Soloing Exercises

I'm not going to attempt to get into “what is improvising” I'm going to assume you know some basics, if Grand Weepers wrote a great essay on it if you need a refresher, I'm simply going to deal with some exercises that help your abilities.

Single Chord Tones

The strongest notes to use over any chord are the notes in the arpeggio (or notes actually within the chord). The root and the third being the strongest of these. (refer back to Harmonizing Scales. So for the first exercise play through the tune in question playing only the roots of every chord in straight quarter notes.

After you're comfortable with the roots, play only the thirds. Then play only the fifths, then play only the sevenths (if applicable).

Try to stick with the highest of each note in the position you're playing, then only the lowest.

Multiple Chord Tones

Do exactly the same thing as the single chord tone exercise, however this time change notes every beat, for example, play root, third, fifth seventh every measure, play around with different patterns.

Continuous Chord Tone Exercise

This one is tough, but defiantly the most beneficial of the bunch. You want to be able to start on any note within the arpeggio, and play the next note within it ascending, when you get to a chord change play the next highest note in that arpeggio. When you're as high as you can go in your current position, switch directions and do it ascending. For example, if I were to play a C blues in straight quarter notes, in second position I might play:

Bb (on the fifth string), C, E, G for the first measure.

Bb (on the third string), C, E, G in the second

E, C, Bb, G in the third.

E, C, Bb, G switch to F7 for the second line.

F, A, C, Eb

etc.

Then try straight 8th notes, or even different rhythmic ideas such as, quarter, quarter, eighth, eighth, quarter

In addition to getting you used to where the arpeggio notes are for each chord all these exercises will get you used to how the progression sounds, the continuous chord tone exercise specifically will really help you break habits.

I had one student that when playing the blues would always play the root note of the one chord each time he switched to it, this exercise broke that habit.