Topmusicanswers
- Why do jazz musicians improvise?
- Are modes important in jazz?
- What modes does jazz use?
- How can we improvise over modal jazz?
Why do jazz musicians improvise?
Improvising harmonically employs chords and tone centers to inspire new soloing. Improvising by redefining motives, phrases and statements serves to sophisticate the musical arrangement. Just as no two artists would paint a scene in the same way, no two musicians improvise in the same way.
Are modes important in jazz?
Jazz improvisers know that the modes of the major scale are important, but the way in which many people think of the modes makes it difficult to use the modes when improvising in the heat of the moment. By the time they realize what mode is consonant with the chord, the chord change has past.
What modes does jazz use?
The modes of the major scale
| Mode | Name | Scale (in C) |
|---|---|---|
| I | Ionian | C–D–E–F–G–A–B–C |
| II | Dorian | C–D–E♭–F–G–A–B♭–C |
| III | Phrygian | C–D♭–E♭–F–G–A♭–B♭–C |
| IV | Lydian | C–D–E–F♯–G–A–B–C |
How can we improvise over modal jazz?
Modal Jazz and Improvisation
- Target Guide Tones.
- Avoid Avoid Notes.
- Start a phrase at the start of the progression.
- Build up tension as the chords build up in tension.
- Resolve tension as the chords resolve in tension.
- End the phrase at the end of the chord progression.
