Smooth Jazz Exercise

Name: Smooth Jazz Exercise
Uploaded: 2023-04-21
Description: Step through a smooth-jazz solo development that uses a single motive and multiple modal, rhythmic, and textural techniques.

Published: 2023-04-21

improvisation pentatonics Practice Workout upper structures type:workout

Step through a smooth-jazz solo development that uses a single motive and multiple modal, rhythmic, and textural techniques.

This lesson breaks down a short smooth-jazz solo, demonstrating how a single C Lydian motive is iterated and modalized across chords using modal scales, upper-structure and pentatonic approaches, rhythmic displacement, grid shifts, accents, and harmonizing with fourths. Clear measure-by-measure examples show how to adapt the motive to different chords (e.g., D Ionian, F Lydian, Bb Ionian) and how to employ techniques like iii/vi minor pentatonics, Dorian usage, upper-structure triads and quartal voicings, and triplet vs. 16th-note grids. Includes guidance on using grace notes, accents for polyrhythms/hemiolas, and where to find the PDF and backing track to practice along.

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