BookatlasPiano Rabbit Hole: Improvisation Theory & Practice
2783 / 18210 · Workshop 8 — “There Will Never Be Another You”: Faster Changes, Secondary Dominants, and Thinking in Harmonic Flow← prev⊞ allnext →

Homework — Workshop 8

A. Major packet

Practice:

Fm7-B♭7-E♭maj7

in four keys.

Say the destination before playing.


B. Minor packet

Practice:

Am7♭5-D7-Gm

then transpose it to:

Bm7♭5-E7-Am

Dm7♭5-G7-Cm.


C. Secondary dominants

Practice:

G7→Cm

C7→Fm

D7→Gm

and sing the altered third before resolution.


D. Shells

Play a full section using only:

LH root

RH 3rd + 7th.

No extensions.


E. One-note-per-chord

Improvise through a section using exactly one note per chord.

Make it sound like a melody.


F. Destination solo

For every ii–V–I, choose the tonic 3rd as target.

Build the whole line toward it.


G. Phrase across changes

Create a phrase that begins on the ii and ends on the I without pausing at V.

Repeat in several keys.


H. Rest exercise

Rest through one chord in every harmonic packet.

Re-enter accurately.


I. Motif chorus

Use one rhythmic motif for an entire chorus.

Change only pitch and ending.


J. Full performance

Record:

Version 1

melody + shells.

Version 2

medium swing with compact extensions.

Version 3

one improvised chorus using destination targeting.

Version 4

personal arrangement with:

  • one tritone substitution
  • one secondary-dominant target line
  • one inner counter-line
  • designed ending.