How to use arpeggios to "play the changes"

Play these exact exercises -> ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Hey Indiana,   If you were to ask me what the most important jazz improv "tool" is, I would tell you: arpeggios (aka. chord tones). In addition to giving you something to practice to help strengthen your memory of a tune, arpeggios are also useful as blueprints for building jazz lines, so you sound like you are "playing the changes".   We're always trying to find ways to hear and come up with different types of melodic lines while improvising. One strategy that can help break up a scale-focused approach to building lines involves thinking about and trying to hear melodies built around chord arpeggios.   So to help you get started practicing with arpeggios, here are two approaches: 1. Practice arpeggiating all the chords strictly in root position (i.e., 1-3-5-7) Here's an example of what I mean over a Bb blues (notice how it switches to 8th notes to accommodate 1-bar II-V's where each chord only lasts 2 beats): 2. Practice arpeggiating all the chords in various inversions.   The goal is to try to be unpredictable and to create smooth voice leading between chords (i.e., avoid big melodic jumps between chords if and whenever possible).   Here's an example again over a Bb blues (notice the attempt to voice lead a 7th of one chord on beat 4 to a 3rd of the next chord on beat 1 on many occasions to enable smooth transitions between chords): It's a small step from the example above to improvising full-blown lines.   Simply add varied rhythms, rests, repeated notes, and/or surrounding tones to the examples above and then you're improvising in a way that clearly outlines the harmony of the tune! If you haven't spent a lot of time working with arpeggios over a jazz standard you are working on, my challenge for you is to work some of these exercises into your routine.

Speaking of arpeggios...every month we learn a new jazz standard in our Learn Jazz Standards Inner Circle. One of the resources we provide is a Chord Tone Map that helps you map out the arpeggios and connect them together melodically. Then we provide you everything else you may need, such as a solo to learn, voicings, a lick in all 12 keys, a bass line, and a training video to help you understand the chords. If that sounds helpful to you, we'd love to have you come join us! -Brent

Copyright © 2024 Learn Jazz Standards, LLC All rights reserved. Email does not look right? View online. Manage your subscription or unsubscribe to all emails 3537 36th St, Astoria, NY 11106