5 Easy Jazz Solo Exercises That You Want To Know

[@JensLarsen]

What do you start with when practicing soloing over a chord progression? Level up your Jazz Phrasing with the 3 most important Bebop licks: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJqpi5eCm5yUZ9E

[@folchandre]

OMG, I'm 54 and this is the first time my guitar sounds a lil bit like jazz in my entire life... HOW DID YOU DO THAT? I'm amazed!! Something weird has happened to my fingers, I just sound RIGHT!!!

[@JensLarsen]

Great! Glad you find it useful 🙂

[@folchandre]

@@JensLarsen in my case this is more than useful, this is a miracle! Hahahaha lol thank you!

[@Regicited]

I'm a jazz sax player and this video really helped

[@iancnnr]

Thanks Jens your a breath of fresh air.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it Ian 🙂

[@Earthstein]

I know everybody says it, but you are very generous with your free KZbin lessons. Additionally, if I didn't like your playing I wouldn't pay attention or learn from you. I appreciate your work very much.

[@johncrbayley]

Thanks

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it is useful 🙂

[@erenadak]

Teşekkürler.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! I really appreciate the support 🙂

[@Average401]

Thanks Jens, this really helped

[@JensLarsen]

Great! 🙂 Glad it was useful

[@piotrbalmusic]

This is a spectacular way to develop one's own concept how to solo over changes and actually make sense... 👏

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! Really glad that you like it!

[@fran12rs]

You explain all the things my teacher does in person. It is so useful to be able to see the explanations again. Regards from Spain.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! Really glad it is useful 🙂

[@Billywagner22]

Best channel on KZbin.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you!

[@TarasSlipets]

This is one of the best, clear, and inspiring explanations I've ever seen about improvisation fundamentals. Huge thanks!

[@SurunganHasudunganMarpaung]

Yes, indeed 👍

[@brentwheeler2087]

A great piece of teaching here Jens. I am a long, long time follower and supporter of your work but I thought this was a stand out. Plenty of patience, fundamental useful material and "not scared" to be nice and simple. It helps the learning process so much... and that is the critical thing. Thank you for such an effort and taking the time to review and work so hard on how best to help us !!! It is appreciated.

[@JensLarsen]

Really glad to hear that you find it useful, Brent 🙂

[@MarcoCastilloWorld]

loved the samba skeleton...lol I'm from Brazil.Following you for a while, the best guitar channel on KZbin, Brazilian greetings from Canada!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Marco! I really appreciate that 🙂

[@nekrovulpes]

I'm a peasant and I don't know shit about jazz or even much music theory, so the samba skeleton really helps keep me invested. Good work.

[@JensLarsen]

Haha! Glad that was useful 😁

[@RC32Smiths01]

It is always essential to learning the ins and outs of how to construct solos from a fudamental's standpoint. Great work!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you think so RC!

[@RC32Smiths01]

@@JensLarsen Cheers!

[@eddierey5202]

This is fantastic, yet again. Love the humorous bits you add in your videos!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much!

[@Planatification]

You inspire me! I used to dislike jazz but I've come around.

[@JensLarsen]

Great! Glad you enjoy the music!

[@aberhan]

This is very helpful, it simplifies what can become an overly complex topic.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was useful!

[@mauromesko]

Simple and great

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it

[@jayseb]

So simple yet so insightful... that's when you know you have a good video.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@yayayeahyeah6606]

great great great! thanks a lot

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you liked it!

[@benkatof4240]

When practicing a solo on a new song i start out exactly as you say - it's so sensible. But i really start with the head, get the chords and harmony in a few positions, the melody, do a basic chord-melody, and then work on the solo. - another wonderful lesson, by the way!

[@JensLarsen]

Sounds solid Ben! :)

[@carlosalcala1004]

Always is good return to the arpegios when you need ideas for soloing. Thanks for sharing. I follow your videos from México.

[@JensLarsen]

My pleasure!

[@davidxedwards]

This video came at the perfect time for the Paul Davids NLP guitar course I’m taking, and the I-vi-ii-V jazz progression exercise I’m currently working on 👍

[@JensLarsen]

Great to hear! Say hi to Paul!

[@VitalBigras]

Thank You Jens, I am still working on your course : "Jazz Guitar Roadmap" and it is REALLY helpful! I can now understand and appreciate more the improvisation ideas that you share in this video!

[@JensLarsen]

Wonderful to hear Gilles! :)

[@billmiller9763]

I got an Idea ! Buy a looper . Record one cord application. And play over it many many times . And then another cord .Maybe cut the tempo buy 1/2 and play over it till you get it if you need to .Then try the whole song at nomal tempo.

[@lilpoodle2680]

That’s what i been doing these days 😂

[@gianlucaliberatore106]

THANK YOU for analyzing A7 as [V] and not VI7 like many others would

[@JensLarsen]

Haha! You're very welcome 😁

[@JivinRed]

@Minute6:12, ... yep that's totally what I do! Haha. It's really just a mashup of licks that I'm trying to play back-to-back at high speed (and I'm usually falling off the rails). This is very helpful to get me out of that rut. Thank you.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@JF-em6hr]

Please Please more easier stuff like this. Thank you.

[@MikenasFlohr]

Super stuff Jens. It's still mostly above my head but you're making a campfire guitarist sound vaguely... jazzy. Thanks.

[@JensLarsen]

Go for it James 🙂

[@drsteviejasengnsangma8739]

wow!!! Jazz made easy Thank you so much for sharing it for free

[@Will-sh8kl]

This lesson is just in time! I got down because I've gotten a little lost just practicing many chords and theory. I needed something concrete to work on and here you produced it for me. A nice progression and solo. Getting ready to record it into my looper pedal, then work on soloing over top. I'll practice and work on this for a week.. thanks again Jens! You rock! I mean, you jazz! 😁🙏

[@Will-sh8kl]

Ok I just recorded the progression. A tip to others that may be beginners like me... you don't realize how much work you need to do until you try recording a clean progression with headphones on and volume up. Lol! I've realized how bad my timing is and flubbing notes and chords. I'll keep working on it and doubt I'll be satisfied with it.

[@JensLarsen]

The metronome is your friend!

[@Pedreone]

Thank you. This is brilliant.

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! I am glad you like it! 🙂

[@Roberto-yn9fq]

Thank you Jens, fantastic lesson. 👌

[@JensLarsen]

You are very welcome, Roberto 🙂

[@andreasn8615]

Thank you Jens for another great lesson!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ParsevalMusic]

Goooood! Wish jazz was unlimited only to watch unlimited number of your videos :)

[@fashionstar0010]

very very very useful ...thank you !!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@trevorbayfield4006]

I had the the video paused on the A7 Arpeggio for fifteen minutes, hahaha. Great stuff Mr Larsen

[@SimonFreston]

Great tips, I can play the arpeggios and add chromatic notes but was getting bored with everything sounding like a separate phase on an individual chord. Focusing on the third makes a lot of sense. Gonna try it! Thanks Jens!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@rocketpost1]

Nice lesson Jens, you can really hear the sound of jazz in that simple progression. They also sound good played between the third and the sixth fret starting at C on the 5 string so C5B3E2, A6G4C#3, D5C#3F2 and G6F4B3. Thanks.

[@JensLarsen]

Great! Yes, that works as well 🙂

[@RodrigoRaez]

What a great lesson! So clearly explained with really practical advices. The target note is an amazing concept for helping you getting fluid in your solos. Gold material. Thanks for this invaluable information, Mr. Jens Larsen.

[@Shuzies]

Sweet....just what I need....thank you

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Ron! Glad you like it!

[@l6srob990]

nice lesson as always thankyou

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@Pino122012]

Excellent advise. Thank you Jens :)

[@JensLarsen]

You are very welcome 🙂

[@artompkins7958]

“Pick a target note from the next chord and aim for it” (paraphrasing) - brilliant advice, sir. I have recently worked out a transcription of Coleman Hawkins “Body and Soul”. It seems so many levels over basic improvisation - have you ever done a video on just what is going on in that masterwork? Thanks for sharing all that you do, Jens. You are a master musician and teacher!

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! No, I never did a video on that one. The saxophone solo videos are just not what people like on this channel for some reason :)

[@snorky500]

Seems simple but there is a lot going on. I learned more in this lesson than any others. But i have not taken that many. Thanks!

[@JensLarsen]

Glad it was helpful!

[@2chordloops]

Great video Jens! Nice explanation of target notes!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@GeorgePatmas]

This is great!! Thanks for the video!! I like using common tones when transitioning from different chords in improvisation!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! That can be a great effect as well!

[@vincej151]

As always a great lesson. You make everything sound so easy. My personal challenge is that I generally have no idea what the notes are in the next chord are and so targeting and playing towards a specific note is not possible for me. I have started writing out the notes in all the chords, and trying to see which notes are unique to that chord. This a real job and takes a lot of the fun out of playing. The net result is that I practice less and less. Bummer I know. I am envious of those people who can play towards a note with such ease. Thanks as always.

[@JensLarsen]

Isn't that mostly a question of building that habit?

[@vincej151]

@@JensLarsen Please help me understand better: do I simply need to buckle down and learn/memorise the notes within the all principal chords? Thanks

[@JensLarsen]

@@vincej151 Well, take one song at the time,. Learning the song would include learning the chords and then also the notes that are in those chords. It is not as much as it sounds like once you get into it.

[@vincej151]

@@JensLarsen Thanks for your help - I will give it a go. This is a *BIG* change for someone who has only played the minor blues scale over everything. I have noticed that you have recently started to dumb down your tutorials, to make them a little more accessible to types like me. Thank you. I have been following you for years ( I am the guy who went to the BSN in the 1970s!) however, I have to admit that often found your lessons very technical, and therefore too advanced. Here's hoping for new things!

[@luisbenites4825]

This is a little bit like saying when writing poetry it's a lot of work to try to match the words because your vocabulary is lacking, taking the fun out of it. But as you learn more words (the tones of chords) it'll require no work at all and open the door to a universe of word you can now string together without having to think about them or looking them up

[@ukulelechriswilson]

That's exactly, nice job and vidéo. Best Regards.

[@JensLarsen]

Many thanks! Glad it was useful :)

[@maikpanknin3509]

Really helpful. Thanks for sharing your knowledge :)

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you can put it to use 🙂

[@JackJack-zy3wi]

I've fallen in love with jazz...

[@JensLarsen]

That is mostly not a problem on this channel :)

[@robertovelloso1192]

The solo that appears in the background at 4:00 is taken from any lesson ? If positive, which lesson ?

[@JensLarsen]

It is from a transcription I posted on Instagram. It is now available on Patreon: www.patreon.com/posts/you-stepped-out-47359394

[@robertovelloso1192]

@@JensLarsen Thanks. I'll check it !!!

[@SergioCaputoMusic]

Good Lord! You're great. But how much do you work on each of these videos?

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! I spend a few days on each video together with my editor 🙂

[@SergioCaputoMusic]

really well done.

[@kmvenezia4337]

After 50 years of playing jazz, I found many tutorials on the net that make me cringe. I find mr. Larsen excellent

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you!! :)

[@krispyisfrisky8881]

My ears just melted

[@JensLarsen]

Oh dear 😁

[@cuppajoeman8569]

3:22 - You recommend using a D harmonic minor. I am trying to understand why, this is what I have gotten thus far: From what I gather we are doing a 2 5 1 in the key of C, so the main notes we would use are the notes in that scale: C D E F G A B C We add in a secondary dominant (A7) - it's notes would be A C# E G (X) Now we pretend that the current key is D minor - we can do this because the current chord is D minor. The notes in D minor would be D E F G A Bb C. With respect to A7, we could raise the C to a C# so that every note of A7 would be in the scale. Raising this note makes it a D harmonic minor scale - this is why we can improvise with it. == Question == How can we assume/pretend (X) that the key is D minor? As this alters the original C major scale to have a Bb.

[@cuppajoeman8569]

From my point of view would this be more suitable? We are playing in C major so our main notes would be: C D E F G A B When we are going to improvise on top of the A7 - we would like to include notes from the D Dorian scale, because this one only contains notes from C major still. (D E F G A B C) Modifying that to match with the A7 we can raise the C to a C#, to get D E F G A B C#, which is D Melodic minor. So would we improvise with D Melodic Minor over the A7?

[@JensLarsen]

No, mainly because the sound of a dominant in minor is usually from Harmonic minor and in the context, Dm7 is a subdominant chord, and the note that signals that the progression moves to the subdominant is a Bb which is the b9 on A7.

[@JensFastrup]

Tak Jens, godt forklaret!

[@JensLarsen]

Fint at det var nyttigt 🙂

[@prodbyaye8751]

Jens sir this lesson was quite helpful but how do I make solos sound more like smooth jazz🙏

[@JensLarsen]

I don't know, I am not a huge fan of smooth jazz

[@prodbyaye8751]

@@JensLarsen sir u taught George Benson lessons too I want to write solos that sound like him becuz people often say he plays smooth jazz

[@JensLarsen]

So check out those lessons

[@albertvandrejer5003]

First thank you very much for all your great lessons. One kind request.. The song at 3:58 looks really fun to practice, could you tell me what it is and is it available somewhere? Best regards

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like them! That song is "You Stepped Out Of A Dream"

[@darrenschiminski7060]

I'll mark into lead sheets the target notes for the chord change; particularly 3rd's and 7th's. What are some other good reminders to drop into a lead sheet to help when you're learning to improvise over a tune? Anyone have any suggestions?

[@JensLarsen]

You could try to voice-lead some notes through the progression?

[@claudiotacconi7763]

This another great video, thanks once more Jens! Now, my barrier has always and for years been that I am not able to memorize the arpeggio's patterns... even after weeks of strong practice I tend to forget them very easily, which frustrates me a lot.

[@bebopisthetruth]

Play your arpeggios diatonically, for example, from the c major scale. It helped me more than any other single exercise and I got the idea from our friend Jens. I started working on this about six months ago and I play them everyday as part of my warm up. After you learn them in order, mix them up. Pretty soon you are outlining ii-V7-I’s with no effort required. Cheers!

[@ronalddejong4136]

Dank u!

[@JensLarsen]

Graag gedaan!

[@germansalvatierra9579]

Easy and cool

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you!

[@whistlemusic8572]

Another great video! Thanks for throwing in that Secondary Dominant, helps reinforce progress! What Drum VST are you using?

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! In this video I am using a drum track recorded by a friend of mine

[@brentgilbert4208]

Do you have a good method of memorizing the notes on the fretboard? Thanks Jens!

[@JensLarsen]

Yes I do! (at least I think so :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHbJnKd-odd1ias

[@hommedemystere]

Thanks for all your great videos, Jens, I have learned a lot from you. I do have a big question, though. You often talk about how important it is to play towards a target note in the next chord. I never do that. My approach to improvising is to simply hit one of the closest chord tones (or significant color tone) to wherever I happen to be on the fretboard at the moment. As I know where all the arpeggio notes are, the note I hit wasn't targeted... it was just fortuitously the one that happens to be close. I think that this approach has two advantages. First, I'm guessing that it requires much less thinking, and second, it produces very smooth flowing lines. I'll point out that my method doesn't prevent me from choosing a chord tone that is not close, and sometimes I do that to break things up. All this said, however, perhaps I'm missing an important point? Would love to get your feedback.

[@JensLarsen]

The target notes thinking is just to give the solo the right type of flow, you hear that in Bebop and Bach quite clearly. I think there is more to it than hitting the right note like you describe.

[@hommedemystere]

@@JensLarsen thanks for your response... would it be possible to say a bit more about why you think there is a difference? Both methods hit legitimate target notes... one is planned in advance, and the other simply uses the closest one at the moment of change.

[@pickngrimace4025]

I agree totally with what you say (about knowing where nearby chord tones are when you are ready to change chords), and try to either get to one of those on the downbeat of the next chord, or if you hit a non-chord tone by mistake, try to hear how that relates to the nearby chord tone so that you can use a chromatic enclosure or something like this to get to the nearby chord tone ASAP and make the mistake sound intentional. If you think too far ahead, you are not playing in the moment, and too much planning can make jazz become like classical music (over rehearsed and not reacting to what you are hearing or feeling in the moment).

[@hommedemystere]

@@pickngrimace4025 yep, that's how I feel about it, too. Having to think about the next target note a few beats down the road seems to get in the way of playing in the moment. That said, I would be interested in better understanding Jens's view on this.

[@pickngrimace4025]

@@hommedemystere Maybe if you are not actually improvising but composing lines and working towards becoming an improvising guitarist, then including target notes in your solo and composing lines that lead to those notes makes sense, but once you are improvising in real time, then maybe you should only think of target notes when you are very close to the end of the current chord getting ready for the next chord, and "thinking" would be more like being aware of what possible target notes existed nearby (or at an intervallic distance that was easy to get to and made good melodic sense).

[@pankajjoshi8292]

Sir can we get the backing track

[@JensLarsen]

I don't really make backing tracks for these videos so there isn't a backing track to give you.

[@pankajjoshi8292]

Can I get the backing track

[@JensLarsen]

I don't really make backing tracks, just stuff behind the exaples so there isn't one.

[@aayushprasain3521]

Which scale is needed to solo on the jaaz?

[@JensLarsen]

Start here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZPRaZWqa8iAfqs

[@aayushprasain3521]

@@JensLarsen thank you sir 🫡

[@sabinkoirala4349]

Jens what is rule of thumb?

[@JensLarsen]

What that expression means?

[@sabinkoirala4349]

@@JensLarsen is that a song from John Schofield?

[@Gabbagothic]

I have not seen a comment on that....Am I wrong or is the picture of the Adim7 arpeggio not correct? The highest note shown is an E but it should be an Eb.

[@liontone]

“Ahggghh! There’s a ske….skel….skeleton, on your shoulder!!!”

[@JensLarsen]

😂🙏

[@mufki]

this is very good sir, sorry but can I have the backing track so I can practice these lessons?

[@JensLarsen]

You should not practice stuff like this with backing tracks. You need to learn to hear the harmony and keep time 🙂

[@kukumuniu5658]

I wanted to share my thoughts with someone In a Natural Major, the seven chords have specific functions I,iii,vi - tonic ii,IV - subdominant V,vii - dominant but what is happening in Harmonic Major? (ionian flat 6) in harmonic minor there is even worse because ionian #5 has no perfect fifth ,so,where is dominant for this mode? On vii degree?

[@JensLarsen]

That's easy: Modal harmony is not functional harmony so modes don't have dominants.

[@ChristienGagnier]

This is an intense video!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you!

[@Euro.Patriot]

My teacher told me to memorise the major modes but I just discovered harmonic minor scales and they look really cool. I just need to go over them again, I got ionian, locrian, dorian (I think) and lydian down.

[@Euro.Patriot]

I still don't know what the definition of an arpeggio is. Is it playing the notes of a chord in a specific order?

[@JensLarsen]

An Arpeggio is indeed playing the notes of a chord, it doesn't have to be in a specific order, but most of the time you will see the root position used: 1 3 5 7.

[@nlmal4]

Hi Jens, I follow all you jazz lessons and by now l know the theories behind it. But l still not able to play decent jazz. It frustrate me. Why!? 😪

[@JensLarsen]

Jazz music is not theory. How many jazz standards do you know by heart, and how much time did you spend improvising on them?

[@jazzcat1056]

Does the guitar explorer $3 tier provide the guitar pro files for this? Thank you.

[@JensLarsen]

Yes, but so does the $1 tier 🙂

[@jfitz458]

Jens, You have many guitars, and some of us have only our precious (tele/lp/strat). Can we hear you teach with a different axe?

[@JensLarsen]

Yes there are playlists with the strat, the SG1000 and the 175 just look on my channel 🙂

[@silasrodriquea9740]

Nota 10

[@pjgarret7653]

Jens, your site will not accept my email address for a course invite because it is a .net address I think. Can u help?

[@JensLarsen]

I have never heard of that before. Which error do you get?

[@hycus4292]

Fine work as always, but the background noise is a little annoying

[@BloodyMirPootin]

what king of guitar pick is that? the white, thick one

[@JensLarsen]

It is a chickenpicks Badazz 3.2 🙂

[@dabiededoo]

i thougt.. i liked jazz with the feel of it.. after looking things like i found with blues licks and stuff.. changed my mind..dont like it anymore to playmyself.. jazz is very difficult.. i thought it was slow and easy😂

[@thatpaulschofield]

6:13 haha Adam Neely

[@danielbarber8949]

1:03

[@Greggers1516]

I was about to say that was a Barry Harris guest appearance and then the caption “this is not Barry Harris” came up and I was like dang it !

[@60sTango]

🙏

[@iibuprofene860]

Love the ordinary samba skeleton

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you 🙂

[@amig012]

ouch so it's not just hit all 12 semitones huh? great video

[@henrikduende]

You should Tell them that after you Nail the 3rd or 7th in all chord changes and get that into your system, you have to spend the rest of your days trying NOT to play the 3rd or 7th cause it make everything pretty and boring and obvious. And that’s when the struggle begins 😅

[@JensLarsen]

You should watch the video so that you get the target notes right 😂

[@ZitherBeast]

Guitar! THE SEXIEST thing ever invented.

[@thomasa631]

Nice skeleton Jens........

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you!

[@Pepsicolandia]

YOU talk too fast , too much information for one shot

[@JensLarsen]

You don't have to watch the videos if you don't like them