5 Exercises That Will Help You Solo over Chord Changes

Learning how to solo over chord changes is pretty difficult, especially if you also want to be free to play melodies that move across the chords so that you are not just playing something on one chord and something else on the next.

In this video, I am going to show you 5 exercises that will help you develop these skills. The exercises are mostly pretty common and are probably more about how you understand the chord changes and think about the exercises that will help you learn to play better solos. I think you will see what I mean along the way.

Content:
0:00 Intro
1:00 #1 Learn The Arpeggios But Not Only How To Play Them
2:13 Not Only Thinking In Intervals - Here's Why!
3:56 #2 Give It Some Context - Add the Scales
4:47 #3 Put It In The Same Range - Where the Real Overview Is
5:56 #4 Connect the Chords - Voice-leading and Melodies
6:48 #5 Think Ahead - Universal Good Advice, Also in Jazz Solos
10:07 Avoid these mistakes in your solos!
10:18 Like the video? Check out my Patreon page

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My name is Jens Larsen, Danish Jazz Guitarist, and Educator. The videos on this channel will help you explore and enjoy Jazz. Some of it is how to play jazz guitar, but other videos are more on Music Theory like Jazz Chords or advice on how to practice and learn Jazz, on guitar or any other instrument.

The videos are mostly jazz guitar lessons, but also music theory, analysis of songs and videos on jazz guitars.

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[arnokimchen]

Every single video of Jens Larsen is a gem...we r so lucky and privileged to have you ...God bless you

[arnokimchen]

The best jazz teacher on the internet ...learning so much from you...so structured and informative for someone like me who doesn't have the luxury of going to a jazz school

[hjcr]

The sheer amount of solid information on your videos is amazing. You don't skim on theory. If anyone here reads this, TAKE YOUR TIME with Jens' videos. They're not videos to watch 5 of them on the train on your way to work. If you focus on one of them a week, you have material for years and you can still come back revisit.

[JensLarsen]

How Do You Approach Soloing on Chord Changes? Share a great tip or an exercise! :)
Content:
0:00 Intro
1:00 #1 Learn The Arpeggios But Not Only How To Play Them
2:13 Not Only Thinking In Intervals - Here's Why!
3:56 #2 Give It Some Context - Add the Scales
4:47 #3 Put It In The Same Range - Where the Real Overview Is
5:56 #4 Connect the Chords - Voice-leading and Melodies
6:48 #5 Think Ahead - Universal Good Advice, Also in Jazz Solos
10:07 Avoid these mistakes in your solos!
10:18 Like the video? Check out my Patreon page

[Marceloseiao]

Teacher Larsen, I am from Brazil. I always watch your videos. I learn a lot from your teachings. Thank you very much!

[roscoebeach]

Love Jens. Great lessons. Damn I want that vintage Yamaha double cutaway. Not to mention the Ibanez, Epiphone, etc.

[FunkyStrider]

So, I'm teaching myself jazz on the mandolin, and these videos are the best thing i've found on the internet, by far! The concepts are so well explained and universal that I don't have much trouble at all applying them to a different instrument. Thanks Jens for making this beautiful music accessible to more people of all skill levels!

[AyYoSteve]

One of these days, I will have this level of understanding and comfortability with theory and playing. This is so inspiring

[Aby]

No one explains like you, Jens :)
It took me a while to be in the mental space to pick up jazz improv but the self-quarantine has given me the opportunity, so I watch your videos and learn so much. I’m finally working my way through Autumn Leaves! So, thank you for doing everything you do.

[silvanobravin]

You made me Re-Love playing Guitar.
Thank you so much.

[insidejazzguitar]

Well-considered concepts and explanations. An additional exercise I’ve been finding helpful is to rest after each target note and only play the 3 eighth notes directly before the next target note. Very helpful for learning to think ahead.

[colinreynolds]

That is truly one of the most beautiful guitars I have ever seen in my life. You make it sound fantastic! Excellent video, very helpful.

[Jamie-jsqw]

this was interesting for a non-jazz beginner. So for each chord, try and end on the third.

[jeromebanaszynski]

What a great lesson. Thank you.
The problem is, I keep hearing So many song melodies in these exercises that I keep going off on tangents! Very fun

[valentinakaramazova]

Not a very original comment, but thank so much for teaching us for free, basically. I used to play guitar (usually metal stuff) up until I was 16, I got pretty good at it in what I wanted, but then switched to the piano. Now, at 28, I'm picking it up again and your videos are immensely helpful!

[patrickdavies]

"that bebop, or even Bach kind of flow".

Love it.

[violinoscar]

This is good advice and I have lived by it for over 40 years. There is also a lot to be said for playing the chord progression. When I first started if you wanted a chord progression to practice over you bought a 60 minute tape and played the chords over and over and over. By the time you had your tape you were really familiar with how the progression sounded and were better equipped to improvise over it. (It also did wonders for your chord vocabulary as you had to keep changing it to avoid monotony.)
What happen so much today is we use computers to generate the progression, or buy a recording etc and this part of the learning process is missed, just getting the sound of the changes under your fingers.
This is just something that I have realized in hindsight that really helped me. If you can use it that's good. If you can't, that's ok too. Cheers

[jeffreystyler]

Your most concise, concrete and clear presentation ever. Thanks Jens!

[deano.]

Presently this type of knowledge is right where I am at. Not necessarily in soloing but this answers questions I keep coming to. Thanking you sincerely.
Sometimes a little gem of knowledge, really does give you a light bulb moment.

[RCSmiths]

Keeping up with and understanding the progression as it changes is definitely pivotal to serving the song! Awesome!