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Topic: Simple method to improvise over any chord progression |
Bill McCloskey
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Posted 26 Jan 2024 6:41 am |
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Some of you may be familiar with Jerry Bergonzi's books on jazz improvisation. In volume One of his series, he lays out a simple method to get started with jazz improvisation that lays out incredibly well on E9th pedal steel.
In his first exercise, Jerry has you limit yourself, only focusing on the lower structures of the chord. Everything is reduced to either Major or Minor chords. If it is a major chord, you play the 1 2 3 5 of the chord. If it is a minor chord, you play the 1 b3 4 5 of the chord. For instance, if the chord is a C Major7 or a C7 chord, you would play C D E G (skipping the F). If it is a Cm7 chord, you would play C Eb F G (skipping the D). The only change is if the chord has a b5 or a b9, in which case you would also play a b2 for the b9 and b5 for the 5.
It turns out this lays out beautifully on E9th pedal steel. For minor chords, the bottom 4 strings (10-7) form the 1 b3 4 5. With the root on the 8 string, playing strings 8-5 gives you 1 2 3 5.
Let's take Autumn Leaves as an example. The opening chords of Autumn Leaves are Cm7 F7 BbMaj7 EbMaj7 Am7b5 D7b9 Gm
Starting on the first fret you play the bottom 4 strings which is the 1 b3 4 5 of the Cm7 chord. The F7 is found on the same fret starting with the 8 string on the root. You then slide up to 6th fret, same strings for the BbMaj7 and then up to the 11th fret for the Ebmaj7 same strings. The Am7b5 is found on the bottom 4 strings at Fret 10 (except you drop to the 9th fret on the 7th string to pick up the b5) and the D7b9 is found on the same fret starting on String 8 (dropping to the 9th fret for the second note to pick up the b9) and the Gm is the bottom 4 strings of fret 8.
You can vary your improvisation by playing the permutations of the 4 notes (there are 24 permutations of 4 notes) dropping notes, adding approach notes etc.
You also have a second place to play these notes. For the Major chords you can start on the 5th string. engage A pedal for the 2nd note, and then strings 2 and 1 for the 1 2 3 5 of the major chord. And you can play strings 6 5 5 (with A pedal) and 2 for the 1 b3 4 5 of the minor chord
Using this method I was able to improvise over any chart in the Real books without hesitation. All you need to do is memorize where on the 10th and 8th string (or 5th and 6th string) your root note is. And the rest is easy.
I know this is old hat to experienced players, but for someone like me it was a revelation.
Last edited by Bill McCloskey on 26 Jan 2024 7:09 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Doug Taylor
From:
Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA
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Bill McCloskey
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Posted 26 Jan 2024 7:11 am
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| Yes Doug .That is the book. The entire series is fantastic. Volume 2 is on Pentatonics. (and btw, these books are recommended by Paul Franklin in his Method course). |
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Doug Taylor
From:
Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA
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Posted 26 Jan 2024 7:17 am
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| Thanks Bill, a method and plan is always a good thing for me! |
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