Category: b) Harmony & Comping
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Using Upper Structures in Solos
The key to using “upper structures” is to observe that simple major and minor triads exist in the upper reaches of altered dominant chords. These structures are often used by pianists and guitarists in chord voicings, but they are also very effective in solo lines. Had you considered that you can play, for instance, an…
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How to Handle a Sus Chord Part II – Sus Blues
Most learning players approach a blues by combining the following two approaches: Using figures from the blues scales over quite straight old-fashioned blues harmony. Using bebop scales and language over elaborated “jazz blues” changes. There’s another way to go about things, though, and it’s characteristic of McCoy Tyner’s approach (as heard on albums such as…
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The Secret of Jazz? Mathematics
Forget technical studies, listening to the greats, learning licks, advanced harmony, playing out, networking and “living the life”. Well, don’t forget them at all, actually. But those are the obvious bits, and there’s a very simple principle that most learners completely overlook as they strive to progress in jazz. They’re usually too busy with the high-flown…
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How to Handle a Sus Chord Part I – the Real McCoy
It’s a common problem among people learning how to improvise that they freeze when faced with a sus chord. I’ve often found that the reason people don’t know what to play over this chord type is that they don’t really understand it. Here are a few ways of tackling this mysterious chord type that should…
Jason Lyon Music 