Exciting Flavor and Depth: Arpeggios with Chord Extensions

Posted by: Willie Myette on March 3, 2023

Welcome to the Confident Improviser podcast, episode 54, where we continue our discussion on diatonic chord extensions for improv and add arpeggios. In last week's episode, we covered C major, D minor, E minor, and F major chords. Today, we'll explore the remaining three chords: G7, A minor, and B minor seven flat five.

Arpeggios

Let's start with the G7 chord. We begin with our basic G7 chord and move up to our upper structures, including the ninth, sharp eleventh, and thirteenth extensions. While we can continue up to the thirteenth, remember that the last extension may sound better on some chords than others.

Moving on to A minor, we can utilize the sixth extension and experiment with different sounds. For B minor seven flat five, we stick with the chord tones and utilize the natural and flat ninth extensions as needed.

By practicing these arpeggios, we can add flavor and depth to our improvisation. And on dominant seventh chords like G7, we have the kitchen sink of chord tensions available to us. We can experiment with flat and sharp ninths, natural and flat thirteenths, and more to create cool sounds.

Remember, don't get too worked up with every single note you're playing. The most important thing is to express yourself and keep pushing your boundaries. And if you're interested in accessing the sheet music and backing tracks for this episode, sign up for a Jazz Edge membership.

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