Jazz Improvisation: A Chromatic Approach To Jazz Harmony And Melody

Jazz improvisation is the art of creating melodic lines spontaneously. The rhythm, melody, and harmony inspire jazz improvisation. The goal of the jazz improviser is to invent lyrical, inspiring melodic content within the boundaries of harmony. In fact, great jazz solos are often just outlining the chord changes effectively! When playing standards, musicians will typically play the melody - otherwise known as the head - then take turns playing solos over the "form" of the tune. The "form", as it is often referred to, is the full structure of the tune with the harmonic framework (chords) and melody. Of course, the convenience of playing with a play-along recording can be fun, and learning jazz standards from a fake book is much easier than trying to figure out the chords from the recording yourself.