Jazz Improvisation: Stumbling Blocks & Stepping Stones

Curtis Winters, featuring Improv Pathways

Stumbling Block 1: I cant talk about chord tones because of transposition confusion.
Solution: Use numbers to represent chord tones.
Stumbling Block 2: After working on scales & arpeggios the students still play random notes when improvising.
Solution: Practice and develop muscle memory with good jazz patterns.
Jazz Pattern 1
Jazz Pattern 2
Jazz Pattern 3

Stumbling Block 3: My students are uninterested or afraid of improvising.

Solution: Have conversations with scale/chord tones and do Group Improv exercises.
Stumbling Block 4: Since improvisation is a soloistic act it cannot be regularly experienced in a large class.
Solution: Let them all solo at the same time or in small groups.
Stumbling Block 5: All the chords and scales are confusing!
Solution: Start with one chord/scale until MASTERED, then add another and focus on connections
between them. Learn each new chord/scale in a systematic, step-by-step fashion.
Finding the IV Chord Scale

Stumbling Block 6: The theory and skills required to play over chord changes is too confusing and difficult!
Solution: Develop full understanding of essential vocabulary and concepts. Practice and memorize

Multi-chord Group Improv Exercises, Interchange Patterns, and Guide Tone Patterns.
Stumbling Block 7: The Blues Scale.
Solution: Dont start with it, because it is not tonal and does not lead towards playing the changes.
The Blues Scale

Blues Scale Pattern

Altered Mixolydian Pattern

Stumbling Block 8: Each rhythm section instrument requires uniqe skills.

Solution: Teach everyone basic comping skills. Provide basic voicings for piano & guitar. Include the

drummer in Call & Response exercises.
Guitar Chord Voicings

Ensemble Comping Exercise

Comping
Rhythm 3
Whatever chord tone
you are playing here

Play the FLATTED

version here

And the SHARPED

version here

Piano 3-Note Voicings

Drum Set Timekeeping Patterns

Timekeeping 1

Timekeeping 2

Timekeeping 3

Timekeeping 4

Stumbling Block 9: My concert and festival schedule does not give me enough time to work on improvisation.
Solution: Start with a focus on improvisation and cover the essentials in the first 4-5 months.
Stumbling Block 10: I cant model improvisation for my students.
Solution: Model prepared patterns and exercises...until you learn to improvise yourself.
7C

Stumbling Block 11: Transcribing is too hard!

Solution: Find simpler solos that use the same chords you are studying and transcribe them as a class.
Stumbling Block 12: Our performance songs dont have the same chords that we have been studying.
Solution: Study chords that correlate with the current years repertoire, or choose repertoire based on the

chords you want to study (book: Teaching Improv in Your Jazz Ensemble by Zach Poulter).
Bonus Solution: At-A-Glance Fingering Charts
Guitar At-A-Glance Charts

Piano At-A-Glance Charts

Alto Sax At-A-Glance Charts

Trombone At-A-Glance Charts

Sample CD

Call & Response Patterns

Black numbers ( ) = I Chord (Concert B b7)

Striped numbers ( ) = IV Chord (Concert E b7)
White Numbers ( ) = V Chord (Concert F 7)

In each pattern, numbers are used to represent the scale

tones of the I, IV, and V Chords. Each level of patterns is
presented in a Call-and-Response format on the CD.

Level 1 - I Chord: 3 Notes

1A

1B

1E

1F

1C

Track 1
1D

Level 3 - I Chord: 6 Notes

3A

3B

3E

3F

3C

3D

3G

Level 5 - I Chord with Altered Tones

5A

5E

5B

Track 2

5C

5F

5D

5G

Track 3

Level 6 - IV Chord: 4 Notes

6A

6B

6C

Track 4
6D

6E

Level 7 - I Chord to IV Chord

7A

7B

7C

7D

Level 11 - V Chord: 4 Notes

11A

11B

11C

Track 5

Track 6
11D

11E

Level 12 - I Chord to V Chord

12A

12B

12C

12D

Track 7

Practice Tracks
Track 8

Track 9

I Chord - Concert Bb7

Track 10

IV Chord - Concert E b7

V Chord - Concert F7

Head Charts & Solo Sections

Track 11

Track 12

I Chord Swing
Solo Section

I Chord Rock
Solo Section

Track 14

I Chord Swing Chart:

Its a Figure of Speech

Track 15

Track 13

I Chord Rock Chart:

One For The Road

Track 16

Blues Swing
Solo Section

Blues Swing Chart:

Backseat Driver Blues

All instrumental parts may be downloaded from

www.improvpathways.com for a limited time.

Solos for Transcribing

I Chord Swing Solos
Track 17 - Alto Sax Solo
Track 18 - Trombone Solo
Track 19 - Guitar Solo
Track 20 - Bass Solo

I Chord Rock Solos

Track 21 - Tenor Sax Solo
Track 22 - Piano Solo

Blues Swing Solos

Track 23 - Tenor Sax Solo
Track 24 - Trumpet Solo
Track 25 - Piano Solo

Improvising Pathway Samples

Track 26

Improvising 2:
Rhythmic Playing

1) Use scale tone 1 to echo the sentences

On Your
2) Use scale tones 2-3 to echo the sentences
Instrument:
b

3) Use scale tones 7-1-2-3 to have a conversation

Track 27

Original Pattern

Different Rhythm

1st Half of the Pattern

2nd Half of the Pattern

Improvising 4:
Single Pattern

Track 28

Improvising 6:
Telling A Story

Scenario 2

Scenario 1

You see someone you

want to meet, but dont
know what to say.

You had a miserable

day, and must tell us
ALL about it!

Track 29

Improvising 9:
Fixing Mistakes

Fix These Wrong Notes

By Moving Up or Down:

Scenario 3

You just scored the

winning goal in the
final seconds!

Transcribing Pathway Sample

Track 30

Transcribing 4:
Trumpet Solo

Use your ear-to-hand coordination skills to

figure out the notes for the Trumpet Solo.
Transcribe the first 8 measures onto
the worksheet below and check your answers.

55

Transcribing Answer Key

Blank Transcribing Worksheets
may be downloaded from
www.improvpathways.com
on the PDF Downloads page.

Group Improv Pathway Samples

Track 31: Group Improv 1

Track 32: Group Improv 3

Riff 1:

Riff 1:

Riff 2:

Riff 2:

Bass:

Bass:

Guide Tone Pattern Sample

6

Track 33: Guide Tone Pattern 2