Author: reedfriendly
Date: 2015-11-26 03:50
The dixieland scale is follow the chord changes.
No. Really.
Look up the scale and chord of each each chord symbol. Then practice the chords one at a time. If the song were just 3 chords: Dm, G7, C, then the chords would be:
Dm: D, F, A, scale of DEFGABCD (yes that is Dorian mode, not natural minor)
G7: G, B, D, F, scale of GABCDEFG (Called mixolydian... it's just a major scale with a flatted 7th, taking the F# down to F)
C: C, E, G, scale of CDEFGABC
Notice that in this progression, and it's a common one, all of the notes of all the chords and all of the scales, fit into the original key of C major. It's *when* you play the notes that's important.
A good way to practice this is to play through a whole song over and over playing just the roots. So you'd play D for the first Chord, G for the second, and C for the third. Then play the whole chord, out of time. So DFA.... GBDF.... CEG.... over and over in different octaves so your fingers (and ears!) get used to it. Now do it with the scales.
When you're comfortable playing these one by one, then do the song in time, So if you have two measures of Dm but only one of G7, you have to change what you play to fit it in. Do the roots, the chords, the scales.
After that, you can start trying to improvise. Go at a slow tempo at first. Every other chorus, solo or play the melody. When you solo, try to keep the melody in your head, and respond to it. You'll start to hear how the chord tones make the shape of the music.
Now to answer your question, one common alteration is just a half-step below the chord tone. So instead of playing a E half note on a C major chord on the downbeat, you might play a D# eighth tied to an E dotted quarter. You can do this for any chord tone over any chord. Let your taste and your ear be your guide.
This all is the same for every type of jazz. It helps to think of dixieland (actually hot jazz or just jazz) as a dance music where the rhythm is important. Chord tones were kept simple. Otherwise, everything is the same.
Go to jazz-on-line.com and download a (don't worry, it's public domain!) copy of a song called Eccentric Rag. You'll hear what I mean.
All the best.
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