Jam #1 – D Mixolydian at 100 bpm
Progression: D | D | C | C | G | G | D | D
Improvise using:
- CAGED arpeggios
- Major pentatonic scales based on CAGED shapes
Styles
Hard Rock
Country
Jazz Bossa Nova
Jam #2 – B♭ Funk in the style of Chameleon (Herbie Hancock)
Progression: B♭m7 | E♭7
Improvise using:
- B♭ minor pentatonic
- B♭ Dorian
- …same as E♭ Mixolydian
- …same as A♭ major, so – any A♭ major CAGED shape
B♭ Funk in the style of Chameleon
Jam #3 – Simple Blues in A
Progression: A | A | A | A | D | D | A | A | E | D | A | E
Improvise using:
- CAGED Triad Arpeggios (Download here)
Simple Blues in A
Jam #4 – Wonderful Slippery Thing (theme)
Progression: Bm7 | D7 | Gmaj7 | F#7(#5)
Improvise using:
- B min pentatonic
- B Phrygian (G major)
- Over the F#7:
- F# diminished half-whole
- F# altered (F# super Locrian, G melodic minor)
- F# Phrygian dominant (B harmonic minor)
Wonderful Slippery Thing (theme)
Jam #5 – C Ionian
Progression: C Em | F G | C Em | F C
Improvise using:
- C major pentatonic
- C major
C Ionian
Jam #6 – D Ionian
Progression: D | D | G | G | A | A | D | D
Target each chord using:
- Major triad arpeggios
- Major pentatonic
- Major scales
D Ionian
Jam #7 – Non-diatonic Rock Ballad
Progression:
C E7 | F G |
C E7 | F C |
C E7 | F Fm |
C E7 | F G
Improvise using:
- C major
- E7 – bring out the G#
- E maj pentatonic
- E mixolydian (A major)
- Fm – bring out the Ab
- Fm pentatonic
- F dorian (Eb major / C natural minor)
- F aeolian (Ab major)
- Throw in C minor pentatonic every once in a while
Non-diatonic Rock Ballad (in mostly C major)
Jam #8 – Sunny
Progression:
Am7 | Gm7 C7 | Fmaj7 | E7
Am7 | Gm7 C7 | Fmaj7 | E7
Am7 | Gm7 C7b5 | Fmaj7 | Bb13
Bm7b5 | E7#9 | Am7 | Bm7b5 E7#9
Improvise using:
- A minor pentatonic
- A blues
- A minor pentatonic with chromatic approach
- E half-whole diminished over the E7 chords
- Dominant arpeggio over the Bb13
Sunny (Am)
Jam #9 – D Major Pentatonic Jam
Progression:
D | D | Bm7 | Bm7 | Gmaj7 | Gmaj7 | A7 | A7
Improvise using:
- D major pentatonic (all five shapes).
- Pay attention to the chords and anticipate what’s coming up. Aim for target tones (chord tones of each chord) on beat 1 of each bar.
D Maj Pent Jam
Jam #10 – Jessica
Progression:
[A] SECTION:
A | D (32 bars)
[B] SECTION:
G | G | A | A |
G | G | A | A |
G | G | A | A |
G | G | E | E |
Improvise using:
- Over the [A] Section:
- A major arpeggio, major pentatonic, and major scale
- Over the [B] Section:
- D major arpeggio, major pentatonic, and major scale
- Over the final E chord – back to A major arpeggio, major pentatonic, and major scale. Emphasize the G#.
- Always target chord tones for any note you hold out and when chords change
Jessica (A major, D major)
Jam #11 – Busted Windows
Progression:
Fm | Fm | Db | Db | Bbm | Bbm | C7 | C7
Improvise using:
- Fm pentatonic / F blues
- Fm (F Aeolian, Ab major)
- F harmonic minor
Busted Windows
One-chord Grooves
hidden top
Dominant 7
Practice mixolydian.
C7
C#7
D7
E♭7
E7
F7
F#7
G7
A♭7
A7
B♭7
B7
Minor 7
Practice dorian, phrygian, or aeolian.
C-7
C#-7
D-7
E♭-7
E-7
F-7
F#-7
G-7
A♭-7
A-7
B♭-7
B-7
Major 7
Practice ionian or lydian.