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Jazz Improvisation - Guide Tones 

Walk That Bass
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If you like this Jazz Piano Tutorial, please subscribe: / walkthatbass
For more information check out my website: www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz...
In this series of videos I cover Jazz Piano Improvisation techniques. I'll explain, from start to finish, how you can learn to improvise over a jazz song and sound professional.
This Jazz Piano Tutorial is about guide tones. What they are and how to use them and why them are important. This is an important improvisation technique when playing 'inside'. Targeting Guide Tones creates a strong and professional sounding solo.
Essentially, guide tones are the 3rd and the 7th of a chord. They are the key notes that give that chord its character. When improvising or writing a melody, it's important (at least to begin with) to focus on the guide tones. This makes your improvisation or melody sounds strong and pleasant and professional.
For a cycle/circle of fifths (from the song Autumn leaves), the guide tones are as follows:
Chord | Am7 | D7 | GMaj7 | CMaj7 | F#m7b5 | B7 | Em7
3rd | C |F# | B | E | A | D | G#
7th |G |C | F | B | E | A | D
Notice that each passing chord keep one guide tone the same as the previous chord. This is what makes the cycle of fifths chord progression so useful and nice sounding.
When improvising, you can also focus on any altered or extended notes within a chord. This too can create a great sound when improvising.
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26 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 111   
@Robert-ts2ef
@Robert-ts2ef 7 лет назад
Your the best jazz piano teacher on the tube - thanks.
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 7 лет назад
Thanks, Robert. My pleasure.
@Kazberhaf
@Kazberhaf 7 лет назад
I am learning about guide tones and improvising on the sax, and I find watching your explanations on the piano so helpful because it looks so logical on the keyboard. You pack a lot of info in, and quickly, but thankfully I can pause, rewind, repeat etc. so thank you very much for your clear information, so appreciated.
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 7 лет назад
No problem. My pleasure. And yeah, piano is great for exactly that reason - you can see exactly what notes are being played. Good luck with your improv!!
@donngoodside6885
@donngoodside6885 6 лет назад
WTB...As a 'non-Piano Playing Guitar Person', Your Videos explains, and clarifys, everything I missed as a 'Child Music Student / Thank you for your Help... you are appreciated. dg
@OnTheLeftHandSide
@OnTheLeftHandSide 5 лет назад
Me too watching as 'non-Piano Playing Guitar Person', this is great.
@nirdavidor3326
@nirdavidor3326 7 лет назад
after many years the picture now is clear and amazing ...amazing info sharing
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 7 лет назад
Thanks, mate. Glad it helped.
@debbypajerowski5690
@debbypajerowski5690 2 года назад
You are an amazing teacher! Thank you
@oerlex
@oerlex 7 лет назад
Your videos are so precise and clear. Thank you so much! I've learnt a lot as someone who just got into jazz for a year.
@onenaja2745
@onenaja2745 4 года назад
Unbelivable that good knowledge and teacher as you are Free. THANKs
@billboy3076
@billboy3076 2 года назад
You are the Best on youtube . Thanks for sharing your knowledge and skills. Fantastic lesson. Be blessed
@adriandiaz7261
@adriandiaz7261 2 года назад
Excelent Explanation!!!! Thank you very much!!!!
@argopete
@argopete 4 года назад
Thank you - a mountain of information in an accessible time frame. A beginner I have been working through Autumn Leaves and this clarifies it.
@danieltriana1937
@danieltriana1937 3 года назад
Such a great lesson!, thak you. Persons like you have a huge impact on others, can't image how much you have helped to improved other musicians. Saludos desde colombia
@zeroblackstar
@zeroblackstar 3 года назад
Excellent explanation and practical demonstration, thank you very much
@bettyennin6335
@bettyennin6335 3 года назад
Interesting tutorial of guide tones. Greatly appreciated! God bless you!
@davesax11
@davesax11 Год назад
Excellent. Thanx!!
@Thiagogomes1950
@Thiagogomes1950 3 года назад
Dude, you're awesome with these explanations !!
@pindakaas42
@pindakaas42 4 года назад
This kind of stuff is why I love youtube. Thanks so much for these videos.
@davidallsopp4030
@davidallsopp4030 3 года назад
Excellent
@saltyduck9435
@saltyduck9435 7 лет назад
great insight for me.....never heard of guide tones before....really helpful so thanks....I like your your teaching style...really clear
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 7 лет назад
Thanks, mate! Happy to help :)
@ThiagoBragaMusic
@ThiagoBragaMusic Год назад
Great class!! Thank you!!
@philippepierrelouis9956
@philippepierrelouis9956 2 года назад
That was simply beautiful. Thank Sir I really needed that tutorials.
@ebolds4918
@ebolds4918 4 года назад
Great explanation of guide tones!
@mrdjangofreeman5560
@mrdjangofreeman5560 3 года назад
Brilliant, Nice explanation, thx
@Daniel-ox1sb
@Daniel-ox1sb 2 года назад
Tears started welling up in my eyes when you did the exercise and I don't know why
@milkdawgmcgee7498
@milkdawgmcgee7498 6 лет назад
You're a wizard, Harry
@varosolo78
@varosolo78 5 лет назад
You are indeed a great instructor
@ivanmectin9106
@ivanmectin9106 2 года назад
amazing tutorial ! - :)
@MrDOOlevrai
@MrDOOlevrai 7 лет назад
Well with that explanation, the name given to those notes is perfect. And so is the video and your help.
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 7 лет назад
No worries, mate. Thanks for the comment :)
@dchiphoppiano9177
@dchiphoppiano9177 Год назад
Thanx I can easily understand idea of guide tone.
@CantecePian
@CantecePian 4 года назад
You are an eye opener. Thank you!
@coloaten6682
@coloaten6682 4 года назад
Thanks a lot for this video, it gave me a light bulb moment! Made complete sense. I now think of the guide tones as stepping stones between chords. I'll re-watch this video as I practice my improv. Awesome :)
@sawmebabe
@sawmebabe 3 года назад
Exactly
@glockycashonly5287
@glockycashonly5287 7 лет назад
youre the man !
@susanhaug9772
@susanhaug9772 7 лет назад
You are a fantastic teacher - thank you!
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 7 лет назад
No worries, Susan. Thanks for the message :)
@eecorr
@eecorr 7 лет назад
Thank you for this video! New sub 😊👍
@onpatrolforthejuice
@onpatrolforthejuice 7 лет назад
this video just made my minor in jazz make so much more sense. Big thanks!
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 7 лет назад
No worries, mate. Glad it helped!
@clubandbardjs
@clubandbardjs 2 года назад
Good stuff
@tamboresdomundo8156
@tamboresdomundo8156 6 лет назад
Thanks for your nice videos! If you tune that piano they will be even better ; ) but they are really instructive anyway, thanks!
@saadalhumaid8043
@saadalhumaid8043 7 лет назад
Thank you
@pavelmihailovski8959
@pavelmihailovski8959 7 лет назад
Brilliant sir! well done
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 7 лет назад
Thank you, good sir!
@TheHologr4m
@TheHologr4m 8 лет назад
Thank you for these videos :)
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 8 лет назад
+TheHologr4m No worries, Hologr4m
@nickrees4706
@nickrees4706 7 лет назад
Very helpful. Thank you!
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 7 лет назад
No worries, Nick :)
@don4476
@don4476 5 лет назад
Love your lessons. Great value. Tuning your piano would be nice.
@benjaminmoseslieb9856
@benjaminmoseslieb9856 6 лет назад
Love your videos and explanations! Some sour notes in that piano tho!
@logelogi7940
@logelogi7940 7 лет назад
Mycket bra, så vackert.
@socalninjarider
@socalninjarider 7 лет назад
You are a saint. Literally the most helpful video I've watched on Jazz improvisation ever. Thank you.
@antoncmusic
@antoncmusic 7 лет назад
This was very clear - thanks. Glad you referenced Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles Mortes) as I was just noticing the use of guide tone connections there. It's a great song to begin improvising as the chord structure is quite simple, yet powerful.
@Tntmnt
@Tntmnt 6 лет назад
Nonetheless, you're such an amazing teacher!!
@nic0003
@nic0003 8 лет назад
nice!
@nic0003
@nic0003 8 лет назад
blue my mind haha.....its all starting to make sense now!
@Pleasure1964
@Pleasure1964 9 месяцев назад
Thank you!
@BeatminorBeats
@BeatminorBeats 5 лет назад
Thanks for your effort making those videos! Very helpful! so guide tones is more important than root note for melody?
@wuuukie
@wuuukie 4 года назад
Nice, did a cover of this song too! But with a loopstation
@NotLegato
@NotLegato 8 лет назад
wow. i had once, without any knowledge of the progression, played it by hearing: A - Dm7 - G - C - F - B - E - E7... though it's not IDENTICAL, it's pretty damn close.
@samuelgandin9953
@samuelgandin9953 7 лет назад
Dear Walk that Bass, I thank you for this video, which is awesome, rich in information and well structured as all the other numerous videos that you kindly take the time to prepare and offer to the public online. I have however doubts on the following points: the table which appears at 10:34, at the the top of the screen, shows that: - for GMaj7, the 7th is F. Should it not be F# rather? - for B7, the 3rd is D. Should it not be D# rather? - for Em7, the 3rd is G#. Should it not be G rather? - actually, following the circle of fifth, instead of F#m7b5, should we not have FMaj7? Thank you for your answers and keep on your good job. I am learning a lot from you! Regards, Samuel
@vanessachallis2159
@vanessachallis2159 8 лет назад
Very enlightening Anton and I am sure that this is going to be of great help. Can I just ask that when targeting the guide tones of a given chord progression, particularly when following a cycle of 5ths progression, does it matter if you mix and match the 3rd with the 7th when going from chord to chord? BTW - I must add that your videos are up there with the very best piano tutorials that I have found on RU-vid! Thanks again :)
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 8 лет назад
+Vanessa Challis Hello Vanessa. You can target whichever guide tone you like. You can mix and match 3rds and 7ths. In fact, it works especially well in a cycle of 5ths progression if you alternate between the two. This way you get a nice, smooth, descending scale. For example: Am7 - target 3rd - C Dm7 - target 7th - C G7 - target 3rd - B CMaj7 - target 7th - B FMaj7 - target 3rd - A and so on. That way the targeted note either repeats or just descends one step. this can create a really harmonically strong and well structured melody. And thank you kindly for the compliment.
@vanessachallis2159
@vanessachallis2159 8 лет назад
Thank you
@ericmitchell9331
@ericmitchell9331 3 года назад
Towards the end of the video, you mentioned that altered notes can also be used as guide tones, like the flat 5 of a half diminished or the 13th. In most lead sheets, the chords aren't always fully called out, for example, it might be noted as a G7, but it sounds a little boring. How do you know when to add the extended notes that can then be used as alternate guide tones?
@iloverumi
@iloverumi 3 года назад
great info... i didn't realize you could use the same guide tone twice in a row?
@lapidar3381
@lapidar3381 6 лет назад
6:38 👌 😆
@jimgresham5529
@jimgresham5529 2 года назад
You da bomb.....but that pie-zanna could sure use a chune-up !
@miguelabreumacedo
@miguelabreumacedo 5 лет назад
Great videos! Just a side note, is the piano out of tune? It sounds strange to me. Edit: read a comment where you said it was indeed out of tune, sorry!
@aleexlovesbossa
@aleexlovesbossa 5 лет назад
Can anyone enlighten me with regards to the Autumn Leaves circle of fifths? I see that the B7 guide tones fit into the scale but B7 itself is not in G major - IIImin7 chord in the major scale should be Bmin7. What's going on here?
@creamydistortion
@creamydistortion 7 лет назад
Maybe it's just my shitty computer but that piano sounds less than in-tune.... Still, sounds good.
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 7 лет назад
Yep, piano is definitely out of tune in this vid. Has since been tuned :)
@josedarioleandro1538
@josedarioleandro1538 5 лет назад
I was about to say the same. It's out of tune. Which is very expected for a "tempered" instrument.
@Simon.Gilbert.Violin
@Simon.Gilbert.Violin 3 года назад
Question while we're on that topic... What becomes of the guide tones when you face a X6 chord? I am currently trying to decompose li'l darling from Neil Hefti where you have in the second half of the A part a Bb6, Bb-6 progression. In such a case, are the guide tones still based on the 7th and 3rd knowing that the 7th would "clash" on the 6th? That being asked, big thank you for your videos. I have been following you for quite some time now and still get back to them in order to grasp the concepts of improv over chords grids and kazz standard. Not always easy for a violinist coming from classical classes 😅 But, your explanations and videos are very clear, right to the point and very efficient to get some results. Thank you for all that work ! 🙏🏻
@shanethomas6797
@shanethomas6797 Год назад
In this case, I would refer to the end of the video when he talks about extensions. Ultimately the goal of playing to the guide tones is to play the notes that most identify the character of a chord. In the case of an X6 chord, it would be the 3rd and the 6th.
@shanethomas6797
@shanethomas6797 Год назад
Also, as a classical upright bassist, I feel your pain. Just know that X6 chords do not have a 7th unless stated. In which case it would usually be noted as a 7 chord of some sort with add6 at the end of the chord symbol. In jazz this chord is uncommon because a 13 chord would have the 6th voiced nearly an octave upwards from the 7th so there is less clashing. Hope this helps!
@anthonysilva5312
@anthonysilva5312 3 года назад
Do you have any recommendations for left hand comping?
@tysamurai6036
@tysamurai6036 5 лет назад
I love these lessons! But I have to ask targeting these guide tones is the 3rd and 7th of the chord that’s being played. Which in jazz is fairly common. But what if a basic triad is played (C major). Can I target more than just the third? Can I create my own “7th of the chord” if there isn’t a seventh chord being played in the chord progression.
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 5 лет назад
You can most certainly target the 7th and create your own 7th chord. You could also target the 9th and create a Cadd9, or target the 6th and create a C6. The 7th and 9th will sound quite jazzy, while the 6th will sound quite pure and consonant.
@philmckenna5709
@philmckenna5709 Год назад
Very good question, and very helpful answer!
@bennytahn432
@bennytahn432 2 года назад
What about half dim guide tones?
@danielportugal2838
@danielportugal2838 4 года назад
this is a circle of fifths back words am I right?
@emmanuelwynkoop5332
@emmanuelwynkoop5332 5 лет назад
@walk that bass great video and thanks for your other videos as well, I seek some clarification please I'm concerned about what you said around 1:40, about "the root not being important", unless you have a bass player doing the roots how will you know which chord you are on just by the guide tones, how does the ear know that the guide tone is not the bass if you have rootless chords? unless one is very familiar with the melody and harmony and it is an advanced arrangement of the song with rootless chords I don't see how the root isn't important just as much as the guide tones in defining what the chord is actually is? especially if we are talking about abstract chords not part of a progression? you sure you wanted to be that harsh on the importance of the root note? thanks you again
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 5 лет назад
Sometimes the bass also doesn't play the root, so you have a completely rootless chord. The guide tones should be harmonically strong enough for you to follow the chord progression. If you just play the guide tones of one chord by itself, yes, that sounds hollow and like it's missing something, but in the context of a progression the guide tones are enough. Try playing a 251 using only guide tones, and you should hopefully hear that it is in fact a 251 progression. Even without the assistance of the root. Playing with the root note can create a stronger sense of movement, but it really is not necessary. As strange as it may sound, the root is superfluous.
@emmanuelwynkoop5332
@emmanuelwynkoop5332 5 лет назад
@@WalkThatBass are you sure it's superfluous objectively I mean not just because you personally have an advanced ear and understanding of music so you don't need it, but most beginning musicians would still need to hear the bass in order to define the chords? I would like also to understand how when you hear just the guide tones how do you ensure the ear hears it as guide tones and not as the bass and fifth? thanks again!
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 5 лет назад
Everything in music is subjective. These are just rules that musicians have generally agreed upon. You're more than welcome to disagree. This is an art rather than a science. Beginners may indeed struggle to hear a chord progression using only guide tones. They will also struggle to hear a chord progression using 7th chords. This is why ear training is so important. We've likely just learned to hear chords in terms of their guide tones. I don't think it's an intrinsic law of music or anything like that. In the same way as we've learned to expect a G7 to be followed by a C chord. Or to hear chords as built in thirds. There's no iron law that states it must be so. We've just played those the V-I cadence so many times that we now expect to hear it. That means that it is subjective, but this doesn't mean that it's not real. I don't really want to get too philosophical, but the term 'objective' doesn't really make sense here - we perceive everything through our senses which are by definition subjective. If by 'objective' you mean 'most (jazz) musicians agree that the root doesn't matter' - then it is objective. If by 'objective' you mean 'it must be so and cannot be otherwise under any circumstances' - then it is certainly not that. But try it for yourself. Play a 251 in C using only guide tones. F C | F B | E B The FB creates a tritone which creates dissonance that wants to resolve. Play the same progression using root and 5th. D A | D G | C G It doesn't nearly have the same tension and resolution as when you used the guide tones. That's because it's missing that tritone interval. That is what gives the chord its quality. You can make an even stronger resolution by using the root at the end. F C | F B | E C The root can be useful, but it is not strictly necessary according to the currently accepted theoretical framework/paradigm in which we analyse music.
@emmanuelwynkoop5332
@emmanuelwynkoop5332 5 лет назад
@@WalkThatBass thank you very much for the detailed explanation
@Photologistic
@Photologistic 4 года назад
LOL, just because you don’t believe it doesn’t mean it’s not true.
@vuquangminh3033
@vuquangminh3033 3 года назад
could you teach me the intro ?
@jimmye3
@jimmye3 3 года назад
Hi , I saw that you wrote on autumn leaves on the Em7 a G# for the 3rd, is it a mistake? the third is G, no?
@martinking2170
@martinking2170 2 года назад
You are right that the third in the Em7 chord is G. In the song, the Em7 is usually followed by an E7 chord, with the G moving up to a G#. In a way this completes the circle because the dominant seventh chord likes to resolve to a major or minor chord a perfect fifth below. So in this case E7 -> Am.
@sawmebabe
@sawmebabe 3 года назад
I can see clearly now.
@markbra
@markbra 5 лет назад
Why dont you just play just root and fifth in the LH ?
@emanuelgarcia2041
@emanuelgarcia2041 2 года назад
yo i thought that the 1 and the 5 could still be considered guide tones?
@Rictoo
@Rictoo 7 лет назад
Coming from a classical background, THIS. BLEW. MY. FUCKING. MIND. Thanks!!! EDIT: I wonder if this is an explanation for why black keys always sound better/colorful/magical. Maybe people usually play with white-note roots, and the guide tones for those are usually on black keys...? :O
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 7 лет назад
Glad to hear it. Yeah, this whole channel is kind of designed for people who have come from Classical and want to get into Jazz. Turns out, quite a lot of people learn classical but don't get taught many of these fundamental concepts (myself included before I transition over from Classical to Jazz).
@WalkThatBass
@WalkThatBass 7 лет назад
P.S. I've never thought about that before. That's an interesting thought...
@Photologistic
@Photologistic 4 года назад
5:00 I will survive...
@Markpianist1
@Markpianist1 8 лет назад
Yes, but if you can't improvise with your voice when off your instrument, you will never be able to improvise. Theory is nice but in the end you have to be able to sing lines. So get busy finding more simpler solos in pdf format via Wynton Kelly, Red Garland to name a few and learn to sing them while practicing scales on your instrument. However, I would recommend only trying to improvise step wise when singing and playing at first. Phrasing via not playing to long but having a target measure to stop will make you have more success.
@Tntmnt
@Tntmnt 6 лет назад
I'm really confused about how you did that cycle of fifths exercise..
@ryandankanich9311
@ryandankanich9311 2 года назад
There must be a piano tuner SOMEWHERE nearby, no? Might’ve been the best video around but I couldn’t get past 40 seconds
@philmckenna5709
@philmckenna5709 Год назад
Nah, he lives out in the bush. Takes the piano tuner 7 hours to get there in a single-engined Cessna 🦘🦘
@pindakaas42
@pindakaas42 4 года назад
Great lesson, now I have to somehow learn scales on the guitar better, so I can actually put this to use... I think your piano wants to commit suicide though.
@georgerikken
@georgerikken Год назад
Please ! Tune your piano . Its sounds ....
@bullpup1337
@bullpup1337 2 года назад
is it just me or is the piano slightly (-35) out of tune?
@shayak_banerjee
@shayak_banerjee 10 месяцев назад
Nice video, but the piano was horrendously out of tune.
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