FOR ALL INSTRUMENTS. Comprehensive Technique for Jazz Musicians by Bert LigonINTRODUCTION. Technique vi Book Format os vil Improvisation. ~ vil BASIC EXERCISES. Routine Tips for Practice Practicing by Limiting, Practice in all Twelve Keys. Scales for Improvisation Scale Practice. Arpeggio & Broken Chord Practice Other Melodic Scale & Arpeggio Patterns Patterns with 31d8.nnm Pattems with Neighbor Tones Cyclical Quacruplets Diatonie Chords Diatonie Seventh Chords. Chromatic: Embellishment Diatonic Triads with Lower Neighbor Tone Embellishment Neighbor Tones Applied to Arpeggios & Broken Chords. Upper Neighbor Tones Lower Neighbor Tones Combining Upper & Lower Neighbor Tones on Arpeggio & Broken Chord Bxercises, sa . Encircling Chord Tones with Upper & Lower Neighbor Tones Scales Preceded with Upper & Lower Neighbor Tone Encircling Common Chromatic Appreach. 7th & 9th CHORD ARPEGGIOS. Seventh Chords Ninth Chords. Arpeggios preceded with Upper & Lower Neighbor Tone Encircling. Ill, TRIADS & GENERALIZATION . Pitch Hierarchy Basic Elaborations of Triads FF Major Trad. F Minor Tr fe Developed us ‘Triad MoContent: J “riadic Elaboration. - 7 Logo Variations... vn . 62 TTriadic Generalization... Sn . 63 Triadic Musical Examples 68 Application of Tadic Generalization 66 Broken Chord Exercises 7 BIUES LN. se : 70 Blues Scale Musical Examples. . seven Major Bines Scale. | Minor Blues Scale co svn ‘Combination of Major & Minor Blues Scales... . 72 General Blues Exercises. cn 3 IV. MELODIC MINOR SCALE EXERCISES...+...ccccsssssssseseeseessennes Melodic Minor Scales & Modes. . 7 Seventh Mode: Superloctan... Sac icra 79 #92987 Pate... sesereinreraacmainoaaTaTD Minor 123-5 Pattem. os 80 Major 1-2-35 Pater. 81 Combination of 1-2:3-5 Patterns. ao 97 Arpeggios over Altered Dominant 7ths. 82 Lydian Dominant... “ eee 83 lyn Agent 84 = : BS Combination of Modes. . sa. Melodic Minor Exercises... 87 ‘Arpengio Patterns from Melodic Minor. 87 1-235 & 1-23-45 Pattems from Melodic Minor. 1 41-23-5 Pattem Variations s 95 Thad... israel Tritone Substitution & Melodic Minor Chords "100 Relationship of Altered Dominants, Lydian Dominants & Melodic Minor Scales : < 101 Secondary Dominants & Tritone Substitution 101 V. DIMINISHED SCALE EXERCISES......c..cs.cssccsseeceeseees sarmamareeerces 109 Whole-Half Diminished Seales... se ceemaees 0D Half-Whole Diminished Scales... 7109 Diminished Scale Musical Examples. . coe Diminished Scales Exercises... 116 Diminished Scale Lines over Traditional Harmony sensu 130 VI. MOTIVIC & PENTATONIC PATTERNS... 135 C Major Pentatonic & its Relative A Minor Pentatonie we mnsvmnrnnnn 133 C Major Pentatonic & its Parallel C Minor Pentatoni. 135 Basic Pentatonie Exercises aa 136 Diatonic Triads ofthe Major Pentatonic Scale 137 Diatonic Triads of the Major Pentatonic Scale in All Inversions.. 138 Superimpostion Formulas vi Side Sipping & Planing... nnn a2 Quarta Sounds. . can Exercises for Planing & Sie Sipping... 17 Three Note Melodic Motives. : : . 17 Four Note Melodie Motives. cone 48 Fe Note Melodic Motives. - 157 Pentatonic Applications over Traditional Harmony 158 << tomiprebensice Tecnigque jor Jaxx MascaraISEN 0 v___ Content vu. vill. xi xu. xi, xiv. ts Motivic Development. ‘Motivic & Compositional Development Devices... 1-2-3-5 PATTERNS... Major 1-2-5 & Minor 1-2-3-5 Patterns. = EX€LCIS€8 nnn svn jon t0 individual Chords nowosoersonneonoe -5 Exercises Applied to Harmonic Progressions, 1-2-35 Pattems in Caclences to Major. Exploring Mathernatical Possibilities. . 1-2-5 Patterns Applied to Standard Jazz Compositions... an 1-2:3-5 Patterns Against the Harmony. = TRIADIC SUPERIMPOSITION. Superimposition of Major Triads over Major 7th Chords Superimposition of Major Triads over Minor 7th Chords, Superimposition of Major Triads over Dominant 7th Chords... Superimposition of Minor Triads over Dominant 7th Chords a. Superimposition of Major Triads over Half & Fully Diminished 7th Chords ‘Triad Supesimposition Exercises. ‘Triad Superimposition Applied. More Exercises. LINEAR IMPLICATIONS OF HARMONY .. Compound Melodies... EXTENSIONS & CONNECTIONS ....+.+ Extended Tertian Exercises. ee AUGMENTED SCALE EXERCISES....-sssssseseessssees Augmented Scale Exercises 7 QUARTAL EXERCISES. Extended Quartal Arpeggios from D minor/F major Pentatonic. Extended Quartal Arpeagios from F Kumoi Pentatonic. Extended Quartal Arpeggios Applied to Harmonic Progression in Major Extended Quartal Arpeggios Applied to Harmonic Progression in Minor DOMINANT CHORD CYCLES...... DEVELOPING JAZZ EXERCISES .........Contents XV. OUTLINE EXERCISES... Outlines over ii7 - V7 in Major a 239 Oulines over io? - V7 in Minor 240 Outline Exercises svn - 242 ‘Outlines over Key Center Cycle... S 242 ‘Ontines in Combinations. 249 ‘Common Chromatic Approaches. 5 251 ‘Outlines over Longer Progressions : sneered More if? - V7 - 18 tio? - V7 i Exercises... 266 Developing & Practicing Outline EXe168e8. oss 275 How to Leam Exercise 15.114 in All Major Keys. 2 Exercises with Quicker Harmonic Rhythm. 280 Outlines in Combinations Elaborated, 283 Excerpts from Solo Transcription 284 XVI. APPLICATIONS & ETUDES.. 287 Agendas, — 287 Application of Several Concepts over One Progression. 288, Etudes on Standard Progressions asicnssnnsnnn 298 Etude NOL eevnrnnnansnnnnnnnonnnnnn - sens 299 Brude No, nn 301 Blues Fuudes, . on nn 303 Blues Etude NOV senses coe an 303, Blues Etude NO.2 evnnnn - ene BOA Blues Etude N03 mo - sae 307 Blues Etude NO vnc 308 Blues Ftude No.5 nn von 309 Blues Etude No.6 - “ 310 Blues Etude No.7 - - 311 More Eudes on Sanda Progresions “ 312 Etude No3... seven LZ nude Nod... BAS Etude NoS. ve YP Etude NoG.nnnwnnnnnnnnnnn SIT319INTRODUCTION TECHNIQUE Part of a musician's development is the building of technique S2=NGee He See aesica! icleas. For each instrument the list of obstacles is different and the all scale practice. 1.17 With Lower Neighbor Tone (LNT) Embellishment ascending, UNT descending syererre Tamibvebensine Tecbrigue Jor Jaze MusicBasic Exercises CYCLICAL QUADRUPLETS (One way to embellish a single note is to play the note, move away and back to that same note: common pattern that follows this concept involves the primary note and two other notes that r the primary note. This pattern has four varieties and is has been called a Cyclical Quadrupl Cyclical because it cycles back to the first pitch; quadruplet because it is a four note pattern. patterns below all have C as the primary pitch. CQ pattern no.2 is the retrograde, no.3 is the i and no.4 is the retrograde inversion of CQ pattern no. QNol 6Q.No2 QNo3 6Q Nod 0 ioe o Here are some examples of CQ patterns from jazz improvisations by Charlie Patker, Art Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Stitt, and Herbie Hancock. Charlie Parker used all four CQ pal these two examples. The first includes CQ pattems no.2 & 3; the second, patterns 1 & 4 Dm? o7 cma? m7 7 to a SS het Ea a bere te oo a CQ pattern no.1 2 CQ patiern 10.4 F Dm? ————= CQ pattern no.l Gm7 & =P oChapter 1 asic: Exercis Here are some basic CQ exercises to add to scale routines. 1.22 Cyclical Quadruplet Version No.1 (CQ) 1.23 CQ Version No.2 1.24 CQ Version No.3 1.25 CQ Version No.4 14Chapter 1 Basic Exercises CQ pattems can be applied to arpeggios as they were applied to scales as shown in this Cannonball Adderley improvisation. Adderley used CQ pattern no.1 in the first meas pattern no.4 in the last two measures outlining a chord. CQ patterns no.1 and 10.4 Here are some basic CQ exercises to add to arpeggio routines. These four exerscises are s toa major 9 chord. Practice these patterns applied to minor 9, dominant 9, and other arpe 1.26 CQ Version No.1 applied to C major 9 arpeggio 1.27 CQ Version No.2 applied to C major 9 arpeggio 1.28 CQ Version No.3 applied to C major 9 arpeggioChapter 1 Basic Exercises 13 DIATONIC CHORDS In addition to practicing arpeggios individually, practice arpeggios related to each key center. Triads, seventh and ninth chords can be built on every scale degree of any scale, and often appear in composi- tions and improvisations. Here are two short examples from Tom Harrell and Dexter Gordon, Diatonic triads E D7 Gm? C7 Am 2 5 a F o Diatonic triads Cm #7 abmai7, ebmaj7 o Add these to your scale practice for all major and minor keys 1.30 Diatonic Triads In Root Position Ascending, 1.31 Diatonic Triads In Root Position Descending, Parker and Sonny Stitt used this common pattern that outlines a major triad. The first part of the mea- sure uses passing tones (PT) between the chord tones; the second half uses CQ pattern no.1 Charlie Parker: Sonny Stitt: 6 ab Comprebonsive Technique Jor Jazz Musicians]Chapter 1 Basic Exercises DIATONIC CHORDS In addition to practicing arpeggios individually, practice arpeggios related to each key center. Triads, seventh and ninth chords can be built on every scale degree of any scale, and often appear in composi tions and improvisations. Here are two short examples from Tom Harrell and Dexter Gordon, Diatonic triads F D7 Gm? Am? D7 e Diatonic triads cm? Add these to your scale practice for all major and minor keys. 1.30 _Diatonic Triads In Root Position Ascending 1.31 Diatonic Triads In Root Position Descending Parker and Sonny Stitt used this common pattern that outlines a major triad. The first part of the mea ‘sure uses passing tones (PT) between the chord tones; the second half uses CQ pattern no.1. Charli Parker Sonny Stitt 6 sb 13,Chapter 1 Basic Exercises This pattern can be applied to all diatonic triads. This exercise incorporates many of the pi cises: scales, diatonic triads, CQs 1.32 Diatonic Triads With PTs And CQs DIATONIC SEVENTH CHORDS ‘Triads built in thirds (tertian) occur universally in music. While a tiad may be constructed a scale, extended tertian chords can be constructed using 1-3-5-7, 1-3-5-7-9, and even 1d ‘These extended tertian chords occur frequently in jazz. A chord spelled out to the 13th notes of the scale, and in this way illustrates the equality of the chord and the scale spelling of the seven diatonic notes in steps; the extended tertian chord is a spelling of tonic notes in thirds. An understanding of basic tertian triads is necessary in order to enth chords. A seventh chord is created by adding the interval of a third to the top of and a ninth chord is created by adding another interval of a third to the top of the Sev seventh chord exercises will provide a background to understanding extended tertian nections covered later in chapter 10, Hank Mobley ended his improvisation using diatonic seventh chords. thm ab car? * McCoy Tyner used them in conjunction with other elements in the following excerpt and 1235 pattern) phy 3 F e =Chapter 1 Exercises___15 |The following are exercises designed to aid the mastering of diatonic seventh chords in root position and in all inversions, Begin practicing in all major scales first. They can be quite useful built on each scale degree of all scale types. 1.33 Diatonic Seventh Chords In Root Position 1.34 Diatonic Seventh Chords In First InversionBasic Exercises 1.35 Diatonic Seventh Chords In Second Inversion 1.36 Diatonic Seventh Chords In Third Inversion 1.37 Diatonic Seventh Chords Alternating Ascending And Descending Comprebensios Tecbnique Jor JazIROMATIC EMBELLISHMENT DIATONIC SEVENTH CHORDS Any diatonic note of the scale can be embellished with chromatic leading tones. This is not unique to jazz or Western Art Music. Chromaticism can make the music more interesting; the chromatic notes adding a tension not available with the diatonic notes alone. The diatonic scale, diatonic triads, and dia tonic seventh chords must be first mastered individually before attempting chromatic embellishment. If you have a command over the diatonic vocabulary, then this next section will help add chromaticism to your vocabulary. Clifford Brown used ascending diatonic seventh chord arpeggios in the following example, but added an element of chromaticism. Several of the seventh chords are preceded with chromatic leading tones. a b th 27 epee DIATONIC TRIADS WITH LT EMBELLISHMENT SS are some consummate examples of diatonic triads embellished by leading tones (LT). All of these lings use the same basic diatonic triads with the added LT to the root of each chord. Some use the mm of LT-1.3-5. The example from Mozart may be the most interesting because of the angularity od by the 5-3-LT-1 pattern, Gm? pots1 Basic Exercises cha This improvisation ends in a similar method to the earlier Hank Mobley diatonic seventh exam pid. Mozart: Clarinet Quintet, K.581 Any of the previous exercises can be practiced using chromatic leading tones, Here are some exercises to get started adding chromaticism to the routine vocabulary. 1.38 Ascending Diatonic Chords With Chromatic Leading Tone (LT) 1.39 Descending Diatonic Chords With LTChapter 1 Basic Exercises NEIGHBOR TONES APPLIED TO ARPEGGIOS & BROKEN CHORDS Previous examples have shown leading tones (which are always, by definition chromatic), and passing tones. Any diatonic note may have an upper neighbor tone (which is usually diatonic), and may have a lower neighbor tone (which, like the leading tone, is usually chromatic). The following examples illus- trate common embellishment of diatonic material using diatonic upper neighbor tones (UNT).. UPPER NEIGHBOR TONES (UNT) It may look like the UNTs in this Chopin example are chromatic which contradicts the previous para- graph. This point in the piece is in the key of F minor. The C triad (shown with circled notes) is elabo- rated using the diatonic notes from the key of F minor. The UNT of C is Db, the UNT of E is F, the UNT of G is Ab. They are chromatic, but in this case, also diatonic to the key of F minor. Chopin: Op.9 #2 o ‘The F triad is stated as a broken chord in the first measure and in the second is elaborated with passing tones and diatonic UNTS in this example from Bach, Bach; Two-Part Invention #8 Cannonball Adderley appears to have borrowed this UNT idea from the previous Bach example. D7 6 Here are several basic arpeggio and broken chord exercises from earlier in the chapter with UNTs added, 1.40 Arpeggio with chord tones preceded by UNT 19)Basic Exercises 1.41 Broken chord pattern (from exercise 1.13) with chord tones preceded by 1.42 Arpeggio with UNTs 1.43 Broken chord pattern (from exercise 1.11) with UNTs 1.44 Broken chord pattern (from exercise 1.11) with UNTs LOWER NEIGHBOR TONES (LNT) & LEADING TONES (LT) ‘The following examples illustrate common embellishment of diatonic material using cf neighbor tones (LNT). Josbua Fought the Battle of Jerico begins with the root of the moves to the LNT, returns to the root, and continues using the second degree as a pai repeating the pattern on the third of the chord. Cannonball seems to have quoted f Baitle of Jerico in his exampleJoshua Fought the Battle of Jerico Quote? Gm? Sonny Stitt took the LNT idea and applied it to the diminished chord. The sum of all the LNTs and PTs added to the diminished chord is the half-whole diminished scale. (Notice that many of the notes in this passage have little to do with the harmony). The diminished scale will be looked at more closely in chapter 5. eb oz, cm 7 ab, 7, Brown and Parker approached simple triads with LT. In both the following excerpts the tonic triad is used for generalization. More on triadic generalization can be found in chapter 3. Triad with LNTs Gm? 7 F eb Gm7 cm 7 2 ‘The triad embellished by LTs can be found in this Beethoven sonata and a Wes Montgomery improvisa- tion. Beethoven: Piano Sonata Op.14, #2 (F triad embellished with LTS) os (C triad embellished with LTS) ¢ F EmZ_ Am? Dm? G7 Gm? 21)Chapter 1 Basic Exercises 23] 1.46 Broken chord pattern (from exercise 1.13) with LNTs 2if 1.47 Arpeggio with LNTs 1.48 Broken chord pattern (from exercise 1.11) with LNTs COMBINING UNT & LNT ON ARPEGGIO/BROKEN CHORD EXERCISES Master the arpeggios and scales first, then master LNTs and UNTs individually to prepare for practicing combinations of UNTs and LNTs added to arpeggio and broken chord exercises. 1.49 Combination. Broken chord pattern (from exercise 1.13) with LNT ascending & UNT descending ey ey |Basic Exercises 1.50 Arpeggio with UNTs and INTs Charlie Parker played a broken chord idea in the first two measures with a mixture of UNTs ai Bh G7 cm? 7 m7 GT cm Bp. ‘This exercise is based on the previous example, The first measure illustrates the simple bro which this exercise is based. The first measure must be mastered before attempting to st chord tones with chromatic embellishment. This can be applied to major triads (as shown) triads. 1.51 Broken chord pattern (related to exercise 1.11) with mixture of LNTs. ENCIRCLING CHORD TONES WITH UNT & LNT ‘Thousands of melodic figuration examples involve the triadic chord tones encircled by INTs. As stated before and shown below, the UNTs are almost always diatonic, the LNTS ¢ Charlie Parker and Oscar Peterson ignored the individual harmonic details and gene: triad in the following examples. The four note pattern follows the arpeggio. The first note is the UNT followed by the chord tone (CT), the LNT and the CT again, then a jump is chord tone’s UNT. Tonic triad encircled with UNT-CT-LNT-CT patternChapter 1 Basic Exer ‘As you can see from the following Beethoven example, this encircling idea is not new or unique to jazz, ‘The pattem is the same one used by Parker and Peterson: UNT-CT-LNT-CT, Beethoven from the 3rd movement of the 9th Symphony Chopin's Etude No.2, Op.25 is an excellent study in the use of neighbor tones over simple triads. It seems to swing because of the use of the triplets and the polyrhythms over the left hand (not shown here). Danilo Perez has used excerpts of this ctude in his improvisations. Shown below are two short ex- cerpls illustrating the simple F minor and Ab major triads embellished identically in parallel phrases. ‘The circled notes indicate the triad. The chord tones, even though surrounded by chromatic and dia- tonic neighbors are stressed in part due to their location on the strong beats, and because all surround- ing notes point back directly to the chord tones. It is interesting that if all the neighbor tones were re- moved, what remains is a quarter note triplet melody of the chord tones: 5-5-5-3-3-3-1, Chopin: Etude No.2, Op.25 (F minor) ‘Mozart used the pattern found in Beethoven, Parker and Peterson, buts added a leap away to another ‘chord tone and back to the original chord tone before continuing the sequence in the following two ex- amples. Leaping away to another chord tone is called an arpeggiated tone. Mozart: Piano Sonata in F major, K.332, Allegro Assai by Mozart Sonata in F major, K.547a, Allegro ‘Eee Morgan made this line interesting with the use of chromatic encircling of an F minor triad. Like the ‘example, the chord tones 5-3-1 occur on the downbeats so that not only do the chromatic notes to the chord tones, but do so at significant rhythmic locations.