Library   /   Courses   /   How to Improvise a Solo With the Major Scale 1

How to Improvise a Solo With the Major Scale 1

Get instant access to the videos, sheet music, and backing tracks for this course with a PWJ membership!

Membership
Instructor
Jonny May
Workshop
Intermediate
02:26:14

In this workshop, you will learn how to improvise piano with one of the most important scales – the Major (Ionian) Scale.

We’ll start with learning the notes of the scale along with 3 common chord progressions you can use when soloing. Then we’ll learn 5 left hand accompaniments, including chording, rock, latin, flowing, and comping. Jonny will you teach you his best techniques for soloing, including steps, skips, and outlining chords. We’ll dive further into the scale by learning 2 block positions and 4 rhythm exercises.

To finish, we’ll practice a scale shifting exercise and learn how to solo over multiple chords.

Course Objectives
  • Learn the notes of the major scale in every key
  • Discover 3 common chord progressions you can use the major scale to solo over
  • Master 5 left hand accompaniments: chording, rock, latin, flowing, comping
  • Practice 2 block positions and 4 rhythm exercises
  • Develop your soloing technique with steps, skips, and outlining chords
  • Understand how to solo over multiple chords
Learning Focus
  • Exercises
  • Improvisation
  • Scales
Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

Complexity Amidst Simplicity
Fantastic course for improvisation skills over a simple major scale. Each small step lends to more and more complex sounds. Understanding it is easy. Getting this into the hands takes time, patience, and the ability to put self-judgement aside while discovering the vast number of patterns that are possible.
Great stuff
Wonderful lessons on soloing a major scale
Definitely fun and challenging, like being a kid again being given a colouring book and a set of crayons for the first time.
So much to learn here but so much fun. Lessons like this could keep you going forever. Love it! Thanks Jonny. Like someone said in the lesson questions, you can learn in one hour with Jonny that would take a year with other teachers.
Accessible and informative
The course provides an accessible start to learn how to improvise, but it is also a valuable reference to come back to when deepening the skill of soloing. Thank you, Jonny!
Fun Fun Fun
Highly recommended course. Jonny, you presentation is always awakening.

Course Lessons

1
How to Improvise a Solo With the Major Scale 1 – Lesson 1
12:47

Major Scale

View lesson
2
How to Improvise a Solo With the Major Scale 1 – Lesson 2
19:20

Chords & Progressions

View lesson
3
How to Improvise a Solo With the Major Scale 1 – Lesson 3
15:45

5 Left Hand Accompaniments

View lesson
4
How to Improvise a Solo With the Major Scale 1 – Lesson 4
15:55

Improv Blocks and Rhythm Exercises

View lesson
5
How to Improvise a Solo With the Major Scale 1 – Lesson 5
30:30

Soloing Technique #1: Steps

View lesson
6
How to Improvise a Solo With the Major Scale 1 – Lesson 6
14:43

Soloing Technique #2: Skips

View lesson
7
How to Improvise a Solo With the Major Scale 1 – Lesson 7
16:52

Soloing Technique #3: Outlining Chords

View lesson
8
How to Improvise a Solo With the Major Scale 1 – Lesson 8
12:29

Soloing Over Multiple Chords

View lesson
9
How to Improvise a Solo With the Major Scale 1 – Lesson 9
07:53

Q&A

View lesson
Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

Complexity Amidst Simplicity
Fantastic course for improvisation skills over a simple major scale. Each small step lends to more and more complex sounds. Understanding it is easy. Getting this into the hands takes time, patience, and the ability to put self-judgement aside while discovering the vast number of patterns that are possible.
Great stuff
Wonderful lessons on soloing a major scale
Definitely fun and challenging, like being a kid again being given a colouring book and a set of crayons for the first time.
So much to learn here but so much fun. Lessons like this could keep you going forever. Love it! Thanks Jonny. Like someone said in the lesson questions, you can learn in one hour with Jonny that would take a year with other teachers.
Accessible and informative
The course provides an accessible start to learn how to improvise, but it is also a valuable reference to come back to when deepening the skill of soloing. Thank you, Jonny!
Fun Fun Fun
Highly recommended course. Jonny, you presentation is always awakening.
Related Courses
How to Improvise a Solo With the Aeolian Mode 1

In this workshop, you will learn how to improvise piano with the Aeolian scale - a sad, ominous sounding scale often used in rock music. We'll cover the notes of the scale, which chords/progressions to use, 5 left hand accompaniments, 2 block positions, 4 rhythm exercises, 3 soloing techniques, and more.

How to Improvise a Solo With the Dorian Mode 1

In this workshop, you will learn how to improvise piano with the Dorian scale. We'll cover the notes of the scale, essential soloing techniques, left hand accompaniments, common chord progressions and rhythms, and we'll learn how to solo over multiple chords.

How to Improvise a Solo With the Lydian Mode 1

In this workshop, you will learn how to improvise piano over major chords with the Lydian scale. We'll cover essential soloing techniques, left hand accompaniments, common chord progressions and rhythms, and we'll learn how to solo over multiple chords.

Join Us

Get instant access to this Course and other member features with a PWJ membership!

Guided Learning Tracks

View guided learning tracks for all music styles and skill levels

Progress Tracking

Complete lessons and courses as you track your learning progress

Downloadable Resources

Download Sheet Music and Backing Tracks

Community Forums

Engage with other PWJ members in our member-only community forums

Become a better piano player today. Join with the 14-Day Free Trial today!

Get Started