Improvising over the tonic chord

Music Lesson: Tips for Improvising on B Flat Major

So if you've had a go at improvising in the A sections of the theme, you'll have explored hopefully some B flat major or B flat major pentatonic patterns. I'd just like to give you a few tips.

Simplifying the Bass Line

It's a little bit challenging to keep that bass line going underneath. So one of the practice methods I suggest is to:

• Simplify the bass: Focus on developing your fluency in B flat.

Why not try it with a simple two feel? Don't worry about all the 1625; just do this.

• Reference Point: Here's a scale in triplets, try to ensure it sits well.

Phrase Development

First Phrase

So, for the second phrase, that's kind of almost a crib from Charlie Parker's tune Ornithology.

• Phrases like that, which initially appeared in bebop tunes, are now part of the public domain. You can consider them up for grabs.

Notice it's just based on a five-finger position. The important thing about that phrase and many of these phrases is not so much where it starts, but where it finishes.

• Resolution: Notice how it resolves onto the D. Aim to put that note on the first beat of the bar.

Adding the Blue Third

Now I'm going to add the blue third to make it a little more bluesy. So play around with that idea.

Winton Kelly Phrase

Another phrase that is almost part of the vocabulary in the public domain is this Winton Kelly type phrase.

• Memorization: I really recommend that you try to memorize phrases like this, but it's important to put them in the right places.

This one has to finish on the target note, which is the third of the chord.

• To make that come out onto the first beat of the bar, you need to start on three: 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2.

So just get used to that phrase; you can create different endings.

• Common Usage: You'll start hearing that phrase all over the place now. For any bebop pianist, it's a bit like the famous lick in blues. That blues lick also resolves onto the third of the chord on the first beat of the bar.

Exploring the 1625 Bass Line

Another bass line you could adopt for your B flat major practice is the 1625, which is actually bars three and four in the given bass line.

• Looping that bass line would sound more like we're playing rhythm changes.

Fingering Practice

• Fingering: Notice the fingering, and practice playing that without looking. Start with the second finger.

I would call that phrase an encircling of the root and the encircling of the third. This approach isn't just about scales; it's more about chord tones encircling the root and the third.

• Starting Point: Come in on the second bar.

Incorporating the Blues Scale

You could also play the blues scale, especially in bars five and six.

• Minor Pentatonic: Try that and play around with it for a bit.

All right, so those are some ideas for you to play around with.

• Caution: Don't use the blues scale all the time. Remember, it's a minor scale, and we're not in B flat minor, we're in B flat major.

B flat major pentatonic is a more natural sound, just use the blues scale when you feel like giving it a bit more extra spice.