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Guitar Tutorial

Improvisation 'The II-V-I'

Instructor: Mike Edwin
Style: Jazz
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  • Instructor: Mike Edwin Level: Intermediate Topic: Improvising Style: Jazz

    Excerpt: In this tutorial, I hope to enlighten you somewhat in the ways of improvisation. Particularly on the subject of outlining chords. We will be having a look at several short musical phrases and analyzing them in context to the use of what are commonly known as 'Guide Tones' The II-V-I progression, aka 2 5 1, will be used as a template throughout this tutorial...

    Media Length: 2:33

  • Instructor: Mike Edwin Level: Intermediate Topic: Improvising Style: Jazz

    Excerpt: Before we start learning to play some lines and understanding what makes them tick, it is important we understand the concept of guide tones. A good improviser will always be able to 'outline' the chord progression he/she is playing through. In our case we want to outline a II-V-I progression. Outlining chords, to make an analogy, is like tracing a paintin...

    Media Length: 3:08

  • Instructor: Mike Edwin Level: Beginner Topic: Improvising Style: Jazz

    Excerpt: Guide Tones. Part 1 This lesson will contain a lot more discussion about chord tones used than the following, so be sure to read carefully. If there is anything you don't understand please join me in the forums. Let's get right into understanding what Guide Tones are and how they can be used. Example 1. This phrase along with all following it throughout ...

    Media Length: 1:17

  • Instructor: Mike Edwin Level: Intermediate Topic: Improvising Style: Jazz

    Excerpt: Guide Tones part 2 Welcome! This lesson has two separate phrases but are all played as one long passage. The Chord voicings used are also tabbed for you, not the rhythms though. I will leave that part of it for you to work out by ear if you wish. I will refer to the two separate phrases as Phrase 1 and 2. Phrase 1 Here we have three nice little clusters ...

    Media Length: 1:06

  • Instructor: Mike Edwin Level: Intermediate Topic: Improvising Style: Jazz

    Excerpt: Guide Lines part 3 Before you do anything with this lesson, I want you to just listen to the first half of the video. It is a 16 bar phrase over our II-V-I progression. The chords progression is simply repeated as such, Am7 D7 Gmaj7 Gmaj7 Am7 D7 Gmaj7 Gmaj7 . I want you to actually listen and see if you can hear the chord changes within the melody. There a...

    Media Length: 1:04

  • Instructor: Mike Edwin Level: Intermediate Topic: Improvising Style: Jazz

    Excerpt: It's time to open the fretboard up! This lesson will hopefully help you visualize each of the chord/scale relationships over the fretboard a bit easier. All of these exercises are built on the II-V-I progression just as we have been working on them previously. The aim of playing through these exercises will be to show you the close relationship of each chor...

    Media Length: 1:17