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Question for all, doesn't have to be specific to jazz.

I love to improvise, and I'm definitely not new to it. This is something that I have been doing for many years.

I'm in a bit of a rut at the moment: I can't think of new things to do in my improvisations.

I generally mix a few different ideas when improvising -

really strong with good pentatonic soloing, this kind of vibe:

a strong point, but not quite as fun, I implement a lot of short arpeggiated 7ths and 9ths interpsersed between these pentatonic noodlings.

I often connect with chromaticism and enclosures.

I also like to shred through blues scales, interspersed with petermartin style pentatonic shredding.

to articulate my improv picture a gmaj251.

over the 2 I might descend through a and e pentatonic with some chromaticism, arpeggiate through a 5#9b11, and then descend through the 1 with pentatonic, rising through the g with an arpeggio to the 9th that descends chromatically to the 7.

Generally my improv follows these ideas with some variation.

I really like playing the super experimental high energy modern jazz solos. anyone have suggestions for playing that fits that vibe?

Alfy
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1 Answers1

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This is a very broad question to answer but I will make one suggestion to you and if you are unaware of this it will help you develop a lot more color and sophistication in your playing.

My suggestion is to learn and use some of the modes of the ascending melodic minor scale, also called the jazz minor scale. This scale has several modes that are extremely useful for advanced contemporary harmony. Here are all of them:

  1. Melodic minor: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 8

  2. Dorian b2: 1 b2 b3 4 5 6 b7 8

  3. Lydian augmented: 1 2 3 #4 #5 6 7 8

  4. Lydian dominant: 1 2 3 #4 5 6 b7 8

  5. Mixolydian b6: 1 2 3 4 5 b6 b7 8

  6. Locrian natural 2: 1 2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 8

  7. Super locrian (Altered scale): 1 b2 b3 b4 b5 b6 b7 (Referred to by jazz players as 1 b9 #9 3 #11/b5 b13 b7 8)

Out of all of these, 1,4,6 and 7 are the most useful.

Mode 1 works well on m6, m6/9 and m(maj7) chords

Mode 4 works well for 9, #11 and 13

Mode 6 Works well for m7b5 chords

Mode 7 works well for chords with altered tensions

There are uses for the other three, for example Mode 3 can be used for +maj7 chords but +maj7 chords are not that commonly used. The four I mentioned are by far the most common.

I like the way the jazz minor scale sounds and feels so sometimes I conceptualize these scales by playing a jazz minor scale on different chord tones in order to access the different modes, for example, if I’m playing a:

C13#11 I will play a jazz minor scale built on the 5th, or a G jazz minor scale.

Cm7b5 I will play a jazz minor scale built on the b3,or an Eb jazz minor scale.

C7 alt I will play a jazz minor scale built on the b2, or a Db jazz minor scale

John Belzaguy
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