Introduction

One of the most important things a improvisor has to learn is how to resolve a line or an idea. It
could be argued that you can play anything as long as you resolve it properly. One of the
strongest resolutions you will find is the 'V7 to I' progression example: "C7 to F."

With these exercises I've compiled some strong melodic resolutions for the student to practice
and learn in all 12 keys. These ideas can be used anytime you have a dominant 7th chord
resolving to a Major chord a 5th away. You can also use these ideas if the dominant 7th chord
moves to another dominant 7th chord a 5th away, example: D7 to G7.

The ideas should be practiced with a metronome with the target tempo being 240 bpm. Start
slow!!! Play the written idea then transpose it to fit the next chord. If you have never transposed
before, use the chord tones to help you find the notes in the new key, example: The first idea
starts on the 5th of the G7chord then goes to the 7th, to the 6th, back to the 5th then jumps to the
root, then the 7th to the 6th, back to the 5th and lands on the root of the C major chord. The more
you transpose the easier it will become. Every idea or lick you learn should be taken through all
12 keys. You'll find that you favor playing certain things in certain keys but you shouldn't be
limited to only playing and idea in 1 key.

The majority of these ideas are just 1 bar in length and can also be thought of as being a short 'ii-
V7-I' idea. Once you've learned the idea try to incorporate it as a part of your improvised line not
just a 'lick' unto itself. Try to play a line that leads into the idea and continues out of the idea.

Enjoy...

Charles McNeal
 Dominant 7 Resolutions

b
G7 C C7 F F7 B

&c

b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

13

E7 A A7 D D7 G

19

G7 C

b b7 b
25

b
G7 C F7 B E A

&
#7 #
27

C F B7 E A7 D

33
 b7 b #7
A D F B E7 A

&
b7 b
39

D7 G C7 F B E

45

G7

b n b b
C C7 F F7

&
b b7 b b7 b #7
51

B B E E A G

# #7 # #7
56

C C F F B B7

62

E E7 A A7 D D7

68

G G7 C

#7 #
74

b #
G7 C G C A7 D

&
77

-2-
 b7 b
B E B7 E C7 F

&
#7 # b7 b
83

C F D7 G E A

b #7
89

E7 A F7 B F B

b
95

G7 C C7 F F7 B

&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
101

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
107

C F F B B7 E

113

E7 A A7 D D7 G

119

G7 C

125

-3-
 b
b b
G7 C C7 F F7 B

&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
127

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
133

C F F B B7 E

139

E7 A A7 D D7 G

145

G7 C

b b7 b
151

b # n
G7 C F7 B E A

&
#7 #
153

C F B7 E A7 D

b7 b #7
159

A D F B E7 A

165

-4-
 b7 b
D7 G C7 F B E

&
b
171

G7 C C7 F F7 B

& b n
b7 b b7 b b7 b
177

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
183

C F F B B7 E

189

E7 A A7 D D7 G

195

G7 C

#7 #
201

b n
G7 C G C A7 D

&
b7 b
203

B E B7 E C7 F

209

-5-
 #7 # b7 b
C F D7 G E A

&
b #7
215

E7 A F7 B F B

b
221

G7 C C7 F F7 B
b b
& #
b7 b b7 b b7 b
227

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
233

C F F B B7 E

239

E7 A A7 D D7 G

245

G7 C

b b7 b
251

b b #
G7 C F7 B E A

&
253

-6-
 #7 #
C F B7 E A7 D

&
b7 b #7
259

A D F B E7 A

b7 b
265

D7 G C7 F B E

b
271

G7 C C7 F F7 B
#
&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
277

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
283

C F F B B7 E

289

E7 A A7 D D7 G

295

G7 C

301

-7-
 #7 b
G7 C F B F7 B
# n
&
b7 b
303

E7 A E A D7 G

#7 #
309

C F C7 F B7 E

b7 b b7 b
315

B E A7 D A D

b
321

G7 C C7 F F7 B

& # n
b7 b b7 b b7 b
327

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
333

C F F B B7 E

339

E7 A A7 D D7 G

345

-8-
 G7 C

&
351

G7 C C7 F F7
# b b n b b
&
b b7 b b7 b b7
353

B B E E A A

b #7 # #7
358

D C F F B B7

364

E E7 A A7 D D7

370

G G7 C

#7 #
376

G7 C G C A7 D

& b n # n
b7 b
379

B E B7 E C7 F

385

-9-
 #7 # b7 b
C F D7 G E A

&
b #7
391

E7 A F7 B F B

b
397

G7 C C7 F F7 B

& b

b7 b b7 b b7 b
403

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
409

C F F B B7 E

415

E7 A A7 D D7 G

421

G7 C

b b7
427

b n b n b b
G7 C F7 B E

&
429

- 10 -
 b #7 #
A C F B7 E A7

&
b7 b #7
434

D A D F B E7

b7
440

A D7 G C7 F B

b
446

b
452

b b
G7 C C7 F F7 B

&
3

b7 b b7 b b7 b
453

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
459

C F F B B7 E

465

E7 A A7 D D7 G

471

- 11 -
 G7 C

&
b b7 b
477

b
b
G7 C F7 B E A

&
#7 #
479

C F B7 E A7 D

b7 b #7
485

A D F B E7 A

b7 b
491

D7 G C7 F B E

b
497

b b b
G7 C C7 F F7 B

&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
503

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
509

C F F B B7 E

515

- 12 -
 E7 A A7 D D7 G

&
521

G7 C

#7 #
527

G7 C G C A7 D
# n
&
b7 b
529

B E B7 E C7 F

#7 # b7 b
535

C F D7 G E A

b #7
541

E7 A F7 B F B

b b7 b
547

b #
G7 C F7 B E A

&
#7 #
553 3

C F B7 E A7 D

559

- 13 -
 b7 b #7
A D F B E7 A

&
b7 b
565

D7 G C7 F B E

571

G7 C C7 F F7

& # # # # n
b b7 b b7 b b7
577

B B E E A A

b #7 # #7
582

D C F F B B7

588

E E7 A A7 D D7

594

G G7 C

#7 #
600

G7 C G C A7 D

& # b b
603

- 14 -
 b7 b
B E B7 E C7 F

&
#7 # b7 b
609

C F D7 G E A

b #7
615

E7 A F7 B F B

b
621

G7

C C7 F F7 B

&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
627

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
633

C F F B B7 E

639

E7 A A7 D D7 G

645

G7 C

651

- 15 -
 G7 #7 b
C F B F7 B

3

&
b7 b
653

E7 A E A D7 G

#7 #
659

C F C7 F B7 E

b7 b b7 b
665

B E A7 D A D

b
671

G7 C C7 F F7 B
b
&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
677

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
683

C F F B B7 E

689

E7 A A7 D D7 G

695

- 16 -
 G7 C

&
701

#7 #

b
G7 C G C A7 D

&
b7 b
703

B E B7 E C7 F

#7 # b7 b
709

C F D7 G E A

b #7
715

E7 A F7 B F B

b
721

# b b
G7 C C7 F F7 B

&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
727

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
733

C F F B B7 E

739

- 17 -
 E7 A A7 D D7 G

&
745

G7 C

b
751

G7 C C7 F F7 B

& #
b7 b b7 b b7 b
753

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
759

C F F B B7 E

765

E7 A A7 D D7 G

771

G7 C

b
777

G7 C C7 F F7 B

& #
779

- 18 -
 b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

&
#7 # #7
785

C F F B B7 E

791

E7 A A7 D D7 G

797

G7 C

b b7
803

b n b b
G7 C F7 B E

&
b #7 #
805

A C F B7 E A7

b7 b #7
810

D A D F B E7

b7
816

A D7 G C7 F B

822

- 19 -
 b
E

&
#7 #
828

G7 C G C A7 D

& b b
b7 b
829

B E B7 E C7 F

#7 # b7 b
835

C F D7 G E A

b #7
841

E7 A F7 B F B

b
847

G7 C C7 F F7 B

&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
853

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
859

C F F B B7 E

865

- 20 -
 E7 A A7 D D7 G

&
871

G7 C

b
877

G7 C C7 F F7 B
# b n b
&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
879

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
885

C F F B B7 E

891

E7 A A7 D D7 G

897

G7 C

#7 #
903

G7 C G C A7 D

&
905

- 21 -
 b7 b
B E B7 E C7 F

&
#7 # b7 b
911

C F D7 G E A

b #7
917

E7 A F7 B F B

#7 b
923

G7 C F B F7 B

&
b7 b
929

E7 A E A D7 G

#7 #
935

C F C7 F B7 E

b7 b b7 b
941

B E A7 D A D

b
947

G7 C7 F F7 B
# b n b
&
953

- 22 -
 b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

&
#7 # #7
959

C F F B B7 E

965

E7 A A7 D D7 G

971

G7 C

b b7 b
977

b
G7 C F7 B E A

&
#7 #
979

C F B7 E A7 D

#7
985

F B E7 A D7 G

b7 b b7 b
991

C7 F B E A D

997

- 23 -
 b
G7 C C7 F F7 B

& b # n #
b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

#7 #
b b b n b
G7 C G C A7 D

& b

b7 b
B E B7 E C7 F

#7 # b7 b
C F D7 G E A

- 24 -
 b #7
E7 A F7 B F B

&
b

G7 C C7 F F7 B
# b
&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

#7
G7 C F B F7
# n
&
b b7 b
3
3
B E7 A E A D7

- 25 -
 #7 #
G C F C7 F B7

&
b7 b b7
E B E A7 D A

b
D

b
G7 C C7 F F7 B
b b
&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

- 26 -
 b b7
G7 C F7 B E
b b
& b b n b
b #7 #
A C F B7 E A7

b7 b #7
D A D F B E7

b7
A D7 G C7 F B

b
E

b b7
# b b
G7 C F7 B E

&
b #7 #
A C F B7 E A7

D F
#7 B E7 A D7

- 27 -
 b7 b b7
G C7 F B E A

&
b
D

b
# b

G7 C C7 F F7 B

&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

b b7 b

G7 C F7 B E A
#
&

- 28 -
 #7 #
C F B7 E A7 D

&
b7 b #7
A D F B E7 A

b7 b
D7 G C7 F B E

b
G7 C C7 F F7 B
b
&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
3

B E E A A D

#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

- 29 -
 #7 b
b n
G7 C F B F7 B

&
b7 b
E7 A E A D7 G

#7 #
C F C7 F B7 E

b7 b b7 b
B E A7 D A D

b
b b
#
G7 C C7 F F7 B

&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

C
#7 F
# F
#7 B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

- 30 -
 G7 C

&
#7 #
# b n b
G7 C G C A7

&
b7 b
D B E B7 E C7

#7 # b7
F C F D7 G E

b b #7
A E7 A F7 B F

b
G7 C C7 F F7 B
b b
3

&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

- 31 -
 #7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

&

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

b b7
b b b b
G7 C F7 B E

&
b #7 #
A C F B7 E A7

D F
#7 B E7 A D7

b7 b b7
G C7 F B E A

b
D

- 32 -
 b
G7 C C7 F F7 B
b b b
&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

b
G7 C C7 F F7 B

&
3

b7 b b7 b b7 b
3
3 3
B E E A A D

#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

- 33 -
 E7 A A7 D D7 G

&

G7 C

b b7 b
b
G7 C F7 B E A

&

C
#7 F
# B7 E A7 D

b7 b #7
A D F B E7 A

b7 b
D7 G C7 F B E

b
G7 C C7 F F7
b
& #
*play pick up

b b7 b b7 b b7
B B E E A A

- 34 -
 b #7 # #7
D C F F B B7

&

E E7 A A7 D D7

G G7 C

#7 #
b
G7 C G C A7 D

&
b7 b
B E B7 E C7 F

#7 # b7 b
C F D7 G E A

b #7
E7 A F7 B F B

b
G7 C C7 F F7 B
b b
&

- 35 -
 b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

&
#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

b b7 b
G7 C F7 B E A
b
3

&
#7 #
C F B7 E A7 D

#7
F B E7 A D7 G

b7 b b7 b
C7 F B E A D

- 36 -
 b b7
b b b n
G7 C F7 B E

&
b #7 #
A C F B7 E A7

b7 b #7
D A D F B E7

b7
A D7 G C7 F B

b
E

b b7 b
b b
G7 C F7 B E A

&

C
#7 F
# B7 E A7 D

b7 b #7
A D F B E7 A

- 37 -
 b7 b
D7 G C7 F B E

&
b
G7 C C7 F F7 B
b
& b
b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

b
G7 C C7 F F7 B
b b
&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

- 38 -
 #7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

&

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

#7 b
b n b n
G7 C F B F7 B

&
b7 b
E7 A E A D7 G

#7 #
C F C7 F B7 E

b7 b b7 b
B E A7 D A D

b

G7 C C7 F F7 B

&

- 39 -
 b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

&
#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

#7 #
G7 C G C A7 D
# n
&
b7 b
3

B E B7 E C7 F

#7 # b7 b
C F D7 G E A

b #7
E7 A F7 B F B

- 40 -
 b

G7 C C7 F F7 B

&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

b
G7 C C7 F F7 B
b
& b b
b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

- 41 -
 E7 A A7 D D7 G

&

G7 C

b b7
b n b
b b
G7 C F7 B E

&
b #7 #
A C F B7 E A7

b7 b #7
D A D F B E7

b7
A D7 G C7 F B

b
E

b
# # n #
G7 C C7 F F7 B

&

- 42 -
 b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

&
#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

b b7 b

G7 C F7 B E A

&

C
#7 F
# B7 E A7 D

b7 b #7
A D F B E7 A

b7 b
D7 G C7 F B E

- 43 -
 b
G7 C C7 F F7 B

&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

b
G7 C C7 F F7 B
# n
&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

C
#7 F
# F
#7 B B7 E

- 44 -
 E7 A A7 D D7 G

&

G7 C

b b7 b

G7 C F7 B E A

&
#7 #
C F B7 E A7 D

b7 b #7
A D F B E7 A

b7 b
D7 G C7 F B E

b b7
G7 C F7 B E

& # n
b #7 #
3 3

A C F B7 E A7

- 45 -
 b7 b #7
D A D F B E7

&

A
b7 b
D7 G C7 F B E

b b7 b
G7 C F7 B E A
b
& b
#7 #
C F B7 E A7 D

b7 b #7
A D F B E7 A

b7 b
D7 G C7 F B E

b b7 b

G7 C F7 B E A
b b
& #
#7 #
C F B7 E A7 D

- 46 -
 b7 b #7
A D F B E7 A

&
b7 b
D7 G C7 F B E

b b7 b
G7 F7 B E A

&
#7 #
C F B7 E A7 D

b7 b #7
A D F B E7 A

b7 b
D7 G C7 F B E

b b7
G7 C F7 B E
b n b n b b
&
b #7 #
A C F B7 E A7

- 47 -
 b7 b #7
D A D F B E7

&
b7
A D7 G C7 F B

b
E

b

G7 C C7 F F7 B

&
3 3

b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

- 48 -
 #7 b
G7 C F B F7 B

& # b
b7 b
E7 A E A D7 G

#7 #
C F C7 F B7 E

b7 b b7 b
B E A7 D A D

b
G7 C C7 F F7 B
# n
&
b7 b b7 b b7 b
3

B E E A A D

C
#7 F
# F
#7 B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

- 49 -
 G7 C

&
b
G7 C C7 F F7 B
b
& b n
b7 b b7 b b7 b
B E E A A D

#7 # #7
C F F B B7 E

E7 A A7 D D7 G

G7 C

- 50 -