Improvisation Exercises
Know what you're doing? If so, start the timer opposite and do 20 minutes of improvisation exercises. Pick two you find challenging from the list below and spend half the time on each one.
1. Hitting root notes. 2. Solo with limited rhythmic subdivisions. 3. Solo with limited string sets. 4. Solo using a pattern you don't normally use. (You can also combine where appropriate). Otherwise, for descriptions and resources read on. |
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Overview and Benefits
In this section of home practice you will be constructing solos within particular constraints.
Each scenario will impose a strict set of rules and working within those limitations will force you to make improvements in your execution of certain skills.
Becoming comfortable with each exercise will help you immensely to break out of old habits, and will give you a new level control and flexibility in your solos.
Each scenario will impose a strict set of rules and working within those limitations will force you to make improvements in your execution of certain skills.
Becoming comfortable with each exercise will help you immensely to break out of old habits, and will give you a new level control and flexibility in your solos.
Option 1: Hitting root notes
This is a foundational exercise which can be taken to a high level. If you really don't know where to start playing over the 12 bar blues, then start with this exercise. It starts very simple but gives you a foundation in observing the chord changes in the simplest way - by hitting the root note of every chord as it comes up in the backing.
Level 1
Stage 1 - Just hit the correct root note on the 1 of each bar.
Stage 2 - Start from any note in the scale, and move stepwise to your root note. Stop when you hit the root note.
Stage 3 - Freely improvise, being aware of the root notes, and highlighting them to show you are observing the chord changes.
For higher levels follow this link : Target tones Extensions
or in the key of G : Target tones Extensions in G
Level 1
Stage 1 - Just hit the correct root note on the 1 of each bar.
Stage 2 - Start from any note in the scale, and move stepwise to your root note. Stop when you hit the root note.
Stage 3 - Freely improvise, being aware of the root notes, and highlighting them to show you are observing the chord changes.
For higher levels follow this link : Target tones Extensions
or in the key of G : Target tones Extensions in G
Resources
Option 2: Solo with limited rhythmic subdivisions
In this exercise you will solo continuously phrases using
Here are the subdivisions you should try to use
Don't assume that the faster tempos are more difficult. In fact, with more movement allowed, it can be easier to use the faster tempos. The slower tempos (especially quarter notes) really make you consider each note and are very beneficial for learning control. |
Try these backing tracks to start with:
Follow this link for higher levels |
Option 3: Solo with limited string sets
In this exercise you pick a string pair and improvise using only that string pair. You can do this in any key, but the example given is in A. The string sets you can use are
Strings 1 and 2 Strings 2 and 3 Strings 3 and 4 Strings 4 and 5 Strings 5 and 6 Here's a backing track in A. |
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Option 4: Solo using a pattern or scale you don't normally use
For the minor pentatonic, this could mean deliberately using pattern 5, or pattern 3.
Once you have mastered the minor pentatonic and feel comfortable, you could move on to using the major pentatonic or the hybrid scale.
Once you have mastered the minor pentatonic and feel comfortable, you could move on to using the major pentatonic or the hybrid scale.