How To Improvise Over Chord Changes (Part 3)

[@MOVIEDAVE]

This Lesson Opened my eyes, I am truly Inspired by It, I feel I can take on the world now.

[@ruslanpiano]

:-)

[@deborahduffield8049]

Still trying. Beautiful exercises. Left hand too.

[@marioquijada8085]

I am a saxphone player this information is great thanks a Lot!

[@deborahduffield8049]

Oh boy this is such good stuff to work on. I think. For me anyhow.

[@totorototoro5366]

I'm from Russia, and I love you! ) Thank you.

[@deborahduffield8049]

Thank you!

[@Louisviviers]

grazie 🙏

[@paulolevisilveirateixeira2903]

❤ Excellent, thanks

[@bradking1067]

I've watched all of your videos.I'm so glad you're here my friend, thanks so much for sharing hope you are well God loves you deeply Shalom 🎸 🔊🏞️⛰️🏔️🎉🎇🎆🎊🐕🎈🎹🎶🎵🎶🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵

[@gacktkun1647]

I'm a guitarist and I should say that this is one of the most educational videos I've ever seen in my life (being a mediocre, unmelodic improviser). This is literally life changing. Also, the progressions in this lesson is so beautiful that in the middle of watching it, got lost in just listening to what is being played rather than the actual lesson. Good job Ruslan!

[@vodvandorin9454]

You are simply awesome and have crazy hair but so good thank you

[@barthaydin986]

Sei un grande Ruslan, grazie! All the best from Italy!! Thanks! Peace!!!

[@donnyawa8870]

Great lesson as usual. Thank you my friend.. Hoping your book will come out asap :-)

[@danielirilarry]

Perfect lesson, perfect explanation, perfect all! Thank you so much dear Ruslan!

[@gangofgreenhorns2672]

The comment in the video about different ways to paint the scales is such an interesting, and useful metaphor. I color-coded the scales when I learned them (root is red; rainbow pattern out), and I know that is a bit literal in relation to this, but it gave me a visual metaphor for the feel of each note in a scale, and another way to define these things, relatively (eg all chord triads are the primary colors; also the "blue note" is another shade of "blue" in between green (sub-dominant) and blue (dominant). Different ways to paint the colors of these scales extended that metaphor for me, thank you. Great content, so happy to have found your channel. Appreciate the effort you put into these videos. No need to force a reply to my comments, you work plenty lol.

[@angelamorrison9361]

Love your teaching and videos. Please do a series on BEBOP PIANO SOLOING. I really love the Bebop style and sound. Thank you

[@Th3Princ3P3rcia]

Woah, this came at the right time. I was trying to study patterns within chords scales. Thanks!

[@arthursantiago100]

Thank u again. Your lessons are great but also very special because one can tell that they come from the heart. You really care .... thank u so much.

[@leowright8016]

As always very good approach to music 🎶🎶🎶👍🏾😎

[@Hi-xs7wm]

Wonderful Musician ♥

[@DouglasFlather]

Ruslin, thank you very much for taking the time to so selflessly produce this material, You are a great teacher. Your tell, show, do learning model is spot on. I’m learning so much. Again, thank you.

[@ruslanpiano]

+Douglas Flather I’m happy to hear this!! Thank you

[@LowEndProposition]

Do you have any of these exercises using exclusively the bass clef?

[@dfaria1000]

Great lesson and very well wished.

[@bassMAGics]

Great lesson, very clearly explained! Thanks!

[@tracyolivermusic]

Your videos get better and better. You have a way of presenting material that keeps it interesting and immediately useful!! Thanks!

[@Bahimo3154]

Best Music youtube chanel of all the time

[@jasneskis]

Are you going to show line and shape in scale like you did arpeggio? I kind of need it to understand. Thank you. Next video helped a lot. I wish there was PDF of scale exercises in this video and next.

[@ruslanpiano]

jasneskis check out the video i did on jaZ vocabulary. That’s exactly what I’m showing there.

[@jasneskis]

Ruslan Sirota Thank you.

[@mariomarinho6480]

Thank you for these informations that i never could imagine. i am from brasil. i expect all from you.

[@esequielpinheiro9563]

Can I apply this exercises on my bass guitar? How?

[@DojoOfCool]

Excellent, especially being new to piano can't wait to get this under my fingers so I can apply to cycles of chords and voice leading the changes from chord to chord like my old bass teacher would have us do. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos.

[@clasesdepercusion]

THANK you verte mucho, aré you going to do videos with other devices? Its very practical your aproach! Thanks thanks!

[@nunolance23]

Your format is great! As always, thank you for sharing your knowledge, Ruslan!

[@ThomasLaffont]

Just finished all the exercices. Feels great ! I'll now apply those to songs I'm working on. Thank you !

[@ruslanpiano]

+Thomas Laffont :) !!!!

[@belovednam012]

Thank you much Ruslan for this kindly mapped-out guideline for improvisation. You are superb!!! I have a simple question: "When you want to choose a scale especially for a minor chord, it is hard for me to pick an appropriate scale from three different possibilities, which are dorian, phrygian, or aeolian. Would you help me with that? Or anybody in this chatroom can help me. Blessings!!!

[@ruslanpiano]

I made a whole video answering this important question. Look it up on my channel. It’s called “Aeolian or Dorian”.

[@MOVIEDAVE]

Wow! thAT WAS BEAUTIFUL

[@charles5150]

Liked the exercise, but liked more the progression. It's beautiful how the G note on top of each chord works as 5th, 9th, b7 and maj7. That's why I like your channel, Ruslan, you teach using real, beautiful music. Thank you very much !

[@ruslanpiano]

thank you my friend

[@wendyanta470]

Would really like to know what chord scales goes with what chords

[@joelpierson2628]

In case anyone is hearing this info for the first time, trust it! It's spot on and all accomplished jazz musicians understand and have spent massive amounts of time drilling it. I'm not there yet but see this as the fastest route to getting there! I've heard other greats recommend the same thing so, be wise and trust the consensus. Ruslan, I have some questions. Looking at the 4 bar chart at 4:08: 1. Is the Bb not spelled out in the chord scales because it's in the key signature? (I think it's a yes) 2. Is the B meant to be understood as a natural in the Cmaj7 chord? (I think it's a yes) 3. Is there a relationship between the chord scales and the key signature? (in the dark on this one) Sorry Ruslan, I'm not trying to be THAT GUY! I'm just in the habit of scrutinizing information so I can really understand it in the hope of being able to explain it to myself a couple months down the road.

[@ruslanpiano]

Joel Pierson hey! Thank you for the comment. Please trust your ears on what I play rather than your eyes. There’s 1 or 2 little mistakes in the notation here, sorry should have checked more carefully. Generally, key signature is not a good indicator for chord scales, because chords won’t always stay diatonic to the key of the key signature. That’s why i tried to notate as many accidentals as possible. You gave the right answers to your own questions :)

[@00DirectorsCut00]

Sir thanks again . I have already ask on another your video , here at 4:19 by what you choose Dorian for one and aeolian for the other m7 chord? (Also if we consider to be in Fmajor key just the Gm7 would be Dorian or am I wrong ?) thanks

[@paddycautela]

Solid Advice !! Cheers Ruslan :)

[@suriakumar9969]

Thanks for your wonderful lesson.I am a guitarist and am following you lessons and use you devise for my improvisation.How about how to use this devise in the context of a music.I will highly appreciate.Thanks

[@GalaxyPedlar]

If I'm understanding this correctly, you're saying that if I were to play over Dm7/G7/Cmaj7 all using notes from the C scale, what I'm really doing is playing D dorian over the Dm7, G mixolydian over the G7 and C ionian over the Cmaj7?

[@ruslanpiano]

Yes. But sometimes the chords wont all align to a diatonic scale like that.. and then things become a little different :)

[@SaxophoneDanLive]

How would you do the arpeggios on an altered scale? I feel like things get a little weird. For instance over A7b9. If I go A, C#, Eb G as per the altered scale and respecting it is dominant. On the next degree I would get Bb, Eb, F, A, and then C, F, G, Bb? weird argeggios? This is based on Bb Melodic minor

[@ruslanpiano]

Daniel Weiss exactly like that

[@tonih3433]

Thank you so much. I learn so much from you 🙏 please, how can one buy your book? Thank you for beautiful videos! , T

[@ruslanpiano]

Toni H I’ll be announcing my online video courses music school soon. Stay tuned :)

[@tonih3433]

@@ruslanpiano no book?

[@CamFilms1000]

Thanks for the lesson Ruslan. I'm mainly interested in how you came to choose that chord progression though. Of course Cmaj7 and Abmaj7 are not diatonic to each other, yet the progression sounds great. This is often something I've found in my favorite chord progressions and would like to understand it more. Any chance you can explain a bit?

[@ruslanpiano]

Cameron Miniutti it’s hard to REALLY explain why things sound good. The closest I could get with this example is - both chords share common tones. C natural, G natural.. and a few more common tones that both chord scales of these chords share. All those common tones get reconteztualized which could account for why the chords sound good one after another. Sure, they are not diatonic but they have diatonic relations - they share SOME notes of their respective chord scales. (even if it’s not ALL the notes, like two diatonic chords would share)

[@CamFilms1000]

@@ruslanpiano Awesome. Thanks so much. I have also seen that in chord progressions such as these that there are commonly shared notes that seem to keep the chords related in a beautiful way. The way you put it about how the notes are re-contextualized through the changes is spot on. Really appreciate your answer.

[@creepofreek4853]

Very very helpful. It was easy to understand- thank you so Much I have subscribed to your channel and look forward to more great videos soon!

[@juanpablomartinezluque1944]

I would really like to know how is your method to practice on the twelve keys. great video!

[@ruslanpiano]

Juan Pablo Martinez Luque I don’t really have a method. I pick a key and decide I will play in that key for a week. Next week I pick another key. The more we play in a key the more familiar we become in it.

[@precisionhoops365]

Awesome video!!! Seems this will loosen up your imagination Also, I’m not quite sure about the Dorian scales . I really need to know/learn the Dorian scale inside and out.

[@precisionhoops365]

What's up man?? What are some simple recorded simple sax solos that utilizes a easy storyline to follow variations and extensions ?

[@flober1970]

Hi Ruslan, I am really liking your videos ! Do you expand your chord changes approach to dim chords, melodic minor harmony, ... ?

[@ruslanpiano]

+Florent Bérard of course. A scale is a scale. Confine the notes/patterns to it and you are good to go. It doesn’t matter what the specific scale is.

[@francisrichard5282]

First Thank you Ruslan, your videos are outstanding, never seen this before! I have one question: How do you identify the scale for each chord? For example in this chord changes, why not using Ionian on the Abmaj7 chord at the end? Take care Francis

[@francisrichard5282]

Hey Ruslan, u re awesome! I found the answer in your video Dorian or Aeolien! This is great, so smart guy are you! Thanks

[@precisionhoops365]

I bought the book by Hal Crook How To Improvise

[@rachelthomas9962]

Thanks for this video. I have a question : is your choice of mode random ( why not Phrygian or other...or is there a link I fail to understand) ? And any more like this is welcome.

[@ruslanpiano]

Rachel Thomas well, I look at the chords... and If I see no FLAT 9, then Phrygian doesn’t even cross my mind. And why would it? Minor 7 chords are almost always aeolian or dorian. If any of the chords said sharp 4, I would know it’s Lydian. If it said flat 9, I would try Phrygian or Locrean... but if it says plain major 7, or plain minor 7, then there is no reason to assume it’s some crazy, unlikely option of chord-scale.

[@rachelthomas9962]

@@ruslanpiano ok thanks

[@dennisbass9611]

@@ruslanpiano The question I always have is how to decide between aeolian and dorian if it's a "vanilla" minor 7 chord. Does it really matter? How did you decide on one over the other?

[@ruslanpiano]

@@dennisbass9611 Oh well... look, perhaps to reply to both of you. I sort of go by taste usually, but that is not to say that there is no method to the madness :)) The first chord was a C Ionian. It has a D NATURAL note in it, right? Why not preserve a common tone and keep that D NATURAL in the next chord scale? (i.e. F minor DORIAN). Common tones are always cool! If I made that F minor to be Aeolian - then bye bye D NATURAL common tone. Understand what I mean?

[@dennisbass9611]

@@ruslanpiano Most definitely! That is the reason for playing the aeolian mode (as opposed to dorian) over the A minor chord as well, correct? You are relating that back to the C ionian, same as the F minor chord.

[@markbra]

But the first Chord Cmaj.7 is missing the B natural key ? in the first ex. :-)

[@ruslanpiano]

markbra in that One slide, yes! Sorry

[@alejandropass]

Ruslan Sirota It’s also missing in the Am7. Thanks for these videos! Very helpful!

[@markbra]

@@ruslanpiano Thanks for your immense help -:)

[@alanzelicoff3421]

Insightful video as always with enticing application of basic music theory (that always helps for thinking to future improvisations) One question though: When you advise that the arpeggios (or scales) are DIATONIC, do you mean diatonic to, in this case, F-major (which is the key signature of the chord changes) or diatonic to each chord? If the latter is the case, why is there no Db in the Ab-major7 arpeggios? If the former, why is there no Bb in the Am7 arpeggio? (And I apologize for being dull here if I have missed something critical, but it seems relevant to doing improvisation in general given a certain set of chord changes). And thank you THANK YOU.

[@ruslanpiano]

Alan Zelicoff diatonic to the chord. There is no Db in the Ab major because the Ab major is Lydian (which is one of the optional chord scales for a major chord). The reason Ab is Lydian is - to preserve the note D as a common tone from the previous chord.

[@alanzelicoff3421]

That helps, but to my naive brain, only a bit. Aren't there seven different "optional chord scales" for a major chord (i.e. Ionian, Dorian, Phyrgian, etc.), meaning it seems that just about anything could be played (but for true master like yourself, obviously not). So, I remain a tad confused. While we're on the subject of optional chord scales: Suppose we are dealing with a minor chord, like the F-minor in this video's excellent example. What other options besides the b7 Dorian (I hope I have that right; the modes are so confusing) are there for the F-minor in the context of this example, if any? My thanks again. My goodness are you are good teacher.

[@MOVIEDAVE]

Hi Ruslan, what books do you recommend on "Chord Scales' that I can study on?

[@ruslanpiano]

im writing it as we speak!

[@RorxorProductions]

Really love your videos, they give a clear path to follow for improvising - thank you! One thing that makes it hard to watch your videos is the amount you cut up your speech - it takes away the human element and doesn't make me relaxed (and as able to learn)

[@RorxorProductions]

Sentences would be ok, but you cut sometimes just for one word and it makes it weird! Thanks :)

[@suriakumar4276]

Dear Brother, i see that you are no more making video's anymore.Hope you are doing well.

[@earmaster1959]

Cool exercises, but there are a couple of mistakes in 07:56!

[@ruslanpiano]

really? where exactly? which notes?

[@earmaster1959]

@@ruslanpiano Ok, I guess the first note in bar 1 should be b instead of g, as you play a 7, 3, 5, 1 pattern. And the first note in bar 3 should be Eb instaed of e, if i don't get something totally wrong. I only talk about the sheet music, of course audio is correct.

[@ruslanpiano]

@@earmaster1959 oh wow…. you are absolutely right!!!!!

[@earmaster1959]

@@ruslanpiano So am I the first to notice? Possibly as I played all the exercises on the electric bass. No easy, but cool.👍😊

[@5geezers]

Enjoying your teaching approach immensely, also a subscriber from the beginning. Your enthusiasm is infectious and you know your stuff...oh yus....but one little plea... could you please leave out the background music when you're talking. I find it distracting to say the least....it's almost subliminal, but really cuts my ability to fully take in the points you are laying out. [I think the fact that there is a loop which has a recurrent high tone makes it worse] Please accept this in friendship, as I intend it. Thanks.