Improve Your Jazz Solos 1: Stop Thinking In Scales

In this video I bring you the first in a series of "10 Lessons to Improve your Jazz Guitar Solos. TIP #1: Stop Thinking in Scales...let me show you how the great jazz players think instead!
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[@magicguitarpedal]

That is why I don´t like hear jazz guitarrist soloing, you never know if he wants to play the solo or the chord, it is like interrupting one to play the other, and sometimes the phrase does not make any melodic sense. It is not the case of this example that is very simple but in this called vertical example the last 3 notes push it to detune the melody. I don't like it, it doesn't sound good.

[@RichieZellon]

Not only jazz guitarists, but also jazz saxophonists, and all other instrumentalists do the same thing when they solo! Does it sound good when they do it? If you're right, I guess Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino, to name a few of the jazz guitar greats who do this, don't make any melodic sense. Or could it be that deep down inside, you simply don't like or even understand jazz?

[@magicguitarpedal]

@@RichieZellon "Does it sound good when they do it?" not really, it depends on the musician, Tal Farlow for example sounds terrible because he seems to give more value to the "tricks" of the notes around or in between the melody of the solo than the melody itself. There is a difference between the musician who plays for himself and the musician who plays for the band for the sake of music. I don't listen to much jazz guitar so I don't know many of them but I feel differences, I like great jazz bands that play good jazz music more than musicians who like to show up. "Not only jazz guitarists, but also jazz saxophonists". No Sir, saxophonists play one note at a time and this chords "vertical" thing is to dificult to them, so they have to keep it more "horizontal". Improvising is not just merit of jazz musicians, I like John McLaughlin I think he was one of the best and it is not jazz, jazz musicians are full of themselves, most of them. Well, maybe they are too "round" for me, I like things more "square"

[@RichieZellon]

@@magicguitarpedal You absolutely didn't understand my explanation of "vertical"! Go back and watch and listen carefully. It has nothing to do with playing chords. ALL jazz saxophone players play "vertically" outlining the important single notes of the chord in their arpeggios. And contrary to what you say, it is very easy for them! And again I'm talking about single notes...not chords! This approach is the essence of bebop improvisation. So, did Charlie Parker or Coltrane sound terrible? But then again if your ear identifies Tal Farlow as sounding "terrible", as well as all the great jazz guitarists who like him, are beloved by generations... I don't think you understand or appreciate this music. After all, Tal often played very similar lines as those Charlie Parker played on sax. Now, don't get me wrong!! You're entitled to your opinion but saying that "most" jazz musicians are full of themselves? Ha,ha... sounds to me more like a case of "jazz musician discrimination". Anyone else care to comment?

[@magicguitarpedal]

@@RichieZellon . . ."Go back and watch and listen carefully.". . how can it have nothing to do with chords if they are arpeggios that you talk about in your video? Here is what i hear in your video: You play a melody and ask if someone are able to identify the progression, I identified it ease at your first play, no ambiguity, you called it I-VI-II-V, as a classical musician I don't see it in this way (anyway it doesn't matter). Then you say: "We need to imply the chord changes in our solo", (I don't think so), you play a second solo using a larger interval between short phrases (pre-made phrases) and claim that it is what you call "vertical". I never heard this vertical or horizontal as a musical terms (in fact you trick the listeners a little because when you play the second solo the listeners already heard the progression from the first solo). For me everything is scale major, minor, penta, doric, ligia, mixolidia, etc and the trick is the using of intervals and chromatic scale. "jazz musician discrimination" they discriminate themselves, I use to say to my guitar friends: If you going to play with a jazz musician never use natural chords, always add at least a seven note to the chord, they are unable to play a natural chord, always shut off completely the treble tone control of your amplifier, they have a short range of harmonic frequency, treble doesn't sound good to them. Otherwise you will be out of their clique.

[@RichieZellon]

@@magicguitarpedal Your response shows how little you understand about the jazz improvisation mindset and how much you're against jazz musicians. The reason you have never heard these terms or understand these concepts is because you are a classical musician and have never even studied the music in depth with a qualified jazz musician . I'd love to hear you attempt to improvise over a set of changes. I would bet it doesn't sound anywhere like jazz, because you simply don't understand the approach. I have spent my life studying this music with the greats, performing with them and teaching at several great schools. These are not my original teachings or "tricks" as you claim, and I could direct you to hundreds of qualified sources as proof. You are entitled to YOUR opinion as I said in my previous response, but instead, you are intent on attacking me and my peers. If you claim that I am a fraud and what I am teaching here is wrong, then all the great jazz musicians that I have studied with and great jazz schools are also frauds! Instead of attacking the great practitioners of this music and their lifetime of experience and dedication to it, why don't you simply say, "I don't like it because of the reasons you stated". In my case, I am a lifelong jazz musician and educator who is posting these lessons because that's what I do for a living...I teach jazz, and I have the qualifications and experience to back it up. That's the only reason I would spend this time debating you...although this is as far as I'm going to take it because you don't have the qualifications to back up your claims. So, what on earth are you trying to accomplish with your rhetoric? Why not show some respect and simply leave it at "I don't like it, or I don't agree with this jazz theory"? What are you trying to accomplish with your attack???

[@raspberryjuiceentertainmen719]

“Stop thinking about scales” yup that sounds like jazz to me

[@MrByrd-ep5pd]

Excellent discussion of a crucial idea in jazz.

[@randolphcohen6522]

One of your best videos ever Richie. Demystifying the function of arpeggios as the backbone latent within a solo. What a great illustration with the contrast of the horizontal vs vertical solo. Thanks!

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Randy...much appreciated!

[@alchemysticgoldmind4164]

Great video.Great Teaching Richie

[@arl7d]

This is exactly the tutorial i need

[@RichieZellon]

Glad to hear that...enjoy!

[@daltonneilan5651]

“...shift your scale paradigm” love that

[@sega62s]

2:29 i like it when he is sarcastic 🍻, it’s entertaining and educational when he makes his point, so many youtubers are missing in that field

[@ibrajimenez2098]

This is exactly why jazz os the best and also hardest on guitar! So mamy options and guitarist tend to noodle around scales and forget about chord changes and most importantly melodic phrasing. Anyways thank you!

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks, you're most welcome!

[@tinymountain]

As a guy that's been trying to incorporate the major scale off the tonic as the main strategy for jazz soloing, I found this video very enlightening. Thank you so much!

[@BJ-fj6jw]

This gentleman went through the assembly line of all the jazz greats and picked up everything. I got this feeling just 30 seconds into his video. Thank you, sir!

[@HerroVincey]

I LOVE the way you teach!! I honestly got super excited after you played the "arpeggio" solo after the "scale" solo. Something clicked for me. I'll definitely be checking out the other lessons you have! You make jazz feel accessible to beginners. 😄

[@terrimurrayandtairerekura6719]

We are a rock band that has a bass player that use to play jazz, anyway, one day at practice we were talking about jazz and while I'm not a huge fan, I do appreciate the skill that it takes to play jazz. Anywayyyyy....... my mate was becoming annoying so to shut him up (so we could get on with practice) I said this to him - "Bro, do you know the difference between a jazz guitarist and a rock guitarist?" - "No" he replied and so I said "A jazz guitarist will play a million chords to three people and a rock guitarist will play three chords to a million people!!" Think about it!!! Hahahahaha. And when I try to play jazz I've learnt that if you play wrong notes every now and then, everyone thinks you've studied jazz for ages, hahahahaha. But like I said, I do appreciate the skill that it takes to play jazz. Kia ora from Aotearoa, New Zealand.

[@Len_J_]

Imply the changes yes. But not necessarily every chord change. That's the beauty of jazz!

[@johnwriterpoet1783]

I enjoyed the lesson, thank you. I was also looking at something else perhaps no one else was. I was watching your right hand to make sense of what fingers you were using without a pick.

[@RichieZellon]

I don't know if my fingers make any sense😀

[@stevens7920]

Stripping the solos of the backing chords to emphasize the difference in these approaches is a brilliant way to help one truly understand this. I've never heard that done before and as simple as it is it really makes a difference. Thanks for the great video!

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks, glad it was helpful!

[@JazzgutsVGvanKampen]

Thanks for your great efforts revealing the concepts of jazz. I am a jazz player and everyday is a journey in the learning process, which never ends. The moment you think you know everything you're lost, you're a fantastic teacher, greetings Vic.

[@RichieZellon]

Thank you kindly Vic...it's always encouraging to know someone is enjoying these videos...and yes, like you say...jazz is an endless journey!

[@klausschilling5603]

Brilliant work! Wonderfully explained, thank you so much for all the knowledge, skill, patience and humanity you put into this!

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks, glad it was helpful!

[@thomasduffy2519]

This lesson really helped me understand. I need to learn my abc's now. Thanks very much

[@robertomui333]

Awesome lesson ..so important to Jazz !....thx for sharing .. 😎

[@RichieZellon]

My pleasure!

[@shaofu424]

hey man i just wished to express my gratitude for this channel and your lessons thank you

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks...much appreciated!

[@miguelamadio9685]

cool ass nerd, its always nice to see someone with passion about what they do, thanks for the advice 🙏

[@axeman2638]

Yes and no, Yes it's essential to know the chord tones and how any given note will sound against a chord, but when you know that having scales and chord substitutions gives you a wider range of options at any point. The scale or arpeggio you choose will emphasise or deemphasise different chord tones.

[@pickinstone]

I don't always agree with Richie, but right here--he's 100% right. He never said forget scales, he said get rid of thinking scalar. All the greats that I've studied with, and I've studied with quite a few--all stress the importance of arpeggios. Beyond the seventh chords, you can practice HEARING the colors and alterations. The b13ths or the #11ths or the 9ths. But the basic 4 note arpeggio (or even the triad) is the meat. I say that it's about time that we finally use Chord Scale Theory for what it was meant for--post bebop Wayne Shorter tunes and Joe Henderson tunes. Here's the thing, Wayne Shorter was a master at bebop and hardbop before he went "non-functional". That's why his playing on tunes like "Footprints" or "Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum" sound incredible. Joe Henderson too, but a lot of people sleep on Wayne's bebop playing early on in his career. They both knew the in's and outs of playing chords, and then they simplified and added spice. It's amazing how Wayne and McCoy Tyner use pentatonics in similar and different ways. They both know how to use pentatonics in a compositional way because they both knew how to outline the changes before the more modern stuff. Listen to McCoy on ballads, you hear how lyrical he gets with pentatonics and outlining the changes. RIP. Here's where CST fails us. You really have to know the sounds of chords and sounds within a tonal center (here I go again). It's not plug and play like Berklee and many other institutions teach. You have to practice hearing the chords, and hearing melodies that either target or create tension around those chords. Saying stuff like "play a locrian natural 2" over that minor7b5 chord--that encourages noodling because it's too vague. It gets too theoretical--too heady--and you run the risk of separating the ear from the mind. Here's where I get in trouble. Setup a minor tonality, a simple minor triad to setup the key. Now, sing 2 4 b6 1. That's your minor7b5. So, yes, you are aware of scale--but not in a chord by chord "Chord Scale" function. You are aware of how chords operate, sonic-ally, in a key center. Most music operates on tonal centers (you just have to redefine what tonal center means. Modern music goes beyond major and minor). And... now I remember why I need to take a break from social media. Eek, long winded--much?

[@axeman2638]

@@pickinstone well said, learn to use notes as colours in a spectrum of tension and paint with them knowing the feeling you create with each colour. Scales and arpeggios give you sets of colours to work with and a structure that gives them some independence from the root chord being played over.

[@4_squared]

You're the man.

[@nicohauptmentalist]

What great lesson and video! In order to teach you not only need the knowledge of the subject. You need knowledge in teaching. This few minutes made more sense and did motivate more than hours of scale and technique videos on KZbin. I thank Fortuna or the algorithms that this video came round. Thank you very much Sir!

[@jayanderson8563]

Never miss your posts & member of your website. Always interesting....thanx.

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Jay...it's always encouraging to know that people watch and enjoy the stuff!😀

[@alwayzblues]

This even helps us piano players! Thanks!

[@RichieZellon]

Glad to hear that!

[@freecitizen2760]

All so true! Try playing a Blues using the tritones (3-b7) as the main “guide tones”. So in A for example, play the 3 sets of tritones that are part of the 1-4-5 chords all located within 3 frets of each other. On the D-G strings, play frets 5-6 (b7-3); then 4-5 (3-b7) for the D7 chord; then frets 6-7 (3-b7) for the E7 chord. There’s your 1-4-5 using just the tritones to clearly define the changes. Now for the turn-around, play frets 5-6 then move up 3 frets to 8-9, then descend to 7-8, then to 6-7, then finally back to 5-6. That outlines in tritones a 6-2-5-1 turn-around, meaning F#7-B7-E7-A7. There’s a Blues with a Jazz turn-around using just tritones on the same two strings and all within 4 frets of each other. It can form a skeletal framework for your solos and your comping; , being so sparse without any extensions or roots, it leaves tons of room for the bassist and soloist. That‘s not thinking in scales, or arpeggios, but just using two guide tones (the 3 and 7 of the chord).

[@DARRBEV]

Great explanation

[@davidkooi4349]

Wonderful, thank you for your knowledge and wisdom!

[@RichieZellon]

You're very welcome David, thanks for watching!

[@MrArtist1971]

Great video! Thank you sir.

[@RichieZellon]

😊🙏

[@chucknick44]

i always find your explanations very clear, so to have this series where you really explain some of these fundamental ideas in a basic musical context is enlightening. thank you. looking forward to more!

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Charlie...much appreciated...lots more to come!

[@nanangmodip8352]

ive been playing guitar for years as hobby, never got any proper guitar lesson, i even dont know scales, yet i jamm with great local jazz musicians, they told me, just play what sounds right to you, music is like language, there is wrong or right its all about sounds good. it is true that theory is a big help to understands it, but if you already feel it, let it loose

[@RichieZellon]

Whoever told you that is probably not a true jazz musician. You simply can't play jazz without any knowledge of theory and harmony on your instrument. How do you improvise through the changes? I've never heard a jazz musician who hasn't spent many, many years studying music before he could actually play jazz. Maybe you have a different definition of jazz...but you can't be referring to jazz as in Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Miles, Wes Montgomery, etc...Maybe you're talking about 1 or 2 chord "smooth jazz"?

[@jerimiloh]

thank you sensei.. it helps alot

[@jumemowery9434]

Thanks Richie! I really look forward to the next video!

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Jume!

[@skimanization]

This is one of the greatest lessons not taught in music schools, they all put emphasis on SCALES. I'm not a jazz guitarist but I like jazz guitar and want to learn it the right way. That's why I'm watching and listening to these videos. Thanks.

[@cryptotharg7400]

Richie, for the WIN!

[@underratedgrapejuice]

got a jazz audition tonight and this helped a ton!

[@RichieZellon]

Glad to hear that!

[@trombonimacaroni]

I don't play guitar, but this is extremely helpful for trombone players as well

[@RichieZellon]

Absolutely!

[@TheKingnaShow]

Thank you!

[@davidskinner8351]

Richie, thanks for this advice. I’m one of those guys who used to be a “key center scalar” type of player. It’s all I could figure out how to do. I first heard the advice to think in terms of arpeggios instead of scales about eight years ago at a guitar workshop. It was a light bulb moment. I’ve been trying to find the right balance between arms and scales ever since. I’ll check out your bebop series in search of the holy grail. 😁

[@alexbennett2159]

Boy, you just put everything in perspective for me. I'm a pretty good guitar player, enjoy playing jazz-type tunes chord melody style. But playing melodic runs, to help decorate the songs and fill in at times has eluded me for years. Every other site I've explored seems to over complicate things with endless scale playing. I cannot see how the arpeggios are the best way to approach it, the most melodic and authentic sounding. And, I might add, you're a great teacher, meaning you get your points across with clarity, in an easily understandable way. I'll be signing up,

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Alex, glad to be of help!

[@MrTarlecon]

Richie, you speak as wonderful as you play (I say it because I'm not a native speaker and, by the way, a jazz player (I still think in metal paradigm)). I tried to find a simple explanation of Charlie Parker's most famous and greatest discovery. I do seem to find it in your video (correct me if I'm wrong)). Thanks a lot!

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Sergey, glad to be of help!

[@clarkewi]

Brilliant. More insights with every video.

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks!

[@rauze4393]

Great Lesson ;-)

[@joshuavelazquez8303]

Thank You Sir! 🎼🔥🙏

[@papunAlicea]

Thanks so much...God bless

[@RichieZellon]

Thx for watching!

[@plopzoppers3921]

Richie we gotta bump you up to 20k subscribers!

[@RichieZellon]

Thx...getting there, slowly but surely!

[@johnharringtonguitar6559]

At 5:56 you played a line and I analyzed it and understood it except for the last three notes. I worked on it some more and I think I figured it out. You’re using the 9 for the root trick on the tri-tone sub for F7.

[@RichieZellon]

Actually, I'm playing over Rhythm Changes and using an altered dom over the F7. I guess that would make the b13 a 9 if you think of it as the tritone sub (B7)

[@franciscodomingueti462]

man you're my new favorite youtuber! your way of teaching and humor are just the best out there! funny case, i have a 7 string guitar to play brazilian choro's and my way of thinking is exactly everything you said; arpegios and approach notes between the chord i'm playing to the next... as a guitarrist i was born in rock, then my way of thinking eletric guitar is tottaly different from the acoustic guitar; now i'm on the way of learning jazz and struggling a little hahaha i know that its just take what i do on first region low string and apply to caged all over the fretboard, but this crack me up! someday im gonna break that wall thanks for everything man! brazilian hugs

[@RichieZellon]

Muito obrigado Francisco...

[@noahgraber9339]

I have heard this over and over again but this video has really helped me understand how important it is to think in arpeggios and use a vertical approach. Thank you so much!

[@RichieZellon]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lacloche649]

Great, great content and information. Thank you so much!!!

[@danhope77]

Great, I study standards thinking of arpeggios and chromatic notes. I studied a Mimi Fox method. However, if you play simple music with a couple of chords, it is useful to think of scales (I find)

[@RichieZellon]

True, but we're talking about bebop here which usually has lots of changes.

[@willsims2009]

I am a pianist and that 2,4,6, CHANGED my Life...I found so many cool licks and great points of tension (for a lack of a better word) !@

[@kiliankraus]

Just found this channel, it’s videos looks gold

[@RichieZellon]

Welcome Kilian, enjoy!

[@kiliankraus]

@@RichieZellon Thank-you, thats lovely to see how proactive you are. This is my first explore of jazz guitar, where do you recommend I start on your channel? What should I know/have comfortable on the guitar before I start browsing you channel?

[@mdhakr]

Excellent intro Richie....

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Jack!

[@jacobdeguzman7959]

This video is excellent

[@christianespiritumusic]

the way you teach is really great! also now i know its not just us saxophonists that research guitar approach haha. Guitarists do research our approach too haha :)

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks! I've learned so much from saxophonists!

[@christianespiritumusic]

@@RichieZellon can i have links to your books?

[@RichieZellon]

@@christianespiritumusic www.amazon.com/dp/B09P2NF9TS?binding=paperback&qid=1661912786&sr=8-1&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk

[@Patrickjasonmusic]

Thank you for this great lesson!

[@bflatinstrument9645]

Thanks for this

[@sgjbslover]

I love it! Thank you so much

[@nancygamer1192]

thank you so much for your leesson its so helpful

[@Peppe-yq8ug]

While i was hearing you play i thought: "YOU SON OF A BITCH, I'M TRYNA LEARN SINCE I WAS 13 AND NOW IM 18, AND I STILL DOESN'T " SOUND " JAZZ, AND I ALL I NEEDED WAS A VIDEO OF A MAN WHO BASICALLY SAID THAT ALL I NEEDED WAS PLAYIN IN ARPEGGIO AND NOT IN SCALE" man i love you, you solved all of my problem.

[@GtrMan863]

Thank You, love this channel

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks...much appreciated!

[@jimtessin4130]

Excellent!!!

[@RichieZellon]

Many thanks!

[@adriyanmusic]

Subscribed...

[@IINNPornsuleeEksiripong]

This's really helpful! Thanks. 🙏🏻

[@RichieZellon]

So glad!

[@ThePoopsnak]

I get it dam it .....this is awesome.....

[@hanskung3278]

I think we should target chord tones in anything we play.

[@rxw5520]

Scales are important to the greats. But they just get to where they’ve practiced so much they don’t think “in scales” because the notes are all second nature to them. Charlie Parker claimed to have practiced close to 20,000 hours by the time he was in his twenties. That’s 10+ hours a day as a teenager. Of course scales will be second nature by then. The sound and pitches coming out of the instrument are just an extension of your brain at that point.

[@austinalexander238]

2:30 cracked me up 🙂

[@herculegabriel23]

"some of you will have to learn all your arpeggios" he was talking to me

[@BJ-fj6jw]

This is a born teacher

[@MrJames1034]

This video came from 2019 but it feels like something from 2009

[@RichieZellon]

Why would you say that?

[@sunilregmi6155]

awesome :D

[@atticus-mann]

I am surprised that no one here has yet mentioned relaxed eye contact and meticulous use of the English language, carefully enunciated and paced for comprehension, as tools in your teaching at least as important as the musical concepts presented.

[@bonzibuddy607]

Bro school just confuses me more when it makes me learn this stuff

[@RichieZellon]

Jazz is not for everyone!

[@DonVal86]

4:28 “Can you tell what progression I was soloing over?” It’s like he’s calling me out for having taken such a boring approach to improvising all these years. 😔

[@critical9999]

I alwasy thought using onlu chord tones might be boring but they make my solo be birdy as hell!

[@Ganzie2000]

Do you use tab for lesson in your courses

[@RichieZellon]

Yes, both regular and tab for the most part.

[@rccarsandmusic2641]

Use that soul scale

[@user-co6fw6ql7h]

I have found Master Yoda!!!

[@woofwoof9819]

Where can I go learn all the arpeggios for the chord families?

[@RichieZellon]

bebopguitar.richiezellon.com

[@robertschaeffer5861]

Dig n on git n hip with only 12 notes...even 5 n time...pentatonic with rhythm...

[@AgressiveElevatorMusic]

I feel like the CAGED system is this with training wheels.

[@Patomataor]

💙🤍💛

[@tangobayus]

A lot of jazz is boring because people improvise using scales. That is also true in rock and blues. The art of melody has been missing for quite a while. Melody is large and small intervals, short and long notes, repetition and variation.

[@rccarsandmusic2641]

The cheat to all this is the 2 finger scales.

[@alchemysticgoldmind4164]

Don't think..Hear..Feel rhythm melody and Phrases in the Harmony. Develop the solo motifically

[@cjgreen4331]

All I do, and all I can do is think in scales :(

[@RichieZellon]

Why is it all you can do? You have a choice...we all started out thinking in scales!

[@cjgreen4331]

@@RichieZellon Hi Richie, I just have a hard time breaking out of that thinking, even though I am familiar with chord tones, it's just easier to use scales. Especially since I try to emulate Pat Martino's style, and he uses long lines that feel a little like scales. I've been reading studies and your video sounded summarized what I read, they can be detrimental. You're thinking in terms of a new scale every measure, not a chord progression (I also don't completely understand functional harmony)

[@daemeonation3018]

This will work for trombone, no? 😂

[@RichieZellon]

Absolutely!

[@rodders7744]

Richie: "In jazz a good solo is"... ...NONE OF THESE IDEAS! Lol. Mind of metal. Thanks for killing jazz.

[@RichieZellon]

Really? So enlighten me...what is a good jazz solo?

[@philcollins9402]

jew

[@RichieZellon]

Do you have a problem with that?