This week wraps up our circle of 4ths series by combining all previous shapes—E, C, hybrid—into one improvised, nine-minute scale workout. The challenge now is tracking key changes in real time while moving fluidly through positions without hesitation.
This week we’re tackling Oleo—not by shredding through it, but by learning the melody rhythm-first. The routine breaks it down into chunks you can clap, sing, and finally play, laying a solid foundation before diving into harmony and soloing in the coming weeks.
We’re digging into the A section of Rhythm Changes by mapping out the root motion across the I–vi–ii–V, including a common jazz reharm in bars 5–6. Keep it simple, stay with root notes, and get these shapes under your fingers before we build more vocabulary next week.
This week we’re digging into the bridge of Rhythm Changes—D7, G7, C7, F7—and using it as a launchpad for structured improvisation. You’ll cycle through root notes, shell voicings, arpeggios, and scales, then bring it all together over the full AABA form.
This week’s routine focuses on building key-centered vocabulary, using G major as the foundation. We explore scale sequences, diatonic triads, and chromatic approaches to craft fluid, melodic lines. The goal isn’t speed—it’s control, clarity, and deeper understanding of harmony in motion.
Back in B minor with the Strat and some overdrive, this week’s routine dials in position shifting and phrasing across the entire neck. Using the minor pentatonic as a vehicle, we explore transitions, 3NPS connectors, and single-string drills to build fluency and feel. Think of this one as your roadmap to instinctive, musical soloing—no matter the genre.
Pat Martino’s spirit meets top-string drop 2 voicings in this week’s routine—a chord melody workout that sharpens your ear and deepens your harmonic control. We’re focusing on melodic voicings where the top note guides the line, using inversions and diatonic chord scales across major and minor families. Listen close, play slow, and let the melody lead the way.
We’re unpacking Barry Harris’s 6th Diminished scale—a major scale with a ♭6 that lets us alternate between I and V without ever leaving the key. This week’s routine blends ear training, chord melody, and harmonic motion by connecting C6 and Ddim7 shapes up the neck.
We’re digging into descending groups of four across the five pentatonic positions—an intense but focused picking workout. It’s all about clean execution, pick slanting, and developing control within familiar shapes.
We’re flipping the script this week with ascending 4s through all five minor pentatonic shapes—a technical challenge that demands precision and control. With trickier picking patterns and more pinky rolls, this routine pushes you to clean up your motion and expand your comfort zone.