4 Music Theory Concepts for Jazz Improvisation

One of the biggest myths I hear about jazz improvisation is that you need to know a ton of music theory. And personally, I couldn't disagree more.

In fact, I know some musicians that don't know any music theory and can't even read music, yet are incredible jazz improvisers. I think learning things by ear and learning jazz standards and all this stuff is probably more important.

However, I do think knowing music theory is very important and can be helpful and so, I want to simplify things in today's video and go over the 4 music theory concepts that I think you need to know.

💥Important Links and Resources💥

Further reading:

[joepalooka]

Hey Brent, best quote about jazz and music theory that I've heard---- from Miles Davis, who studied at "FIRST YOU HAVE TO LEARN ALL THAT STUFF, THEN YOU HAVE TO FORGET IT".

[doomboogie]

-Modes
-Foundation in Blues
-Tension
-251

[morrisrobl]

I found this to be a valuable insight: Gary Burton said the player he worked with who had the least theoretical knowledge was Stan Getz. He also said that what Stan DID know was how to spell the chords backward and forward. He then used his ear to weave lines around the chord tones.

[alford]

II V I progressions in all keys definitely gave me more freedom to feel like I can express myself.

[mikegeld]

Definitely the modes, this will help you navigate jazz etc, much easier, seriously, they're very important, but there's alot of them, To keep up in jazz you must know them, fullstop

[arnieus]

Something that stuck with me from an interview with Barney Kessel many years ago in Down Beat. He said something like young players are trying to get music from scales, however he was devising scales for his music. Engaging melodies are the goal.

[audas]

I taught myself before there was any internet, so not very technical - but something that blew my mind when learning blues was that a minor was c major blues, which was also Fur Elise theme. I figured from there I could include these with each other. I had originally, and mistakenly, thought that when chords changed I needed to change the entire scale. So when I fixed that and stuck to a scale with chord progressions, I realized I could start using other scales that fitted with the chords/key if that makes sense.

So then I could play anything that fitted with the chords - so once I learned lots of scales - pitch intervals, I could mash em in. What I found was you could then incorporate all kinds of exotic scales like Gypsie etc. I ended up really just looking for notes to avoid.

[michael.lentsman]

- Major scale (and all of its modes, triads and 7th chords);
- Melodic minor scale (modes, triads & 7th ch)
- Harmonic minor (modes, triads & 7th ch)

[moisesmena]

Please a longer video on the dame topic!

[patrickgallagher]

Just do a lot, a LOT of listening. When working on theory, you'll start to hear many similarities between artists; the concept will become more familiar to you, therefore it's easy to understand. You'll hear Hank Jones and Bud Powell playing similar ideas, same with Lee Morgan and Kenny Dorham, Lester Young and Coleman Hawkins, Ray Brown and Paul Chambers, etc. Doing a lot of listening with help you to become a better musician

[jerryhorton]

Yep. You hit what I think the most important and universally useful Theory applications in just the first 2 points.
More knowledge is helpful but those are the basics for all music

[Lutemann]

I'm glad that teachers are getting away from the concept of what scale goes over what chord. Playing arpeggios and connecting arpeggios is a more difficult thing for beginners, but it will create a solid framework for tonal improvisation. And you are right about how much theory you need; not much, but this theory must be learned thoroughly. The classic two semester college course is useful in terms of understanding some of this, especially harmonic function, but you really need to learn basic music theory to the point where it is internalized.

[slickwillie]

Chord function, tonic, submediant, and dominant, grouping the I, III, and VI chord as tonics, the II and IV chord as submediants, and the V and VII chords as dominants. This allows for the substitution of these for each other. 😃

[bargm]

Excellent content!! in addition, a real eye opener to me was "key centres". I guess you are kind of hitting on this when you describe the "chord progressions" knowledge. Figuring out that any Dm7-G7-C^7 that I see is in chart is essentially telling me "You're in C major for the next 4 bars" was really helpful to me. I know that in a pinch I can play simple diatonic lines for the next little while. An example of this was the first time i had to sight read and take an improv over Green Dolphin Street. I quickly found the changing key centres in the B section and was able to skate over the changes and sound passable. (it's not perfect but it's a good road map if you are lost) :)

[AlanHearnshaw]

At a higher level, I would say bebop scales and enclosures. Then really getting familiar with the sounds and “flavours” of the extended dominant notes (9th, 11th, 13th). I heard a good tip from Jeff Antoniak recently. He suggested playing various chords, and just hitting these extended dominant notes, to really absorb what they sound like, with a view to using those sounds in your solos.

Personally, I spent countless hours, many years ago, playing all the modes in all keys, and I now consider that a waste of time. It was a rabbit hole I went down which gave minimal returns.

[jtelevenoyd]

It's videos like this that give me some hope. I play multiple instruments. I understand chords, progressions, and guide tones, at least at a rudimentary level. Hell, I even read music and have a better-than-decent sense of relative pitch into the bargain.

But when someone trying to explain a tune starts in about how you want to play blahblahblah mode over this measure, and hominahomina mode over the subsequent measure and a half, and how the bridge shifts to [insert indecipherable technobabble here] for three measures and then segues back to blahblahblah mode but with a tonal somethingorother x-point-six-five steps above the previous as an obvious homage to some mutant Coltrane aural acid trip from a 1968 Halloween gig in the attic at ... Yeah, my eyes glazed over roughly two masters' theses ago.

Surprisingly or not, all of my best music teachers came from jazz backgrounds. I think the problem is that most of my actual public playing has been in various subgenres of rock, pop, and country.

I think you've given me a pretty good idea of what I need to do to get from here to ... someplace better, though. Glad I subscribed to this channel.

And thank you!

[tareknebri]

Seriously this channel deserves way more subscribers ! Really great stuff, keep it up man !

[Paolo-ienh]

Theory is just a must. Even if someone is gifted. You have to develop that, and theory
can accelerate that process.

I believe CAGED system is very important to
know as well. Someone can move afterwards
to the 3Notes per Strings system, but understanding and practicing the CADED
was very helpful to me. Understanding the
fretboard. Then Intervals should not be
underestimated……as well as sequences exercises.

[garyjermyn]

I believe my comment really reflects your #1 suggestion; CHORDS. However, my revelation of a great jazz sound came recently when I finally discovered the triads above the basic diatonic chords (9, 13 etc. ) and the building block of all the triads. Also discovered that many jazz standard melodies are composed with these and altered chords. They are beautiful and jazzy

[soundguitar]

I think the phrygian dominant scale is pretty helpful to know as well for playing over V chords in minor keys, so the b9 and b13 can be addressed. I think that just chord tones and mixolydian feels too major in a minor ii V i. I often have people play the major parent scales, not even thinking of modes yet, over ii and V in major keys, and then the phrygian dominant over a V chord in a minor key - or just thinking harmonic minor parent scale of the minor tonic that's being targeted. Just joining the convo with my two cents for fun. Great teaching, my friend!