Welcome to the Jazz Guitar Improvisation Workout

Welcome to the Jazz Guitar Improvisation Workout

This course is not your typical course, but more of a training program. It is not so much about providing information with some examples, but much more about exercising. Training specific core skills for improvisation needs regular practice, and sticking with it for a while, taking it step by step.

Experiencing the real freedom of improvisation is only going to happen if basic technical hurdles are out of the way, so that you can confidently move through keys and chord progressions.

The basic technical hurdles are:

  • not playing scales fluently and confidently enough

  • not knowing how- or being able to build simple phrases, and expand upon them

  • not being able to switch between keys without stopping

All three of these hurdles will hold you back in jazz improvisation, but you can train them here.

By the way, doing these exercises does not mean you cannot learn other aspects of jazz playing as well at the same time, in fact you should, but keeping the workout as a guideline for your basic training routine, that you come back to very regularly, will ultimately pay off in all other aspects of playing jazz.

Send me a chat message or use any of the comments sections if you have questions .

Matt Otten

NEW: watch this video on an exclusive hidden Youtube space, and use the auto-translate features of YouTube to get subtitles in any language!

Multilanguage support https://youtu.be/xDr0wN6n05E?si=twv1Al1vo_Ix8xv1

Switch subtitles on with the CC icon.

Click the Settings icon (gear wheel, next to CC icon) and choose auto-translate, choose subtitles, choose your language.

See examples below (Italian)

See exactly how it's done in the video below.

Jazz Guitar Improvisation Workout

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Introduction

  • Welcome to the Jazz Guitar Improvisation Workout
  • Jazz Guitar Improvisation Workout Introduction
  • Guide to Jazz Guitar Improvisation Workout
  • Working with the Improvisation Workout 1
  • Working with the Improvisation Workout 2

Course Previews

  • Guide to Jazz Guitar Improvisation Workout - Preview.pdf
  • Working with Audio and Notation on a single screen.
  • PreView #1
  • PreView #2
  • PreView #3
  • Preview #4
  • PreView #5

Basic Guitar Technique = the start of everything

  • 3 Basic Guitar Technique Lessons
  • Basic Technique Part I
  • Basic Technique Part II
  • Basic Technique Part III

Scales and Basic Phrasing

  • Basic Scale Exercises (info)
  • Introduction to Jazz Exercise #0 (video)
  • Jazz Exercise #0 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard Jazz Exercise #0 (video)
  • Introduction to Jazz Exercise #1 (video)
  • Jazz Exercise #1 (Audio and Notation)
  • Jazz Exercise #1 Fretboard (video)2
  • Introduction to Jazz Exercise #2 (video)
  • Jazz Exercise #2 (Audio and Notation)
  • Jazz Exercise #2 Fretboard (video)
  • Introduction to Jazz Exercise #3 (video)
  • Jazz Exercise #3 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard Jazz Exercise #3 (video)
  • Jazz Exercise #3 with simple guitar backing
  • Jazz Exercises #3 simple backing

Advanced Phrasing - A Minor Exercises

  • Introduction to Jazz Workout A Minor Swing (Video)
  • A Minor Swing #1 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard A Minor Swing #1 (Video)
  • A Minor Swing #2 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard A Minor Swing #2 (Video)
  • A Minor Swing #3 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard A Minor Swing #3 (Video)
  • A Minor Swing #4 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard A Minor Swing #4 (Video)
  • A Minor Swing - Backing Track

Advanced Phrasing - C Major Exercises

  • Introduction to Jazz Workout C Major Bossa (Video)
  • C Major Bossa #1 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard C Major Bossa #1 (Video)
  • C Major Bossa #2 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard C Major #2 (Video)
  • C Major Bossa #3 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard C Major #3 (Video)
  • C Major Bossa #4 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard C Major #4 (Video)
  • C Major Bossa Backing Track
  • Course Preview

Connecting Scales and Keys

  • Connecting Scales

B Flat Turnaround Exercises

  • Introduction to Bb TurnAround (Video)
  • Bb Turnaround #0 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard Bb Turnaround #0 (Video)
  • Bb Turnaround #1 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard Bb Turnaround #1 (Video)
  • Bb Turnaround #2 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard Bb Turnaround #2 (Video)
  • Bb Turnaround #3 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard Bb Turnaround #3 (Video)
  • Bb Turnaround Backing Track 120 bpm
  • Bb Turnaround Backing Track 180 bpm
  • Bb Turnaround Backing Track 140 bpm
  • Bb Turnaround Backing Track 200 bpm
  • Bb Turnaround Backing Track 160 bpm

Key Change Exercises

  • Introduction to Jazz Exercises Bossa D Minor / Bb Minor (Video)
  • Bossa #1 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard Bossa #1 (Video)
  • Bossa #2 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard Bossa #2 (Video)
  • Bossa #3 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard Bossa #3 (Video)
  • Bossa #4 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard Bossa #4 (Video)
  • Bossa Backing Track 90 bpm
  • Bossa Backing Track 110 bpm
  • Bossa Backing Track 130 bpm
  • Bossa Backing Track 140 bpm

Advanced phrasing - C Minor/Eb Minor exercises

  • Introduction to Jazz Exercises C Minor /Eb Minor Jazz-Rock
  • Jazzrock #1 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard JazzRock #1 (Video)
  • Jazzrock #2 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard JazzRock #2 (Video)
  • Jazzrock #3 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard JazzRock #3 (Video)
  • Jazzrock #4 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard JazzRock #4 (Video)
  • Jazz Rock Backing Track 60 bpm
  • Jazz Rock Backing Track 70 bpm
  • Jazz Rock Backing Track 80 bpm
  • Jazz Rock Backing Track 90 bpm

Advanced Soloing

  • Introduction to Advanced Soloing (Video)
  • Advanced Soloing #1 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard Advanced Soloing #1 (Video)
  • Advanced Soloing #2 (Audio and Notation)
  • Fretboard Advanced Soloing #2 (Video)
  • Advanced Soloing Backing Track 110 bpm
  • Advanced Soloing Backing Track 120 bpm
  • Advanced Soloing Backing Track 130 bpm

Study Advice

  • General Study Advice

Bonus Track - Moondance

  • Moondance (Video and Notation)