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

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

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)

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)

Jam #5 – C Ionian

Progression: C Em | F G | C Em | F C

Improvise using:

• C major pentatonic
• C major

Jam #6 – D Ionian

Progression: D | D | G | G | A | A | D | D

Target each chord using:

• Major triad arpeggios
• Major pentatonic
• Major scales

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

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

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.

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

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