Tag Archives: Jazz Improvisation

New Jazz Etude-The Coltrane Matrix: Ascending 1-3-7 Shapes

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Here’s another way to explore and hear harmonic relationships over the shifting tonalities of the Coltrane Matrix. Take a look at the example below:

The main element of this melodic line is the 1-3-7 shape. To be clear, when I refer to “1-3-7” in this etude, I’m talking about the implied melodic shape itself, not the shape with respect to the actual notes of the chord symbols.

So in the first measure the line starts with a 1-3-7 shape that implies a B minor tonality. (In fact, by adding a fourth note to that shape in that measure, an F#, it spells out a B-7 chord.) The F# makes a chromatic connection to the F natural to spell out a Bb- (maj7) chord, which fits very nicely over the Eb7. The A natural then connects chromatically to the Ab in the second measure, then continues with a similar shape (1-3-7), but in a new key (Ab major). The fourth note added to that shape (D natural, which is the +11 of Abmaj7) then connects chromatically to the D# (the 3rd of the B7 chord). The rest of the notes over the B7 can be thought of as a fragment of the diminished scale, with the D natural functioning as the +9, and the C natural functioning as the -9.

The line continues in the 3rd measure with a 1-3-7- shape similar to the original one in the first measure, but with obvious alterations (specifically D# and A#), and the fourth note is a G#. The A# and G# imply a strong Lydian sound over the Emaj7 chord. The last four notes of the third. measure are also organized in a 1-3-7 shape, but again, with obvious pitch changes. The last two notes of the third measure (A# and G#) function as a +9 and-9 over the G7 chord, which then resolves to the 5th (G) of the Cmaj7 chord.

As you play through this, you’ll hear a kind of “descending chromatic” quality implied by the movement of the entire line. This is largely due to the similarities and slight variations between the 1-3-7 shapes. I strongly recommend practicing this etude with a backing track, so that you can hear the “surprises” as the 1-3-7 shapes unfold over the actual harmony. If you’d like to explore and learn more about the harmonic relationships, substitutions and novel ways of constructing melodic lines over dominant to tonic chord movement, please take a look to my e-book, The Coltrane Matrix: 40 Unique Melodic Ideas in All 12 keys.

Click on the link at the bottom to download a free pdf of this etude.

Coltrane-Matrix-Ascending-1-3-7-ShapesDownload

New E-book: Encyclopedia of Triad Pairs

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I’m pleased to announce that my latest e-book, Encyclopedia of Triad Pairs: A Playable Reference for the Improvising Musician, is now available for purchase and immediate download.

Triad pairs (i.e., the combination of two triads that share no common tones) are a staple of the modern jazz language. Exploring and practicing with triad pairs can reveal seemingly endless melodic possibilities when improvising. And if you’re not an improvising musician, practicing regularly with triad pairs will challenge and improve your technical skills.

In this e-book, I’ve used major, minor, diminished and augmented triads to present a comprehensive entry point into exploring triad pairs that can be formed from diatonic, polytonic and symmetrical tonalities. I demonstrate how to apply these triad pairs over dominant chords resolving to tonic. In doing so I also show how each pair can be organized as a stand alone “mode”, as well as how to insert chromatic passing tones in order to add even more melodic possibilities and interesting tensions.

Whether you’re new to working with triad pairs or not, this book serves as both an entry point for the novice, as well as a comprehensive reference for the more experienced improviser. With over 120 pages of notated musical exercises, you will have lots to work on!

So take a look at the landing page on my blog, which has a pdf sample of one of the notated exercises, as well as a pdf copy of the written introduction of the book, which further explains the concept, the format, the benefits and the practice guidelines for implementing the work.

And as always, let me know what you think! Thanks!

The Value Of Having (But Not Always Following) A Daily Practice Plan

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“If you make a mistake, you might want to play that…”

-Miles Davis

I’ve been teaching the Alexander Technique since 2009 at AMDA College of the Performing Arts in Los Angeles.

For every class that I teach, I always arrive with a fairly well detailed lesson plan. In my 10 years of teaching I’ve never once stuck to my plan.

Yet I still continue to formulate a plan and bring it with me to every single class.

And every day for the past many years (too many for me to remember), I start each of my daily saxophone practice sessions with a fairly well detailed practice plan. In all these years of practicing, I’ve never once stuck to my plan.

Yet I still continue to formulate a plan and bring it with me into the practice room.

Why (you might ask) would I do this? Why would I expend time on something that, ultimately, I won’t use?

Well, the truth of the matter is that I always use my plans.

Just because I don’t stick to them doesn’t mean they’re not of great value to me, both in teaching and in learning.

So let’s go to the more fundamental questions here:

1. Why make a plan in the first place?

2. Why don’t I adhere to my plan?

Why make a plan in the first place?

Because making a plan clarifies and details my intentions. These intentions are drawn from what it is that I’d like to accomplish/address. This is always based upon my experiences from the pervious session (whether in the classroom or practice room).

So I begin each session without ambiguity, without hesitation. I immediately start my work efficiently and purposefully. Minimal “wasted” time/energy, optimal engagement/presence.

All good, yes? So then…

Why don’t I adhere to my plan?

In a word: flexibility. As important as my intentions are, I must remain ever vigilant to what is actually needed in the present moment. And that requires an ability to be open to the possibilities of altering my previously intended course of action.

This, to be sure, involves balancing on a fine line. It means staying committed to doing the thing that is most helpful, whether this falls inside or outside of my plan.

It means staying always mindful of my plan (my experience-based intentions), but being willing to let go of some (or all!) of it, too. It means, sometimes, that I come up with an entirely new course of action right there in the moment.

If you’re an improvising musician, you probably already see this attitude as being analogous to improvising music. There is form, perhaps even some kind of a planned sequence of events.

But often, the real magic happens when we deviate from the plan.

Yet this deviation could never occur without a plan in the first place. (I actually think the reason jazz musicians enjoy improvising over standard songs, in part, is to have a “plan to push against”.)

So when you practice do you have a plan? If so, what is it based upon? Are you flexible with it? If not, why not?

And if you don’t have a daily plan when you practice, consider changing that habit. You can always alter (or even abandon) the plan. But you will start each practice session with clarity, curiosity and accountability. You will work toward your goals in a conscious and onstructive manner, always building collectively from previous experience.

Work toward making your plan as detailed as is most optimal for you. Too much detail (or too many tasks)? Simplify. Prioritize and let the things go that seem least essential. What seems to work? What doesn’t?

Not enough detail? Start filling in some blanks. Add more tasks. Ask more questions:

“What do I want? What do I need to work on to get that? What is standing in my way right now?” What can I let go of?”

Take time to formulate and write out tomorrow’s plan at the end of today’s practice session.

Get to know yourself and your music ever more intimately. And enjoy the process!

New Jazz Etude: 5/8 Combined With 3/4 Over ii-V7-I in 4/4

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Here’s a way to use familiar sounding tonal colors and tensions in surprising new ways. By simply organizing the melodic shapes to imply various odd metered subdivisions, you can create lots if interesting rhythmic tension.

Here’s a way to use familiar sounding tonal colors and tensions in surprising new ways. By simply organizing the melodic shapes to imply various odd metered subdivisions, you can create lots if interesting rhythmic tension.

Take a look at the example above. In the first measure, I’m using an F major pentatonic scale that is ascending in two, five-note subdivisions: F-D-C-A-G; then moving up to D and ascending again: D-C-A-G-F. As you can see, these two shapes combined “go over the bar line” into the second measure. By virtue of the contour of these two pentatonic patterns, I’ve implied a subdivision of 5/8. (I’ve placed accents to mark the subdivisions, but even without them, the 5/8 feeling is clearly there when you play it.)

In the next measure, I simply ascend on the diminished scale (D-E-F-G-Ab-Bb). This ascending pattern clearly implies a 3/4 subdivision, especially as it is contrsted to the previous 5/8 subdivisions. I use the Bb of the diminished scale (functioning as the #9 of the G7 chord) to resolve to the B natural (the 7th) of the Cmaj7 chord. The line then returns to the 5/8 subdivisions, as I use the notes of the Cmaj7 chord to create a contour to imply this subdivision. In the fourth measure, I place an accent over the “D” (the 9th of the Cmaj7 chord), then add a quarter rest, followed by a quarter note (“A”). This has a net effect of both implying a 3/4 subdivision, as well as providing a “pickup” note to connect the line into the fifth measure, where the original line begins in the new key (F major).

Most definitely practice this with a metronome. Explore setting the clicks on beats one and three; two and four; beat two only; beat four only. This will give you a chance to really feel the “lopsided-ness” of the odd-metered subdivisions in relation to your imagination of the four-measure, 4/4 form that houses the ii-V7-I progression. Also, practice this with both a “straight” eighth note feel, and a swing feel. If you’d like to further explore the use of implied odd-meters over 4/4, please consider my e-book, Essential Polymeter Studies in 4/4 for the Improvising Musician. And if you’d like to discover some new ways to approach the ii-V7-I chord progression, please consider another of my e-books, ii-V7-I: 40 Creative Concepts for the Modern Improviser. For a free, downloadable pdf of this etude, click the link below:

https://billplakemusic.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/58-Combined-with-34-Over-ii-V7-I-in-44-1.pdf

New Jazz Etude: 4ths and 5ths With Chromatic Passing Tones

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My aim in composing this etude arose from an interest in exploring the sound of ascending perfect 5ths over ii-V7-I chord changes. And in my explorations, I also discovered an easy and practical way to use chromatic passing tones to help make my melodic line have a nice, flowing sound and feel. Take a look at the example above.

I begin with two ascending perfect 5ths starting on the root of the ii chord (“D” from the Dm7 in the example). The fourth note is an Eb, which functions as a chromatic passing tone that leads to the E natural on the third beat of that measure. I then descend with two fourths: E natural to B (perfect 4th); then the B descending a tritone to the F natural. I then use an F# as a chromatic passing tone that leads up to the G natural in the second measure, which continues upwards with two perfect 5ths (G moving to D; D moving to A).

As a variation from the original four-note pattern, I add another G natural as the fourth note, which then connects chromatically with the Ab on the third beat of the measure. Starting on the Ab, I move downward in perfect fourths (Ab, to Eb, to, Bb, to F natural). Not only does this pattern of 4ths compliment and “mirror” the quality of the previous perfect 5ths, but it also adds a good deal of altered tension over the V chord (G7); specifically: -9, (Ab), -13 (Eb), +9 (the Bb functioning as an enharmonic version of A#), and 7 (F natural).

The F natural goes on to connect (again, via half-step) to the E natural (the 3rd of the CMaj7 chord) in the third measure, which once more starts the ascending perfect 5ths pattern. The fourth note of the measure (Bb) is used as a chromatic passing tone that resolves to A natural, then the line ends with a mix of perfect 5ths and major seconds. There is most definitely an “angular”, more “modern” sound to the melody, but it fits easily within the harmonic structure, and has enough other elements to vaguely hint at the bebop language.

If you’d like to explore using wider intervals in improvisation, please consider my e-book, The Vertical Saxophone (which, by the way, is applicable to any melodic instrument). If you’re interested in going more deeply into how to use chromatic passing tones to connect melodic ideas, please consider my e-book, Four-Note Diatonic Triad Cells. And if you’d like to work through some unique ideas you can apply specifically over the ii-V7-I harmonic progression, please consider another of my e-books, ii-V7-I: 40 Creative Concepts for the Modern Improviser. For a free, downloadable pdf of this etude, click the link below:

4ths-and-5ths-With-Chromatic-Passing-Tones.pdf