Minor 7th Chord Lick
With
Ollie WestonOllie Weston teaches a simple minor 7th lick in G minor, built from the chord tones, and shows how to transpose it through other keys over the backing tracks.
What's in the course
51 lessons (2h 9m) · 1 free
01. Introduction + leaving town demonstration
Free lesson3:02
02. The Blues Scale
2:48
03. Swing Quavers
1:42
04. Combing the Blues Scale and Swing Quavers
3:57
05. Playing through the Blues form using root notes
1:18
06. Writes Your Own Blues
0:59
07. Leaving Town Blues - Improvise
4:13
08. Improvisation recap
0:49
01. Introduction to Minor 7th Chords
3:32
02. Dorian Scale Workout
1:40
03. Minor 7th Chord Lick
You are here2:22
04. Minor Pentatonic Patterns
3:51
05. Minor Pentatonic Workout
1:52
06. Pentatonic vs Blues Scale
1:59
07. So Far so Good - Introduction
1:09
08. So Far so Good - Head
1:37
09. Minor Chord Extensions
2:45
10. Rhythmic Ideas
2:13
11. So Far so Good - Performance with Solo
3:50
01. Introduction to Modes
6:09
02. Diatonic Modes Exercise
4:04
03. Modes with a Static Root
1:58
04. Modes with Static Root Exercise
1:06
05. Modes with Static Root Recap
0:34
06. Phrase Exercise for Modes
1:07
07. Phrase Exercise for Modes (Demonstration)
1:29
08. Song Examples
1:56
09. First Impresssions - Chords and Harmony
4:06
10. First Impresssions - Performance
4:06
11. First Impresssions - Introduction and Analysis
3:30
Lesson transcript
Developing Your Minor Language
So, having played all your scales, your Dorian scales, and your chord tones, let's have a look at some ways to develop your minor language.
Learning a Simple Phrase
The first thing I'm going to do is introduce a short phrase that jazz has sometimes called a lick. It's just a really simple pattern in G minor.
The Phrase Breakdown
- Starts on the third
- Goes to the fifth
- Moves to the seventh
- Returns to the fifth
- Then to the sixth
- Back to the third
- Finally, returns to the root
Try to get used to numbering your phrases. I'm always coming back to my fingers and thinking, "What is the third of this phrase?" This allows for quick transitions between keys.
Transposing the Phrase
Here it is in G minor, but I'm also comfortable playing it in:
- B flat minor
- C sharp minor
- E minor
Having this ability to quickly access the numerical pattern of a phrase and move it through different keys is a really useful skill for jazz musicians, as you can never quite be sure what key you're going to be playing in sometimes.
Practicing with Backing Tracks
You can use your backing tracks for practice. You'll have:
- 16 bars of G minor
- 16 bars of B flat minor
- 16 bars of C sharp minor
- 16 bars of E minor
Having written out a phrase in those four keys, it's really good to start exploring your own language and try to create your own melodies that you can transfer through keys.
The Importance of Numbering
I always find numbering things to be really useful. If I've learned the phrase in G minor, I know it starts on the third and includes the fifth and seventh.
Being able to access this numerical knowledge quickly is an essential skill for a jazz player. It enables you to recognize unfamiliar chords and tap into your vocabulary.
Conclusion
So, put the tracks on! You've got 16 bars per chord on the backing track. Explore the sounds and create your own licks and phrases that you'll want to use in your solos.
51 lessons
2h 9m of structured video lessons
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
Since graduating from the Leeds College of Music (BA Hons) and the Guildhall School of Music (Post Graduate Diploma in Performance), Ollie has built a busy and varied career in music. As a saxophonist he has performed in live and studio settings with artists as diverse as Amy Winehouse, Tim Minchin, Bonobo, Frank Turner, the London Jazz Orchestra, the Hackney Colliery Band, the Ambient Jazz Ensemble and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. He is also the co-leader of the jazz quartet 'Time Is Of The Essence', and composes and arranges material for this and other ensembles.
Ollie is active in music education, currently as course leader for the jazz department at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (junior school), where he runs jazz ensembles, big band and theory classes. He has written a series of 'Exploring Jazz' books for Schott Music that are published worldwide and feature on exam syllabuses in the UK. Ollie has also run workshops for Oxford University, Pro Corda Strings and BABSWE, as well as the Guildhall School of Music summer schools.
In his Exploring Jazz Saxophone courses, Ollie takes you from getting started right through to soloing confidently over songs and chord sequences, building the improvising skills that put a real jazz player's vocabulary at your fingertips.
