Improvisation!

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Play the root on the downbeat

Play leading tone up to the root on the downbeat
Play a step above down into the root on the downbeat
Surround the root downbeat (below-above-root)
Surround it the opposite way (above-below-root)
Walk a quarter note base line aiming for the root downbeat of each measure using
these leading note practices
Expand this to eighth notes, triplets, or even sixteenths

Devices to use in your solo!

Scale Patterns
Scale patterns is a term used for a musical pattern that is created using specific notes in
any scale.
For example, if we use the scale pattern 1-2-3-5 on the first 4 measures of our blues
progression we get this:
F7
Bb7
F7
Cm7
F7
Bb

ii-Vs
The most dominant chord progression in music is movement in 5ths, which gives us the
ii-V-I progression. Its found everywhere in music including jazz so preparing several
ways to approach the ii-V can greatly improve your solo. You can find these in
transcriptions of your favorite performers solos as well as pattern books for jazz
improvisation. Below we find a very basic ii-V starting on the the 3rd of the ii chord,
going down the scale hitting the 3 and 1 of the V chord on strong beats and ending on the
3rd of the I chord. We then transform it slightly to include the b9 to make it a little more
distinct. And finally we make it even more distinct by shifting octaves at the b9.
Gm7
C7
F7
Gm7
C7
F7
Gm7
C7
F7

Blanketing
The final device is blanketing. Be very careful with this one, if used too often it can
make your solo sound juvenile and middle-school-ey. But used sparingly in the right
amount can give your solo just the right amount of flare and soul. For a blues
progression it is common to use the blues scale for blanketing. Other options could be an
octatonic scale, whole tone scale, augmented scale, or even mixolydian. The options for
blanketing vary depending on the chord progression.
Blues Scale

Octatonic

Whole Tone

Augmented