RFL [Request for Lesson]: Playing the Changes

[stevehollx]

Ok I know that of course major scales sound good over major keys and such. I know what modes are, and how to play in a mode.

However, how do I "play the changes" in a chord progression. Aren't there certain times to not be in certain modes because of certain chords? Can anyone point me in a direction to help me out?

[Qbert]

I don't know if i can help but maybe I can a little. I can play changes great but i never think about it. Even though I know lots of theory. When I improve I just think with me ears first. I think it helps that I can pretty much think of a sound or phrase and play it on the guitar. I guess It wouldn't hurt to play the hell out off your scales, so you know the sound/feel that they'll pruduce. Remember thier are often many scales and modes that will work over a single chord, and that no rules are set in stone.

[telepaul]

John Abercrombie's video gives a good lesson for this. Take a song that has a lot of changes that you cant just wank on modally. (He uses the Jazz standard "Stella By Starlight." ) Practice playin along to the song or by yourself playing just notes that are from the chords or scales derived from the chord using just one or two notes for each chord. You are essentially playing intervals rather then scales. I found the approach helped me play more melodically. He gives variations. Playing strict quarter notes through the song, playing on one string to limit yourself, etc. There really arent many better in the world at playing over changes in an interesting way then Abercrombie so I looked at this approach pretty seriously.

[evan_02]

check my dom7 lesson for info on how to play over dom7ths

[thamiam]

Here is a step by step procedure for learning how to play over changes, 90% of which is from Jamey Aebersolds free Jazz Handbook (http://www.jazzbooks.com/jazzhandbook/Default.htm) .

1: Play the roots of each chord, in quarter notes
2: Play the first and second notes of each chord. (That is, the first two notes of the scale indicated by the chord. In D, play D-E)
3: Play the first three notes of the chord/scale
4: Play the first five notes of the chord/scale
5: Play the 1-3-5 of the chord/scale
6: Play the 1-3-5-7 of the chord scale
7: Play the 1-3-5-7-9 of the chord/scale
8: Compose a quarter note only solo, playing the 3rd and/or 7th of each chord. Compose it, write it out and play it. Don't improvise
9: Improvise a quarter note only solo. Try to hit the third and/or seventh of each scale.
10: Begin to add other rhythms. At this point you will be so familiar with the changes that you will instinctively know where to put your fingers, what sounds good, and how to do transitions.
11: Forget everything, and just play.

Don't think this is a one hour or one week process, but with time you will be able to solo over a set of changes with ease, and it's doubtful you will ever forget them.

[Archaeologist]

Bump.