Jazz
Exercises
It can be said that the most obvious or simplest
approach can be the best. In the case of jazz improvisation,
sometimes it is necessary to break everything down into its simplest
form, like the triad/chord exercises below.
Probably one of the best tenor saxophonists I have
ever heard is Ralph Bowen. He was my roommate at Indiana University
when I was a freshman. He was playing with Out of The Blue (OTB)
and traveling back and forth to New York almost weekly. The press
he received touted his technique, his likeness to John Coltrane and
Michael Brecker, and his command of the tenor saxophone. I asked him
what I could do to improvise better, and he said, "Learn your triads:
Major, Minor, Diminished and Augmented." Well, I thought I already
knew them...but I had no idea. It was great advice -- and I'm passing
it on to you.
Important!!
COPY THIS PAGE and the
PRACTICE
OUTLINE, at the bottom
of the list.
The following exercises are the foundation
for your improvising. This covers the vertical approach to
improvising, while scales cover the horizontal approach.
- Each exercise must be learned in
all 12
keys and in these root
movements: m2nd, M2nd, m3rd, M3rd and P4th.
If a student can negotiate these parameters, they have learned
most of the chord progressions they will face in a tune.
- I have written out Triad
Exercise #1 in all root movements.
- The remainder of the exercises will
only
be given in m2nds.
The student must
learn how
to transpose an exercise/ pattern into
all 12 keys in their
head.
- Etudes provide better examples of the
application process and which pattern(s) works with which
chord.
- The chords within the exercise are the most
likely chords to be used.
- Application
of these exercises and patterns is a must. There are etudes under
the etude menu which illustrate application.
The first exercise is 14 pages long, because it
is written out completely. I encourage you to print it out and use it
as a guide for the remaining exercises, which are not fully written
out.
NOTE: If a PDF
loads blank, try clicking Reload.
If that does not work, click the GIF
link. Some GIFs may need a
Reload
click as well. Please allow extra time for the GIFs
to load. Sorry, but you know how browsers vary…
Exercise
List:
Warm-Ups:
Exercise #1
PDF = Overtones, Basic Study or
Exercise #1
GIF
Exercise #2
PDF = Bebop Dominant Perpetual Motion
(David Baker) or Exercise
#2 GIF
Exercise #3
PDF = Bebop Major Perpetual Motion
(David Baker) or Exercise
#3 GIF
Exercise #4
PDF = Major Modes Perpetual Motion or
Exercise #4
GIF
Exercise #5
PDF = Melodic Minor Modes Perpetual
Motion or Exercise
#5 GIF
Exercise #6
PDF = Harmonic Minor Modes Perpetual
Motion or Exercise
#6 GIF
Triads:
Exercise #1
PDF = Triads built on 1,3,5,1 or
Exercise #1
GIF
All root movements written out = 14 pages
Exercise #2
PDF = Triads built on 3,5,1,3 or
Exercise #2
GIF
Exercise #3
PDF = Triads built on 5,1,3,5 or
Exercise #3
GIF
Exercise #4
PDF = Triads built on 1,3,5,3 or
Exercise #4
GIF
Exercise #5
PDF = Triads built on 3,5,1,5 or
Exercise #5
GIF
Exercise #6
PDF = Triads built on 5,1,3,1 or
Exercise #6
GIF
Exercise #7
PDF = Triads built on the Diminished
Scale or Exercise
#7 GIF
Exercise #8
PDF = Triads built on the Whole Tone
Scale or Exercise
#8 GIF
Chords:
Exercise #1
PDF = Chords built on 1,3,5,7 or
Exercise #1
GIF
Exercise #2
PDF = Chords built on 3,5,7,1 or
Exercise #2
GIF
Exercise #3
PDF = Chords built on 5,7,1,3 or
Exercise #3
GIF
Exercise #4 PDF
= Chords built on 7,5,3,1 or
Exercise #4
GIF
Exercise #5
PDF = Diatonic chords built on
1,3,5,7 or Exercise
#5 GIF
There are
five
chord
types
you must deal with
when adding the 7th to the triad. These chords are: Major 7th,
Minor 7th, Half-Diminished 7th, Fully Diminished 7th, and
Dominant 7th. The augmented chord becomes less effective since
the 7th, or 6th as some people think of it, is a major second
above the +5. We will exclude the augmented from these
exercises.
*PRACTICE
OUTLINE = An approach to
learning the information in the Exercise and Etude pages. A suggested
practice routine.