Jazz Piano Improvisation: 6 Techniques That Actually Work
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In this lesson I’ll show you 6 improvisation techniques for jazz piano (or any instrument).
This includes chord tone soloing, approach patterns, triplet rhythms, ‘chordal textures’, ’playing out’ and more.
If you want to understand how all of this fits into a complete jazz piano system, you can watch my full step-by-step guide for free here:
Ultimate Guide to Jazz Piano →
1. Chord Tone Soloing
The first improvisation technique is ‘chord tone soloing’, which means to compose melodies using the four chord tones of the chord (1 3 5 7).
So over a D minor 7 chord, you would play D F A C.
Over G7, you’d play G B D F.
And over C major 7, you’d play C E G B.
You can play these notes ascending, descending, and in any combination:
D-7: D F A C
G7: G B D F
Cmaj7: C E G B
Example line:
D F A C B G F D C E G B
I consider ‘chord tone soloing’ to be the most fundamental soloing technique - and many of the remaining techniques will be built on top of this strong foundation.
Now you can even go one step further and play the 9th with this group of notes:
D-7: D F A C E
G7: G B D F A
Cmaj7: C E G B D
I usually play natural 9ths above most chords - including all 3 chords of the major ii-V-I.
The only exceptions would be for a minor ii-V-i - in which case I would add a flat 9th over the ii chord and V chord:
Dø: D F Ab C Eb
G7: G B D F Ab
CmΔ: C Eb G B D
This gives you 5 notes to play from over each chord (1 3 5 7 9) - which is plenty.
2. Approach Patterns
Jazz musicians will play from a wide variety of pre-written melodic shapes, which are placed before a ‘target note’ (usually a chord tone, 1 3 5 7).
These preceding melodic patterns are called ‘approach patterns’.
The most simple (yet effective) approach pattern is ‘the half-step below approach’. Simply precede any chord tone by playing the note a half-step below.
So over a D minor 7 chord - your chord tones are D F A C. Each of these notes can be preceded by a half-step below (even when it takes you chromatically out of scale):
Target notes:
D F A C
Approach notes:
C# → D
E → F
G# → A
B → C
When using the half-step below approach, the approach note should last an eighth note, and then you’ll resolve to the chord tone a half-step above (e.g. C# - D).
Here are some examples over a ii-V-I in C:
D-7: C# D E F
G7: G# A B C
Cmaj7: B C D# E
Other approach patterns include the ‘chord scale above’ approach - precede any chord tone (1 3 5 7) with the note above:
D-7: E → D G → F B → A D → C
G7: A → G C → B E → D G → F
Cmaj7: D → C F → E A → G C → B
GET 29 JAZZ LICKS YOU CAN USE →
3. Enclosures
Enclosures are approach patterns which surround the ‘target note’ from both sides.
- Half-step below → chord scale above → target
- Chord scale above → half-step below → target
For example:
C# E D
E C# D
More complex enclosures:
E D C# E D
E Eb C C# D
C D E C# D
4. Add a Triplet
The majority of your improvised lines will be made of eighth notes:
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
D F A C B G F D
To break out of this, add triplets:
1-trip-let 2-trip-let 3-trip-let 4-trip-let
Examples:
D F A (triplet: B C D) E G
D F A C (triplet: B C D) G F D
5. Chordal Textures
Most jazz piano solos feature a section where the melody stops and chords take over.
Example:
Cm7 voicing (LH):
Bb D Eb G
RH:
C C C C
→ Same rhythm both hands
→ RH louder than LH
Moving version:
RH:
C D Eb F G
Across chords:
D-7: C E F A
G7: B D F A
Cmaj7: B D E G
RH:
D E F G A G E D
6. ‘Playing Out’
‘Playing out’ = playing wrong notes intentionally.
So instead of always staying inside the scale, you briefly step outside it — then resolve back in.
C dorian scale:
C D Eb F G A Bb
Wrong notes:
C# E F# G# B
Example:
IN: C D Eb F
OUT: E F# G# B C#
IN: G A Bb C
The key is contrast:
Start in
Move out briefly
Resolve back in
C major scale:
C D E F G A B
Wrong notes:
Db Eb Gb Ab Bb
Example:
IN: C D E G
OUT: Gb Ab Bb Db Eb
IN: G A B C
Summary
- Chord tone soloing — use 1 3 5 7 9
- Approach patterns — use half-step below
- Enclosures — surround target notes
- Triplets — break up rhythm
- Chordal textures — add contrast
- Playing out — go in → out → back in
Next step
Get all the sheet music and resources from this lesson:
✔ 29 Jazz Piano Licks
✔ ii–V–I in all 12 keys
✔ Chord Symbol Reference Guide
If you'd like to learn jazz piano step-by-step from the ground up, watch my free guide next:
Ultimate Guide to Jazz Piano →
Or focus on one area:
Chord Voicings →
Improvisation →
Beginner Lesson →