So everyone of those scales you have just spent weeks learning you now need to go back over and learn the chord tones for them!!!!!
Why?
Chord tones give you the quality (type of sound) of the chord. You can tell if the chord is a C7 or a Cm chord just by hearing those 4 notes.
Where to start when looking at putting together a new solo
Before you start you should start a homework diary (just like you were at school!) this is a great resource so that you know what you have covered and what is left to do! This may well be the first attempt of improvisation you have made, that's fine and don't be worried about going wrong you have now done the 99% of hard work and all that is left is the 1% creativity!
We are going to look at putting together a solo for summertime. Follow these points when ever you choose or are given a solo! Play Audio 8 Click below....
Listen to the backing track over and over, follow the music and listen to the changes (moving through the chord progression)
Sing the melody over the backing, again repeatedly
Now play the melody using the music
Now memorise the head (melody) and learn to play it over the chords
Follow the chord progression and just sustain the 1st note of each chord tone until the chord changes and then switch to the 1st note of the next chord
Now improvise a rhythmical solo using just that single note for each chord
Now start to work out the 3rd of each chord (the 2nd note of each chord tone) and improvise a solo using both the 1st and 3rd notes
Now add in the 5th and then the 7th
Now stop the Recording and without any back improvise over the chord tone in a completely open time (you can spend as long as you want on each chord) experiment with each chord try out rhythms
Now use the same exercise and try improvising using the whole scale all 8 notes of each mode
Finally add in the backing track and go for it!!!!! Take it easy don't make the rhythms too complicated and the main thing is to be able to keep time and follow the chord symbols through at the correct time.
There you go your first improvised solo!
Now you need to loads and loads of improvisation find a fake book with a Cd anything with just heads and a repeated backing track and play as many pieces as you can but follow the above steps each time.
I have included a few simple other tunes with backing tracks for you to have a go at!
You may come across other chord symbols which you are not familiar with if so let me know and Il tell you the easiest mode to attach it to!
