Jazz guitar lesson: How to play easily over chord changes

[@kevincourcey813]

Great lesson, Chris. Appreciate that you play the examples at a slow enough speed that us fumblers can actually get a feel for the fingering and the way the solo relates to the chords.

[@stevedouglas7375]

This is a really nice little lesson. I wish Chris did more of them. Aside from being a fantastic guitar player, he's easy to listen to with that distinctive voice and he communicates clearly without any mumbo jumbo. I like his explanation of what he calls - "resolution points." As they say in the songwriting business, it's -- "Easy to remember and hard to forget."

[@MrSmildiger]

Probably the best and the shortest illumination on ad lib .... Excellent Chris !!! hope more to come ..

[@stevengrinold3203]

Great lesson! The move up a minor 3rd is a wonderful technique that I learned many years ago but have not utilized it enough. You've given me a reason to work on it again!

[@demotester3095]

I worked with a very good professional guitarist who used this substitutions all the time and it always seemed a little magic to me. All of us big band members loved what he did. This is really good explaned, many thanks. And what you say concerning these "meaningful notes" is totally true, if you find them, you can give your licks a deep musical sense (and of course, by avoiding "non meaningful notes", you avoid boringness).

[@xncmnhj]

Actually there're other (better?) choices for playing over D7 altered chord with minor pentatonic scale: The D altered scale looks like this: D - D# - F - F# - G# - A# - C 1 b9 #9 3 b5 b13 b7 The four altered notes are: "D#, F, G#, and A#", and if you look for a pentatonic scale that contains all the four notes, then you get "F minor pentatonic" and "Bb minor pentatonic", which looks like this: F minor pentatonic: F - Ab - Bb - C - Eb #9 b5 b13 b9 ("C" is the b7 of D altered scale, so every note from F minor pentatonic can be found in D altered scale) Bb minor pentatonic: Bb - Db - Eb - F - Ab b13 b9 #9 b5 ("Db" is a major 7th in D, so it's not included in D altered scale) C minor pentatonic, as introduced in this video, might also work, but it lacks the b5 sound. C minor pentatonic: C - Eb - F - G - Bb b9 #9 b13 (There's no "G" in D altered scale) So let's say if you play a D7(b9,b13) altered chord, I think C minor pentatonic will fit well, and so will the F minor and Bb minor pentatonic, but if your altered chord contains a b5, then C minor pentatonic is probably not a better choice. For example: D7(b9,b13): X54546 D7(b5 or #11): X5657X

[@brentwheeler2087]

There is a wealth of info here !! Clever little bit of teaching indeed. Many thanks Chris...

[@rodrigorochacoutinho6936]

I really appreciate this wonderful licks and secrets of Jazz improvisation and how to understand better and better the sequencial lines! God bless! I thank you very much and I can tell you sir, that I understood everything you showed here and taught me a lot! Greetings from Ukraine of a brazilian guitarist!

[@OriginalEyeball]

Great lesson!Instant jazz sound.Better than just blasting through arpeggios.I am a beginner at jazz and this definately helps me to outline the chords in a more interesting way.Cheers

[@gernblenstein1541]

So much fun to learn a quick little something from someone who really knows what they're doing. Wonderful, and thanks for the content.

[@Jlhendry1]

That was very helpful! Thank you for posting this. The simple way you explained it really glued that into my brain. Appreciate you!

[@letmeinwillu]

Brilliant! There is so much material here to work on, study and develop. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@MrDerekwik]

the best explanation on how to improvise over 2 5 1 thank you SIR

[@danmurphy7713]

Playing over the front pickup is what gives that smooth thick tone , yea it sounds great ! Great info thanks !

[@tkelly3866]

Thanks! I think this is great. The minor down a step from a dom adds the extensions without racking my brain.

[@marcuscorneliusaurelius6534]

I can't believe the comments in here. This is not a cheap parlor trick to avoid the heavy lifting... this is basic chord substitution ideas. Every single jazz musician you've ever listened to who was worth listening to is thinking of chord subs. Learn all the arpeggios... nothing wrong with that.. next, when you know something about music, apply those arpeggios as subs (which is basically what he's teaching you). If you know the Emin arpeggio, throw it over a Cmaj7 and see what happens... what? You got the M3, 5, and M7... whattya know... you just applied your arpeggio as a chord sub. Welcome back to music 101. This video is giving you some subbing ideas. Why would you be critical of that? Give the world free bananas, and they complain that there are too many spots!

[@avpreto]

I didn´t know you are a teacher too! Go make your own video besta!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@z0mbyz624]

Emin7 over Cmaj7 is not the same as playing Cmin7 over D7. Emin7 is already Cmaj7 and vice versa, they have the same notes, while Cmin7 over D7 gives you alterations (b9). It is a cheap parlor trick in the mesure that you don't know how it works and you still have no language.

[@marcuscorneliusaurelius6534]

You know nothing Jon Snow. Emin7 is not "already Cmaj7 and vice versa. They are inversions with different feel and resolution points. Don't believe me? Try replacing the Cmaj7 in a ii-V-I progression with an Em7... does it sound the same? It shouldn't. Also, what does you mean by "You still have no language?" Language is about having multiple ways to express an idea.

[@z0mbyz624]

LoL, who are you? Emin7 actually works on the 1.... why dont you try it yourself, add a C to the voicing. You said it yourself, they are inversion, so they can be switched around (you can also use vi).You even said you could play Emin7 arpeggio over Cmaj7... An arpeggio is a chord.... Now what I'm saying is: "Emin7 over Cmaj7 is not the same as what the guy in the video proposed, because Cmin7 over D7 changes two notes, E becomes Eb and and F# becomes F, furtermore the chord becomes sus4. It is different, because when you play Emin7 over Cmaj7, you just add the 9th, which can already be added to the chord." Now on language: I'm sorry you are wrong, while the ability to have multiple ways to express an idea is a great one, language refers to typical progressions or melodies in a specific style. The more language, the more you can say on a subject and the more you can twist it around. Be careful about tackling more than you can handle ;)

[@marcuscorneliusaurelius6534]

You need to unlearn a lot of things which are confusing you. First, I didn't say you couldn't play an Em7 arpeggio "over" a Cmaj7... you can play any arpeggio over it you like. What I said was that an Emin7 is not already Cmaj7 (as you said in your first comment). Playing a 2-5 and resolving to the 1 is not the same "and vice versa" as playing a 2-5 and trying to resolve to the minor 3 chord (Em7 in this case). This kind of thinking is what trips people up in music... they think "G Ionian and A Dorion are the same notes, so they're the same thing." They're not the same thing. Your definition of "language" as "typical progressions or melodies" seems really shortsighted. If you want to run with the idea that music language is a bunch of cliches, then I wish you the best of luck.

[@other59]

You so good, yet you keep it so simple. Beautiful.

[@alward5678]

Thanks Chris...The Best Lesson on Utube. I love Jazz Guitar and and your playing.

[@jamesmurry5910]

This is really good, very helpful I already go through the changes pretty good but I really like the sound here

[@GrayfinRois]

Knee 90% of what you said, but the advice about playing C minor over D7 was BRILLIANT!!! Kudos.

[@carlensizemore7157]

This has helped me more than you think. I never thought of playing an idea around the pentatonic, then just moving that idea to the next pentatonic position around the next chord. I've always been stuck on trying to go up and down the scales and kind of jumping around, but I would always have trouble trying to find the scale for the next change.

[@danielmarks895]

Great tips that can be quickly put to use, great teacher, well explained, great player, beautiful guitar and tone!

[@chumleyshaver7942]

Thinking resolution points and 3 positions on the fretboard ..."it's going to stand you in good stead." Great lesson, thx!

[@pauliebots8914]

What a tone this guy has. Reminds me of Jimmy Rainey. Lovely..... and some nice theory also

[@BernieHolland-w4l]

Jimmy Raney

[@74fabsal]

Thank you. Priceless little tip and clearly explained.

[@MrSteviek52]

Very nice….a helpful tutorial ✨🙏

[@jackrowland8203]

Wow ! I happened to feel like being stuck at some point, and this is a great breakthrough for me ! Thanks you Sire, have my like.

[@TroubleinZION]

Very pleasant to listen to.

[@bobryan8793]

Very helpful...love that Cm over Gmaj7

[@laszlokatai-pal5685]

I love this lesson and keep coming back

[@michaeldinunzio3002]

Great demo! Thank you!

[@DetVen]

Goddamn, that guitar sounds lovely!

[@iosephantonivs4262]

Yeah! It sounds fabulous... Try to watch my videos too... And give me your opinion. Thank you! Cheers...

[@remley8877]

It's a Benadetto, for about $5k you too can have that tone

[@sega62s]

Remley yeah, not bad not bad, remember its in your hands too

[@numbersabcdefg]

He's also playing classical style fingers. Think Jim Hall did that too. Anyways, different tone control. I'm still shocked at how clear Wes Montgomery's octaves were with a thumb down stroke. More than one way to skin a guitar

[@reggiebellamy7112]

Awesome and helpful lesson! Thanks

[@iosephantonivs4262]

Wow! You are a real Musician and Artist!

[@vincentsabatino4480]

Thanks Chris great Lesson lots of options Great watching you master the fretboard with your knowledge !

[@keefewn9]

Guitar Playing is fun!

[@Karnakb9]

always love a lesson on guitar without fret markers very helpful

[@dapur777]

Nice idea. Thanks for sharing

[@lambchopsmtl]

This is an awesome trick! it really helps for pattern phrasing ideas.

[@jcee6886]

that tone is delicious

[@edanmendelson3274]

thank you! very great tips

[@superalbertos550]

Thanks, great lesson. You open the door, now is up to experimentation.

[@srwaite7]

Good stuff, Chris! Looking forward to a follow up lesson 🕶

[@LarrySiden]

Over D7alt I think the notes of C-7b5 will work better. Otherwise, you'll miss the 3rd of the D7 which is an important sound over that chord.

[@Esbenmad]

+Lawrence Siden Nice, but I think the point is to make an easy to follow 251 rule :-)

[@LarrySiden]

You're right. It all comes down to taste. Sometimes I forget the beauty of a minimalist approach.

[@kaptnrock5199]

+Lawrence Siden you can think minor 6 chord a halfstep over the dominantchord works aswell. eb-6

[@venusreprise]

is it only my ear or that guitar really sounds so nice

[@psychicsushizoid]

I thought so too!

[@victoza9232]

venusreprise Well, your ear sounds really nice, too. : )

[@bigsnacks913]

I wanted one...until I saw the price lol

[@vasishtakanthi4231]

awesome tip!!! thank you!!

[@Jonaskrauser]

I should pay you for this brillant lesson, 1000 likes!!

[@srwaite7]

Good stuff, Chris. Thank you!

[@GuitarBySamMartinez]

Good lesson..

[@russellalfonso2962]

since you are playing the minor IV7 in G [namely, the C min7], you could also use the relative major to C min, ie, Eb maj: so you can play in arpeggios, A-7 - Eb maj7 - Cmaj7, of course with proper voice leading to the tonic. but you probably this is already obvious to you...thanks I really enjoyed the mini lesson

[@DeepakEapenKoothoor]

Amazing lesson

[@db5837]

Thanks for a great idea!

[@gilgillis3816]

Very good! Thanks!

[@kenwallis3274]

Gday, Nicest tone on the entire world wide inter Google! May I please ask what amplification you are using here? Well projected lesson as well I must say, cheers

[@Mark-bl6oe]

This was a massive lightbulb moment for me! I think this works because playing Cm over the D7 is the same as playing D locrian which is a diminished scale, and diminished are great for passing from one chord to another. Then you move down a semitone to Bmin pentatonic over the D7 which is the same as playing Dmaj pent over the D7. This is correct isn’t it? Thanks a lot!

[@larryburns3561]

very interesting. big help

[@williamwalsh6282]

Great way to look approach for ll-V-l... do you have a tip on how to approach a ll-V-l in a minor key???

[@Noodlerification]

Fantastic! Thank you!

[@bogeygiraffe]

3:25 I still have no idea what "thematic information" means and how that relates to the shared scale he played over Am7 Cm7 and Bm7. Subscribed.

[@pacojazztorius]

Great tip! "View everything as a minor chord" approach to improvising is used by Pat Martino and Scott Henderson...

[@MetaphysicalMusician]

This is the Secret Sauce

[@mauricekutter1044]

Nice. Very nice.

[@lungflogger9]

for starters and much easier than what he is saying is simply play scale melodies (G Major scale based, not just the scale per se but melodies rooted in G Major with passing tones, accidentals etc) Much easier for starting and of course use your ear; sing or hum melodies over the progression then adapt them to the instrument.

[@0live0wire0]

It's a handy concept. All in all you superimpose ii7 - bVII7 - I over ii7 - V7 - I and that's why it sounds altered.

[@vecernicek2]

+Stephen Dedalus Yep. Trick not bad. But try to play that over 8 choruses of something. Will sound like robot.

[@LarrySiden]

Don't play that over 8 choruses! It's just an idea to start with. When you've got enough of those in your ear and under your fingers, you'll have dinner vocabulary to work with.

[@marshalcraft]

Ok i have question, sorry am new to jazz composition. So the ii V I is a major chord progression in a key. He play the V chord shape one fret lower, giving a whole mess of non diatonic notes.

[@vecernicek2]

marshalcraft You should put in the exact time in the video to be sure, however I believe you are probably referring to tritone substitution. Eg., instead of D minor 7 → G7 → C major 7 you can play D minor 7 → D flat 7 (#11) → C major 7. It's called tritone sub because you substitute the dominant 7 chord with a 7 chord a tritone (augumented 4th) away. Hope this helps.

[@marshalcraft]

So is he just relating every chord in the ii-V-I to minor 7 chords (nearest or closest minor 7) which then easily accommodates the minor pentatonic scale?

[@gazstaf]

I liked it, and it made sense Well done 😎

[@MetaphysicalMusician]

AWESOME! !

[@mativasquezdlc]

I gotta say this: thanks A LOT!

[@MindsEyeVisualGuitarMethods]

this helped greatly.

[@aliveandwell2078]

Beautiful...

[@curtcn7]

Very Cool.....

[@SaccoBelmonte]

thank you so much! much clearer now.

[@remley8877]

Tri tone sub at 3:20, if I'm correct.

[@ilulass]

Hi guys, wonderful sound (guitar and melody) - and so "familiar" to the ear. But being a (mostly) rock-related player, only occasionally applying more jazzy stuff, I also have a hard time following. It´s the chords/ substitution particularly: Is it somewhat (!) compulsory here to substitute the V-chord (D7) with the Cm7 for a play along? I have tried it with several D7-voicing (including altered), but it never sounds as mellow and nice. But over a Am-Cm-Gmaj7-progression it is fine, of course. But then I do not have that straight II-V-I anymore... I´d be grateful for a hint on that.

[@lachlandunn6598]

this 40th anniversary bene bambino is beautiful.

[@nickschuller9861]

Would concept work over a minor 251 as well? What scales would we use to resolve to the minor?

[@southtxguitarist]

A little history lesson for you. Charlie Christian was the godfather of electric jazz guitar, and he used this "trick" about 80 years ago. He recorded Rose Room with Benny Goodman in 1939 and played Dbm over Eb7 (1/2 step up from Chris's example of Cm over D7). One of Charlie Christian's models for how to play jazz was tenor saxophonist Lester Young, who also uses this IV minor chord over the V7, and Young's model was jazz saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer, who was of white and Cherokee ancestry for those of you who still persist in believing jazz was solely a black American creation. But the main point is this "trick" has been around forever. It's also explained in Mickey Baker's Complete Course in Jazz Guitar: Book 1, which came out in the 1950s.

[@lolobuggah2670]

southtxguitarist nice explanation. You know your stuff.

[@jazzafro-jazz502]

Deep note Cris

[@mikegeeguitarman8991]

sounds lovelt..nice tip !

[@vincej151]

great lesson - You have achieved a beautiful tone. PLEASE tell me what guitar is that you are playing, what amp are you going through.

[@Jabbaerwocky]

Benedetto Bambino 40th Anniversary.

[@andresminjarez2718]

Can someone explain how is it that the C minor scale works over the D chord? I just don't get the theory behind it

[@softstyler]

If you treat the D chord as a D7 (D, F# and C) with a b9 (E flat) you can play a C minor pentatonic over the top of it (C,Eb, F, G, Bb, C) giving you the b7, b9, #9, 4th and b6th intervals against it. However if you include a b5 (Ab) in the D7 chord then the C minor pentatonic isn't a great choice in my opinion as the G (4th against D) in the C minor clashes badly with Ab (b5), better to use F minor pentatonic (F, Ab, Bb, C and Eb) which gives you #9, b5, b6, b7 and the b9 which are all of the altered extensions and won't give you any undesirable clashes.

[@soerenguitarlessons9947]

@@softstyler Thanks a lot softstyler for your careful and clear explanation. I have now put it in my notebook and will take look on these intervals over the D chord when I have slept, tomorrow. Soeren

[@softstyler]

@@soerenguitarlessons9947 No worries Soeren, it's just my opinion and there are no right or wrong answers with music.

[@TheManfred44]

Helpful!

[@ollie3598]

love the "colour ".. got some practicing to do..🎸

[@geoffkennard7001]

Thx!!!!!

[@jerikosy4932]

Hi Chris do you teach on line lesson?

[@jjemsnd7]

that was helpful. Thanks! "Know what I mean?"

[@Alfierocks1109]

why does he go to c minor pentatonic over the d7 chord, is it because c minor pentatonic contains notes from d altered scale. so he could also play d altered over d 7???

[@JSDJerry]

I understand a minor 3rd up from Am is Cm, but I don't follow why the notes in the Cm pentatonic scale substitute for a D7, especially since the 3rd of D7 is F# rather than F?

[@marcoottaviani2942]

+Jerry Feldman F or better E# is the #9 of D7.

[@krista96]

I'm with you . .scratching my head over this? . .Did you ever work it out?

[@krista96]

oh .. . . it's an altered D7 so functioning and needing to resolve to the Tonic G. Not really well explained in the original video

[@joeblakeukeman]

Simple. That's what I like about it. Repeat on Cm (or Cm7) what you played on Am (or Am7) - then from Cm step it down to Bm /G (or Bm7/G)! ---Am7-Cm7(b5?)-Bm7 This is new.

[@southtxguitarist]

Only if by "new" you mean the late 1930s (at least). Charlie Christian used this and he died in 1942.

[@joeblakeukeman]

southtxguitarist I meant new to me. I've been interested in listening to, and playing jazz guitar for a long time, and so I thank you for adding to my vocabulary. Cheers, Joe

[@Bflatest]

on the 5 it seems like its more pin pointed on what to play the same riff works like u show IF the first riff is the right riff hehe

[@steveyraynelson]

I call it a target chord....yeah, I love this.

[@greghartline1773]

Cool!

[@dezsogagyi5541]

Nagyon sokat beszél!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Inkáb lesson!!!!!!!!

[@stevesilverman5296]

"Nope" is not the answer and this is not a "shortcut." It's a substitution principle and a good one. However, I agree, it's being advertised as an "easy way" and therein lies the problem. Learn the fundamentals first, which is how Chris began, and then look into these kinds of things. Once you know the scales, triads and arpeggios in all keys and positions this is indeed a simple way to spice things up a bit. It could also function as a nice little detour from the monotony of the seven notes in a G scale. In keeping with vecernicek2's theme of being thorough, try playing the triads of these three chords in closed voicing in direction on each of the four string sets, then combine the sets. Bottom 3 strings: A, C, E, then A, D, F#, then B, D & G. The next sequence would begin with Am in the 2nd inversion, C, E & A, and so on. Apply that to a standard like All The Things You Are which move through six keys, not just one as here. Back to this sub principle, instead of ending with Gmaj7, follow the G with E7 to get back to the Am7, ii - v - I - vi7 and use Fm over the E7. Here you'll need to be more careful because the Eb isn't going to work. Simply raise it to E. You'll have an E flat scale with a raised root which is F melodic or jazz minor. A different thought or perspective will invariably lead to a different result and help break you out of a rut. That's what I believe Chris was offering. Thanks Chris!

[@JJDPROMEDIAPRODUCTION]

Thanks..

[@Bflatest]

umm but this only works if the D7 has a flat 9 right?

[@BrunoNeureiter]

No

[@brownriceprod]

I know this is belated, but what kind of guitar is that?

[@quimicanoyoutube2570]

Cool. #rockdellura

[@RickDanner]

nice

[@ethanditthardt1927]

You know what I mean?

[@jonathanfurtado7611]

Consider adjusting your pickup height

[@halfstack100]

Jonathan Furtado What's the matter with his pickup adjustment? Cheeky beggar.

[@mondomon3146]

Good info. Turn up a little.