PART 3

In parts 1 and 2 of this lesson, we explored some of the basic concepts of swing-style soloing: using sixth and seventh arpeggios, mixolydian scales, lower chromatic neighbor tones, and sequences. In part 3, we'll continue exploring sequences through the use of common tones. We'll then look at chromatic passing tones, and incorporate all the techniques we've learned so far into a solo.

COMMON TONES

Another form of sequencing is sometimes called common tone sequencing. I got this idea from jazz guitarist Peter Einhorn, and it really opened things up for me. When the chord changes, instead of transposing your phrase note for note to the arpeggio that matches the new chord, you repeat the phrase right where you are, changing only those notes that you have to change to fit the new chord. In other words, you keep all the notes that the two chords have in common.

For example, let’s go back to the major sixth arpeggios we used in part 1—the root, third, fifth, and sixth of a major scale, or C, E, G, and A in the key of C. All you have to do to make this arpeggio fit over an F7 chord is change all the E notes to Eb. You could think of the resulting arpeggio as a C minor sixth arpeggio (C, Eb, G, A; or root, minor third, fifth, sixth) or as part of an F7 arpeggio with the second (or ninth) note of the F mixolydian scale thrown in. C, Eb, G, and A are the fifth, flatted seventh, ninth, and third of the F mixolydian scale. Example 12 shows the C major sixth and C minor sixth arpeggios side by side.