Jazz Band
Arrangements, Pieces, Activities, & Exercises

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Exercises

•  "MMS" Blues (Outlining Chords / Playing the Changes / Improvising)
  

Improvisation

This short pdf presentation is what I use for my Beginner Jazz Ensembles when starting to Improvise. There are 6 Techniques here, and the first 5 don't require understanding of Chord tones, only understanding of basic blues scale. I teach one technique a week for the first five weeks, then teach "MMS Blues" to explain chord tones and apply the 6th tactic. I have them "Map out" a solo using the first 5 techniques. I've had them use graphic notation or just a guide line when "mapping out solo". Get your students improvising even before you dive into the complexities of spelling out chords.

• Introduction to Improv