by Richie Zellon | Jazz Improvisation
Regardless of what level we’re at, the fact is that as improvisers we all have pet licks we tend to fall back on. These so called jazz licks are pieces of something we might have learned from a transcription which has become part of our habitual improvisational...
by Richie Zellon | Basic Theory, Jazz Improvisation
One of the trademarks of a great solo is that if you strip away the rhythm section you will hear the chord changes implied in the soloist’s lines. This brings to mind several great saxophonists who have recorded trio sessions with just bass and drums. Of course...
by Richie Zellon | Jazz Improvisation, Jazz Pentatonics
In this lesson I teach you how to extract from the melodic minor scale, another scale that most guitarists aren’t familiar with… the symmetrical pentatonic. Unlike the 8-note symmetrical diminished scale which is used primarily over diminished 7th chords,...
by Richie Zellon | Jazz Improvisation, Jazz Pentatonics
In Part 1 of this lesson we learned about the origins of the whole tone pentatonic, its construction, and how to improvise over various chords using the concept of super-imposition. In this 2nd part I’m going to show you 2 four measure phrases exclusively using...
by Richie Zellon | Jazz Improvisation, Jazz Pentatonics
In this two part lesson I’d like to show you how to play and use a scale that most guitarists aren’t even aware of. I’m referring to the whole tone pentatonic. So where does this scale come from? Well, I’ve got some interesting news for you....
by Richie Zellon | Chord Melody, Jazz Improvisation
How often do you use the minor 6th chord? If you’re like most guitarists, your answer is probably going to be…once in a blue moon! Yet this is a very useful chord, especially when playing standards in minor keys. When used in the right places, it can add...
