Struggling to Improvise over II-V-I's?

Did you know that most of the standards jazz musicians play today weren't always so harmonically sophisticated and were easier to improvise over? Many of them were popular songs written during the early 20th century, and it wasn't until bebop musicians in the mid 1940s started adding II-Vs all over the place that they became harder to play. So, if you are starting out with jazz improvisation, in this lesson I teach you 1 simple rule to simplify jazz progressions in order to make them easier to improvise over!
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[@onehere9065]

giving a thumbs down on any of this man's videos is an unspeakable act.

[@professorsc213]

As a guitar teacher of 42 years, kudos to you. You are a great teacher. You speak clearly and concise and you have a very non intimidating way about you. That is a gift. Your students are lucky to have you.

[@RichieZellon]

Thank you kindly Scott, much appreciated!

[@syn707]

Clearly, how whole demeanor invites you in and welcomes you.

[@tenbroeck1958]

Your lessons and the parts 1 and 2 B ebop guitar books are finally helping me break away from memorizing licks, to understanding chord tones, guide tones, etc. This is a fundamental lesson here.

[@RichieZellon]

Glad to hear that, thanks!

[@ddanze]

Excellent. The best and clearest explanation I"ve heard yet of looking at jazz this way.

[@diego2246]

Great lesson from an outstanding teacher!

[@syn707]

You are an excellent instructor. I envy those who have studied directly from you!

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Robert, much appreciated!

[@jmkt7]

I love when you delve into theory. Your approach and teaching methods have improved incredibly. Clear, succinct and the diagrams are a great tool. Thank you.

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks for your feedback John, it is much appreciated!

[@Morganstudios]

Thanks for the lesson! Btw in classical theory a "perfect cadence" means the bass plays the roots of both the V and I chords and the top voice plays(or sings) the tonic over the I chord.

[@jayspicer2259]

Whoa. I had to go and test this out for myself over an Autumn Leaves backing track. One question: WHY DID NOBODY EXPLAIN THIS TO ME BEFORE? I feel like this is a top ten beginner/intermediate tip. Thank you!!

[@RichieZellon]

You're very welcome...glad to be of help!

[@PeterGuyMyrand1]

Excellent breakdown, explanation on giant steps.

[@matthewbrenes699]

Love your lessons. You say more than,”put your fingers here and listen to this.” You teach how music works, when you understand how this works, then you can really taking you musicianship to the next level. I’m a bass player learning to play guitar, I’m having to relearn how to play all the standards I have already learned, and your videos are helping me a lot.

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Matthew, glad to be of help and above all happy to hear that unlike many out there, you understand that to play jazz it takes more than just being told to place your fingers in a certain place and produce a sound! :)

[@dkwvt13]

Very interesting. Most tutorials are going the other direction, its nice to see how to occasionally get OUT of the deep end...! ;-). Thank You!

[@skale1963]

👍🏻 Helpful and immediately applicable. By thinking only V7, I found I got a more "jazzy/blues" sound, and also gave me "more space" to develop longer melodic lines as opposed to shorter phrases when I try to outline over two chords.

[@russelllloyd6453]

Superb! Very helpful. As well as the best explanation of this subject I’ve heard, your excellent playing exemplifies everything. The historic preamble is important too. Thank you.

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Russell, much appreciated!

[@jumemowery9434]

Loved the lesson. Thanks for stretching me Richie!

[@kulahit50]

Thanks for clearing this up for me

[@timdouglas620]

This is when theory makes sense! Thank you.

[@RichieZellon]

Glad it was helpful ☺️

[@ferfrant4425]

My first time here. Great stuff, first video and I left learning something new. Subscribed!

[@RichieZellon]

Awesome, thank you!

[@randolphcohen6522]

Another superb lesson with great examples and demonstrations. Thanks Richie!

[@RichieZellon]

My pleasure!

[@waynerice2484]

Great lesson & well presented! Thank-you.

[@RichieZellon]

Glad it was helpful!

[@robertcorel5161]

Pure gold! Thank you, sir.

[@proequipments7210]

a perfect story teller

[@jcspaziano]

Gosh...where the heck was this when I was a metal kid in Jazz Music school?! Thanks and great playing too!

[@jeffreyamado8027]

A great lesson, truly. You presented this so clearly. Joe Pass, in his instructional videos says this same thing-that he thinks of the V7 and ignores the II chord.

[@williamstanford7994]

Dynamite, Richie! Just dynamite!

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks William, glad you enjoyed it!

[@preacherjayk]

Great lesson , Thanks,

[@young0804]

Muy buena clase estás dando maestro. Un abrazo

[@RichieZellon]

Gracias!

[@danolivier4899]

I really like your energy man, it makes it so much easier to learn

[@RichieZellon]

Happy to hear that!

[@mariussolbakken5043]

Great video, Richie! Very nice tip indeed:)

[@williammorson1535]

Very helpful. Thankyou. Very well explained it makes perfect sense. I am a student of the bass and find difficulty with the 251.

[@charliebarredafriends61]

Good job Richie thumbs up! very good way to put it and simplify what is the art of improvisation - reminds me of my first Vibes teacher John Rae, recommended to me by Cal Tjader who wasn't taking on students (too busy touring) back in the early 80's. John would make me analyze Jazz tunes to see first what key and where is the harmony movement taking you.

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Charlie!

[@Flavio0567]

Great lesson 🎉🎉🎉

[@kasramoghaddam1389]

Thanks for the lesson!

[@alto1955]

Thanks it makes a lot of sense.

[@arvh1952]

genius... was awesome to meet u in Florida in WOLFES during ur lecture demonstration...wish I had jammed with u on Stella but was too nervous. thanks for uR books.

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks, you should have jammed with us! Next time...enjoy the books!

[@iloverumi]

amazing lesson and understanding of jazz! very impressive.

[@robertdouglas4293]

Kinda cool Man, from the 60s, nice.

[@chrisshipp7514]

Great information, Richie! Eye-opening!

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks Chris, glad it was helpful!

[@zeynelkilinc]

thank you great man

[@DizzyKrissi]

well explained.

[@larsfocken3456]

You can do this also with some more advanced stuff. E.g. if you raise die 7th of the II Chord in a II-V-I you get melodic minor. Now when the chord changes to the V7 you get lydian b7 automatically.

[@BlueSkies32]

Thank you Richie, that was helpful!

[@Jamestele1]

This is an awesome lesson sir. Should be required viewing for graduate Jazz Guitar studies (maybe it is!). I love it

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks!

[@alarichzollerjazzguitar8948]

Very helpful, great explanations, thanks

[@danielt1985]

Great vid dude never stop

[@Artsssssss]

maaan, you are king

[@frankking7687]

Good stuff! Thanks. Wondering about how to handle all the quick, half measure descending ii-V7s in jazz tunes (like "4 on 6") that leave out the Is?

[@RichieZellon]

Just play the V7...

[@luisalejandrodonatirobles660]

Hola maestro ritchie, porque no hace sus tutoriales también en español? Un abrazo!

[@RichieZellon]

La verdad es que lo hice con sub-titulos hace un tiempo pero no tuvo mucha acogida y no me justifico la inversión de tiempo y $. Ojala que en un futuro haya mas interes...Gracias!

[@jazzguitarneophyte-christo7988]

The four idiots who gave this a thumbs down are just ignorant folks. I am taking Richie Zellon's Bebop Improv course and he does a phenomenal job as a teacher!

[@ozwzrd]

Mister Can-do!

[@delarkaBCN]

came for the progression, stayed for the cool hat.

[@delarkaBCN]

it was really useful, btw

[@bones8057]

What is the theory of the Cm scale over the G7 chord. Sounds cool. Thanks

[@ismaeltonet]

Hello Richie, qual é o modo que vc usou no V quando fez a demonstracão sobre o Autumn Leaves? Foi o Mixolídio?

[@raquelchicajazz121]

Swing era barely had an major 7ths, and crazy extentions. An example is all of me, using a Cmajor7 doesnt sound nearly as good as C6. What's cool is that some of the swing composers (duke ellington) can easily be harmonized with modern jazz/bop harmony

[@vspaulding1]

Nice:)

[@mosesstewart1725]

Thanks for the lesson, by the way what guitar are you using?

[@RichieZellon]

Thanks for watching! In this video I am using a Peerless Jazz City which I have customized with a Lollar humbucker.

[@aadityakiran_s]

Pretty great videos but can you make some videos on how to get there? How to get to a level of mastery with the fretboard and with your ear such that you can get to play all these? How to get there? It seems like it's an uphill battle. Just hours and hours of singing G A B C D E F# G in several orders all over the neck all the while mentally mapping the freborad with each note. So like if you can make a series on that. It would be really helpful. I've been playing guitar for 2 years now and I don't really know how to get there even. How people attain such a mastery of the fretboard to get to play things like this. Improvise over the changes so quickly.

[@RichieZellon]

Sorry but in all honesty, no single video is going to teach you that and you are not going to attain that after playing guitar for 2 years. You need a good teacher to help you understand the finer details. Also knowing where all the notes are on the fretboard isn't going to make you a great player. You need to understand jazz harmony and other aspects.

[@aadityakiran_s]

@@RichieZellon Hmm.... That's a good point but I'm from India and good teachers are not here. There are great classical musicians but western especially jazz musicians there aren't many of. And since I'm in india, paying $100 per hour for lessons also won't make much economic sense. Isn't there any way to get there on my own like the way Wes Montgomery did? I'll try to find a teacher. The thing is, good musicians don't teach here. Maybe the pandemic has changed that, I'll have to see. But please do give me some ponters if you can. Also a video series on how to get there step by step would be greatly appreciated. Even if it's paid I shall buy it. Thanks for the great work. Also can you explain a reasonable timeline to get to a good level of jazz playing highlighting some milestones on the way?

[@tlbtwanger]

Maestro Zellon, would that I could always study at your feet. Namaste

[@RichieZellon]

Any time :)

[@RaffaeleSansone]

One thing that I hear a lot is that a chord can "function" as another, but it's really an abstract concept to grasp since they actually sound different. Could you explain that?

[@RichieZellon]

In a few words, some chords have the same essential notes as a the one they are replacing. For instance, in the key of C, a Cmaj can be substituted for an Emin or Amin. Even though they will sound different, both will continue to work in place of the Cmaj in the original progression as well as retain the identity of the tonality. Sorry if it's not easy to understand without getting deeper into a breakdown of the theory!

[@RaffaeleSansone]

@@RichieZellon oh so I think I got it, if you take Dm7 and Fmaj7 they overlap almost perfectly, leaving out only the root of Dm7 and the 7th of Fmaj7. So by that reasoning you could choose also an Am7 in place of the 4th (VI V I) to have a similar effect?

[@joshuamarks1129]

Good question, here's an idea that might offer a different perspective: Many chord spellings are almost indistinguishable from one another Am7 = D9sus (no root) Am9 = D13sus (no root) Am11= D13sus/A Am6 = D9 (no root) Am6/9 = D13 (no root) Ao7 = D7(b9) (no root) Am7(b5) = D7sus(b9)(no root) All of those "ii" Chords could function or ("substitute") as the V going to I (Gmajor) Many of them could also be perceived as a substitute for the IV chord as well.

[@lasdudas9210]

My man!!! HAHAAA ;)

[@thomasa631]

That's great how about were did you start when improvising over the V7 cord ?

[@RichieZellon]

Which one?

[@noahshue5579]

10:14 I heard the LICC

[@RichieZellon]

What is the LICC ???

[@noahshue5579]

The Jazz Guitar Channel kzbin.info/www/bejne/oaOnqZuklrB3bbM

[@MAP448]

Can I use a ii-v-i turnaround to connect any 2 chords I want to connect?

[@RichieZellon]

Sorry, I'm not sure I understand what you mean by that.

[@MAP448]

@@RichieZellon can I connect any 2 chords in music using a 2-5-1 turnaround?

[@RichieZellon]

Give me an example

[@MAP448]

@@RichieZellon of I'm in G & I wanted to go to A. Could I just use the 2 & the 5 of G to connect to A?

[@RichieZellon]

@@MAP448 No, you would have to use the II-V of A.