3 Steps for Bebop Soloing

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Video by Astrid Asmundsson

Cecil Alexander is an Assistant Professor of Guitar at Berklee College of Music and is now joining the Jazz Lesson Videos Team as a Jazz Gym Trainer! A few of Cecil's accolades include: Finalist in the 2019 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition, 1st Place Winner of the 2017 Wilson Center Jazz Guitar Competition, 1st Place Winner 2018 Lee Ritenour Six String Theory Competition. Cecil has recorded/performed with Bill Charlap, Antonio Hart, Lee Pearson, Luis Perdomo, Nathan East, and Steve LaSpina.

#Jazz #Guitar #Improvisation

[tenbroeck]

This should be required learning - but then so many lesser teachers would have nothing to stretch into hundred of lessons. This is brilliant Cecil Alexander - you're beast!

[projectifier]

Those open lines really show how good your ear is, reacting in real time to what you play. Your a true listener of Jazz and it shows.

[johnnyblue]

As an advanced 📀”jazz piano” student, I must admit you offer a useful approach to constructing basic lines over a standard cadence.
Preciate ya, Bro.

[docsharmonicablues]

After listening to this video, I now finally begin to understand how to start using the bebop scale !! Thank you so much, Cecil !! 😲💥👍

[Hi-xswm]

Great thank you ( and line at 6:24 is Wonderful ! )

[aurepac]

Excellent lesson. Perfect clarity on the entire subject. Made for an easy and enjoyable lesson. Thank you!

[gitarmats]

Such clear and solid vocabulary! Cecil is so good!

[petersmichaeld]

for presenting this approach to basic bebop improvisation. ....Kind of you for sharing ...most appreciative

[artivrolijkekunst]

Very nice composition! I like the first part with 7 chromatic notes on a role. You can add a D# note before it, like a pick-up note. Than all the way down with the bebop scale. The F major 7 arpeggios works very well, the last 2 notes are an enclosure. Lastly resolving to the 9 of the maj 7 chord. It's like a formula for a great line!

[theteetones]

The clearest and best explanation for both approach and opening your ear and vocabulary usage I have ever heard. Everything FINALLY makes sense. Thank you so much for sharing and breaking it down for us! Appreciate you!

[Jamestele]

Congrats - THis should be the first week or weeks of Bebop Lead Guitar Principals. I love the Workbook. This and your Bebook Etudes and Post Bop books have helped me evolve from a Rock/Funk & Country player who took theory but could only play Jazz "Licks" to jamming with the head of JMU's Music Department and being able to "hold my own" to my great surprise and pleasure.

[MTCBrussels]

Really brilliant! Nothing else to add. Many thanks!

[egclifton]

LOVE your playing Cecil!! Beautiful and clean. Your lines are so well constructed!

[KhojTheband]

A simple but very effective recepie for getting that bebop sound!
One question - over the ii chord Dm7 as well as the G7 we are using the G dominant bebop scale right? And landing the Root, 3rd, 5th, 7th of G7 on the strong beats, even on the Dm7. How does that work?

[elrafa]

Opening so many doors… and tons of work. Thanks

[joelbloggs]

Thanks, a brilliant lesson, in bebop.

[DanielVerberne]

I'm an amateur guitarist in my 40s. I've been playing the guitar since I was maybe 12 years old. I had professional lessons from an excellent guitar teacher for maybe 5 years back in my early 20s, before giving it up as it became more difficult in terms of music theory (and arguably more interesting!). I sincerely regret ending my musical education now because while the lessons were undeniably hugely beneficial, I regret that I've really felt my musical limits in the years since. I can read sheet music to a basic level and my overall technique is fairly sound, but my reliance on visualisation, shapes and patterns over theoretical knowledge, deliberate, reasoned intent behind my note choices and lack of knowledge of notes across the fretboard mean that I feel quite 'caged in'. (Or should that be CAGED in?!)

I truly and sincerely envy and admire musicians - but especially guitarists - who have managed to take their knowledge from the early foundations and really build upon it with good habits, routines and thinking patterns. I find myself frequently checking out YouTube videos purporting to explain this or that musical concept and sometimes it makes sense, other times it does not. I feel like a cheat or a fraud as a musician as a result of my hampered skillset and knowledge and so it's a really wonderful contrast to see musicians at their craft who are able to understand what is going on musically and be able to give rationale behind why they play the things they play. I realise a lot of steady hard work and time and dedication goes into any sense of 'breezy familiarity', but it's still incredible and almost unbelievable for someone like me to see. Absolute kudos to any musician who manages to get their 'mind' around musical theory to a degree where it becomes innate and intuitive - it's a wonderful thing you possess.

[alainroyer]

I learn a lot thanks to this vidéo. Thank you very much!
Alain

[EzioAzio]

you learn jazz better than the other youtuber from italy great

[fredflander]

Great lesson . Using a guitar with dot markers would be helpful. Greatings from Germany