebook onetime, in the 'Major Patterns' section in the key of C only. Other good patternsin this section INMO are #72, 73, and 78. I'll keep suggesting what strike meas some of the "best" patterns. These are only my suggestions, and some of



the others may be the ones you prefer. My philosophy is to always let you bethe final judge of that.

Page36, "Diatonic Chords". I didn't use the same name for these as Coker...and that's OK. I'd probably enter these into the "Digital Chord" section of thenotebook. If you like pattern #79 for instance, you can just enter the first six or twelve notes into your notebook and that would be enough to give you theidea. I only enter licks into my notebook one time, in one key, and that's all.Pattern #81 is a nice one, also #84 and 85. Pages 41-49 just review theory.

Page 50, "Dominant Chords and Scales". I would enter these patterns into the"Cycle of Dominants" section in the notebook. The patterns there are basicallyused with unaltered dominant type chords... as they are built from mixolydianscales and the unaltered dominant type chords themselves. I like pattern#88,#95, and variations of #97. After you get used to seeing how the various licksare constructed (using their corresponding scales and chord tones) you shouldbe able to create better, more interesting variations of them yourself... as wellas compose new original licks too!! Pattern #99 is a good preliminary exercisetype lick, especially with the root movement suggested there... Most dominantchords function as the V7 chord in a key, and resolve up a fourth to a I chord.

The phrase "cycle of dominants" refers to dominant chords that resolve up by

fourth intervals (same as down by fifths). Some people will call it the "cycle offifths" for this reason. When you practive dominant patterns it's best to use theroot movement suggested with pattern #99, up by fourths in order to get usedto hearing this common characteristic resolution. You'll also notice that on page61 it is suggested that many patterns can be altered to fit a variety of differentchord types... You might find some major typs licks that would work well alongwith dominant chords, sometimes requiring just a little altering. All the patternsthat are digital in nature will fit into this category for sure... Feel free to

changeany lick to make it more appealing to you, or to make it fit with other types of chords, etc. This is all up to you. Don't worry about the fact that there are onlya few patterns in each section. We'll get many more patterns in the future frommany different souces... These are just meant to get you started, and they areperfect for the job!

Page 62, "Minor Type Patterns". These are built from minor chords and scales.I guess this comes as no surprise. Some good, but generally preliminary typepatterns, might be #106 and #111, and maybe variations of #113. Some licksfrom the major category could easily be altered to fit minor chords too... but I

bet you already have quite a few good minor type licks taken from Aebersoldmaterial already!

Pages 81 through 84 review some music theory you're already familiar with...They discuss how chords can function within various keys. You will rememberthe minor and dominant chords that appear in II/V7 progressions that can alsofunction as I and IV chords in minor keys... This is just one of many examples.As you progress and begin analyzing jazz tunes on your own, you will have totake into consideration what key the various chords are functioning in, before



you can know what scales and licks would work best with them... This is doneby considering the surrounding chords, as it's not as hard as it sounds. Just be patient, you ARE getting there!

You should go back and read everything in the Coker patterns book throughpage 100 one more time, being sure to spend lots of effort on anything thatstill seems a little fuzzy. If this stuff is a bit confuzing even with my lessons,just imagine how it would go without them!!! Just continue reviewing untilyou're sure you have it all. You have now covered every track on Volume 1,every track on Volume 2, half of Volume 5, some of Volume 3, half of JerryCoker's patterns/theory book, and a ton of theory and strategy from me!

Now is a good time to go back and review everything from this and all of theprevious lessons. Make certain you have your patterns notebook complete upto this point, with everything I've been suggesting in it (quite a few licks, fromevery single source we've talked about), and make sure you continue playingalong with Jamey's boys regularly and keep working on those scales! (not therecent seven "new scales" from Lesson 68, but all those from before). If youare simply planning to play jazz improv just as a hobby, you're almost readyto go already. If you want to become a true advanced level jazz artist... thenyou have already built one heck of a good foundation to do it from!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 84 ***........................

........

.........."VOLUME 5, TIME TO PLAY MUSIC, TRACK 3, FREDDIEISH"...........

Freddy Hubbard! So beautiful, lyrical, technical, imaginative and amazing!One of my all time favorites. This song was written in a "Freddieish" style!

You will recall in the discussion of "Bird blues" in Lesson Number 80... I hadyou use the riff in the second measure of the melody as a lick in the improvsoloing as well. That's a great lick... and I even asked you to put it into your notebook as your first one bar minor II/V7+9/I lick. You need to get this lickout and dust it off, because you are going to need it right now... You shouldhave transposed it to the key of C minor to enter it into your notebook, andnow you'll need it in the keys of A minor and E minor, for use with this tune.

It was already written in E minor in the 2nd measure of "Bird Blues" so thiswill save you a little time. Now let's quickly analyze this song and you'll usethis lick there in two places. It will be somewhat contrived of course, but it's

exactly what you need to do at first. Later you'll branch out, and then you'llfly... Right now, we'll just plug in a simple lick here and there to get the ballrolling, and to help you to start hearing these new progressions as well.

Bar 1..... Use any C major type scale... (lydian is good)Bar 2..... Plug in your minor II/V7+9/I lick (in A minor)Bar 3..... Resolve to A minor (an A dorian scale is good)Bar 4..... Plug in your minor II/V7+9/I lick (in E minor)Bar 5..... Resolve to E major, yes E major (not E minor)



Bar 7..... Use D dorian for two bars, resolving back to C

.......................... Repeat First 8 Bars...........................

Bar 17..... B dorian, minor/blues, minor/pentatonic, B- lickBar 19..... C dorian, minor/blues, etc...Bar 21..... C# dorian, minor/blues, etc...Bar 23..... D dorian, minor/blues, etc...

The technique of repeating a lick in each different monor keywould be excellent here, but something even better would beto play variations of that first B minor lick in the other keys!!!You really have to try this here!!! Variations in each new key!

............................ Repeat First 8 Bars ...............................

There you have another song!! You should plug in that lick inBar 2 and Bar 4, and you should try the variation idea duringthe "bridge". That's what we call the middle section of a song.Now go slow, practice some without the CD first, and... well...you know what to do!

..............................*** LESSON NUMBER 85 ***..........................

.........

.......... "VOLUME 5, TIME TO PLAY MUSIC, TRACK 5, KILLER PETE"...........

This song is roughly the same as an old standard called "Killer Joe". Notablein this song is the way the two chords D7 and C7 alternate back and forth somany times.

That's how the song starts. One can simply use the two Dominant/mixolydian

scales freely, but I'd suggest mixing in something else as well. Notice that the C mixolydian scale would be the same notes as the D aeolian (or pure minor).One could handle this section by thinking D mixolydian, then D pure minor. Ifyou do this, it just makes things a little easier.... Again, its all the same notes,just a little different way of thinking of it. Try emphasizing the notes F#, G andA in the first chord (D7), then emphasize the notes G, A and Bb in the secondchord (C7). You'll like the effect this creates, and you should experiment withthis some throughout the song.

This song also has a bridge. It lasts from Bar 17 to Bar 32. You should simply

handle it using all the suggested dorian scales there, etc... But I have another great suggestion for somethig to try there as well. Measures 17-20 would usethe B dorian scale basically (since the E mixolydian is the just the same notes).

So you'rs thinking B dorian through these four measures. Now here comes thereally cool part!!! Start using the A dorian scale you would normally use forthe next four bars, but begin it two or three beats too early... That's right, just



go ahead and start using A dorian during Bar 20! It'll sound like it's 'outside' ofthe key for a moment, almost like some "wrong notes". Then when the chordschange to A minor the effect it like a very nice resolution! Tension was built upby the use of notes outside the key you were in... then a release was felt whenthe chords changed... and those odd sounding notes suddenly became the nice,"good sounding" notes! Do this same thing again in measure 24. There you willbegin playing the next G dorian scale a bit early, creating the same effect!

This would be your first excursion "outside the changes". If you have heard theexpression, "playing outside the changes" before, or simply " playing outside",this is the kind of thing this refers to. There are other ways to "go outside" too,but this is a good one. I call it "anticipating the next key" for obvious reasons.

There are a few more measures in this song I could address (Bars 25-32), butthey are just so straightforward that I can't even bring myself to talk about anyof them with an intermediate level player like yourself.... If you aren't jammingwith friends yet, along with these Aebersold CDs, you need to go out and rustleup some action. Drag some aspiring players over to the house!! It sure is more

fun with friends there. Have a jam party! You have to do this or else you're justplaying with yourself! How much fun could that be?...

Now emphasize those notes I suggested over the D7 and C7 chords, and do trythis "anticipating the next key" business. This one tip alone is worth a thousandbucks! So just make those checks payable to...

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 86 ***................................

............."VOLUME 5, TIME TO PLAY MUSIC, TRACK 7, ESSENCE".............

This song is one of the simplest in the series, and this lesson will be one ofthe shortest on the thread... Essence is a moderate tempo tune with a rockfeel. You can relax and enjoy yourself, since the changes are not difficult.

This tune is in the Key of F major... It has a bridge like the last two songs we studied. The first section of songs with a bridge often repeats, then comes thebridge, then the first section is repeated again... This is a very common form

for songs to take, and it is refered to as the AABA form. The A stands for thefirst section, and the B stands for the bridge.

The first eight bars are basically in F major.I would suggest using the following scales...

Bar 1..... F major/blues (F, G, G#, A, C, D, F)Bar 3..... D minor/blues (D, F, G, G#, A, C, D)Bar 5..... G minor/dorian



........Then repeat the "A section".........

........Then the bridge "B section".........

Bar 17..... Bb minor/dorianBar 19..... Ab major scaleBar 21..... Bb minor/dorianBar 23..... G minor/dorian

Then repeat the "A section" once more...

My only departure from JA's suggested scales this time were in Bars 1-4.The two blues type scales I advise there have the same notes, and eachis like a "mode" of the other. It would be good to hear how the very samenotes can "sound major" in bar 1&2, and then "sound minor" in bars 3&4.I like to introduce you to certain techniques as they naturally come up inthe songs we are playing.

Another way to handle the entire "A section" is to simply play the F majorscale all the way through... Of course, it would be like using the modes ofF major (ionian, aeolian, dorian, and even mixolydian). Once again.... thesame notes are used with every chord, but they sound different with each.One more song, and we're done with Volume 5. This is getting easier!!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 87 ***........................

.........

.............VOLUME 5, TIME TO PLAY MUSIC, TRACK 9, BEBOPISH..............

I LOVE this song! This is one of my all-time favorite Aebersold heads. Thechord changes are quite unusual, as there are so few there actually in thekey (of D major). But this is definitely in D major, and it's a good one!

You will need to approach it much the same as you did with "Bird Blues".It IS Bebop after all, so the chords change pretty fast. Practice it withoutthe CD background for quite a while, until you really get a feel for all theunusual harmonies. Gradually work the speed up, and be sure to learn itvery thoroughly before you attemt it with the CD.

You should spend alot of time learning and mastering the melody... Lateryou should take licks from it to use, along with variations, in your improvsolo as well. This head is so great you should absolutely memorize everybit of it, and learn to put in your own variations too. Like I said, use thesemelodic fragments and variations of them when you solo. You can use thescales JA suggests, along with those licks from the melody, as your guide.

Bars 1 and 2........ Use D major scale (experiment with intervals)Bars 3 and 4........ Use G minor/dorian through both measuresBars 5 and 6........ Use D major scale again, just as beforeBar 7................... One bar II/V7 lick, perhaps repeat in next keyBar 8................... One bar II/V7 lick, resolve to Bb this time

Bars 9 and 10....... Use Bb major scale (use skips or intervals)Bars 11 and 12..... Use B minor/dorian (functions like I and IV in B-)Bars 13 and 14..... Use E minor/dorian (functions like I and IV in E-)Bars 15 and 16..... Use the notes from the melody! (and variations!)



The riffs in the melody are so nice, you should use them with variationsin many places. I think the last four measures (Bars 13-16) are good touse just as they are. This song should be memorized so thoroughly thatyou can plug in bits and pieces of the melody all over the place. Its veryhelpful to always keep the melody in mind. This technique works well forall jazz tunes, and you should feel that it's OK to draw freely from headsto get material. Let this song be the one you use to learn to do this with.

This completes Volume 5. Do get Volume 54 next, "Maiden Voyage", andbe sure to get "Twenty Eight Modern Trumpet Solos", Volumes 1 and 2!!!We'll be working more in Volume 3, "The II/V7/I Progression" as well.

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 88 ***........................

.........

........................"VOLUME 3, THE II/V7/I PROGRESSION".....................

...

First, a short overview. Here we are at lesson number 88. Perhaps I could

have covered 88 tracks by now, maybe ten volumes of play-along sets....I could have simply said, "use the suggested scales printed below each ofthe chord symbols, and read in the books", and just left it at that. But thiswould not be giving you what you really need!

Here's what's going on. I have given you everything you needed to build avery broad foundation. We are covering all the relevant music theory, andstrategies that you would need for a lifetime hobby, or to continue to buildupon this foundation and reach extremely high artististis levels. How far togo iS entirely up to you. But I'm supplying you with everything you'd needfor either goal. These next few lessons will be some of the most importantones so far. They will take you on to the next level. Take your time, reallyabsorb all this, and all future lessons will go very smoothly!

The II/V7/I progression is the single most important chord sequence in allof jazz, and there is much more to it than one would initially realize. I willfirst discuss it in it's most basic forms:

(1) The major version of the II/V7/I progression can be handled with onemajor scale, all the way through. We may call this scale by various modalnames but it is still simply one major scale. An example: The progressionD-, G7, C Major Could use the C major scale all the way through.

(2) The minor version of the II/V7+9/I can similarly be handled by using asingle minor scale throughout. I find that the harmonic minor version seemsto work the best. An example: D half-dim, G7+9, C- could use a C harmonic

minor scale all the way through. Other minor type scales can do the job too,especially the C minor/blues scale.

........................"CHORD AND SCALE SUBSTITUTIONS"........................

Now I need to introduce the concept of "substitution" as it applies to jazzimprovization. There are two primary applications of "substitution" in thejazz idiom. First, it applies to the substitution of certain chords in place ofother chords, and secondly, it applies to the substitution of certain scales



in place of other scales.

Sometimes rhythm section players will use substitute chords, to make theharmonies more beautiful or interesting. Sometimes soloists will substitutemore beautiful or interesting scales into their improvizations. But the mostimportant way substitution is used by improvizors is this: They'll often justpretend that the song uses some more beautiful or interesting chords, andthen use the scales that apply to those "imagined chords" in their solo. Theidea is to use more complex and beautiful sounds... and this is how soloistsaccomplish this. I'll give some examples that will help make this clear:

1. It's possible in many situations to use II half-dim/V7+9, as one typicallysees in minor keys, in place of the usual II/V7 chord progression... A pianoplayer might play this substitution on his own, and the effect will often makean improvement to the beauty of a song's original harmony... But here's thereally cool part. Even if the piano player doesn't do this, the jazz soloist can simply "pretend that he did" and use scales or licks that'd be appropriate forthose "substitute chords", EVEN THOUGH THEY WEREN'T ACTUALLY PLAYED!This won't work in every situation, but when it does, it can be very effective.

2. It's possible in many situations to use a V7+9, or even some other altereddominant chord, in place of the usual dominant 7th chord without alterations...Again a piano player might make this kind of substitution on his own, but even

if he doesn't, the soloist can simply pretend that he did, and use a scale that'sappropriate for this type of chord, such as the HW diminished scale, the wholetone scale, or as JA usually suggests, the diminished-whole tone scale. Everysingle one of these scales can work over a simple unaltered dominant chord!

3. It's possible in many situations to use a V7 chord... or especially an alteredtype V7 chord, in place of the II and V7 chords in a II/V7/I chord progression(starting on the same root as the original V7 chord). Therefore, one could useany of the scales from example #2 above over an entire II/V7 progression, ineither a major or minor key as well!

.........................................."ANOTHER CODA"........................

..................

I know this is a lot to take in, but the II/V7/I and II/V7+9/I patterns we areabout to encounter in this volume frequently use these kinds of substitutionsand you need to be able to understand how and why this works. I'm sure youwill need to review this several times, so please do! You'll need to be as clear on this as possible. It'll take you into a whole new dimention of jazz improv!

This is the beginning of "advanced theory" as it applies to jazz.... so it's a little

tricky to understand. Read this several times. And, by the way.... I picked thethree examples of substitution above because they're the three most common,and they are possibly the three most important and beautiful ones! We maynot begin using all these scales freely over these various progressions just yet,but they are used in many of the best patterns you will soon see. You'll be glad you learned all this, so you can understand the licks you're about to study!

In the next lesson we will dive into Volume 3 much more deeply than before,



so it would be a good idea to start studying the material presented there. It'sreally pretty much just a one page intro, but read and study it none the less... I'll be back with more soon, so review this lesson and also JA's intro!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 89 ***........................

.........

....."A SMALL TREASURE CHEST OF II/V7/I AND II/V7+9/I PATTERNS"......

Lesson 88 primarily dealt with substitute scales. We talked about how theimprovizer can pretend that substitute chords are being used and then beable to use scales that would be appropriate to those "imagined chords".

This is one good way to visualize the process, and learn what will actuallytake place in a real jazz rhythm section. We also talked about some verycommon substitutions and their usages. I wanted to introduce you to thisconcept now, not because I want you to begin using these kinds of scalesright now in your own free improvizations... but because I want you to beable understand their use when you see them in all the various II/V7 andII/V7/I type patterns we are about to study.

You should have already read the intro to Jamey's Volume 3, "The II/V7/IProgression"... and now I'd like you to read and study the info there, frompages 33 through 44. I feel with all we've covered in previous lessons youshouldn't have any problem with this material. You will definitely see thosesubstitute scales being used. Pay particular attention to the three examplesgiven in Lesson 88 on the common substitutions used with the II/V7/I typeprogressions. The main thing you'll see is how we frequently borrow scalesnormally used with the minor II/V7+9/I changes... for use with their majorkey counterparts. So, let's dive in!

I always allow students to pick and choose the licks they like, and to growtheir own style along the way. But in the early stages of pattern collecting,

I would be remiss if I did not suggest which patterns were clearly valuableto put into their notebooks at first. Don't take this as me dictating which ofthem you must learn, but simply suggesting some that are obviously morepractical, simple, and beautiful all at the same time.

To start out I want you to follow with me in the pages of patterns in concertkey, beginning on page 34. This is because all the II/V7/I licks there are inthe key of C already, so no transposition will be needed before entering anyof them into your notebooks. Patterns #1-9 are training exercise type licks.I'd say #3, #5, and #8 would be good for this purpose. Starting with pattern#10 they become more melodic and useful in soloing. Of all the patterns onpage 35, I like #13, #15 (very nice use of HW dim scale over the G7 chord)#16 (mainly for the riff over that last C major chord), #17 (one of the great

ones for begining, nice chromaticism), #18 (nice first measure, and nice useof lydian over C major chord, I'd steal the 2nd bar from pattern #15 and putit in over the G7 chord here), and I love #19 (more good chromaticism).

On page 36, the ones that grab me are #21 (awesome altered tones over G7,and #24 (similar to #17). The other licks here are trainers starting on the 3rdof the D- chord... Some extra good licks on page 37 are #33, #35, #37, andpattern #42. Some great licks from page 38 include #45, #49, #50, #52 (thishas a particularly nice use of HW dim over the G7 chord), #53 (a nice rhythmto use would be to start with an eighth rest followed by two sixteenths). All of



those licks at the top of page 39 (patterns #57-#64) are really nice. I guess Ijust really love that HW diminished scale!! And, from the licks using the wholetone scale (patterns #65-#72) I like #66, #71 and #72 the best.

We'll leave it there for now. I want you to notice my suggestions that a rifffrom one lick might be combined with another lick to improve it.... and alsohow you can change rhythms to suit yourself. I like to insert triplets makingsome patterns more interesting, and delay them so they don't start right onbeat one all the time... You can change, alter, or make variations of them inany way that sounds good. Adding chromaticism is very nice as well... Lateron, some of the licks you hate now could become some of your favorites, socome back to them from time to time and see if more of them don't grow onyou as your palate develops. Some of these more complex scales are like anaquired taste. Sometimes you have to hear them in context, with a harmonicbackground in place before you really hear how they work. I often like muchof a certain pattern except for the final resolution. You can take some of yourfavorite "major type patterns" and mix and match them with the II/Vs, if youfeel the same... You may just want to cut off the final resolutions from someof these patterns, and just leave them open. I've been improvizing for aboutthirty years, so my estimation of which licks are good ones (especially for ustrumpeters) should be pretty reliable but it's all up to you! So experiment byplaying these patterns to see which ones you like the best, and have fun!

Put any or all of these patterns into your notebook now. Feel free to makealterations and do use a pencil so you can edit freely later on. There is onemore thing I'd like you to do, and that is to go back through those last foursongs we learned in Volume 5 (Lessons 84 through 87) and extract patternsthat appeal to you from those four heads, and put them into your notebookin their appropriate categories as well!! I hope you've been taking all of mysuggestions to do this with every single head we've worked on so far!!! Thisis very important and I don't want you to miss out. Since you have alreadyplayed them so many times they are firmly rooted in your mind, and they'llwill be good ones to put into your collection. Now get to work putting licks inyour notebook right now! Once they're in the notebook, you'll have them forthe rest of your life!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 90 ***........................

.........

............."ANOTHER DISCUSSION OF PATTERNS AND THEIR USE"............

I would like to make just a few general comments about your jazz patternnotebook. Each section will contain licks that are preperatory in nature, aswell as patterns that are more useful in actual soloing. One can very easilymake up their own preperatory type licks. In the major patterns category,you should have basic patterns that run up and down the first five notes of

the major scale, the first seven notes... and a lick that goes up to the ninthand back down again. You might want to simply list some other major typescales such as lydian, major/pentatonic and major/blues too as preliminarytype material, just to remind you to practice those scales routinely as well.I would list the basic chords as arpeggios, and the basic scales (often up totheir ninth steps) as preliminary material in every category in the notebook.

Put every single scale you've been introduced to in your notebook, each inits own appropriate category, then practice each merely as a scale, but alsoas a lick, by simply adding a basic rhythm to it to make it melodic sounding.



as "altered dominant chords" without differentiating between them. The variousscales I mentioned can also be used with unaltered dominant chords, in certainsituations, as described there in the book, on page 40. When handled this way,they fall under the heading of "substitute scales". Study that info on page 40!

So these licks are primarily for use with "altered dominant chords", and use the three scale mentioned above as their basis... These three scales were exploredin Lesson 68, so refer back to that lesson if needed. These patterns are actuallylisted here in the key of F. They are built on the V chord (C7+9) and can resolveto either F major or F minor. One could transpose them now to fit with the V7+9chord in C before entering them into their notebook... but I don't think it'll reallymatter. You'll be transposing them into many other keys sooner or later... BTW,This goes for any kind of pattern. I usually do transpose licks into C before Iputthem into my notebook, but not always. I do put chord symbols over all my licksthough, so I never get confused later on.

Jamey's suggestion to explore the diminished-whole tone sound by experimentingwith the patterns in the order they appear is a very good one. This is one of those

scales you really have to get used to at first. I remember having a hard time withthis scale at first, but it eventually became one of my favorites. The best licks forgetting used to this sound are probably #3, #6, and #9. Of course, you could justplay the scale from root to root.... but the way Jamey has us explore up from thatroot a bit, and then down a bit... is REALLY the way to go! Still, I'd simply write thescale in the "altered dominant" section of the notebook, as one of your preliminarytype exercises, as well as the HW diminished, and the whole tone scales... Notic

e Istill haven't asked you to learn those scales I presented in Lesson 68 in all 12 keysyet, just the ones that were presented in the lessons before.

Licks #3, #6 and #9 are actually quite melodic... Others that seem especially goodinclude #13, #14, #15 and #20. Those last two will come pretty far off in the futurebut they sure are sweet once you get them. And, when you begin playing your ownvariations on these you will truly be in Heaven. Do play with all these a bit for now,but wait on learning the most advanced ones. Just work on the first few, and may

besome slight variations of them as well.

Patterns #21 through #31 (on page 42) require a lesson or two in "advanced theory"to understand. They will come later, and they will require some acclimation to say theleast... However, if you'd like just a taste of what jazz players refer to as the "tri-tonesubstitution", using the Gb major/pentatonic scale over the C7+9 chord, you migh



t tryplaying licks #22, #24, #27 and #28. The intervals involved make most of these licksquite difficult to perform (on the trumpet) but not impossible, as has been well provenby players such as Freddy Hubbard and Woody Shaw.

Patterns #29-31 are built using the two major triads that just happen to appearwithinthe diminished-whole tone scale... When playing these kinds of patterns, think "triads"instead of "scale". This kind of playing is most often employed by sax players and theother musicians playing instruments less encombered with flexibility difficulties. Again,they're deffinitely not impossible, but hold off on putting these in the notebook for thetime being. Later, you can come back and revisit them, and snag 'em then if youlike!

Alright, patterns #3, 6, 9, 13, 14, 15 and 20 are the one's I'd start out with and put inmy notebook. Experiment with others from patterns #1-20, but remember the others

on page 42 can definitely wait. If you're an advancing player, of course take anythingyou like from there as well... ... Go ahead, take 'em... nobody's lookin'...

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 92 ***.......................

.........

..."JAMEY AEBERSOLD'S PATTERNS FOR THE II/V7+9/I IN MINOR KEYS"...

Here we are now, dealing with the last group of patterns presented in JA's

Volume 3 set about the all important II/V7/I progression and its variations.This section concerns the II/V7+9/I chord progression as it would typicallyappear in a minor key. Please review that info given at the top of page 43.We will continue working in the concert pitch section of the book, since thepatterns are presented there in the very convenient key of C minor.

The locrian mode is also refered to (in this series of play-along book sets) asthe "half-diminished scale". You probably recall that JA likes to refer to scalesby the same name as the chords they are most commonly used with... So, asyou can guess, the II "half-diminished chord" in this progression will be usingthe locrian mode or "half-diminished scale" as JA calls it.

The altered dominant V7+9 chord in each pattern uses the diminished-wholetone scale, just as you've seen before... I have personally never really likedhandling the progression this way... but the patterns I prefer from this groupwould be #1, #2, and #4 (as training patterns), and #11, #12, and #15 (foruse as real jazz licks)... This now completes our study of all the patterns andtheory presented in Volume 3. Soon, we will go back and discuss each of theplay-along tracks one at a time. But...

As I said before... I prefer some other ways of dealing with this II/V7+9/Iprogression.... Enter the ones above in your notebook just as they appear



using, just as many major II/V7/I licks begin on the second tone of the majorscale being used with them. I also love to use the key's minor/blues scale withthese changes too. I will usually use it over the II/V7+9 part, but then resolve to a dorian scale to help release the built up tension. Remember that this chord sequence can resolve to major chords as well... or even substitute for an entire major type II/V7/I progression! You always need to consider where and how aprogression is eventually going to resolve.

Well, there they are... three more excellent ways of dealling with the often verytricky minor II/V7+9/I chord progression. Many players think of this as difficult,but using any of these three methods will really simplify things, and they willallsound great! This is another lesson worth a thousand dollars all by itself... so besure to make those checks payable to...

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 94 ***.......................

.........

........."VOLUME 3, THE II/V7/I PROGRESSION, FIRST TWO TRACKS"........

!!! NOW IT'S TIME TO START USING YOUR LICKS ALL OVER THE PLACE !!!

The first two play-along tracks were fully discussed in Lessons 52 and 53.You were told the basics regarding scale usage in those lessons. As I saidrecently, you need to learn at least one pattern from each category in thepatterns notebook you've created. Now's a good time to make certain you

are doing this, and you should begin playing your first "major II/V7/I lick"along with these first two tracks, and continue to improvize freely with thescales as before. Your first major II/V7/I pattern can be used with both ofthese tracks.

With Track #1, you would simply "plug in" your first chosen pattern in eachof the 12 keys. Many patterns could be used but I strongly suggest you pickone that is very simple. You must memorize it in every key before trying toplay it along with these tracks. Once you have this first step down pat, thenit's a good idea to use some slight variations of your pattern right away!

Vary only the rhythm at first. This will force you to continue the process of"pre-hearing" the ideas, rather than plugging them in mindlessly, without a

sense of direction or purpose. Too many people forget to keep things freshand spontaneous. Later you can change a few notes, using those suggestedscales as your guide. The last tonic chord on each line is an especially goodplace to vary the notes. You WILL want to take your first major pattern andcombine it with your first II/V7/I lick. Feel free to mix and match as you getthe feel of this. Stay with just these first two licks for quite some time, untilit starts to feel very comfortable. Between using the scales freely, and yourlicks, with just a few variations, you can really start to make things happen!



With Track 2, you'll need to handle things a bit differently... In lesson 53 Itold you to "think dorian" all the way through each line, since that II/V7 isfunctioning more like a I/IV progression in a minor key. If you try playingyour first II/V7/I pattern with this track, you must not resolve to a I chordin the middle of each line, because THERE IS NO I CHORD. You'll probablyfind that you can still make the first two measures of your lick 'fit' to someextent, but you will definitely hear how the chords sound much more like aI/IV progression in minor keys. Try playing your first "minor lick" over thistrack instead. The first chord in each line will act as the I chord, so this willbe the tonic note each time. In the first line for example... you would use alick in D minor. In the second line, you will be in C minor, etc. Occasionallytry using parts of the first II/V7/I lick again, to see how it works. Generallyyou can make it fit with some alteration... but some II/V7/I licks just won'twork at all... You'll just have to experiment with them, and you will find outhow all this goes for yourself.

So... make sure you have at least one major type lick, one minor lick, andone major II/V7/I lick matered in each of the twelve keys... and these firsttwo tracks of Volume 3 should keep you busy for a while... This is one veryimportant stage right here. Absolutely master three licks as I just describedand work on these two tracks using the licks everywhere! There's no way tooverdo it here. If you'll do this, everything that's coming up will be so mucheasier. If you don't do this, you might as well just resign yourself to staying

at your current level for a very long time... This is a hurdle you must tacklein order to move on. Stick with it, and also begin using your first few licks in every situation possible as you play along with all the tracks on every singleAebersold CD you use. IT'S NOW TIME TO USE LICKS!! This is an importantbridge you must cross! You need to learn at least one lick in every categoryin your notebook RIGHT NOW in all 12 keys! There's no other way!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 95 ***.......................

...........

..."VOLUME 3, THE II/V7/I PROGRESSION, THIRD AND FOURTH TRACKS"...

Track 3, as it's labeled in the book, concerns the V7+9/I progression. Thisprogression sometimes resolves to a major key, and other times to minor.Since I've covered this progression recently in Lesson 91, there is not alotto say except that you can use the scales listed in the book to solo with, orplug in your first "altered dominant" lick from your notebook with each key.

You should do both. You will recall how Jamey's first few licks for this chordprogression simply venture up from the root a bit, and then down from theroot a bit, then resolve back to the original starting note again... Doing thisis a very good idea! This would get you used to the sound of the suggested

diminished-whole tone scale, and it also resolves perfectly to either a majoror minor chord this way. So improvize freely this way, and also plug in yourvery first simple pattern for this progression. You should have some in yournotebook already, under the heading of "altered dominants".

It would also be a very good idea for you to experiment with the other twoscales commonly used with altered dominant chords too. This would be theHW diminished scale and the whole tone scale. The F# HW diminished scaleis: F#, G, A, Bb, C, C#, D#, E, F#. The F# whole tone scale would have thenotes F#, G#, A#, C, D, E, F#. If you pencil in these two scales just for use



on the very first line, at least you can begin getting used to their sounds. Dothis right now and experiment with them just a little every time you practicethis track. Of course the main thing to do with this track is to plug in that lickall over the place and experiment with the suggested diminished-whole tonescale a little bit in the manner described above: Up and down from the root,and then always resolving back again to the same starting note.

Track 4, as it's labeled in the book, concerns the entire II/V7+9/I sequence,and you should certainly use it to play your first simple appropriate patternswith it in each key. You may also experiment with each of the other ways ofhandling this progression that I discussed in Lesson 93... These ways includeusing a major II/V7/I pattern (borrowed from the relative major key... threehalf steps above), substituting your first "altered dominant" lick that you just used in the previous track, and the use of the various minor type scales thatwork throughout the entire progression. I know I told you I personally preferthese other ways of handling this progression. You might like them better tooor perhaps not... But do learn at least one of Jamey's II/V7+9/I patterns andtry it, as well as experiment with the other strategies I've suggested too.

A brief (but important) note... The scales used with these progressions takesome getting used to. I don't want you to get bogged down at this point. Thenext Volume we'll cover after this will be quite simple, and you will not have

to master all this in order to cover it... These two tracks should be done littleby little over a long period of time. These scales and licks require more timeto get used to than those we've used so far. Don't get hung up here and feelyou can go no further... Just keep coming back to visit these tracks with theirunusual sounds, and get used to their scales and patterns very gradually. It'lloften take months before you really feel you have them under control. This isone time when I definitely won't say you have to master anything before youmove on to the lessons that follow.

Just keep coming back to these two tracks from time to time and experiment,but do learn a very basic lick for each of these two sequences in all 12 keys...

I'm just asking for one lick each, for these two progressions, and they shouldbe very simple ones!! DO NOT GET BOGGED DOWN HERE. MOVE ON, BUT DOCOME BACK, AND CONTINUE EXPERIMENTING WITH ALL OF THIS FROM TIMETO TIME. The last few lessons are fairly advanced in nature, and some peopleflounder here, thinking it has to be mastered before going on, and then they'llquickly become discouraged.

You can learn a hundred more songs without worrying about mastering all ofthis more advanced material. I just cover things very completely while I'm ona subject, so that you will have it all permanently in a very organized way. All you really need to do for sure, is pick a very simple lick for each of these two

progressions, to learn and use in upcoming situations... Keep it simple, and docome back periodically to review and experiment. It will keep sinking in moreand more each time you return. This recent theoretical material and just a bitmore about the 'turnaround patterns' I've mentioned, will take you all the waythrough the second year of study, at which point you will truly be an advancedlevel player. It just takes short but consistent daily practice and study to keepyour momentum going. And believe me, it WILL continue moving forward!



................................*** LESSON NUMBER 96 ***........................

...........

......."MORE FROM AEBERSOLD VOLUME 3, THE II/V7/I PROGRESSION".......

As with the last two tracks, it is not imperative that you master the next fourbefore moving on either. However, since we are currently studying Volume 3I'll go ahead and discuss the rest of the tracks there now.

Track 5, as it's labeled in the book, is "G minor blues" (or A minor for trumpet players). As you are advancing in knowledge, I'll give less information on eachnew song. Jamey Arbersold's notes at the bottom of page 13 will certainly giveyou enough info to guide you through this relatively simple song... He suggestsyou try the lydian mode on the two major chords and I would also suggest youtry using the major bebop scale there as well 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, +5, 6, 7, 8. He thensuggests trying out the melodic minor scale over the A- chords... This song will be perfect for that as well. Be sure to experiment with these two scales, on this

particular song. I introduced 10 new scales in lessons 64-68 and told you that I would give you specific places on the play-along tracks to experiment with eachone. Since then I have done this with nine of them. Now, I will tell you where toput the tenth one, the WH diminished scale, but first a reminder of some theory.

You have recently learned that one alternate way to handle the II/V7+9/I chordprogression, is to substitute in material appropriate for the V7+9/I chord changeover the entire progression... One good scale that can be used over your altered

dominant chords is the HW diminished scale. If you apply that scale here it couldbe thought of in two different ways. Obviously, it can be thought of as a "HW dimscale" built on the same root as the altered dominant chord being used... but thisscale can also be thought of as a "WH diminished scale" built on the same root asthe half-diminished II chord. It's all the same notes either way, but it can bea biteasier to think of the scale this way since you'd see the II chord before you'dseethe altered V7+9 chord. Take your time and make any comparisons you need, to

see for yourself how this would work.

So in this track, in measures 9 and 10, you could use the B WH diminished scalestarting right there on the B half-diminished chord for the entire two measures...Jamey also suggests using the locrian #2 scale at that spot. It can work over theentire two bars as well. It is the same scale as locrian except that the 2nd tone israised by a half step. This also makes 11 total additional scales that you've be



engiven, along with places to try each one out in the play-along tracks. However,donotice that I still haven't asked you to learn any of these in all twelve keys!I onlywant you to learn and use them in the keys needed for those particular situationsto get you used to each of their sounds for now, and that is all.

You may want to go back through the lessons from time to time and make sure youwrite in the scales I have suggested for practicing with each individual song such asthis one right here. Three new scales fit well here... "major bebop", "melodic minor"and "HW diminished". This song is perfect for this kind of experimentation... Let thisbe the reason for practicing it, just getting used to the sound of these new scales!

...................................*** LESSON NUMBER 97 ***.....................

.............

"THE THREE REMAINING TRACKS ON VOLUME 3, THE II/V7/I PROGRESSION"

"Bebop Tune" is relatively simple theory-wise, and a bit difficult tempo-wise.There is really nothing new there that you haven't seen before, nor any newtechnique or strategy that seems particularly valuable to introduce using thissong, so I think I'll just leave it alone for now. It is a good one to come back to in the future, but our time is better spent with other tracks right now.

"II/V7/I Three Keys" is basically exactly what the title suggests. It is entirely

composed of II/V7/I chord progressions in three different keys: Db, A, and F.Some are "two bar" versions, and some are "one bar" versions. So you couldobviously plug in your very first pattern, from each of those two categories inyour patterns notebook here, as much as possible, as well as your first majortype lick as well. But there is one other strategy I'd like to suggest using here.

Along with using your "one bar" II/V7/I pattern, you could also use a "two bar"pattern that has been speeded up to "double-time" tempo to fit in the space ofthe "one bar" II/V7/I progression. This would be a great way to break into theexperience of double time playing. Practice your first "two bar" II/V7/I pattern until you get it up to a very fast speed, and then just plug in at measures 2, 4

,10, and 12. Again, this only involves three keys, so it shouldn't be too much of a challenge but it's a great way to begin double time playing! Of course almostany material can be speeded up this way to fit at double speed!! You can beginexperimenting with this strategy... whenever it seems appropriate to the style,but don't worry too much about speed right now. It has a way of coming all byitself when your materials are thoroughly mastered.

"F Blues With 8-Bar Bridge" is also exactly what the title suggests. It's in the



keyof G for trumpet players. It follows the "AABA" song form I've mentioned before, with the A section repeating, followed by a B section (bridge) then a return totheA section once more. This is a VERY common format that many songs follow.

The blues sections are basically identical to Tracks 4 and 10 from Volume 2, that"Nothin But Blues" set, so there's not much to discuss there... except that I wouldstrongly suggest using the G minor/blues scale whenever you hear it... especiallyover measures 11 and 12. The bridge is a very common one, and can be handledvery simply as well. It is a series of II/V7 sequences, that function more likeI/IVprogressions in minor keys... so you'd use the "think dorian" method I often referto here. In other words you would use the F# dorian for two bars, then a B dorianscale for two, the E dorian for two, then A dorian for two.

There you have it! This completes our discussion of Volume 2!! This volume should

be returned to on a regular basis. It's a very good "workout" type session, andit ismeant to be just that! The songs have no melodies with them, and are meant to be exercises instead of real songs one would perform in public... Keep returning to thetracks here periodically and you'll reap huge benefits. Neglecting this volume wouldbe a BIG mistake if you want to go far... So keep practicing, and do be patient!!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 98 ***........................

.........

.........."LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR DAILY PRACTICE ROUTINE"............

First, a few general concepts... Have you ever heard someone say that playingjazz will ruin you for "legit" or classical playing? I don't agree with this atall... Ihave seen times when a guy might neglect his "legit technique", in favor of just playing jazz only, but there is nothing keeping anyone from playing both. I feel

people sometimes think it's "one or the other". Some guys just decide to forgetabout the legit part, and "go over to the dark side".

Here's what I think. One should continue their legit studies, but possibly blend thetwo activities into one. Anytime you practice a jazz scale you can use it to furtheryour technique as well as your improv. Simply practice everything you do with thesame quality as you normally would, if you'd never even heard of jazz. Go slowly



,contiue to pace yourself and play everything as perfectly as possible. It's possibleto work on all aspects of legit trumpet technique using only jazz materials. I'm notsaying you should stop using any legit materials at all... but if one simply wants tomaximize their efforts to benefit jazz they COULD take this kind of approach, whilecontinuing to work on their trumpet playing all at the same time! It just takesa bitof creativity. But hey, if you're a jazz player, you better be the creative type!!

Here's another idea for you. Do you have to actually have a trumpet in your handsto practice your jazz?? The answer is NO! There are alot of things you can do awayfrom the horn that will benefit your improv. First of all, you can practice your scalesand other material mentally. I bet most of you already do a bit of this already. Youcan "finger your scales" without a trumpet. You could also mentally review patterns

this way, and even sing your jazz scales and licks away from the horn. In fact,youshould do this all the time. Whenever I watch TV, I hum jazz ideas along with musicthat's playing. Commercials are almost always accompanied with music, so use thisto your advantage. Sing in the car, sing in the shower, sing to your dog!! You'll gainfrom the ear training aspects almost as much without your trumpet as with it!!

You should try to do some work on your improv everyday! If you practiced jazz fortwo hours everyday, then obviously you could work on every single area of improv

each and every day... But regardless of how much time you devote to improv eachday, you need to be organized... to keep yourself on track and get the most benefitfrom the time you do practice. You should make up a routine or schedule, that suitsyour personal goals and the amount of time you have for this... You need to work incertain areas on a regular basis no matter what. Here is a list you might want to useas a guideline. Again, you will customize it to suit yourself. Begin by making a list ofthe scales and patterns you want to learn, and start checking them off one at a

time.Then later... make a review schedule so you can keep your material until it becomesa permanent part of you!!

Scales............. Not every scale everyday, just practice them in groups.Patterns........... Same thing, work on just a few, and do work efficiently.Improv Sets..... Pace yourself, take rests! Maybe just a few tracks daily.Daily Study...... Study everyday as well... Study and review all the time.Listenning......... Listen to some good jazz everyday, especially combos.



Live Jams......... Get with friends and jam, share ideas, and get inspired.Repetoir........... Build up a list of "favorite songs" for live performances.

Remember to pace yourself when playing. Don't get so excited playing along witha CDthat you forget to take breaks... and don't forget to use good technique with everythingyou play. There is no great hurry either. Go very slowly and let everything sink in quitedeeply... Build a broad foundation that will provide you with a base big enoughto go asfar as you like... Master the fundamentals! Don't be in big a hurry to impress by playinglots of notes. It's not how many notes you play, it's how beautiful the ideas are!! Alwaystry to pre-hear your licks as part of a larger (and truly beautiful) musical idea!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 99 ***.......................

.........

.......... "A BRIEF LOOK BACK AT WHAT WE'VE COVERED SO FAR" ...........

One of my main philosophies is that jazz improvizers should not mindlessly"plug in licks" just to fill up the space... Too many do just that. When I start players off from the beginning, I try to make sure they don't begin this way.I have them play without using any patterns at all for quite a while. This willforce them to improvize by "pre-hearing" as much as possible. Also, when Iget new students who have already played for some time I often have themslow way down and prehear every single idea... I've actually helped quite afew to transform themselves into real artist, instead of just "lick pluggers".

Eventually it becomes necessary for every improvizer to learn and use licksin their solos. When licks are used they should be a part of a bigger musicalidea that is also pre-heard... This is the difference between just playing licks one has memorized, and making some real art. Way too many players don'tmake any real art at all, and many don't even seem to know the difference!!I'd always rather touch a listener's heart with something beautiful... We hearway too many who just want to dazzle, by playing as many notes as possible.

You have surely noticed my preference for beautiful playing over "high, loud,fast and dumb". I hope you fully digest some of my other philosophies alongthis same line. Another key issue with me, is that players should truly mastertheir basics. There is just no way to overdo it on the fundamentals of this art.

Lots of guys think they can just "fake it". This kind of approach won't get youvery far. Constantly go back and review all the basic theory and skills until it all becomes a permanent part of you... Review everything. Achieve mastery!

At this point you have thoroughly covered four of the Jamey Aebersold sets,along with all the theory needed to provide you with a very broad base, thatyou can continue building upon for as long as you want... There are no holesin this foundation. It is very, very complete! Rest assured that if you have all



the knowledge and skills presented so far, you're set to go as far as you like.

You have also created a "patterns notebook" that in time will be one of yourmost valued possesions.... This notebook should have every lick from everysong you've learned, that really appeals TO YOU!!! You should also have thebest licks from each of the other sources of licks we've covered as well, suchas the patterns Jamey has provided along the way and the patterns from theJerry Coker patterns book. I strongly suggest that as you progress, you onlycollect the very best patterns, again... FOR YOU! This patterns notebook is soimportant. I cannot stress this enough!

You must be using some kind of schedule for your daily practice as describedin Lesson 98 above. You need a daily schedule... as well as a simple list of all the scales and patterns you're learning. Use this list to check off each pattern and scale as you go along. Don't kid yourself!!! Get completely organized andwork as efficiently as you possibly can. And once again, constantly go back toreview all your material. The use of a daily schedule, a scales and licks checkoff list, and a constant review of theory and strategy... are the most important bits of advice I can give. Continue playing all the tracks we've covered and besure to apply all that you've learned with those tracks... So keep reviewing all

the things you've learned, and get organized with the schedule and "check off"lists. Don't be in any big hurry. Just make sure you MASTER all the basics!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 100 ***......................

...........

........"A BRIEF LOOK FORWARD AT WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS".........

Let me first remind you that I'm teaching two kinds of players... "Group One"are the very serious jazz musicians who want to continue moving forward formany years to come. They plan to continue advancing little by little until theyreach true artistry. They'll eventually be able to play the "jazz chair" with anyprofessional type group and play very artistic solos to any piece of music thevery first time they see it or even just hear it! For these folks the road ahead does not involve a huge amount of additional theory but it will involve a lot of continued practice... The people in this group will gradually continue with theirscale and pattern lists until they have about twenty scales thoroughly learned

in all 12 keys, and MANY MORE PATTERNS build from those scales... The mainthing improvizers use are these patterns! I'll keep introducing new theory andstrategies along the way, as we continue to cover songs on many more of theAebersold CD collections... As new situations arise I'll give out the new info atthat time. We'll cover material from other method books and other sources ofpatterns, as well as do some transcribing of solos and even the composition ofentire "example type solos" as well... We'll study more alternate strategies for handling situations you've already become familiar with, and you'll eventually



even learn how to play completely "outside the changes" as well.

"Group Two" are the hobbyists who just want to have fun with jazz improv, andperhaps jam with friends, with or without play-along sets. Some of these peoplewill even want to have enough repetoir to actually play three or four sets of livemusic in public. Some of them just want to be able to competently "work up" theability to solo to songs with a high school or college jazz band.

This second group is fast reaching their goals. They surely won't wind up learninganywhere near as many scales and licks as a complete artist, and that's OK. They will learn scales and licks as needed to play THEIR repetoir. One really good thingabout their path, is that they will gradually learn the sounds of the more advancedscales and licks just like the "Group One" guys, simply using them in all the placesthey need in order to perform their "hobby repetoir"... If "Group Two" players getreally hooked... they'll easily be able to join the more serious group, since they'vebuilt all the foundation they need. Some will definitely get more serious about

theirimprov as they see their abilities steadily grow and grow!! These people will still beable to follow along with all the future lessons, but they just won't try to memorizeso many scales and patterns. So, again I'll ask that you make sure you're all up tospeed on everything we've covered so far. The next material we'll cover is Volume54 "Maiden Voyage", the two volumes of "Twenty Eight Modern Trumpet Solos" andthat other Jerry Coker book, "Improvizing Jazz". Do be sure to get them right awayand you'll be all set to continue!

One last reminder for those who want to go "all the way" with this. It is a fairly longproject, but just remember this... Taken one little step at a time, it's reallynot veryhard. Just be patient, and stick to your schedule. The time WILL pass, and you WILLreach your goals!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 101 ***.......................

..........

............"MORE ABOUT ALL THESE PATTERNS AND SCALE SOUNDS"...........

One of the primary reasons we need at least a minimum number of patternsin our vocabulary is that they "open the door" to hearing chord progressions.Many types of more complex progressions have an unfamiliar sound to us atfirst. When we learn our first really good lick that outlines the sound of someprogression very well, it serves to remind us of how that progression sounds,or in other words, to begin "hearing these chords in our minds". To be able toimagine the harmonies in our head is essential to this whole task!



Another thing these first few licks do for us is that they unlock the door for usto be able to hear the new scale sounds. For instance: You might learn to playa diminished scale, and even come to recognize its sound fairly well, but untilyou actually begin using it properly (like a HW version used against an altereddominnant chord, in an actual pattern that resolves eloquently) you'll not hearhow it actually works in a proper setting... You'd likely pass over several reallygood scales in your development, simply because you never really discoveredhow to resolve them correctly! These scale sounds are the palate of colors youhave at your disposal, and they each deserve some very serious attention... Ifyou decide that some of these are not for you, then you are right to choose theones that sound better to you... To me, it would be silly for anyone to use scalesounds that they themselves don't actually like... but some will "grow on you" ifgiven the chance. Their sounds mature and you will gradually find that they aremuch better than you first thought, but that'll never happen unless you actually use them a while, and probably in the form of some really good patterns!

Yet another reason that it is imperative to learn at least a few great patternsin

each of your notebook's categories is that they will eventually become so mucha part of you that they will form the foundation of many variations that you willnaturally evolve on your own. Once you have a lick or pattern fully internalized,it becomes very easy to make up variations of it, even right on the spot... Whilethe use of patterns may seem somewhat contradictory to the truly spontaneouscomposition of melodies, they really are essential to the process itself. They willform the underlying skeletal structure of everything that truly IS composed rightin front of your listeners very eyes (and ears)!

You will almost always be playing variations of your basic lick repetoir completelyspontaneously AS YOU HEAR THEM RIGHT THEN AND THERE, and you will actuallyhardly ever play these licks as originally learned... and the variational possibilitiesare absolutely endless too. You NEED those licks! They form a well spring of ideasyou'll be able to draw from, and the broader your palate of colors, the better!! Butstill, you should only collect the very best ones for you personally, and even then,they should only be used as a part of bigger beautiful musical ideas.

Your first patterns should be selected to simply get the basic scales and arpeggiosinto your head, and under your fingers. The next ones should be more melodically useful and beautiful at the same time. After that you need a few that use the moreadvanced scale sounds you need to allow to mature in your mind... Then after thisit is all just completely up to you!



Once mastered, these licks and scale sounds will come pouring out spontaneouslyin variations that require almost no conscious effort at all. You will be able to drawupon this vocabulary for life. Do you want a large vocabulary? I do, but I do agreethat we can become obsesed with this and miss out on the big picture... and that isall about creating some beautiful art... I've heard intellectuals speak who lose theiraudience with too much vocabulary, and this is often done by jazz players as well!!I've also seen beautiful paintings that were composed using only a very few colors,and this can also be accomplished by the jazz musician in a very similar fashion!

These are artistic choices that each of us must make for ourselves, and they surelyare very personal choices. But I do feel that having a small vocabulary can be verylimiting, especially in certain styles, and having a large vocabulary is alwaysbetter.It's all about how one uses this vocabulary. Do you simply try to impress by pla

yingmore notes than anyone else?! Should you simply plug in licks everywhere in publicperformance in a way that is neither interesting nor artistic? Should you only play ina kind of "competition" with the musicians around you... or should you play in a waythat even a layperson will find touches their heart?!! A little bit of dazzle sprinkled inlike spice is always effective. Too much of this, and we'll allienate our audience!

Please read all of this again a time or too, and pause to reflect on each idea..

. We allneed the foundational collection of patterns I'm talking about. After that It'sup to youhow many more patterns you learn and master... Anytime I hear a lick in my headorthrough my ears that really appeals to me, I put it in my notebook. I may or may noteventually learn it in all keys, but at least I grab it and keep it this way. Many, I havemastered in only a few keys each without ever putting them on any official "check offlist" at all... I think it's pretty much the same for most improvizers. You will decide for

yourself just how far to go with all this, and that is just exactly how it should be... butbuilding one's basic foundation of patterns should definitely NOT be optional.

...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 102 ***........................

........



might simply want to keep on getting better at this collection of songs, andadd on a few more here and there as we go along, or after a while you cancome back and really get serious about becoming a complete artist. It's allup to you!

"Impressions" uses only two basic chords, E- and F-. You can use any of theminor type scales here (minor/blues, minor/pentatonic, minor/dorian, etc). Iwould strongly suggest using a little of each, and let all of these scale sounds sink in very deeply. Coltrane would sometimes play solos lasting 30 minutesor more and never once repeat himself!! I would experiment paticularly withthe minor/pentatonic scales on this track, and begin using some of the minortype licks from your notebook.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S TIME TO START USING YOUR PATTERNS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This entire album is perfect for this, and this is exactly what you should doat this point in your development. Just start plugging in those licks all overthe place. You could easily learn to play just about every minor type lick inyour notebook in these two keys right now!! Stretch out with this track andexperiment. Coltrane found it worthwhile to play to changes like these, andyou can be sure that this track is worthy of much of your attention as well!

This is the kind of tune you can really "stretch out" on... You can take yourtime with it, and learn how to develop your ideas with repetition, variation,and the other techniques Jerry Coker describes in his book... "ImprovisingJazz" that I introduced in the previous lesson. Study that section on how tobuild your solos effectively, and experiment with each of his suggestions.

The main thing to start doing at this point in your path, is to begin mixing inthe licks you've been collecting, along with your usual free improvisation! Itis time to begin using those patterns!!! You can decide which ones you reallylove, and which ones are just OK... The best should eventually be learned inall keys. You will decide which ones are worthy, but for now use as many asyou possibly can! That is what you should do with this entire album. This willbe the real beginning of your experience with the jazz patterns, so go ahead

and jump in now, and start "plugging in those licks" everywhere possible! Ofcourse, this is done for practice sake only. In public performance those licksshould be used more sparingly and artistically. During practice, however, it'suseful at this point to begin using the patterns as much as you possibly can!!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 104 ***.......................

........

............................."VOLUME 54, TRACK 3, Bb BLUES".....................

.......

There's really nothing new here. We've covered many blues tracks on theway to this point... so you shouldn't need much help. But I will make a fewsuggestions:

......... THE TWO "TWENTY EIGHT MODERN TRUMPET SOLOS" BOOKS .........

This is a 'down home' type blues so it's appropriate to use the minor/ bluesscale and minor/pentatonic here, just as JA suggests. Borrow material from



any of the previous blues heads you've played too... If you have the booksI've been recommending "Twenty Eight Modern Trumpet Solos".... Volumes1 and 2, you will find quite a few blues solos there as well that you can takematerial from. Don't steal entire choruses to play verbatum, nor even largesections... Just take the very best licks! You can go through several of thoseblues solos in these books and put the best licks into your own notebook forfuture reference.

............... "COMPOSED SOLOS, and YOUR OTHER NOTEBOOK" ................

As I was learning this beautiful art and craft, I used to compose entire solosfor practice purposes using material taken from many of these transcriptions.I would put them into that "other notebook" I've mentioned a few times, andgive them titles like, "Me and Lee", and "Riffin with Clifford", etc... You mightwant to do the same. That is the purpose of the "other notebook", along withwith being a place to transcribe other great solos as well.... So, it would be a good time to compose at least one "blues solo" of your own this way and putit into your own "other notebook" too... The solos you make up and write outare not for use in public performances. They're just for practice purposes!

So, hopefully I have now gotten you to begin taking material from some greatartists to enter as licks into your primary patterns notebook, and also to begin

writing out practice solos of your own and put them into your 'other notebook'.These solos you write could even be used as jazz heads... I suspect that manyof the great "heads" that players have written, using the chord progressions offamous standards, evolved in a similar fashion.... Anyway, once you've writtenout one good "solo/head", you are now a composer too! Of course, we've beencomposing all along, but just not writing any of it down!

I can only point the way... YOU must do all the work for yourself!!! I supposehow much of this advice you'll actually apply will be dictated by your personalgoals in jazz. You'll know the blues progressions in the transcription books bytheir 12 bar form and their chord progressions. So, go get some patterns anddo a little composing if you dare! Take your time, and use any material at

all to write out at least one practice blues solo!! Do remember that this will beyour first entry into your "other notebook"... So, now you're a composer!

...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 105 ***........................

........

............. "MORE ABOUT TRANSCRIPTION COLLECTION BOOKS"..............

Since I touched on this subject in the previous lesson above, it's probably

a good time to give that a little more attention now.... I've told you to getthe "Twenty Eight Modern Trumpet Solos" books, both Volumes 1 and 2. Ithink these are two of the very best transcription collections out there.

Some improvizers would point out that doing your own transcribing wouldbe more beneficial that getting material from a book... but I would tell youthat both are very beneficial and that there is nothing about using materialthat has already been transcribed for us that would prevent us from doingsome transcribing of our own. So, it's not a matter of "one or the other". Ithink we have the luxury of having many more resources, than our earlier



jazz predecesors, so let's use everything we can! There are still a few folksout there that would try to tell you otherwise, but I guess this is true aboutalmost anything.

The transcription books are a great tool. We can see exactly how real jazzgreats handle every kind of situation. We can study all their strategies, andtheir use of theory too. We can see how they build and organize their solosand learn a lot from all of this. There is much to gain from this kind of study. One of the best things to be gained is a broad jazz vocabulary, AKA "licks".

As I mentioned in the previous lesson, one should extract only the very bestlicks from transcribed solos... You will come across a few and say, "oh good,I've been hearing that one in my head"... or "wow, that lick is fantastic". Theones that really strike you as being fantastic really are fantastic... FOR YOU!There are so many sources for gathering your personal collection of patternsthat there is no need to be greedy!! Just copy the "best of the best" into yournotebook. Later, you can reevaluate them and see if they still seem as good.

There is no hurry, but if you do learn the material that really appeals to youthe most, you'll really enjoy your own playing. Why learn anything else?!!! Ithink the very best material to learn is the material that you keep hearing inyour head already... The stuff you'd sing without any regard for theory is the"real you" in my opinion... I play what I hear now, but I spent many sessions

singing into a tape recorder with jazz tracks playing in the background. ThenI'd go back and transcribe just the very best of what I sang. This might be abit difficult for many of you right now... but you will definitely find a lot of thelicks you've been hearing in your head (and in great players' solos) there inthose transcription books! Believe me... THEY ARE A GOLDMINE! So, go anddo some digging. You WILL reap MANY rewards!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 106 ***.......................

........

.................."MORE ABOUT COMPOSING PRACTICE SOLOS"....................

Yup, you guessed it! Since I talked about this kind of project in Lesson 104,I'll now continue with this theme a bit more... (while we're on the subject).

A practice solo is just exactly what it sounds like. One takes a group of thevery best possible licks, and strings them together in a manner that wouldbe appropriate for a certain song form. In lesson number 104, I suggestedbuilding a "solo" using licks found in the transcribed solos books. When onebuilds a solo such as this, they may use material from a variety of sources.

If you're building a blues "solo"... you'd use licks from certain measures in

the very same measures of your own solo. In other words, if a lick is foundin bars 3 and 4 in the original solo, use it in bars 3 and 4 of your "solo" too. If you take a lick from bars 7 and 8, put them in your "solo" in bars 7 and 8as well.... Continue in this manner until you have several great licks in theirappropriate places, then fill in the spaces with some original melodic piecesof your own to smooth it all out... Change a transcribed lick in any way thatsuits you best. Use material from an entirely different source if you like!!! It doesn't really matter where all the material comes from. The only thing that



utthe first few notes. You could just write out a few measures at first, then come back to it periodically and write out a little more. Listen to it many times. Singit, play it, then write it down. Go back and listen to it one measure at a timeifneeded, but DO go ahead and get started on your first solo transcription now!

Your first transcription will be a project you'll never forget!! It may take dailywork for a whole week or longer. It may seem difficult at first, but just take itone small piece at a time. When you're finished with it, you'll immediately feel the benefits. You will be much more familiar with all the material, and anytimeyou hear any of it in the future (whether it's through your ears, or it's coming to you from inside your own head) you'll instantly recognize what it is!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 108 ***...............................

............"VOLUME 54, MAIDEN VOYAGE, TRACK 4, SOLAR FLAIR".............

Another song. Very simple theory. Infinite possibilities. Where do we begin?

A quick scan of these chords should remind you of our old friend "Groovitis".The changes are very similar but the style is very different. It has a straighteighth rythmic feel insted of swing. The feel is different and we shouldn't tryto use the same "down home" minor/blues scales and licks as we did before.It would be more appropriate to use lots of dorian and minor/pentatonics forthis particular style. Experiment with these scales on the D- and G- chords.

With the minor II/V7+9/I in measures 5-6 you should try plugging in one ofyour first patterns for this progression. You should also try out the alternatemethods I've suggested for handling this progression as well... You can playright through those two bars using one D minor type scale, (especially the Dharmonic minor scale) or you can handle it all as an altered dominant chord(think A7+9) all the way through and perhaps play licks from your notebookappropriately transposed to fit with "A altered dominant", or you can borrowa major II/V7/I lick from the relative major (F major). If you're not alreadyfamiliar with these three alternate methods for handling the II/V7+9/I chordchange, then you need to go back and master earlier lessons, befor workingon this material.... You need the material in lessons 91-93 to understand theinfo I just discussed!! Use your first minor II/V7+9/I lick(s), and try using al

lthose alternate methods too. Figure out a way to use each of them with licksthat you know, and that D harmonic minor scale.

On the major II/V7/I in measures 9-10, use your first lick(s) and even a fewsimple variations... In measures !!-!2 try using appropriate major licks in thevery same manner. Remember, we are using 'Volume 54' to begin using thelicks you've been collecting. You wouldn't plug in licks everywhere in a publicperformance this blatantly, but for practice purposes you should do just that.Plug in your new patterns everywhere you possibly can!



Measures 13-14 will be handled the same way as measures 5-6, and measure16 is a simple "altered dominant chord". Plug in an appropriate pattern there.Also spend some time improvizing freely on the diminished/whoe tone scale. Ihope you'll remember how to explore up from the root a little... and also downfrom the root a lttle too. If you don't, then you're not fully digesting the earliermaterial, and you are only kidding (and hurting) yourself. Don't move too fast!

I know the basic chords are easy, but use these "easy" songs to actually applyall the stuff I've been teaching you. I know from experience that many will notheed this advice. Don't let yourself miss out on all the good stuff!! A guy couldblow all the way through this track... using nothing but one D minor type scaleand a II/V7/I lick in F major, but what would you learn? Some hobbyists mightgo the simpler way and that is fine, but if you're really serious, you'll do everysingle thing I'm suggesting. It never hurts anyone to go back and review to becertain they are getting it all. Everyone needs to go slow, AND GET IT ALL!!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 109 ***................................

............................"VOLUME 54, TRACK 5, SUMMERTIME"....................

......

This song definitely falls into the "down home, earthy, bluesy" category. Youcan rely heavily on the E minor/blues scale with this one... Do notice that thesong goes from E minor to G major (the relative major key), and back again.

If you were to compare the E minor/blues scale with the G major/blues scale,you would find that they both have the same notes. This comes in very handywith a song like this!! For a while you're playing the E minor/blues scale in th

eusual way... then you play the same scale in the G major section, but think ofit and handle it a different way. Because of the ease in the theory departmentyou can put all your attention on making music. You can use the E minor/bluesscale all the way through this entire song... Just think of it as G major/bluesinbars 12 and 13.

That would be a very basic way to handle this song. A more sophisticated solowould outline the various progressions in more detail. The A- chord in bars 5-6should be differentiated with the use of A dorian. Minor II/V7+9/I material canbe used in bars 7-8. Bars 12-13 would need to be handled as a one bar II/V7/Iin G major. Measures 14-15 is a II/V7+9/I in E minor... and measure 16 is an

altered dominant chord that resolves back to the tonic chord in E minor.

You should try playing the entire song form using both of these methods... First use just the E minor blues scale exclusively and really work on getting the most bluesy feel you possibly can. Lay into that "flatted fifth" (Bb) and try growling!!!You can use any of the minor/blues type licks you've collected right here!



Then after a couple of choruses, try outlining all the progressions using all of thescales and licks suggested here in the third paragraph. After doing that for a fewchoruses come back to that E minor/blues sound again. Eventually you'll go backand forth freely between the two strategies within choruses any way you like.

Mix and match. If you only play minor/blues scales and licks, you'll overdo it andwind up boring the listeners. If you only use the more sophisticated strategy, youwill fall into the same trap again!! However, if you go back and forth between thetwo approaches, the listener is drawn in as the contrast between the two stylesofplaying becomes very interesting. It's the contrast that makes each of these waysso effective! Experiment by alternating between "sophisticated" and "earthy".

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 110 ***......................

..........

....."USING THE MELODY IN YOUR IMPROVIZATION WITH SUMMERTIME".....

The song "Summertime" is a very good tune to use for this purpose. I havenot discussed this concept before... so now would be a good time. Let's go!

I like to keep the melody in mind when I improvize. Many people forget allabout the melody when they solo. I feel that some songs are handled muchbetter when the soloist interjects bits and pieces of the original melody intohis solo from time to time... This isn't good for all songs, but it is for many!

This song is very good to introduce this concept with... because it uses short

melodic motifs followed by long notes and pauses. One nice way to handle itwould be to play those first three notes as written, then improvise with some"fill type material" through the first measure... Then in the second bar, comeback to the original melody, etc. You may not want to just go back and forthover and over again in such a strict fashion throughout the whole song... It'soften effective to just throw in pieces of the melody when you hear them, asa part of your longer melodic ideas. This way, they simply sound like naturalparts of the solo, rather than being "stuck in" artificially.

It's possible to build an entire solo around a melody. You can just add a fewnotes here and there to embellish the melody, and fill some of the spaces inthe song between the phrases... or you can weave the melody into your soloin a more subtle way by merely hinting at it, reminding your listenner that it

is still present and an integral part of the improvization. Sometimes this kindof strategy makes things easier, giving the soloist a very solid skeletal basisto form his solo upon. At other times, this strategy requires more effort andcreativity from the performer, and thus demonstrates his musical ability!

Some songs just beg for this kind of treatment... and Summertime is one ofthese! It can be overdone, or it can be done just right. Returning back to themelody draws the listeners in!!! They begin anticipating what will come next,and when they are right, it has a very pleasing effect!! It'll also help to keep



laypeople interested and listening. It is so very easy to lose them when theycan't understand the music. This gives them something to hold onto!

Begin experimenting with this strategy. Try keeping the melody in mind evenwhen you aren't quoting it. It'll help you maintain a good sense of structure!!Go ahead and experiment with this technique on other songs too whenever itseems appropriate to the style. Remember, this is all supposed to be fun!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 111 ***......................

............

........................"VOLUME 54, TRACK 6, WATERMELON MAN"....................

....

Herbie Hancock wrote this tune sometime in the early 60s. It's what we jazzplayers call an "extended blues". It is basically a 12 bar blues that has beenlengthened by repeating bars 9 and 10 two extra times to make it last for 16measures altogether. It is handled the same way as any other blues, and wehave studied so many blues by this point, that there's not much else to say.

...................... BUT HERE ARE A FEW SUGGESTIONS ANYWAY....................

..

1. Experiment by using the dominant/mixolydian scale listed under each chord.2. Experiment by using major/blues scales on the dominant chords, this works.3. Experiment by using G minor/blues and also G minor/pentatonic throughout.4. Experiment by using G minor and G blues type licks from your notebook too.5. Experiment by using "practice solos" materials... as suggested in Lesson 106. 6. Experiment by using material from the melody... as suggested in Lesson 110.7. Experiment by using bluesy and sophisticated type material as in Lesson 109.8. Experiment by using each of the strategies listed here, all combined together.

In the future I'll discuss substitute chord progressions, and advanced scales thatcan be used with the "simple" blues progressions... Many people think that blues changes are the easiest to play, because it is possible for the beginner to handleentire choruses with only one minor/blues scale... This is true in a sense. I wouldsuggest considering the fact that even with the simplest chords, there are infinitepossibilities!! There really are... Just listen to Charlie Parker, or Coltrane!!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 112 ***.......................

........

..........."MORE HERBIE HANCOCK, TRACK 11, CANTALOPE ISLAND".........

This is another "simple" song, relatively speaking... There are only three



chords in the whole song, each lasting four measures each. The G- chordat the end continues into another four measures of G-, so I suppose youcould say it lasts for eight measures there.

One can use any of the minor type scales on the G- and E- chords. Dorian,minor/blues and minor/pentatonic would be the three most obvious choicesfor you to use, but it is good to experiment with the other possible types ofminor scales as well... such as aeolian (natural minor), harmonic minor andmelodic minor (ascending form). Here are their formulas. Putting them intothe keys of G minor and E minor is up to you.

1....... Natural Minor........................... 1, 2, -3, 4, 5, -6, -7, 82....... Harmonic Minor........................ 1, 2, -3, 4, 5, -6, 7, 83....... Melodic Minor........................... 1, 2, -3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

The Eb7 chord would use the dominant/mixolydian of course, but you couldexperiment with some other scales there too. Here are some suggestions. Iwill only remind you of their formulas. Puting all these into Eb is your job...

1....... Eb "major/pentatonic"................. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 82....... Eb "major/blues scale"................ 1, 2, +2, 3, 5, 6, 83....... Eb "dominant/blues"................... 1, 2, +2, 3, 5, 6, -7, 84....... Eb "minor/blues scale"................ 1, -3, 4, +4, 5, -7, 85....... Eb "lydian/dominant".................. 1, 2, 3, +4, 5, 6, -7, 8

6....... Eb "dominant/bebop".................. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, -7, 7, 8

The major pentatonic scale fits nicely with dominant chords, as does themajor/blues scale. Both of these have the unaltered 3rd step and no 7thstep at all, so they both work with either major or dominant chords. That"dominant/blues" scale is a variation of the major/blues. It has the -7, soit will work with the dominant chords. The minor/blues sounds pretty wellwith dominant chords too even though it has the -3. Two more good onesto explore are the lydian/dominant, and the dominant/bebop scales. Theyare both variations of mixolydian. If you try out all these scales that workwith dominant chords, with and without the background CD, you'll be ableto see how each one sounds and start to become familiar with all of them.

Use all these scale choices on this tune. You will discover more sounds foryour personal palate of colors. Of course, you should also use the variouslicks from your notebook as well.

...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 113 ***........................

........

..............."SOME MORE HANCOCK, TRACK 9, MAIDEN VOYAGE"..............

This is another Herbie Hancock composition. It also uses single chords forseveral measures at a time. When we use one scale over long periods oftime, it is refered to as playing modally. This song and the one in the lastlesson are both good examples of this.

You've surely noticed that I use appropriate songs to introduce certain bitsof strategy and theory as they naturally arise in the course of studying thevarious play-along tracks. This is an excellent way to present new materialas the student progresses (that would be you)! There is no new strategy inthis lesson, but I'd like to review strategy that we dabbled with before, in a



previous lesson. Please review Lesson 85. There I introduced a very usefultechnique for use with the song "Killer Pete", which I hope you realized wasbuilt on the chord changes to "killer Joe". (BTW, jazz composers often buildcompositions using the chord progressions taken from other tunes. A chordprogression by itself cannot be copyrighted, so this is very common!)

The strategy I'm refering to, studied in lesson 85, is that of starting to playon a new scale a little before a chord actually arrives. I had you start eachnew scale in the bridge of "Killer Pete" a few beats early.... which producesan effect similar to "playing outside the changes". Review Lesson #85 oncemore to refresh your memory. I'd like you to experiment with this strategysome more using this song... Maiden Voyage.

Just begin using each new scale a few beats before it's chord actually arrives.You'll see how eloquently this works. It is one of my favorite techniques! Youwill sound as though you have departed from the modality and then resolvedback into it with amazing skill, while it was really quite simple... This is one ofthose super tips worth a thousand bucks, so don't waste your opportunity!

One nice way to use this little trick is to play some bit of material repeatedly in one key, then begin repeating the lick in the next key just a bit early. It is

a technique worthy of your full attention and its the main thing I want you toget from this lesson.

You just use the scales suggested under each chord, or try some minor/bluesand minor/pentatonic type scales and licks. Keep it simple though, so you canexplore this technique of starting to play on the next scale early. You're going to love this! So give it some SERIOUS EFFORT. You won't regret it!! I am...

...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 114 ***................................

........" A WAYNE SHORTER COMPOSITION, TRACK 12, FOOTPRINTS"........

I first heard this song as it was recorded on the Miles Davis album entitled"Miles Smiles"... This is one of the most beautiful and startling recordings Ihave ever heard. Each song is a "soundscape" of sorts.... splashes of colorand emotion, whirling in and about. It humbles me everytime I listen to it!!What Wayne and Miles do on this album is simply incredible!

"Footprints" is another deceptively simple song at first glance!! It is anotherexample of music with infinite possibilities, using very few chords. If you go

to www.ejazzlines.com you'll find this recording... Buy it, and you'll see how thesetwo masters handle it. You may not have ever heard anything like it. It's sounderstated, yet so amazingly powerful at the same time!

This song is a twelve bar blues in 6/4 time. That is like two bars of 3/4 timecombined. The quintuplet figures are played over three beats... They soundsomething like eighth notes that drag farther and farther behind the beat. Ifyou get the CD I recommended you won't regret it. You'd almost have to, inorder to get the real feeling of this particular song!! It is technically a 12 b



arblues, but it's not "bluesy" at all. It's hard for me to put into words, and I amnot the kind of guy who is usually at a loss for words!

Basically, the song can be handled using the dorian scales suggested, or theminor/pentatonic, or minor/blues, with lots of chromaticism (especialy usefulin measures 9 and 10). The use of chromaticism will help to connect things ina very smooth manner. Experiment with this!! Try using your chromatic scaleto explore outside of the key. This song is well suited to this kind of approach because of it's "floating" quality. Just play with the chromatic scale, using it totake you outside of the key and then back in again... This, and that techniquestressed in Lessons 85 and 113 of 'starting a new scale a little early', are bothexcellent ways to begin your first explorations of playing "outside" of the key.

Do spend time with this. The most important part of any excursion 'outside' isthe resolution that brings you back inside... It must be handled eloquently. I'lloften hear players going on lengthy journeys, playing long "outside" patterns,but they don't return to the key well. To me, nothing exposes one's weakness

in this area more than that.... You should always try to hear a good resolutionand then play what you hear. Experiment with this chromatic outside strategy,and even the technique of "playing the next scale early" we've been dicussing.Above all else, go to the hyperlink and order this CD now!!

In lessons 12 through 15 I've listed what I feel are some of the very best CDsand DVDs ever recorded. If you don't yet have a real solid collection, you canorder almost every single thing I recommend in those lessons, on the websitehyperlinked here in this lesson. EJazzLines is the most complete source ever!!They are fast, reliable, and almost always have everything they list in stock.

The DVDs I strongly recommended would be enough to keep a guy motivatedfor years all by themselves.... Miles Davis' "My Old Flame" album is one of the

most beautiful ever recorded. I hope you revisit those earlier lessons (12-15)!Beg, borrow, and steal if you have to... but do at least get My Old Flame, Miles Smiles and any (or all) of the DVDs you possibly can! Hey, the improv lessonsare free, so you can rationalize this one shopping spree for sure!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 115 ***.......................

........

................"MORE ABOUT MEASURES 9 AND 10, FOOTPRINTS".................

Let's talk just a bit more about these two measures... Advanced players willalready know that these two bars can be handled in quite a number of ways.

First, let me begin by saying that although this song is written in 6/4 time, it really is fast enough to almost be considered 6/8... It has a rhythmic lilt that



nearly feels like two beats per measure, plus this song is usually performeda little faster than it is here on this JA track. This is important when decidinghow to handle the chords in measures 9 and 10.

If the tempo was VERY SLOW, chords like these would require much more ofour attention... If they lasted for a couple of bars each we'd probably have todeal with each one using a different scale. But as they go by so quickly, thereis not enough time for the harmony (of each chord) to really sink in. At timeslike this it's often inappropriate to try to outline each and every chord. Tryingto do so can actually interfere with a smooth flowing melodic developement.

These chords can be handled as what I'll call "passing chords"... Consider this: If one were to simply ignore them altogether and just continue playing D minortype material right through... the effect would be one of creating a little tensionthat resolves the moment we arrive at measure 11. In situations like this, mostimprovisers would not try to outline each of those chords... Attempting to use a different scale with each chord would be quite awkward, and would likely causea player to stumble all over himself at that point.

If you compare the notes in the melody with the notes in those chords (writtenout near the bottom of the page) you'll see almost no correlation whatsoever!!I know it's possible to analyze these notes, and come up with some way to saythat each one is actually an altered upper extension of the chords they're usedwith, but this can be done (with enough effort) for any notes at all. Actually theway the head is usually played, extra notes are used chromatically, connectingthe C# to the E, and the A to the C natural, in measure 9. If you get that Miles Smiles CD you'll hear this too. As you can see, the melody uses the chromaticscale freely right through these two measures, and so can you!!

Try using the chromatic scale and also the D minor/blues scale there. You could

try some other sounds there too, such as whole tone or diminished, built on anystarting notes you like. Experiment with "going outside" here. It is a perfect spotto try almost anything with, but the key to doing this well has to do with a properresolution. Nearly anything will sound right here, as long as it is resolved well. Ifyou aren't sure about this strategy try coming up with improvised material using scales or licks with each chord, and you'll find it very difficult not to soundstiltedthis way. Even trying to use chord tones will prove to be very unsatisfactory. Go

back to blowing right through those two measures using chromaticism and/or theD minor/blues, and see for yourself what works best for you! "Trial and error" isone of the jazz improviser's very best tools. Whatever one discovers themselveshas a way of sinking in quickly and deeply! So, always experiment!



...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 116 ***........................

........

............."VOLUME 54, TRACK 15, III/VI7/II/V7 TURNAROUNDS"..............

Track 15 introduces something called "the turnaround chord progression".We barely discussed this progression in Lesson 80 on Bird Blues. You mayrecall touching on this subject. Here is a more complete description of thisvery important progression.

There are many types of turnarounds, but the most common one is calledthe III/VI7/II/V7 turnaround... The symbols represent diatonic chords anduse the same type of nomenclature as any other progression. You'll noticethat the VI chord in this example has been changed to a dominant chord...It is very common to see any or all of the chords in this useful progressionaltered to become dominant chords in the same manner.

This progression is often found in the last two measures of many standardsong forms. Many standard type songs such as blues, end with two bars ofa I chord, leading into even more measures of a I chord at the start of thesong once again. The turnaround progression is often substituted for theselast two bars, in order to break up the monotony of having this many barsof I chord in a row. It provides changing chords, that replace this stagnantI chord, and brings more interest to the music. The turnaround chords can

be substituted by the rhythm section players... or written in by the originalcomposer.... or just imagined by a soloist, who basically pretends that thisprogression is being played by the rhythm section, and plays patterns thatwould fit with these chords. In other words, the soloist can play turnaroundpatterns as substitute material in the appropriate places, without regard forwhether or not the rhythm section is doing this too!!! This is very much likethe way we've used 'substitue material' in earlier lessons when playing withthe minor II/V7+9/I progression and altered dominant chords. Soloists canplay material appropriate for substitute chord changes even when they arenot being used by the rhythm section players. Similarly, the rhythm sectionplayers use substitute chords and progressions in the appropriate places, ifthey feel it will improve the song! In a professional jazz group, this is doneall the time. Chord progressions are altered and substituted constantly!

Making the VI chord in this progression dominant basically creates two "onebar II/V7" progressions, so we can now use two "one bar II/V7 licks"!! Thatis how I had you handle the turnaround in Lesson 80 with "Bird Blues". Takea look at the patterns that are presented in the book there on page 31. Theyare all constructed using this method of combining two "one bar II/V7" licks.Most turnaround patterns are built the same way, and they'll very often usethe same lick in both measures, just in different keys.

There are other types of turnarounds that use completely different changes,but they all serve the same purpose and function in the same manner. We'llstudy other variations of this device at a later time. For now you should justplay the seven patterns presented on page 31 with the CD background. You

only need to play them with this one track, in this one key for a while to getused to them.

Later you can come back to enter the ones you like into your notebook, oreven make up some of your own using two "one bar II/V7" patterns. Afteryou start playing along with this track, you'll probably recognise the soundof the progression and even start to hear a lick or two in your head that fitwith it. These would be the best licks to start figuring out on your own. Thismight be the start of getting at the licks that are already in your own mind,or perhaps just simply composing a few on your own (if you dare)!!



................................*** LESSON NUMBER 117 ***.......................

.......

........"VOLUME 54, TRACK 10, F BLUES, TOOTSIE, IN THREE PARTS"........

THE FIRST PART.............. "DOMINANT KEYS"

This track is another twelve bar blues. It's in the key of G for trumpeters. Intraditional music theory there are major keys and there are minor keys. Wehave discussed these before, but I haven't really explained all the dominantchords we keep seeing in these blues progressions... Well, in the jazz idiom,there is one more kind of key. We could call it a dominant key. Basically it isvery similar to major, but the I, IV and V chords are typically all dominant.

I know many college trained musicians may be scratching their heads at thispoint. In classical music theory dominant chords almost always function as Vchords in a key... In jazz, blues and rock styles conventions are not so rigid,

and chords can be of almost any quality at all, as long as it sounds right. This blues and many others could be viewed as being in a dominant key. I've hadclassical players explain to me that there is no such thing... but I didn't make all this up. If all the I chords in a song are dominant, it's in a "dominant key"!

So, here we have another "dominant blues" written by Jamey Aebersold, andit's called "Tootsie". We'll handle it just like any other dominant type blues wehave covered before. There's a turnaround progression written in the changesthat we will address. I hope you notice how I always get you all set for what's

coming next, as I did again in the previous lesson... That is the reason I often jump around from track to track. I try to lay things out in a very logical order.

The next two lessons contiue with discussions of theory and strategy that arevery convenient to present with this track, so read on!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 118 ***.......................

........

..........."MORE INFO FOR USE WITH TRACK 10, F BLUES, TOOTSIE"..........

THE SECOND PART............ "THE TURNAROUND"

You should recall from previous lessons that any or all of the chords in thecommon "III/VI7/II/V7 turnaround" can be dominant. This won't effect theway we handle it. We will still basically treat it as two 'one bar II/V7's' back



to back. Look at the last two measure of the head and you'll see that all ofthe chords in the turnaround progression are dominant. You will also noticesuggestions for possible "chord substitutions" written above those chords. Iwant you first to take note of the fact that JA suggests that a G7 chord maybe used in place of the B7. In other words, we could make this progressioninto a "I/VI/II/V". That's a common variation which doesn't change how wehandle it either. The III chord is almost exactly the same as a I chord, so itshould not be surprising that these two chords can be used as substitutionsfor each other. Even more substitution possibilites are given in the changesat the bottom of the page, particularly the E7b9 in place of the usual E7. I'lltell you that these variation make no difference in how that turnaround willbe handled, and this is true. It will still funtion the same way, even with thealterations we see being suggested... Sometimes you may need to make aslight alteration to a turnaround lick so that it fits a little better. In the E7b9chord, a b9th may need to be used in place of the usual unaltered 9th.

There is one more lesson after this that continues this discussion of theoryand strategy that can be applied to the 12 bar blues track, "Tootsie". Readon! Betcha didn't expect to get all this with just a "plain old" blues track!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 119 ***.......................

........

......."EVEN MORE INFO FOR USE WITH TRACK 10, F BLUES, TOOTSIE"......

THE THIRD PART............... "SUBSTITUTIONS"

Jazz rhythm section players often make substitutions for chord changes ontheir own. They don't ask permission, nor do they consult each other aboutit. The soloist does not know which substitute changes may be thrown in onthe spur of the moment!! Similarly the soloist may just "pretend" substitute

chords are being used and play material that would fit with them. But guesswhat... It rarely makes any difference! The harmonies are usually going byso fast that their exact sounds don't last long enough to matter. At a slowertempo IT WOULD MATTER much more... and the soloist and rhythm sectionplayers would try to coordinate with each other's substitutions much more!!

When either the soloist or rhythm section players use substitutions, they willgenerally sound "right", even if others are playing the changes in their basicformat without any alterations or substitutions of any kind!

Players get to the point where they can almost instantly recognise any of thesubstitutions that others may thrown in, and adjust what they play to fit withthat material more eloquently. At faster tempos it is more difficult to do, but

fortunately, it matters much less!! Some of this may be hard to comprehendright now, but give it all some time... Let it sink in and just begin using allofthese strategies, and you will come to understand it all. YOU WILL SEE!!

Anyway, what I want you to do right now is to learn a few of the turnaroundtype licks from the previous lesson (used with track 15), and try them in theappropriate key for use with this song (G). Also, if you are able to composesome licks for this progression on your own, use those too! Be sure you putthe best licks into your notebook. We've now entered licks into 11 of the 13



categories of patterns so far... Soon you'll have at least a few licks in everysingle category! How many you eventually learn and/or master will be up toyou, but everyone needs to establish a solid foundation of jazz patterns! Donot think they aren't important. They are absolutely essential. They'll unlockmany doors for you that you would never cross through otherwise!

Use licks from any and all sources. You are now a "turnaround progressionplayer". Even if you can only learn one single pattern for this progression totry out with this track in G, use it over and over again. It's time to plug your licks into the music everywhere possible! This is a good place to begin usingyour first turnaround in an actual song for the first time. Be brave, go for it, and don't be afraid to experiment and make mistakes!! Your mistakes oftenteach as much as your successes... If you never make mistakes, you aren'tpushing back your boundaries!! Now, don't apologise. Blow that horn!! Makemistakes, and be PROUD that you're moving forward!! Things like this mightseem nearly impossible at first, but just stick with it and be patient!! IT WILL COME SOONER THAN YOU THINK, SO STICK WITH IT!!

...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 120 ***........................

........

......................"VOLUME 54, TRACK 14, AUTUMN LEAVES"......................

.

Anytime I work with students on a new song, I always try to focus on oneor two main areas where I can teach and reinforce important concepts. Inother words, I use songs as vehicles to introduce strategies and theory. Iwill use this song to reinforce the concept of "substitution" once again.

I've told you in previous lessons that a major II/V7/I lick can be used in

place of a minor II/V7+9/I lick in the following manner. You can "borrow"a major II/V7/I lick from the relative major key (three half steps up). InA minor the II/V7+9/I progression will be the chords B half dim/E7+9/A-.The relative major (to A minor) would be the key of C major, and II/V7/Iin C major would be the chords D-/G7/C major.

The substitution in question (which I'm presenting in the keys needed forthis song) would work like this: When you see the II/V7+9/I progressionin A minor, you can use a II/V7/I pattern from the key of C major. You'llsee this progression several times in Autumn Leaves, and this is what I'dlike you to experiment with here.

Even if you only know one single II/V7/I pattern for use in C major, you"ll

be able to do this. Look at the song now on page 30. It starts with a II/V7/Iin C major in bars 1-3. Use your first appropriate II/V7/I lick there. In barfour you would continue using the C major scale (but as the fouth mode, orF lydian). Now comes the II/V7+9/I progression in A minor in bars 5-8. Forthese measures you can play the very same pattern as you did in bars 1-3!

I realise I'm not really giving you an explanation why this works. I WILL gointo this in detail in future lessons that will help you see the big picture lateron. For now you just need to try this out, hear it for yourself, and start using



this common "lick substitution" in a few other songs as well.

We've discussed other ways of handling the minor II/V7+9/I progression inearlier lessons. They include using a "minor II/V7+9/I lick" of course, usingmaterial for an altered dominant chord (appropriate for E7+9 in this case),and using one minor type scale (especially minor/blues or harmonic minor)all the way through. We've discussed these methods twice before, so I willjust leave it at that.

You should try out all of these substitute methods for handling that "minorII/V7+9/I progression" with this song, but do be certain to at least use thefirst method outlined in the second and third paragraphs of this lesson. Youwill find that this entire song can be played with almost nothing but II/V7/Imaterial from C major! Experiment with this, and the other methods too!!!

This song is absolutely perfect for this. Use all these strategies... and keeppracticing this particular song until it really starts to sing!!! You'll be able toclose your eyes and simply "play what you hear" on this one in no time!

..................................*** LESSON NUMBER 121 ***.................................

......................"MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SUBSTITUTIONS"....................

We'll continue our discussion of substitution with this lesson... The terminologydeserves a little clarifation before we proceed. In the jazz idiom, the commonterm "substitution" really has two different (but related) meanings.

The first meaning applies to the simple substitution of one chord or progression

for another. This refers to the way rhythm section players will substitute chordsinto their playing, creating new and improved harmonies. These harmonies willfunction in the same way as the original harmonies written by the composer, orat least resolve eventually in the same manner. These chord substitutions workeven when the soloist does not know they're being used.

If a soloist has developed his ear sufficiently... he can usually recognise when asubstitution of this sort is being used, and alter his playing to "join in" with it andplay material that outlines the new harmonies being introduced. This takes place

almost instantaneously. It would have to, wouldn't it? But even if he doesn't hearthe subsitution... the material he plays using the original chords as his roadmapwould still sound just fine 99% of the time.

Now suppose the soloist palys material designed for optimum use with substitutechords or progressions, but the rhythm section players use the original changes. Well, this will sound very good as well. The substitutions are designed to work



inthis manner. I refer to the material the soloist is using as "substitute patterns" or"substitute licks", or even just "substitute material"... You may need to read thiswhole lesson four or five times for all this to fully sink in.

So here's a summary. Substitute harmonies work whether or not the soloist isaware of them being used, and substitue licks work whether or not the rhythmsection players are using them too! The substitutions are designed to work thisway! They work even better, of course, when all the musicians hear what eachother is doing and join in with it. As a soloist you need to be aware of all ofthecommon substitution possibilities so that you can either "join in" when you hear them being used, or simply use them as a foundation for improvising your ownsubstitute material, whether or not the rhythm section players can quickly hearwhat you are doing, and join in with you!!

Even the intermediate level players need to have some basic knowledge aboutthis subject. It will make many situations easier to understand, and many chordprogressions easier to deal with... So far, the main substitutions I've introducedwere in regard to alternate methods of dealing with the minor II/V7+9/I, but I'l

lnow begin introducing more substitution possibilities as the opportunities arise.

This'll all probably seem pretty mysterious when you first hear of it, but as we go along, I will introduce more and more substitutions a little at a time... Itwillall become clearer... Do not get scared at this point and run screaming into the night! I won't give you more than you can handle. This is the point at which one crosses the bridge from intermediate level to advanced. Most of the new theory

you'll learn from here on, will have to do with substitutions and other strategiesfor handling the changes. Some have already reached their goals, of being ableto play basic blues, ballads and standards. They'll have their 35 song repetoirinabout three or four more lessons, when we finish Volume 54!!! They'll also havethe very broad foundation I promised them from the beginning. Those who planto go onward to the advanced level of the professional calibur jazz musician willneed to buckle down and get ready for the long haul.

You could pause at this level and really master what we've covered and knowthat you are a real jazz musician now, or you can continue on for just as long

as you like!! You'll always be able to imagine new horizons, no matter how faryou progress. In fact, the farther you go... the more you'll be able to percieve how infinate the possibilities really are!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 122 ***.......................

........



........................."SOME VERY COMMON SUBSTITUTIONS".......................

I'll continue giving out info on advanced substitutions as we move forward.Now, I think it would be good to introduce a few of the most common ones.I will present some of the simplest ones first.... These are very basic typesof substitution using the diatonic chords in major keys... Here's a referencelist for comparison purposes. I will use 9th chords in this example. Although11th and 13th chords may make some substitutions more obvious, they willalso make some aspects of this topic more confusing. I'll be using numbersfrom the lower octave to indicate the tones of the scale rather than using 9,10, 11, 12 and 13.

I chord.............................. 1, 3, 5, 7, 2II chord............................. 2, 4, 6, 1, 3III chord............................ 3, 5, 7, 2, 4IV chord............................. 4, 6, 1, 3, 5V chord.............................. 5, 7, 2, 4, 6VI chord............................. 6, 1, 3, 5, 7VII chord............................ 7, 2, 4, 6, 1

Chords that are nearly identical to others have very similar sounds, and arethe most common substitutions. The III chord can be used in place of I. The

IV chord can be used in place of II. The VII chord can be used in place of V.These would be some of the more obvious possibilities. Here are even more.The VI chord can substitute for II, IV, or I... The V chord can be replaced byVII as I said earlier, but it can also be replaced by a III chord or even a II!!

It all depends on the context the chords are used in, and how they sound orfuntion in that particular setting. There are many more possible substitutionsof one diatonic chord for another. Almost any diatonic chord could substitutefor any other, but the examples I've given so far cover about 95% of what aperson would typically encounter.

The basic idea is that the chords containing some tones in common with each

other can generally be substituted for each other... I should point out that the examples listed above can be used in reverse. In other words a III chord anda I chord can each substitute for the other. A II chord and IV chord may eachsubstitute for the other and so forth. These would represent the simplest kindsof substitution, and also the most common. As a soloist you need to be able torecognise that chords sometimes sound or function in different ways than youwould think after only viewing them on the page. When this is the case, they'llneed to be handled by the improvisor accordingly. The ear should be the finaljudge... In the key of C, for example, an E- chord may sound and act like a Cmajor chord in certain situations and it would probably sound wrong to use anE minor/dorian scale in that case.

These substitutions are presented here as simple chord substitutions, the kindrhythm section players may thrown in here and there. Their real relevance tothe improviser, is that they form the basis by which he can substitute materialover certain chords and progressions. I've told you that II chords can be usedin place of the V chord earlier in this lesson... Similarly, material that can workwith II chords can also work over V chords.... We will see many other types ofsubstitutions along the way, but several of these are coming up in the next fewlessons, so we needed to discuss some of this information in advance.



.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 123 ***......................

........

...................."VOLUME 54, TRACK 7, SONG FOR MY FATHER"...................

Here is another relatively simple tune for you to play. I've always liked thisone. It has a rock type feel with straight eighths. As you can see, JA tells usthat the G minor/blues and minor/pentatonic scales can be used liberally onthese changes. They could even be used over the entire song, although thisprobably wouldn't be the best way to handle it.

I would use these scales over any of the G- chords, along with patterns thatfit with minor chords of course. In the 3rd measure we see an F7 chord. Thefirst choice for most players here, would be the simple dominant/mixolydianscale. Let's consider using some "substitution material" over this chord. I will tell you about a good possibility. It's possible to use minor type material with a dominant chord in a number of ways. One way is to use a minor type scalein the same key as this song is written (in G minor). It is also possible to use

a minor/blues or minor/pentatonic built on the chord root (F in this case), butneither of these two possibilities seems satisfactory, at least not to my ear.

There is another way to use minor type material here on the F7 chord. I toldyou in the last lesson that material that works over a II chord can be used ona V7 chord as well. This F7 chord isn't really functioning as a V7 chord in this particular case, but this type of "substitution material" still works well here.

Here's how we would approach it. If we pretend that F7 is indeed a V7 chord,then its corresponding II chord would be C-. In other words C- and F7 wouldbe like II and V7 in Bb... The II chord would use C minor/dorian, so applying

the substitution here would mean using the C dorian scale over the F7 chord.You'll probably notice that this scale is essentially the same as the F dom/mixscale since it has all the same notes... The difference is really in how we thinkabout it. In this case we would think "C dorian" instead... This is similar to theway we would "think dorian" on II/V7 progressions that function more as I/IVchord changes in a minor key. This might not seem like much of a substitutionright now, but most people already have a big repetoir of minor type materialin their arsenal than dominant material. So you can use C- material on the F7chord... Since C is the fifth step of the F scale, jazz players would think of thisas "using the dorian scale, starting on the fifth of a dominant chord".

Take time to read all that again, and really get this. I want you to think of thissubstitution this way too. You can play "minor/dorian type material starting onthe fifth of (unaltered) dominant chords".

So once again... on the F7 chord you'll use some minor/dorian material basedon the fifth of the chord (C). In other words, use "C dorian" over the F7 chord. The next chord you'll see in the song is Eb7... Applying this same strategy you



will use Bb minor/dorian type material with the Eb7 chord... Most guys find this to be a very helpful strategy! Give it some time. You may find that you have alot more material in the minor modes than in the dominant. Give this a try andyou may love it right away. If not, come back to this some more later on, andit will probably grow on you.

One more suggestion for this song that JA makes as well, is to use the G minor/blues or G minor/pentatonic scale over the "break" in bar 6. There is a silenceinthe rhythm section at that point, so even though the chord is technically an A-/D,this works very well. Even this would fall under the heading of "substitute licks".We'll deal with this and many other substitution possibilities in the future.

If you will continue to experiment with new techniques and strategies, you willcontinue to grow. It's just that simple. Take your time with all of this... It'll justkeep getting easier and easier! Just take it all in one small step at a time!!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 124 ***...............................

............................"VOLUME 54, TRACK 8, SATIN DOLL"....................

.....

Satin Doll is a long time standard for jazz musicians. You shouldn't needmuch help with this one. Just a few pointers come to mind...

As Jamey Aebersold suggests, it would be a good idea to try using somerepetition in the first six bars. The material you play in bars 1-2 could berepeated in bars 3-4, verbatim or with variation. This is a very good wayto build a solo in a logical fashion, using repetition and variation! Bars

5 and 6 can be handled this same way. If you used a "one bar II/V7" lickin measure 5, it would be interesting again to repeat it in measure 6, andpossibly with some variation once again. This helps to eliminate the senseof randomness the layperson sometimes has when listenning to jazz. Thisalso draws the listenners in, making them pay attention and feel involvedin the process. They find themselves trying to predict what the soloist willdo next. This process is pleasing and it creates a sense of communicationbetween the player and the listenner.

You may want to continue this "theme and variations" approach during thebridge. You can see this being done in the original melody throughout. Youmight want to try playing variations of the original melody itself or at leastkeep it in mind, quoting it or merely hinting at it from time to time. All this

strategy is effective in creating that sense of communication I mentioned!!

One last suggestion would be to employ the substitution I had you using inthe previous lesson with "Song for My Father". I had you use minor/dorianmaterial over dominant chords "starting on the fifth". The two measure A7chord in the bridge is a good candidate for this treatment. You'd play someE minor/dorian type material over it. (You really have to try this!)

My main advice is to use repetition here, and try to create a lyrical melodyas you play. You are a composer every single time you improvise. Think of



playing the most beautiful melody you possibly can. Take your time, pause,and try to hear (and play) what "ought to come next".

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 125 ***.......................

........

..............................."VOLUME 54, TRACK 13, DOXY"......................

........

Start by reading Jamey Aebersold's strategy recommendations at the top ofpage 29. There he mentions that the one single C minor/blues scale may beused throughout the entire song... but that it would be best to mix this scalein with others that outline the specific harmonies to add variety. This is verysolid advice.

Several things worth mentioning come to mind in no particular order. First Iwant to remind people that when you hear someone refer to a "blues scale"they are talking about the "minor/blues" scale. That is usually the very firstone people learn, and many are not even aware of the "major/blues" scale.I just wanted to make sure that was clear for anyone that might have some

confusion about this. Someone asked me about that recently.

Here's something interesting for you all to notice. Every single chord in thisentire song is a dominant seventh chord. This probably won't sit well with afew of our classical playing/studying cousins. Every chord is dominant!!!

This is yet another song in a "dominant key". Sometimes jazz composers donot even bother with key signatures. This kind of convention is often limiting.Sometimes their songs aren't really in any particular key at all, even thoughthey are definitely not atonal!! They just move so freely from one key centerto another that it is not appropriate to try to categorize them as being in just one certain key!

This would not be acceptable in a college classical music theory class. If youhave learned theory the traditional way, you'll know exactly what I mean. Ifyou've learned modern music theory from someone like me, you won't haveany idea why a form of music could be considered unacceptable... Most guyslearn theory in college where an antique version is often taught. It's all about the rules and regulations the old classical composers followed for writing andarranging music. Many of you have studied how Bach arranged his "four partchorals" for years under the heading of "music theory"... and not gotten a bitof useful modern theory in the process, or almost none. Many guys just needto abandon much of what they learned in college... and start at the beginningwith modern music theory if they want to play jazz improv! (I'm not kidding.)

Time for another substitution. Remember how I told you that any or all of thechords in a turnaround progression could be dominant? Well, that goes for theII/V7/I progression as well. Look at the chords in measures 3-4. This is reallya II/V7/I in C major (or C dominant). If you play a 'one bar II/V7/I' lick there it will work perfectly. The only thing to be careful of, is to lower the seventh inthe C7 chord. Try this out at that point. In bars 7-10 you can handle this again



using some "two bar II/V7/I" material from your notebook... Once more you'lllower the seventh over the C7 chord.

The Bb7 chord can be handled as what I refer to as a "passing chord" , or youcan choose to bring out its sound by outlining it to some extent. Sax players'll have an easier time with this approach because their flexibility is much easier. They think nothing of running up and down arpeggios while trumpeters usuallyplay in a more horizontal fashion. Playing smoother lines lays well on trumpet.

One more chord to take notice of. The F# fully diminished chord in measure 12would be the first fully diminished chord we've seen so far. The scale most oftenused by improvisers with this chord is the WH diminished scale. Learn this scale in F# now and do use it there. Also take some time to explore this scale without any CD background playing. Experiment a lot with this scale! We're about to goonward to advanced techniques and strategy now, so now's the time to be veryopen to new scale/sounds if you plan on continuing down this path with me!

There's just one more thing I wanted to mention. In an earlier lesson, I told you

that substitute chords and progressions could "work both ways"... In other words,I said they can each substitute for each of the others. That was true for all of thesubstitutions we'd covered up to that point... I'll also present a few more possiblesubstitutions in future lessons that DO NOT "work both ways". I just got an emailrecently asking about that, so I just wanted to clarify. Now, I'll leave you toyourown devices, and BTW... This concludes Volume 54!

...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 126 ***........................

........

................."TWO MORE REALLY GREAT WAYS TO PRACTICE"..................

Here are two more excellent ways to practice that'll greatly benefit yourjazz improv skills. These two strategies will help put things together in away that simply playing along with improv tracks and practicing patternswon't accomplish as efficiently. These techniques are good for putting allthe pieces of the puzzle together for you, and should be added to the listof things you practice on a regular basis.

(1) PLAYING SONGS IN ALL 12 KEYS. Here's what you do... Start out witha fairly simple song at first that you really love, and that has a number ofvery jazz-like melodic fragments in it that could be used well as jazz licks.A great choice for this would be a 12 bar blues head that you really like...If you have composed a 'practice solo' using licks from those transcriptionbooks as I recommended, this would be a very good head to use as well.

Just make your first song a short and fairly simple one that you really like.First learn it in it's original key, being aware of which steps of the scale are



being used. This will be extremely valuable to you and it will help you to beable to transpose your song into each of the other keys. Continue until youhave learned the song in each of the 12 keys. You'll learn many patterns inevery key this way... with each one being used in an appropriate harmonicsetting. This project might take a week or more your first time, but if you'llkeep learning songs this way, you will eventually get to the point where it'spossible to play almost any song you know in any key on your first try! It'lltake time, of course, but this is one of the single best things you could everpractice! Some people who reject all the theory and scales use this and thenext strategy as their entire system for playing exclusively "by ear"... Evenif you have the talent of a Chet Baker or a Bix Beiderbeck I wouldn't adviseturning your back on theory altogether... However, these two strategies canreally develop your ear like no others, and they are two of the best practicetechniques one could ever use to improve their skills with improvisation.

(2) PLAYING FOR EXTENDED PERIODS IN JUST ONE KEY. Here is how youapproach this one... Pick one key for the day, and start playing all kinds ofmaterial just in that one key. You could play a variety of heads or "practicesolos" all in this one key. You could also just improvise freely in that key orplay all kinds of licks, again just in that one key... The idea is that by doing this you will break through barriers you wouldn't have otherwise. You beginplaying in the less familiar keys (with many sharps or flats) in a much more

"fluent" manner. Gradually, you should play in the most difficult keys until itbecomes quite easy. There's really no such thing as "hard keys". Some arejust "less familiar" than others.

As I said earlier, these two practice strategies will help to put all the puzzle pieces together for you. Everything really begins to click when you practicethese two ways. Spending even one day with either of these approaches isenough to make a big impression on you. Their benefits are that dramatic!!

Some of the licks you find in those heads (with the first method above) willbe good enough to enter into your notebook along with patterns from manyother sources... You have only been formally asked to learn just a few licks

in every key so far. Be brave now, and start learning a lot more. Pick onesyou really love, and use them in practice anytime you can!!! Being creativemust sometimes take a back seat to simply cramming vocabulary into yourhead. We do not solo every time we pick up the horn... Most of the time wejust practice, and this is where we learn. Later we'll perform!

...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 127 ***........................

........

......................"YET ANOTHER GREAT PRACTICE METHOD"......................

The previous lesson introduced two practice methods that yield some amazingresults. These methods are so strong that many players who approach improvstrickly "by ear" use them as their only real practice routines!! Here is anotherpractice strategy along these lines. This tip and the ones in the previous lessonare priceless!



All three techniques will develop your ear in ways that may astound you. I willnever tell anyone to abandon theory... We should learn everything we possiblycan about theory, then practice all the appropriate materials to the point where they come flowing out of us in a way that requires almost no conscious effort. I promise you, this really IS possible. You've heard it done thousands of times!

"IMPROVISING ON TUNES STRICTLY BY EAR". This sounds like a strategy that'stoo obvious to even mention, right? Yet it is often completely overlooked by too many players. People get so immersed in stringing a bunch of material togetherinto contrived solos, that they forget what all of this is really about.

Jazz improv is supposed to be about spontaneously composing, and performing,beautiful melodies on the spot. A computer could string a bunch of licks togetherwith no regard for beauty or communication with the audience. I'm sure it wouldbe a very simple matter to program a computer to do just that. I hate to say it...but there are a lot of players out there who sound exactly like that.

Here is how to practice this: First, turn off the stereo and put away the play-along

CD sets. Second, just sit down and get ready to reach deep inside yourself. Third,begin playing the first phrase of any simple song that you know very well... You'llgo very slowly, and pause a long time after this phrase. Wait as long as you needto allow your mind to form a musical idea that would logically and musically followthis phrase, and then PLAY THAT IDEA, no matter how long it takes!! Do not try tokeep a beat. Tempos and rhythm have no purpose here and would just complicatethe process. Simply wait until an idea comes to mind... If no ideas come, then you

just play that first phrase again and wait some more!! Concentrate only on soundsinside of your head. Have no concern whatsoever for theory and licks. It might bebest to choose a simple song for which you DO NOT know the chord changes. Thisprocess might take a little time at first... but it'll open the door to true spontaneouscreativity and it'll open the door to the musical ideas that are already insideof you.I think of this as the "real you"!! Now you're accessing the material you wouldplay(or sing) with no theoretical constraints whatsoever.

After you play a phrase and follow it with original material, go to the next and do itall again and again... You might embellish some phrases with some extra notes, orperhaps simply replace some notes with a few of your own. Keep using the melodyas your one and only roadmap, instead of the usual page full of chord symbols. Goone little phrase at a time, and just wait as long as you have to for ideas to come!!Keep at this until you can play the entire song with many embellishments, and th



encontinue in the same fashion until only the barest remnants of the melody remain.

The first song I ever did this with was "Misty". I just kept at this for many days untilI could play endless choruses with very little effort. The benefits to my playing werestaggering. The next song I did this with was "Over the Rainbow". I know now that Icould hardly have picked two better songs for this purpose than these. The beautifulmelodies and the variations you learn using this approach will stay with you forever!

This is a great technique! I can't stress this one enough!!! If you hear an idea in yourmind there is almost no way it can sound wrong. You will get better and better at thisand the ideas will come faster and faster all the time. The key is to go extremely slowand wait patiently for ideas to come ONE SINGLE PHRASE AT A TIME! This will greatlybenefit all your playing, as well as being a wonderful tool to work on individua

l songs.Keep returning to the songs you've done this with and add a little more each time.

Feel free to add the best material that comes out of you into your notebook, and learnit in other keys later on as well. Play the very best songs, with their embellishments inall 12 keys as suggested in the previous lesson too! What could be better than learninghow to play the material that is already inside of you?! It's a part of you right now, andit wants to come out!! Being able to "play what you hear" is absolutely one of t

he mostsatisfying and rewarding experiences a player can have!

All your original ideas, and the other material you learn along the way, mix together inyour mind. All this material becomes more and more familiar, until you'll eventually beable to play it all with very little effort!! Theory and licks are important...but, you needto concentrate on the process of "putting it all together" as well. You should develop allthe skills in every area we've discussed, one at a time. Eventually it will allbecome one

single activity in your mind... It all comes together piece by piece, and eventually you'llbe doing things you never dreamed possible!! Just keep taking one step at a time!!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 128 ***.......................



........

......."PATTERNS ALREADY INSIDE OF YOU, SING AND TRANSCRIBE"........

I often find licks in jazz heads good enough to go into my notebook, but Ithink the very best licks are the ones that I find myself singing along withmusic without any regard for chords and theory at all. I've introduced thisidea to you several times now. A great way to get in touch with these licksis to sing along with play-along tracks and record yourself. Later, you'll goback and transcribe the best licks and put them in your notebook. It won'tmatter if you're the greatest singer, or the worst... When you go back andlisten to yourself singing... you'll know what ideas you were going for, andyou'll be able to figure them out. Volumes 16, 21, and 26 are all especiallygood for this purpose. They are all "workout" collections containning all thecommon progressions (not songs), so they will be very valuable for this. Iwould recommend getting all three if you plan to continue moving forwardin your improv studies. Consider these threee volumes to be essentials!

Another great way to get the licks inside of you to come out, is to just singand record yourself without play-along tracks... Sing songs just exactly thesame way as you played them in Lesson 127. Just pick a song you like andsing it one phrase at a time, with embellishments... You'll follow exactly thesame type of procedure as when you played your horn this way... only thistime you'll do it with your voice. This should actually be easier for you than

with your instrument, because you won't even have to figure out any notesuntil later when you do the transcribing.

Another good approach to this concept is to sing along with jazz soloists onrecordings. Each time you find another "killer lick" just stop there and workon it until you have it figured out, then into the notebook it goes. There aremany ways to get your own ideas out into the open but the main thing is tojust do it!! Whatever works for you, whatever inspires and motivates you isexactly what you should use. The best licks you can learn are the ones youalready hear inside your own head! Learn how to play WHAT YOU HEAR!!

This may be the last time I touch on this topic, but I would say it's probablythe single most valuable piece of advice I could give you. Keep returning to

this many times. Get the licks inside of you out into the open!! Record theminto your notebook. The farther you progress, the better your ideas will be!!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 129 ***.......................

........

..............."PATTERNS FOR JAZZ, JERRY COKER AND FRIENDS"................

We've covered 17 chapters or sections of this book in earlier lessons. It'sbeen my experience, that when I've bought books containing patterns forimprov, that only about 5-10% of the patterns appealed to me!! I assumethat the other patterns must appeal to someone else or they would not bethere. If I find 5% of the licks to be good for me, I'm happy with that, andI put them into my notebook. Even then, the number I eventually learn inall 12 keys is considerably less than that.

Many of the patterns in the Jerry Coker "Patterns for Jazz" book are quiterudimentary, and that is just fine. The first patterns in each the categories



in your notebook should be simple. They should simply outline the chordsand scales used in a very basic manner... I refer to them as "preliminary"licks, as they are meant to prepare you for learning useable patterns thatare much more melodic in nature... I want to plow through the rest of thisbook now, explain some more basic theory, and recommend licks to enterinto your notebook. I never tell students what licks they must learn, but atthis stage it's still quite helpful to continue to recommend licks, to help youget each of the categories in your notebook started with valuable patterns.

You'd be well advised to enter all of the patterns I've recommended in yournotebook from previous lessons. If you haven't done this, go back now andtake care of that. There haven't been all that many, so it wouldn't take verylong at all. Here are some lessons listing some very good patterns...

Coker's Patterns.......... Lessons 46, 47, 48, 80, 82, 83Jamey's Patterns.......... Lessons 21, 42, 89, 90, 91, 92

Of course I strongly recommend getting licks from your own inner mind asin the previous lesson, and in other ways with and without using your horn.Don't kid yourself about a patterns notebook, you have to have a collectionof basic vocabulary!! Do not rationalize skipping over it. This material mustbe recorded and practiced. It won't do you any good just reading this!! Getyour own notebook up to speed now, and in the next lessons we'll move onthrough Jerry Coker's "Patterns for Jazz".

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 130 ***.......................

.........

......................"ALTERED DOMINANT CHORDS REVISITED".......................

We'll cover more ground in the Jerry Coker patterns book as promised, butfirst we need to discuss a little more theory so you'll understand what will be

presented there.

This discussion will start with the augmented triad. When a composer wantsa pure augmented triad (1, 3, +5) played by a rhythm section... he will writethe word "triad" in as part of the chord symbol. Otherwise the rhythm sectionplayers will almost always add the -7 to the chord, making it 1, 3, +5, -7. Weshould notice that this common addition places this chord into the "dominant"family of chords. It then goes by several names, the most common of whichare the "augmented-dominant" and "dominant-augmented". There are a fewother possible names we could call this chord, but these are most common.

Jamey Aebersold usually suggests the "diminished-whole tone" scale for usewith any altered dominant type chord. It will work with any of them, but most

jazz players often use other choices as well. The most common choice for thedominant-augmented is the whole tone scale. It has a unique sound, differentfrom all other scales, and it's a wonderful addition to your palette of colors.

By comparing it's formula with the dominant-augmented chord's formula, youwould see that the combination fits very nicely. This scale captures the soundof the chord without any extra notes.... There is no -9 or +9 in the whole tonescale, but there are both the +5 and the +4... The +4 helps give this scale it's special sound, and does not conflict in any way with the chord tones... So, this



whole tone scale is a really good choice for dominant chords with a raised 5th.

The whole tone scale IS NOT a good choice for dominant chords with a +9 or-9. Comparing formulas will make this clear as the 2nd step of the whole tonescale would clash with any raised or lowered 9th in the chord... BTW, the verycommon +11 (or#11) is actually the same note as the +4 (or#4), so there isno conflict there either. The +4 is a very beneficial tone, as I'll explain later.

In the next lesson We'll cover the next section in the Coker patters book whichdeals with the whole tone scale. One more thing I would like to point out is how easy it will be to learn 12 whole tone scales... Notice the two whole tone scalesI've listed below:

C whole tone...............C, D, E, F#, G#, A#, C.Db whole tone...............Db, Eb, F, G, A, B, Db.

Notice that the notes in the C whole tone scale also form the notes for the D,E, F#, G# and A# whole tone scales (kind of like modes ). Similarly the notesof the Db whole tone scale also form the notes for the Eb, F, G, A and B wholetone scales as well... In other words, once you've learned the C and Db whole

tone scales, you'll already be able to play all 12!! If you didn't quite catch thatread and study this again and you'll see that these would be the easiest twelvescales you'll ever learn! You could learn all 12 in about one minute. Go ahead,give it a try and see if I fibbed. Just learn those two and you'll have all twelve!

I'll be right back with Jerry Coker licks using whole tone scales, and then laterwe'll learn about the two kinds of diminished scales and how to use them withboth fully diminished chords and more alterered dominant chords that containthe +9 and/or the -9... Everything from here on should be thought of as being"advanced material". Very few improvisers ever get this far, but this is exactly

where you need to be if you want to keep on growing for a long time!

Playing and mastering it all is another matter. You MUST keep reviewing theold lessons until they are thoroughly understood, then you MUST practice thematerials until they are mastered too. This does take some work, but it's funand satisfying, and once it's done... you get to keep all the gains for the rest of your life!!

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 131 ***......................

........

...................."JERRY COKER WHOLE TONE SCALE PATTERNS".................

Shortest lesson yet... Jerry's section on the whole tone scale, augmented, anddominant augmented chords, is from page 101 to 107 in the book. Read it andstudy it. One misprint... The B in figure 29 on page 102 should be B#. The bestpatterns are #149 and #151... just to learn the chords... #153 just to learn the



scales... and #156 and #157 are good useable jazz patterns. This scale shouldbe an easy one to create a few patterns of your own... Put all the patterns that I suggested into your notebook (plus a few of your own). They'll all go into the altered dominant section.

Remember that this scale is not suitable for dominant chord containing altered9ths (+ or -), nor do they work with altered dominant chords without the raised5th step. An unacceptable clash would exist between the 5ths. There will neverbe a clash with the +4 though. It is not a chord tone, so it always sounds right.

There is one exception. Don't use the whole tone scale over a chord containingthe "sus 4". That chord replaces the 3rd step with the unaltered 4th step... soitwon't fit with the whole tone scale with it's +4 (#4th step). I probably should'vementioned this exception in the lesson above.

...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 132 ***........................

........

.............."DIMINISHED SCALES, CHORDS, AND JERRY COKER"...............

We'll start with a discussion of "the diminished scale". As you already know,there are actually two kinds of diminished scales. They're both composed ofalternating whole steps and half steps... The first one we'll study begins witha whole step. I call it a "whole-half" diminished scale, and I often abbreviateit as a "WH". When jazzers simply refer to "the diminished scale", that is theone they are refering to, not the one that begins with a half step!! I describethem in detail all the time just to be certain not to create any confusion.

The other diminished scale starts with a half step, and I call it a "half-whole"

diminished scale, and I abbreviate it as a "HW"... So basically, there are two,the "WH" and the "HW"... If it is not stipulated, then you can assume that the"WH" is the one being discussed. I'll make this terminology as clear as I canbecause you'll see variations so often.

The primary use of the WH diminished scale is with the diminished triad andthe fully-diminished seventh chord. It's also acceptable with half-diminishedchords, although the locrian mode is better suited for "half dim chords". Youshould go ahead and study the WH diminished scale now on pages 108-115in the Coker patterns book until you have it down pat.

One interesting thing you'll find is that it will be very easy to learn all 12 o

fthese scales, because once you learn this scale on the three starting notesC, then C# and D, you'll already have all twelve... It works very much likelearning the whole tone scales. Once you've learned just three, you'll haveall twelve. Study those pages in the Coker book and it'll all become clear.

I recommend pattern #161 to learn the chords... #164 is obviously just theWH dim scale up and down. #165 reminds us how nicely the chromatic scalefits on top of the fully diminished seventh chord... My favorite practical licks



are #162, #166, and #167. As with the whole tone scales, it should be fairlyeasy for you to compose a few licks of your own using this scale as well.

Start singing and playing this odd scale until you begin to get used to it's odd sound. Come back to it regularly and you will like it more and more. As you'llread in the book... this scale and chord do not really belong to any key at all. It can resolve to any chord at all, but the best resolutions are usually upwardby a half step. The C WH dim scale seems to resolve best to Eb, Gb, A and C.Because of the "keyless" nature of this scale, I record it's patterns in with the"outside patterns" section of my patterns notebook. They're actually some ofthe most useful scales for "outside" playing... so this section of your notebook will make a good home for them. Just mark them as "WH diminished" licks asa reminder that they can be used "inside" over the fully diminished chords, aswell as being useful "outside" material over almost any type of chord at all.

Patterns built from the whole tone scales, and the chromatic scales, can bothbe used very well as "outside material" too. Experiment with these from timeto time and you'll see what I mean... They pretty much work with any type ofchord at all, and can resolve to any type of chord as well. This is a very goodintroduction to "outside playing"!

Well, there you have the diminished triads, the full diminished seventh chords,the WH diminished scale, along with some great ways to use it. Once you learnjust three, you'll have all twelve... and you have a great start at "outside" typeplaying as well.

So you're studying advanced material now. I hope nobody thinks they'll learnto do these things just by reading about them. Don't kid yourself. Practice thematerial you should be mastering at your present level, review it many times,then enjoy the fruits of your labor. It just takes time. There is no other way.

..............................*** LESSON NUMBER 133 ***.........................

......

"MORE ALTERED DOMINANT CHORDS, AND THE HW DIMINISHED SCALE"

Now we will discuss the other diminished scale, the "half-whole" diminishedscale. It's primary use is with the altered dominant chords, especially thosecontaining the -9 and/or +9, and possibly even the +11.

If you analyze the HW diminished scale you will see that it contains all of the

notes of the usual dominant 7th chord plus most of the alterations mentionedabove. That would be 1, 3, 5, -7 plus -9, +9 and +11 (and 6)... It is similar to Aebersold's diminished-whole tone scale since it has so many of the dominant7th chord's typical altered tones. It is very useful as well, working with almostany altered (or even unaltered) dominant chord at all... but it works especially well with dominant chords containing an altered 9th... and it works the leastwell with dominant chords containing the +5.



I'd say this is a general guideline: If a dominant chord has just an altered 5th step then the whole tone scale is your primary choice. If a dominant chord hasjust an altered 9th step (and possibly a +11) then the HW diminished scale willbe your primary choice. If a dominant chord has a -9 and/or +9, as well as the+5 (and possibly a +11) then JA's "diminished-whole tone scale" would be yourprimary choice. Notice that Jamey's diminished-whole tone scale combines theHW diminished scale (with both the -9 and +9) and the whole tone scale (withboth the +5 and +11).

The dominant chord has a strong characteristic "unresolved sound". Thereforeit can withstand the most alterations... It can withstand many alterations being used by a soloist, even when they are not being played by the rhythm section.Please keep in mind that we're discussing dominant chords that resolve in the"regular" way, up a fourth as a V7-I chord progression.

The scales we discussed can work with any of the regularly resolving dominantchords pretty well. Some capture the sound of certain altered dominant chordsbetter than others (as I just listed them above). In the end, though, you should let your ear be the final judge. There's no rule that you must use any particular

scale in any given situation. As we discussed in the last lesson, sometimes jazz players depart from the key entirely and play "outside"... If you hear it in yourhead, and it sounds right, THEN IT IS RIGHT!

In this section of the Coker patterns book, pages 130 to 134, licks are presentedusing the HW diminished scale... the chromatic scale... and even the "whole-half"diminished scale as well because of their similarities. This time I'll simply let youpick your own favorites without any help. You are studying advanced jazz theory

now, and you must choose what to keep and what to discard for yourself. Returnto this material repeatedly as it'll take time to grow on you. It might be helpful toreview some of the licks in the "minor II-V7+9-I" sections of your notebook that use these scales to help you get used to their sounds and hear how they resolve.

I do hope you'll take the time to experiment with these new scale sounds.

...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 134 ***........................

.......

..............." A BIG DOMINANT CHORDS AND SCALES REVIEW".................

I have probably touched on dominant chords and their respective scalesin a dozen lessons so far. There is just so much that can be done with allthe various types of dominant chords. Now I would like to try to give youan overview of all this dominant material.



First of all a glimpse at "the big picture" if you will.... There are two basiccategories of dominant chords, altered and unaltered. The unaltered typewill have formulas without alterations... such as 1, 3, 5, -7, 9, 11, and 13.Then there are the altered dominant chords, that may contain tones suchas -5, +5, -9, +9, +11 (or possibly other altered tones as well).

Secondly, there are two ways dominant type chords can resolve. Regularresolution refers to dominant chords resolving in the usual way... up by aperfect fourth (same as down by a perfect fifth). This is how you'd expecta dominant V7 chord to resolve to a tonic I chord. This works the same inboth major and minor keys. "Irregular resolution" refers to situations withdominant chords progressing to any other destination than up by a fourth.

These four factors are the most important in determining which of the manypossible scales would be the most appropriate choices in any given scenario.Here are a few general rules, then we'll get more specific later.

Dominant chords usually function as V7 chords in a given key, and as suchthey have a very "unresolved" feeling and a strong need to progress in the"regular" way to a I chord... Dominant chords often have a few extra notesadded (often altered tones) to enhance this tension. Altered tones make theharmony more complex, imparting added depth and beauty to the sound.

If a dominant chord resolves in the regular way it'll often have altered tones

added to it for this reason. Scales containing those specific altered tones will obviously "fit" the best and "sound" the best with those particular chords!! Ifa dominant chord progresses in an "irregular" fashion, then it's less likely tocontain altered tones (though many do, especially the #9). Scales containingseveral altered tones should not generally be used in this situation... Alteredtones must be handled very carefully.

The reason for this is that altered tones in a dominant chord make listennersexpect a regular resolution because of all the added tension. If an irregularlyresolving dominant chord is over-embellished with altered tones it can soundwrong when the chord fails to resolve up a fourth as expected. Soloists mustbe careful about how they handle altered tones because of this.

That's enough to absorb for now. Read this as many times as you need. Thealtered dominant chords usually resolve up a 4th, and the best scales to useover them contain the same alterations that appear in the chord. "Irregularlyresolving dominant chords" should generally not be embellished with alteredtones by the rhythm section players nor the soloist... because listenners thenexpect a "regular" resolution, and what you played winds up sounding wrong.

Any dominant chord that resolves up a fourth (in the "regular" way) could besoloed over using scales that contain embellishing altered tones... even whenthe chord in question contains no altered tones at all. Take your time with allthis... It'll definitely sink in!

I'll be back with a fairly detailed list of scales for each situation, but if you getahold of these general rules right now you'll be most of the way there already.

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 135 ***.......................

.........



..."SCALES PRIMARILY FOR USE WITH UNALTERED DOMINANT CHORDS"...

1. MIXOLYDIAN....................... The mixolydian mode is typically the firstscale improvisors learn to use with dominant seventh chords. It's suitablefor use with unaltered dominant type chords only, with either a regular orirregular resolution.

2. LYDIAN DOMINANT............... This refers to the same scale as above,but has the raised fouth step (+4 or #4). It's used exactly the same wayas the mixolydian scale, but is also suitable for use with dominant chordscontaining the +11 as their only altered tone as well ( +11 = +4 ).

3. DOMINANT BEBOP................ ( 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, -7, 7, 8 ) This scale will be used in the same manner as mixolydian also. The "natural 7th step" istreated as a passing tone and is not emphasized (it is "passed" through).

4. MAJOR PENTATONIC............... ( 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 ) This scale is also usedin the same way as the first mixolydian scale listed above. It has no -7 butit's still a very good scale choice.

5. MAJOR BLUES..................... ( 1, 2, +2, 3, 5, 6, 8 ) Also used the sameway as mixolydian, but the +2 is again used as a "passing tone". This onehas a unique and very useful sound for many styles.

6. DOMINANT BLUES................ ( 1, 2, +2, 3, 5, 6, -7, 8 ) Used the sameas the "MAJOR BLUES" listed just above, but it also contains the -7th step.

7. MINOR PENTATONIC............ ( 1, -3, 4, 5, -7, 8 ) Although the -3 mightappear not to fit with the unaltered dominant chord... it has a sound that'squite acceptable here, and it works in the same way as each of the othersI've grouped together in this lesson, and also with those altered dominantchords containing the +9 (same as -3).

8. MINOR BLUES SCALE............. ( 1, -3, 4, +4, 5, -7, 8 ) Like the scale just above, the minor blues scale works best with the unaltered dominant chords

with either a regular or irregular resolution, but is also suitable for dominant chords with the +9 and/or the +11 (the same tones as -3 and +4).

Think about how we used the last two scales on all those 12 bar blues tracks.We should be careful not to overuse them, and not use them in styles wherethey simply sound out of place... but the last two scales work in basically thesame manner as all the others I've grouped together in this lesson. Also, thelast five scales are most often used with dominant chords that are sustainedfor a couple of measures or more, but the ear should be the final judge. If itsounds right, it IS right! None of these are "rules" that are chiseled in stone!!They're all suggestions that a very reliable, most of the time.

I'll leave you for now with this group of scales. They are all primarily usedwith unaltered dominant chords... though the last two scales can also workwith a few altered dominant chords as well. These all have the ability to beused well with both the regularly and irregularly resolving versions. I havegrouped them together because of these similarities. In the next lesson I'llpresent a group of scales designed primarily for use with altered dominantchords (that resolve in the regular way, up a fourth)... These scales will bethe more "exotic" ones that contain the various altered tones. I will presenteach one with the chords they're best suited for.



................................*** LESSON NUMBER 136 ***.......................

.......

...."SCALES PRIMARILY FOR USE WITH ALTERED DOMINANT CHORDS"....

When a dominant chord contains altered tones, the general rule is that thescale an improvisor uses over it should contain those same altered tones.The scale may have even more altered tones than the chord, but it shouldat least contain the same altered tones as the chord it is being used with.

Another general rule of thumb is that unaltered dominant chords can alsobe improvised over using these various scales containg altered tones, aslong as the dominant chord resolves in the "regular" way (up by a fourth).Now here are some more scales.

1. HALF/WHOLE DIMINISHED.................. This is the most commonly usedscale for altered dominant chords. It has the intervals H/W/H/W/H/W/H/W.It is often refered to as having a kind of "keyless sound", although it has avery strong need to resolve. It contains the tones 1, -2, +2, 3, +4, 5, 6, -7

and 8. It fits best with Dom 7 chords with a -9 and/or +9 (especially the -9)and perhaps a +11... A dominant chord to avoid using this scale with is onethat contains the +5, since a fairly unacceptable clash would occur betweenthe natural (or unaltered) fifth step, and the raised fifth step (+5).

2. WHOLE TONE SCALE................ This is another very popular scale that isoften used with altered dominant chords. It is primarily used over dominantchords containing the +5, and possibly the +4 (same as +11) as well. It willgenerally not work well over dominant chords containing an altered 9th stepas the natural 9th step that is in the scale (same as 2) would again create aclash with either a +9 or a -9 that is unacceptable to the ear.

3. DIMINISHED-WHOLE TONE......... This is a scale that can be used quit well

over almost any regularly resolving altered dominant chord at all. It containsall the common altered tones, -9, +9, +4, and +5. It works best with altereddominant chords containing at least the +9 along with one or more additionalaltered tones as well. Again, the ear is the final judge of when to use each ofthese particular scales... I usually find that the notes contained in the originalmelody will help point to the way. If the melody contains certain tones at anygiven point, these tones will always work during improvisation whether or notthey're found in the chords!! This should be pretty obvious, but many playersdon't seem to take this into consideration... I almost always have the melodyin mind to some extent when I solo. This is a very helpful strategy.

The next two scales are fairly uncommon, and not in my personal bag... but

are included here since they're found in JA's scale syllabus. Some people willsurely love them, and I probably would too if I'd spent more time with them.

4. SPANISH/JEWISH SCALE............ This one is for use with a Dom 7-9 chord,(maybe containing the -6 as well) and has the formula 1, -2, 3, 4, 5, -6, -7, 8.

5. THE HINDU SCALE...................... This one is for use with a Dom 7-6 chord,(with no other alterations at all) and has the formula 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, -6, -7, 8.



There are more scales than these. I sometimes invent a scale for use with anunusual chord from time to time. I'll take a typical scale, then simply alter it tocontain any of the unusual chord tones. Sometimes I ignore theory completelyand use a group of tones that simply "sounds right". Other times I may simplyuse a section of the original melody and embellish it a bit. All jazz soloists willemploy these strategies at times. If it sounds right... IT IS RIGHT!!

There are more scales, and there are more strategies as well. One way to playover altered dominant chords is to borrow material that is most commonly usedwith minor II-V7 progressions!! "Tritone substitution" is another common devicethat we'll explore in the future along with other similar substitute material.

As I write these lessons I'll assume that all who keep following are fully abletounderstand everything that has come before, but everyone should still feel freeto post questions about any area of improvisation they may be studying at theircurrent level. I would also strongly suggest that any advanced players who havebeen waiting for me to catch up to their present level should go back and review my earlier lessons to make sure they really have everything up to this point.

..................................*** LESSON NUMBER 137***......................

............

"COKER'S PATTERNS, PARALLEL PROGRESSIONS, DOWNSTEP MODULATION"

I returned to covering sections from the Jerry Coker book, Patterns for Jazz,recently in Lessons 131-133. I promised to return to this after a few lessonsabout the dominant chords and their respective scales (Lessons 134-136), so

now it's time for more material from Jerry.

We'll start on page 115. The table of contents refers to this section as "ParallelProgressions", while the heading on the page is "Downstep Modulation". Thosefirst five lines present the typical III-VI-II-V turnaround progression along withanother typical turnaround, the III-bIII-II-bII progression. They are refered to as parallel progressions since they both have the same basic harmonic functionand they can each be used as a substitute for the other. That's all there is hereabout parallel progressions... just a definition, I suppose.

The rest of this section is about a very common type of chord progression weoften see. One chord will be followed by another, having the same root as thefirst, but of a different quality. The most common example would be of a majortype chord follwed by a minor chord, again, built on the same root. The secondchord generally functions as the minor II chord in a II-V7-I progression that is located one whole-step down, hence the term "downstep modulation".

Lines 6-12 of this section present examples of this. I personally didn't find an



yof the patterns presented here all that interesting... When we play II-V7-I licksin practice modulating down by whole steps, we'll get the sound of this kind ofprogression into our heads. Example: D-, G7, C, then C-, F7, Bb, etc... You canalso make up some lines that outline this type of progression. Another example:C, D, E, F, G... C, D, Eb, F, G, then play Bb, C, D, Eb, F... Bb, C, Db, Eb, F.Thefirst example was of II-V7-I chord progressions decending downward by wholesteps, and the second example was of actual notes to play in order to get usedto the sound of this decending modulation. You should make up more exampleson your own and play them from time to time as exercises.

Well that's it for this lesson. I'll be back again with more and more until we'vecovered the rest of this book... I have always liked "Patterns for Jazz" at leastas much for the theory as for the patterns. This is all VERY valuable theory!

...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 138 ***........................

........

..."COKER'S PATTERNS, TURNAROUNDS AND ALTERED NINTH CHORDS"...

The next section primarily deals with turnarounds. You should already befairly familiar with turnarounds as we have discussed them before, but wewill review now once again. This discussion will go from page 118 to 120.

Turnarounds (or turnbacks) are chord progressions that substitute for longtonic chords that usually appear at the end of a song... They overcome themonotony that often exists from having the tonic chord both in the last barsof a song and then again at the beginning of each additional chorus... Somecommon turnarounds include the I-VI-II-V, and a variation, the III-VI-II-V.

Others include the I-VI-#VI-VII and the I-bIII-II-bII, as well as its variationIII-bIII-II-bII. More are found in Jerry Coker's book 'Improvising Jazz'. Thechord progressions and song forms found in that book's appendices C and Dare worth the price of the book all by themselves. If you don't have either ofthese two Jerry Coker books, you really should get them now. www.aebersold.com

This section of "Patterns for Jazz" also addresses adding the altered ninths todominant chords on page 119. Again you should be very familiar with this aswell, but do read everything from page 118 to 120 just to make sure. That isit for this lesson, and I'll be back again soon with more. We'll just continue towork through to the end of this book, and then it's back to Aebersold. Justread the material in the book a time or two and I'm sure you'll have it.

.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 139 ***......................

........

..........."COKER'S PATTERNS, POLYCHORDS OR BITONAL TRIADS"...........



This lesson covers "polychords or bitonal triads" from page 121 to page 126.A simple definition of polychords is when two or more chords are used at thesame time. The symbol on the page will look like a fraction in mathematics,with one chord being stacked on top of the other.

In symphonic music composers choose any chords at all in order to achievethe desired sound. The chords are also typically seperated by a large intervalso that the individual quality of each chord can be heard.

In the jazz idiom composers will generally choose the top chord so as not toalter the harmonic function of the bottom chord... This is done in a couple ofways. The chord on top may be composed of upper extentions of the bottomchord (9ths, 11ths and 13ths, etc), or it may also be a possible substitute forthe bottom chord. Jazz composers rarely stack more than two chords in thismanner, and jazz rhythm section players do not seperate the chords to heartheir individual qualities. The chords are played together as "one big chord",and the resulting sound is very rich and colorful.

The top chord is generally a triad, and the bottom chord is usually a seventhchord... The most common type of chord found on the bottom of a polychordis a dominant seventh chord. Since 9ths, 11ths and even 13ths can be alteredin so many ways with the dominant chords, often the top chord will be both asubstitute chord and also made of upper extentions at the same time. A goodexample is presented in the book using a C7 chord as the foundation... with a

Gb7 chord stacked on top. Study the examples in the book now to see this foryourself, then read all the printed material as many times as needed in orderto make certain you fully understand this device.

After you feel comfortable with this, play through the patterns listed on pages122-126. You'll see how two chords can be used by a soloist to produce somemelodic material for use in improvisation. We'll return to this subject soon and discuss how certain scales can be used over polychords as well.

....................................*** LESSON NUMBER 140 ***...................

................

"COKER'S PATTERNS, MORE ABOUT POLYCHORDS AND APPROPRIATE SCALES"

I will discuss the information presented in the Coker book in the section startingon page 127 in a moment, but first I need to give you some general guidelines in choosing scales for use with polychords.

Since the top chord is often made up of upper extentions (9ths, 11ths & 13ths)of the lower chord it's easy to find scales to fit many of them. If a D minor triadwere stacked on top of a C Major 7th chord, then obviously we could use any ofthe major type scales that normally fit with a C Maj chord (except for those thatcontain the raised 4th step, since it would clash with the F natural that is presentin the polychord). If a D Major triad is used as the top chord... then we coulduse



any of the major type scales that either have no 4th step or any that would have a raised 4th step (like lydian) to fit with the F# in the polychord. Simply put, we'duse a scale that will fit the bottom chord in the usual way, but it would be alteredslightly to incorporate any unusual notes that exist in the top chord. This wayweare able to play a scale that is suitable for both chords, and not change the basicfunction of the fundamental (bottom) chord. Almost any polychord may be dealtin this manner. The use of "chordal patterns" that outline the individual chords aspresented in the previous section is another excellent strategy.

Now let's discuss the concept presented on page 127 to the top of page 130. Thestrategy here deals with the use of substitution. We are studying chords that canbe used creating substitute material primarily for use over altered dominant typechords. A common substitute chord for this situation is located an augmented 4th (or diminished 5th) away from the dominant chord in question. In classical music

theory it is known as a "Neopolitan chord"... If the dominant chord is the V chord,then the substitute chord will be built on the bII (lowered 2nd tone of the key). Itcan be of either a major or dominant quality, and the substitution will work fine.

Major triads are used in the examples given in the Coker book in this section. Itis also possible to substitute major triads built a minor third above, or below, thedominant chord as well... A little study will reveal that we are now building major

triads at intervals of a minor third repeatedly, thus producing triads built oneachtone of the fully diminished chord. Please review page 127 to get more details onhow this works. These substitute chords are very useful, and any advancing jazzstudent should spend some serious time with these. They are much easier to usethan it would appear. Spend some time playing the patterns given in this section.

Be sure to notice how these four triads combine to form a HW diminished scale.This is perhaps the most commonly used scale for altered dominant chords and,of course, regularly resolving unaltered dominant chords as well.... My personal

favorites from this group of patterns are #203, #204 and #205. At this level you should rely on your own ear to decide which ones might make it into the altereddominant section of your own patterns notebook. It's completely up to you now.

Since so many polychords are built with a dominant quality you should alwaysconsider the possibility that what is needed is one of the scales you'd normally use with an altered dominant chord... See if the top chord is made up of upperextentions in order to determine if a whole-tone, HW diminished, or diminished



I'll discuss them all in one lesson as well.

The first part of this section starting on page 139 deals with "natural fourth"patterns. This refers to fourths as they naturally appear in major and minorscales. Another popular type of fouth patterns are constructed using nothingbut perfect fourth intervals. They are popular in getting a very modern typeof sound, and are often used in "outside playing" and "free form" jazz.

The licks presented here under "Major Scales in Fourths" are all of the formertype, the "natural fourth" patterns. They also deliver a modern sound, and area pleasant departure from the usual harmonies we always hear built in thirds.Natural fourths are also called "general fourths", and these will typically be ofa perfect, augmented or diminished quality (as they are found in the scales).

Begining on page 142 are a few patterns that were presented before, but thistime using the harmonic minor scale as the basis. Remember that any patterncan be adapted for use with any kind of chord... Just because you find a lick in one particular section or category does not mean that this would be its one andonly possible application. With just a little alteration, most licks may be used inalmost any situation at all. Patterns #244, #245 and #246 are all interesting to

use with the harmonic minor scale. Try experimenting with other patterns andother scales as well, and even make up a few licks of your own.

Patterns #247-250 all deal with the whole-tone scale. This type of pattern is verynice for getting a modern sound, just like the patterns in fourths. The whole-tonescale is often used over dominant chords with a raised fifth, but they're also veryuseful in outside and free form playing as well. You should experiment again withthese and try creating a few yourself. There's not much more to say about these,

so you know what to do. Always feel free to alter patterns to suit your own taste.

We are almost all the way through the Coker "Patterns for Jazz" book... There areonly three more sections to cover. I'll be back with more information on the lydianaugmented scale in the next lesson... Keep experimenting with variations of allthepatterns we've seen in the last few lessons. If you only like 10% or less, don't feelbad... I think only 5-10% of all the licks I've seen in patterns collections really had

much appeal for me personally. That's OK. I only want to play material that I love.Only "the best of the best"... FOR ME! I hope you feel the same way too... There isjust so much beautiful material around... and so much beautiful material insideourown heads... We should never settle for anything less than the very best!



..................................*** LESSON NUMBER 144 ***.....................

..............

..."LAST COKER LESSON, INTERVAL STUDIES AND THE CHROMATIC SCALE"...

The section on interval studies begins on page 155 of the Coker patterns book.The exercises are presented using intervals as their basis. Most of the patterns result in various symmetrical scales and chords, such as chromatic, diminished,whole-tone and augmented scales as well as diminished and augmented chords.Most of these patterns would probably be best thought of as training exercises.The first half are more melodic and are a bit more useful as licks... The second half involve larger intervals, and are probably most useful in ear training.

The last section of the book concerns the chromatic scale. Patterns #313, #314,#315, #316, #322 and #323 have an appeal to me but they mostly just seem toinspire me to come up with a few chromatic patterns of my own. This chromaticmaterial frequently winds up outlining the symmetrical scales and chords just as the interval studies we just discussed. These patterns will usually have a kindof"keyless" sound to them, and are able to be resolved to almost anywhere... This

material is also very useful as a connecting device (refered to as chromaticism) and it is also very useful as "outside material". There's not much else to say...

Well, that's it for the Coker patterns book. I wanted to go ahead and review all of the remaining material in it, and now this project is complete... Anyone who'snot been following these lessons for quite some time could peek in on my recentposts and get the impression that I see this book as an especially good collectionof useful patterns for jazz trumpeters because of all the attention I have given

toit lately. People who have been following along know that I value this book much more as an organized presentation of jazz theory than for its patterns.

Below is a post I made recently on another thread that will give an idea of thevalue I see in this book... The folks who are studying this thread as a guide foruse with the Aebersold sets (along with a few other books) already know this.For others, I wrote the following:

I like that Coker book primarily for the jazz theory. It's not a great

patterns collection for trumpeters... but there are some pretty goodpreliminary type patterns. This is the kind of material that gets youacquainted with the scales and arpeggios in an organized way. Onlyabout 5% of the licks would likely have a chance of actually makingit into most people's repetoirs, but that's about par for any patternscollection. Great theory, great rudimentary patterns... but probablynot the greatest source of usable jazz trumpet improv material.

Best sources of patterns are typically transcription books and actualjazz tunes as PH said. When one has the ability to "hear" licks in his



own mind, he should transcribe those. This is often overlooked. Justsing, and record, and transcribe the material that comes out of you!

That is the real you... and learning this material will allow you to playwhat you're really hearing. These ideas will always come to you overand over again.

If you don't hear melodic ideas you should probably be listenning tomore jazz each day... The licks start to come bubbling up out of youall by themselves!! Listen allot, then transcribe the material you singwithout any regard for theory whatsoever. Then you can really learnhow to play WHAT YOU HEAR! To me nothing could possibly be moresatisfying...

I strongly suggest that every serious student of jazz improv keep an ongoingcollection of jazz patterns in some type of notebook. In earlier lessons I haveprovided much detail on how to start and organise such a notebook as well ashow to get melodic material from many different sources. I think each playershould determine his own eventual style through the selection of material thathe chooses to incorporate into his own personal "bag" or arsenal. I suggesteda number of licks earlier on to help the student to get started... but have sinceleft almost all the selection of material entirely up to the individual. I hope

thatplayers will pull materials from all kinds of sources... especially from their ownminds as I described above, and then incorporate them into a notebook. I alsohope that they'll learn only what they themselves consider to be the very "bestof the best" for them personally.

OK... You can now put a big "mental check-mark" beside Jerry Coker's Patternsfor Jazz as we have now finished it. You will hopefully take my advice on gettingmelodic material from any source you like... and enter it permanently into somekind of notebook. I'll be back soon to give you some more!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 145 ***.......................

........

..........................."A LITTLE PEEK AT THE BIG PICTURE"...................

......

In the beginning stages of learning jazz improv we see the task of playingas mainly about knowing which scales fit with each of the various chords...We'll later become aware of larger structures called chord progressions inwhich small groups of chords function together in one key. As we continue

to advance, we eventually become aware that chords, and even groups ofchords, can funtion in a variety of ways in more than one possible key.

Let's take a simple example to examine this. Consider a progression suchas "a D minor triad to a G major triad". These two chords could simply befunctioning as a II-V type progression in the key of C, or it could be a I-IVtype progression in the key of D minor, or it might be III-VI in Bb (as partof a turnaround), or even IV-bVII in A minor.

How do we know for sure which key these chords are functioning in? Or is



it even possible to determine this in every single case? Well, the first thingto consider are the chords following any particular progression. If the twochords were followed by a C major chord, you'd feel pretty confidant thatthe whole group was a II-V-I in C major. If the two chords were to repeatover and over again they are most likely funtioning as the I and IV chordsin D minor. If the two chords are followed by a C minor chord, then the F7chord, then a Bb major chord, then the whole group is almost undoubtedlyfunctioning as a III-VI-II-V-I turnaround type progression in the key of Bbmajor. Lastly, if the two chords are followed by an A minor chord...not toounlikely in a funk style perhaps, then this would probably be a IV-bVII-I inthe key of A minor.

Notice in each example that I used words such as "probably", "most likely","feel pretty confident that", and "almost undoubtedly". Even though it's verylikely in each case that the chords following such a progression would proveto be reliable indicators of how the two chords function, it is still not certain.

So what else could we take into consideration? The answer to that questionis "the chords that come before a given progression". Now, we can see thatany chords that precede give even more confidance to our analysis... Thereare even more keys that our little two-chord example could function in, butI will leave that to your creative imagination for now.

The main point that I'm trying to make is that even considering all the chordsthat surround a given chord or progression (which is generally very reliable)there is still no absolute certainty gained from simply studying and analyzingchords and progressions... The final judge in all this... yes, the real final factof the matter is... the only real reliable judge for sure is ... YOUR EAR!

I remember early in my study of improv sometimes being astounded to seewhat the chord progressions actually were for melodies that I had previouslylearned to improvise over strictly by ear... I would hear them one way, thenlater find out they weren't what I expected!! Usually I'd hear progressions inmy head that'd function as a substiution for what the composer had actuallywritten, or there would be a spot where I was using scales that were actually

modes of other scales one would normally use according to the conventionsof jazz theory... Occasionally, I could not find any theoretical justification forwhat I heard fiting with the underlying chords. I came to realize that in somecontexts certain chords didn't function or sound at all as one would normallyexpect!! I soon learned that what "sounded right" was much more importantthan the symbols on the page, or the theory in my head!! If it sounds right...then... IT IS RIGHT!!

If I have a chart in front of me and there are chords that just don't seem tofit with the usual scales one would normally expect to use, then the thing todo is to abandon your expectations. This happens much more often with justa single chord at a time, or perhaps a short group of chords that don't seem

to function in the key center indicated by the surrounding chords. When whatyou see on the page doesn't jive with what "sounds right" in your mind, youshould give more weigh to what you "hear" than to what you "see".

The main point of this whole lesson is... that in order to determine what key achord or progression is really in (in order to determine a good choice of scales to use over it) one must consider all the chords surrounding them, but the final determination should be left to your ear!!! If your knowledge of theory dictates



one scale choice, but your ear says "No, no, no..." go with your ear!! Anythingyou will see on the page can be analyzed as being in one key or another, butalways trust your ear the most to tell you what's right!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 146 ***.......................

..........

.........."APPROPRIATE MATERIAL AND PRACTICE/STUDY STRATEGY"..........

Players of each instrument tend to approach improv from a slightly differentperspective. Sax players, with their nearly limitless flexibility, often approachimprov from a more vertical orientation than trumpeters. They're more likelyto play in an arpeggiated fashion up and down the chords.

Trombone players learn improv using material that lays well on trombones,while avoiding material that requires too much cumbersome slide movement.

Guitarists use material that lays well on their instruments too, especially stuf

fthat can be played with little horizontal movement of their left hand... and isalso convenient for picking!!

I chose these instruments as examples since their strengths and weaknessesare easy to see. Actually, every instrument has certain things that are eithereasier or harder to accomplish with compared to other instruments. This is allcertainly true of the trumpet as well.

Trumpeters tend to play material that is more linear in nature. Large skips andleaps are typically avoided, at least at high speed, because of the limitationsinflexibility. Not many trumpeters could play the same way as Coltrane did, just

because of the technique that would be required.

Is this a bad thing? NO! It's just a fact of life. Will some players have success inplaying their trumpets more vertically than others? YES!!! Freddie Hubbard andWoody Shaw exhibited amazing flexibility in this area! Most of us, however, will at least begin our improv careers using a very horizontal approach. Personally,I like to play in a melodic fashion that lends itself to a very horizontal approachanyway. Piano players, sax players, and a few others have a much easier timeof "dazzling with arpeggiated type material" than trumpeters. But to be honest,trumpet players have some "dazzling effects" of our own that make up for any

trade-off in this area (and a little dazzle can be a good thing).

As you pick and choose which material goes into your personal "bag", be fairlyrealistic about it. Start off with the kind of patterns that simply outline thebasicchords and scales. Then move on to melodic material that is not too technicallydemanding. As you progress in improv, hopefully you'll continue to progress inyour trumpet playing skills as well, and you'll gradually be able to handle more complex material all the time. I always tell my students to be patient and let a



llthe earlier material they've learned sink in very deeply, and then you'll be ableto come up with more complex variations of the earlier material later on!

The main point here is not to put the most complex patterns into your notebookto learn first, thinking it will make you "sound advanced" right away. Be patient,and build a very broad foundation over a long period of time. The slower you gowith all this, the better you will eventually be. Learn the basic material extremelywell then progress to more advanced material only when you have really gainedproficiency with most of what has come before.

Don't try to impress anyone, not even yourself. Go slowly. A person beginninga course of study with these lessons shouldn't expect to reach this point for at least three years or more, and that's with very consistent daily practice. If youhave everything we've discussed well under control, then you are definitely anadvanced level player already. If you're advanced enough to understand theselast twenty lessons, it is probably still a good idea to go back to earlier lessonsfor a "quick scan" just to make sure you're really up on everything so far. The

lesson are sequential, and I always assume you fully grasp everything that hascome before. Most people need to go back and review regularly anyway.

Take each lesson at your own pace. When you really have lessons fully learned,you'll know exactly how to incorporate each new skill into your practice routine.I will hold off posting more new lessons for a little while. Now is a very goodtimefor readers to post any questions at all, regardless of what level you're on. I'llanswer any questions, and then we'll continue on to the next phase.

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 147 ***.......................

........

...."A BASIC STRATEGY FOR HANDLING UP-TEMPO PASSING CHORDS"....

Beginning students of improv need to conceptualise the process as one ofmatching the chord symbols on the page with scales that will "sound right"over them. We generally improvise over the chords with these scales, andpatterns built using these scales. We later focus more on groups of chordsto help determine what scales and licks will work best. At this point, we tryto see and hear what general key center the chords are functioning in and

take this into consideration in making our scale choices. This was touchedon briefly in Lesson 145.

Let's look at this subject a bit more now. By the time you get this far alongin these lessons, you should realise that in order to make quality decisionsregarding scale choices, you must consider chords as they function in theirvarious key centers. We consider all the surrounding chords, and combineour knowledge of theory with the direction given by our ears in order to beable to do this. This is really a fairly simple process, especially when we'reflexible enough to allow our ears to guide us when the intelect alone is not



................................*** LESSON NUMBER 148 ***.......................

........

................"AN OVERVIEW OF THE THEORY/EARS APPROACH".................

I have known many people who improvise jazz over the years and seen anamazingly broad range of approaches to this craft. There are quite a few toconsider. I've seen people who know absolutely nothing about theory try toplay soley by ear. Most play randomly, and don't make much real art. Theyseem to wiggle their fingers a lot, hoping for the best... and are often heardsaying things like, "I just play what I hear man", not seeming to realise justhow obvious it is that they don't have the slightest idea what they're doing.

At the other end of the spectrum is what I sometimes call the "lick pluggers".These guys often know lots of theory and way too many licks which they usein a very "unmusical manner". They seem to think that jazz is some kind of acontest in which players try to play more notes than anyone else on stage. It

is true that they play their material at very high speeds, dazzling uninformedaudience members at times, but they too make very little real art.

So, where does this leave us? Anyone who's followed these lessons closelyknows what I'm about to say. My philosophy is simple. We should learn lotsof theory first so that we aren't just "faking it" like the first group. We'll alsoneed to learn many licks too, but not to plug them into solos in a way that iscontrived!! We should learn the theory and vocabulary so well that we won'thave to think about it anymore, and we should play our licks (and especiallyvariations of our licks) in a way that is part of truly beautiful musical ideas.

I can't stress all this enough! That is what I call the "theory & ears" approach,and that's what I consider to be "the big picture". A thorough understanding ofthe theory combined with a large vocabulary of material (patterns or licks thatwe have internalised so well that they are produced with very little effort when they are heard in the mind) gives us a very broad palette of choices. Our welldeveloped ears then give us the ability to play very artistically.

I suppose this could be considered my "philosophy" on the subject. I learnedmany scales and chords along the way... being sure to do all the ear trainingas well. I'd constantly scat sing using arpeggios and scales, and the licks that

capture the characteristic sound of each one. This is a great way to get eachof the chord/scale sounds into your head.

Once you've learned the chord/scales and their sounds, you don't just noodlearound on them forever. Of course, you'd do that at first to help you get usedto them, but later you'd concentrate on learning patterns built from the scalesto the point where you can hear and play them (with variations) while soloing,with almost no effort at all. In fact, you eventually get to the point where you actually become unaware of the whole process at times!! That's when you are



"in the zone" so to speak, and then you really do "play what you hear". Thesescales and chords, and the patterns built from them, are the theoretical basisfor all your musical ideas. They are the foundation for all improvisation.

You must learn scales, and you need those licks too, lots of them! You shouldwork everyday on these fundamentals with your instrument, and away from itas well (through lots of singing and listening). Do not try to justify skippingallthis stuff. The more advanced scales WILL sound the strangest to you at first.

Later, as time passes you'll learn to hear them and how they resolve. They'llyield up the most beautiful melodic fragments of all, many with a certain kindof bitter-sweet quality you'll find intoxicating. But like I said, at first youmightwonder how you will ever make use of them. The first few licks you learn witheach scale usually help you "hear their characteristic sounds". If you've madeit this far, don't stop now! It is time to get really serious about learning scalesand their sounds, and to learn your own favorite licks constructed from them.

In the next lesson I will go into this much further. We will again explore thebest sources for getting musical fragments (licks or patterns) to add to yourpersonal collection. Many of the very best ones are inside of us already. Theonly thing is how to get to them... Trust me, they're in there! There are a ton

of licks inside every one of us. Even a total layperson has a stockpile of jazzlicks somewhere inside!!

...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 149 ***........................

........

....."A PRIMER FOR COLLECTING PATTERNS THAT ARE BEST FOR YOU".....

Now's a very good time to review Lesson Number 46. It deals with sources

for obtaining licks or patterns for use in jazz improvisation. A recent phonecall from one of my students made me feel I should address this subject inmore detail... so let's get to it right now.

Every jazz improviser uses licks!! Even guys who have never sat down withthe goal of learning any specific pattern in all twelve keys use licks!!! It justcan't be avoided. Even people who have only just begun noodling around ontheir very first day of improvising will start to form licks that they will returnto again and again without even trying!!! It is only natural, and every singleplayer has a repetoir of licks in his vocabulary whether he intentionally triesto collect and expand on them or not!! Even the most random approach will

involve experimentation and discovery... and a vocabulary of musical ideaswill evolve.

Also, a certain amount of theoretical knowledge will similarly be obtained inthe process as well through trial and error whether the information is soughtafter or not!! How could a guy improvise for years and not eventually realisethat certain scales work with certain chords and in certain keys?! It is simplynot possible and it's not possible to play without eventually using licks either.



I've heard some improvisers say that they use no licks or even scales at all,and that they have absolutely no knowledge of music theory! But unless theyare truly genius savants, none of this is possible either. If we abandon ideasabout learning to improvise without theory, scales and patterns... then it justmakes perfect sense to learn all we can. The theory and scales are clearly apart of your quest (if you are following these lessons) but we need to look atcollecting and developing patterns (or licks) in more detail now. I sure hopeyou have created a patterns notebook by now with at least a few basic licksin each category. If not... now is the time to back up and get your notebookgoing as I've been saying. Go back to the "patterns notebook" lessons, andmake it happen right now!

So, again I ask you to at least review Lesson 46, and possibly other lessonsdealing with collecting patterns to enter into your notebook... and eventuallyinto your playing repetoir. I'll then discuss what I believe to be the merits of these various sources in the next lesson, and how to get the absolute mostout of your efforts. I'll be back with this very valuable discussion.

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 150 ***.......................

.........

...."A STATEGY FOR COLLECTING THE VERY BEST PATTERNS FOR YOU" ....

In Lesson #46 I discussed a variety of excellent sources for obtaining jazzpatterns to put into your "patterns notebook". Now is a good time to speakabout this topic once more. My hope is to help you to collect the very bestpatterns possible for your own individual use.

There are two main considerations in this process. The first is to make sureyou start with the type of patterns that will establish a strong foundation forbuilding upon in the future. This is very straightforward and will be the samefor everyone. These patterns are what I have refered to as the "preliminary

or rudimentary" type patterns.

These early patterns will be very basic in nature, and their purpose is to getthe sounds of the basic chords and scales into your head and also under thefingers... The first patterns in each section of your notebook should basicallyjust outline the chords and scales for that particular category. In the "majortype patterns" section for example... you should begin with simple licks thatoutline the various major type chords... like major triads, major 6th chords,major 7th chords, major 9th chords, etc. Then you should enter licks whichsimply run up and down major type scales, such as major and lydian, majorpentatonic and major blues scales, and major bebop, etc. This will help youto make sure you establish a really strong foundation. (You shouldn't try tostudy calculus before learning algebra!)

These earlier patterns are not meant to be particularly melodic or useful asactual material for soloing, but with very slight alterations they definitely do become useful. This brings up an extremely important concept. Once you'vemastered some preliminary type patterns, you can then begin varying themslightly and come up with many wonderful and useful melodic patterns. Thepossibilities are truly endless!! Simple variations of those first licks are whatshould probably come next in your notebook. Licks don't have to be entered



in any exact order of increasing complexity. The main thing is just to have aplace to keep licks catalogued for future use. Anytime you discover a greatnew lick... whether it's and original idea or simply taken from any source atall, just put it in your notebook and you'll have it for life!

Master the basic chords and scales, then learn simple licks built upon them,and then start working on variations!! Soon you'll play variations of materialyou previously mastered almost all the time. Rarely would you use a patternin it's basic form as it appears in your notebook... You will become so skilledthat this won't be necessary at all. You'll hear and play ideas that started out as preliminary material then later evolved into beautiful variations that seemto come gushing up and out of you with little or no no effort at all. That's the REAL goal here! Just be patient and look forward to the future. It's coming!

OK, what comes next? Well that's for you to decide. Here's what I mean. Youare totally in charge of how you want to eventually be able to play. Whateveryour own preferences are will determine the kinds of patterns you will chooseto enter into your own notebook, and eventually into you playing repetoir. Myown personal preference is to play the old standards and ballads... but I alsolove to play in a funk/jazz group occasionally with an electronic set-up. Thesetwo styles definitely aren't very similar but they generally determine the kinds

of licks I gravitate towards. Your own preferences should be your main guidefor you as well. If you don't want to play bebop, don't spend too much of yourtime collecting that kind of material. If you don't plan to play dixieland, do notcollect that kind of material either. After learning your basics and building thatfoundation, the sky is the limit!! You may have certain goals now, and changethem in the future. But whatever you do... start with the basics and build thatfoundation I always talk about.

The sources for obtaining new licks are well discussed in Lesson #46, so doreview that lesson. I can't overemphasize the importance of getting materialfrom your own inner mind by recording yourself while singing or playing!! I'd

suggest taking the licks from patterns books that you already "hear" and theones that you feel are really the most beautiful of all. Only collect the best ofthe best. Licks taken from transcription books usually need to be altered intotheir more basic forms, since they are typically the soloist's variant forms ofstandard licks he himself borrowed from somewhere else!!! Make the licks abit more basic by taking out the usual embellishments at first. You may wantto learn complete transcribed solos in order to help you get the nuances of aparticular player's style, but not to perform them verbatim in public!!! Reallygreat licks can often be extracted from heads that you love as well. Do feelfree to take licks from absolutely any source at all.

Many of your very best licks are already coming out of your horn now, but

perhaps only in just one or two keys. Try to take the best that is already inyou and expand upon that! You already hear that material and know how touse it. Never be afraid to enter your own ideas into your notebook and thenexpand upon them. This is possibly the very best strategy of all. You will beplaying what you actually hear all the time. You will be developing your ownpersonal sound, and you'll be "multiplying" your current repetoir instead ofmerely "adding to it". I do hope all of this makes sense.

Please be sure to review Lesson #46, and also Lessons #60-63 as well. Theydiscuss your patterns notebook. Feel free to add to or change the categories



I've suggested as you see fit for your own personal use. Some people mightwant seperate sections for diminished or augmented chords and material, forexample. I usually put these materials in with my "altered dominant" sectionor with my "digital patterns". You may organise your own notebook any waythat seems appropriate for you. You will probably find that you want to use afew more (or a few less) categories of patterns than I've suggested. That isjust fine! You should have enough theoretical knowledge by this point to bemaking all these kinds of descisions for yourself.

Let your own personal goals dictate the path you will follow... Start thinkingabout being self-sufficient in every way. After all... this projest is your's andyour's alone. It's my desire for you to eventually become your own teacher,and to be able to plot your own future!! Keep taking those small steps eachday, then you will reach destinations you never though possible!!

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 151 ***.......................

.........

..."ANOTHER LOOK AT GETTING MATERIAL FROM TRANSCRIBED SOLOS"...

One very good source for getting patterns or licks is transcribed solos. Manybook/collections are now available on the market. Some good collections arethe two volumes of "28 Modern Trumpet Solos", and also the "Clifford BrownTrumpet Solos" collection by Ken Sloan. Another is the "Miles Davis" trumpetsolos collection sold by Jamey Aebersold. Of course there are many more onthe market, but I mention these because they are particularly good, they arereadily available... and they are often sold with accompanying audio casettetapes of the solos!

We are lucky to be living in an age where all kinds of materials are availableto help us learn to play jazz... In the old days it was one-on-one tutelage andjam sessions only. Now it's hard to fail with all the books and cd's we have atour disposal. Of course jam sessions are still as valuable as ever, just harder

to come by. Be sure to jam with live players every time you get the chance!

Many players know the value of transcribing solos, but studying solos that'vealready been transcribed for us is very valuable too. I suggest listening to all the solos you possibly can as well. If you listen to a solo, and absorb all of itsnuances, and then study a transcription of it as well, it will open doors for youwith very little effort. This also makes it very easy to learn the entire solo soyou can concentrate on getting useful material from it quickly and easily.

I will once again tell you that transcribing solos for yourself is very valuable in other ways as well... but by just owning the four books mentioned above,you would have 82 complete solos from world class jazz musicians!! I oftenhave people tell me that one should only transcribe solos for themselves, orthat we should only learn to play the solos and never write them down at all.I find these ideas very odd to say the least.

All of these activities are very valuable and should be included in your study.It's not a matter of doing "one or the other". Do them all. Use every kind of



learning strategy you possibly can. Listen, jam with friends, jam with JA playalong sets, learn all the theory... just do it all. Some people will benefit morethan others from any particular activity. We all seem to learn best in slightlydifferent ways. Try everything and see what works best for you!! Combiningmany strategies usually "puts it all together" for us very well. It's like puttinga big puzzle together. You work on each section and eventually all the piecescome together. You really don't have to worry about it all. Just keep puttingpieces together, a little each day... and you WILL reach your goals!

The material in a solo is often played in a way that is not very basic. You cantake the material and alter it (most of the time) before placing it into our own notebooks for long term storage. Try playing an idea several times with slightvariations until you find a version that seems fairly basic to you... without anyembelishments, etc. Feel free to change any lick at all to suit your own tastesas well. There are always an infinite number of possibilities with any lick, but just start simple, then come up with your own variations and embellishmentsto best suit your own individual style of playing.

Transcriptions often contain licks that you've been hearing in your mind but

didn't yet know what they were. Other times you'll discover something that'sbrand new to you. Collect only the best of the best. There are so many licks!Don't waste your time by trying to keep every lick you come in contact with.

I feel the best approach is to first learn the chords and scales that form thefoundations for all this material, then learn some very basic licks (especiallythe ones you already "hear"), then begin learning your own variations of thelicks. This way you'll establish a very strong foundation first, then you'll growin a very logical manner by always expanding upon what you learned before.Just keep branching out. This is a really effective approach that will help youto develop your own personal style.

In the next lesson I will begin covering the JA Miles Davis play-along set. Ifyou don't already have it be sure to get it. The one I'm refering to is VolumeSeven. It's a good set with several more great tunes to add to your repetoir.

I have strongly recomended getting the two solo transcription books "TwentyEight Modern Trumpet Solos" Volumes 1 & 2 in previous lessons, and now youshould definitely get the Clifford Brown book mentioned above, and especiallythe Miles Davis book. Six of the solos in that book are from tunes found in theJA Miles Davis set that we're about to cover! Pretty sweet, huh?

................................*** LESSON NUMBER 152 ***.......................

........

......................... "MILES DAVIS, VOLUME SEVEN, FOUR" ....................

....

"Four" is a fairly simple tune to add to your repetoir. Let's first take a lookat the chord changes for a rudimentary analysis.

The song is 32 measures long, so I will refer to them as bars 1 through 32.



This next tune by Miles Davis is very simple theory-wise, so my analysis ofit will be very simple as well. I do want to say something at this point that'svery important. Even the simplest song can have infinite possibilities. In myfuture lessons I will be discussing more advanced theory, especially theoryinvolving advanced substitution. This opens the door to endless possibilitiesthat beginner or intermediate improvisors have likely never even dreamedof. Even the simplest modal tunes that have only one or two chords will beshown to have countless possibilities.

So the next song in the Miles Davis volume is called "Tune Up". It is a verystandard 32 bars long, divided into two sections of 16 measures each, thatare virtually identical (except for the first and second endings).

There is no key signature for this tune. Many modern jazz tunes are writtenwithout key signatures. This does not necessarily mean that they should beanalyzed as being in the key of C Major, or even A Minor. Often times, jazzheads go from one key center to another so frequently, and perhaps spendonly a short amount of time in each key center, that it's innapropriate to tryto assign a single key designation to the piece!! If we just had to pick a keyfor this song it would likely be E Major, but sometimes composers don't feelthe need to pick a key at all. Often it's nearly impossible to designate a key.I'll just let you think about that one for a while.

......................................The Harmony Analysis....................................

We start out with a ii-V7-I in E Major over the first four bars.Then we have a ii-V7-I in D Major for the second four bars.Then we have a ii-V7-I in C Major for next four bars.

Now we come to the first ending... F#- for one bar,then V7 to I in C for the next two measures,then V7 in E which leads us back to the beginning again.

The next 12 bars is a repeat of the first 12,followed by the four measure second ending,

a ii-V7-I in the key of E Major again.

Well there it is. If you are up to speed on all the theory and strategy lessonsso far, then you know what to do. In fact, you didn't need me to analyze anyof this for you at all. Enough said about "Tune Up" for now.

................................................................................

..........................

I started home-schooling my 17 year old son a couple of months ago so hecan graduate from high school a year earlier to start college this fall. He's areally great kid... He plays bass guitar (and classical too), flies radio contro

lplanes, and has black belts in five different styles of martial arts! Anyway, Ihave been very busy lately.

I'm also preparing this thread to publish in book form... but I plan to leave it here on TH from now on. I have about another fifty lessons planned so I willbe back with more.



................................***LESSON NUMBER 154***.........................

.......

....................THE VERY BEST SOURCE FOR GETTING LICKS....................

I have often delivered this message, but it is so important that I must visitthis subject one more time. If you're learning to improvise, then this is thesingle most valuable piece of advice I can give you!! The very best sourcefor getting licks to learn...... is......from..... YOU! That's right..... from YOU!

You are already the very best source for getting licks. Now let me explain.

There are several real good ways to add to your repetoir of jazz licks, etc.You can simply buy a book of licks (patterns, riffs, motiffs) and go througheach one, selecting the licks that are the most appealing to you... and addyour favorites into your personal licks notebook. Absolutely nothing wrongwith that. A great way to quickly (and easily) acquire materials that will besatisfying and suitable for you.

Another great way to get licks is from transcribed solos. It's ok to grab themost appealing licks you find in other artists' solos, whether or not you did

the actual transcribing yourself. (Of course it's more valuable to transcribesolos yourself... especially to learn style and context.) Licks that come outof your favorite solos will already appeal to you, and they're already thereinside your head. They're already familiar, and you can already hear themin your mind! This brings us to what I think might possibly be the very bestsource of licks for anyone.

..........................THE LICKS THAT WE ALREADY HEAR........................

....

It sounds so simple... but this is often overlooked. These licks come in twocategories:

(1) Licks that we hear in our mind but don't yet know what they are. Theselicks are already inside us, bouncing around in our heads.... We might singthem if we're scatting along with some music.... or they might just occur tous while we're improvising on our instrument..... but..... WE DON'T REALLYKNOW WHAT THOSE NOTES ARE YET.

The second category:

(2) Licks we hear in our heads and already know how to play, but perhapsonly in just one or a few keys. All of us have licks that we already use alotbut just haven't learned in very many keys!! It's just too easy to search allover town for new material... when we haven't really spent that much timemastering the stuff that we already know, and love, and ALREADY HEAR!

Again, I know this sounds so simple... and I know that this is way too oftenoverlooked. If we listen to lots of jazz... those licks (and even entire solos)are going to sink in. The material that's most beautiful and appealing to usis going to stick in our heads and eventually start coming back out!!!! Thatis exactly what you keep hearing in your mind all the time. That's the stuffyou've probably heard others play that really meant something to you. It'sin your head already... AND IT WANTS TO COME OUT!

................................................................................



..........................

So... How do we get it out of there? Well, this is also quite simple. Perhapsthe simplicity of it all is the reason why this process is so often overlooked.

...........WE HAVE TO RECORD OURSELVES PLAYING AND SINGING!..........

Perhaps the best way to do this is with play along tracks. If you want someblues licks... simply put on some blues tracks and start singing and playingwhile recording yourself. Then come back later to the recordings and begintranscribing the very best material that came out of you. If you want someii-V7-I material, then put on appropriate tracks and do the same thing, etc.

Think about this for a minute. You can really begin to learn all the materialyou've been hearing in your mind already! When you sing... it might not beperfectly in tune, but you can go back and figure out exactly what the ideaswere that you were trying to sing later on.

When you play in easier keys and record yourself, you will get at the exactsame kind of material again... This time it's the stuff you're already hearingand using... but just not in all that many keys. If we learn how to play thesematerials... then we'll truly be able to play what we hear, and THIS IS ONLYJUST THE BEGINNING!

Later we branch out from here. We start to learn VARIATIONS on all of thismaterial. It's quite easy to learn variations and expand our boundaries veryquickly. This can lead to a virtual explosion in your growth, LEARNING HOWTO PLAY THE MATERIAL WE ACTUALLY HEAR IN OUR HEADS ALREADY!

Of course, we need to expand our musical horizons by taking in all kinds ofmaterial from purely external sources as well... (or we'd surely miss out ona whole lot of great stuff...) but this concept of getting at the material that'salready waiting there inside our own heads is so productive... that it simplycannot be overlooked!! This is easy to do... You sing and play... and simplyrecord it all, and then you transcribe. YOU'LL TRULY BE MINING FOR GOLD!

..........................................................................................................

Please re-read this lesson a couple more times and really let it all sink in.Take the time to truly grasp the weight of this!! I rarely hear anyone talkabout this, but I feel it may be the single most important thing I preach!

If we mearly plug in material that is understood to work, rather than playmaterial that we hear coming from our subcontious mind, then we're justplaying contrieved music. This is not real art! I'd rather play the stuff thatsimply comes to me fully formed from my own inner mind. I hear it and Iplay it. This is the most satistfying for me. This feels good and I know it'sreally art. In the end it is largely made up of licks, but they are produced

spontaneously as part of a larger musical idea, and these ideas flow verynaturally, and from the heart!! It is also much more satisfying to play theideas I'm hearing than to think of licks that'll fit with some chord changes.

I'm not saying that licks we derive from purely external sources won't beinternalized eventually. These licks will become very familiar in time, andthey too will come bubbling up spontaeneously!! I'm just pointing out thatwe all have alot of good material already inside of us, that needs to comeout and get used. One more side note: We will often find licks in books orsolos that happen to be material we like, and were already hearing in our



heads as well. This material is just the same... PURE GOLD!!!

Just think for a moment... What if you could play everything you hear??

Now that's a very worthy goal, to simply be able to play what you hear!

Please think about this one alot.

................................***LESSON NUMBER 155***.........................

........

..................HOW TO FILL YOUR MIND WITH MUSICAL IDEAS...................

Sometimes students will say "I'd love to be able to play what I hear but myproblem is that I don't really hear much of anything yet. What can I do?"

This is not an uncommon thing for students to express, and it can seem sohard to overcome... Hearing musical ideas in one's head can sometimes bequite elusive, but this can easily change.

As I mentioned in my last lesson, as we listen to lots of jazz, the licks and

other elements of this idiom gradually sink in very deeply. Later, we'll findthat we have become so familiar with this material, that it simply becomesa part of us. The ideas are now so internalized that we begin to hear themwithout any effort at all. The solution for most players who are not hearingmany musical ideas... is to pack ideas into their minds by listenning to alotof jazz solos.

Pick out just a few of your favorite solos to listen to many times. Its reallyvaluable to listen late in the evenning before you go to bed. Listen in yourcar. Listen while you are taking breaks during your practice time. You canlisten almost anytime at all... just listen alot!

Learn to sing along with these solos until you have them memorized, then

listen even more. Learn to copy all of the phrasing and other nuances too.

There's no way to learn this material too well. I promise that if you will dothis, you'll start hearing lots and lots of jazz phrases in your head, withoutany effort at all. It's best to pick out just af few of your very favorite solos at first to listen to many times over and over again. If you'll do it this way,you will fill your mind with ideas that appeal to you personally... and you'lllearn them very quickly and thoroughly.

................................................................................

...........................

These activities will allow you to internalize these musical ideas, but they'llalso cause the ideas to come to you naturally when you are practicing andimprovising. In other words... you will begin to "hear" them in your head.

The only thing that can prevent these ideas from coming to you when youplay is over-thinking. We need to quiet the mind if this happens, and learnto be patient and wait for the ideas to come. This usually involves pausinglonger between the phrases. It helps to simply slow down and play less.

I can't overemphasize the importance of this kind of pausing. We must try



to slow down, so that the ideas have time to develop inside our heads. It'sso common for players to try to fill up the space with notes. They're reallypreventing the flow of ideas by trying to force the process! You have to bepatient with yourself and let it all take time. Soon, your ideas begin to flowmore easily and naturally... becomiing a more fluid and melodic stream ofideas.

Even the most advanced player will benefit greatly from this strategy. I'veseen both beginners and advanced players amazed by how much they canimprove by just slowing down... pausing more between the phrases... andpatiently waiting for the ideas to come.

................................................................................

...........................

This approach will help you to play meaningful ideas which flow beautifullyand logically when you perform, but it is also what you need to be doing inyour practice time, when you're mining for those golden licks I was talkingabout in the previous lesson. The goal here is to learn the music theory sowell that you no longer have to think about it, then you will be able to playthe ideas that you hear in your head. It may sound like two seperate waysof playing, but it definitely is not!!! We need to unite the two approaches inorder to benefit from both... so that our playing will have the sophisticationafforded by mastering the music theory, and yet exhibit all the beauty and

lyricism that comes by playing the ideas that bubble up from the depths ofour own inner minds. This is the purest form of the art, and it's a beautifuland satisfying way to play.

Gradually you find that the ideas come to you in a more continuous streamand flow smoothly... Eventually you begin to hear the next idea before youare done playing the last one. You'll stay a little ahead mentally so that theflow becomes uninterrupted. Even when you play long phrases, many barslong, you still prehear each idea as you go along. To get to this point... youwill first start slowly, and pause often, to allow the ideas to begin to flow on

jazz lessons

Documents