In music there are 12 different key signatures. Within each key signature there are multiple scales that can be played. It is the combination of these scales that allow jazz musicians to create their solos. To become a competent jazz soloist a person needs to be fluent in their knowledge of key signatures and more importantly the scales within each key signature. To begin your musical journey in jazz let's start with key signatures.

Key of C		Key of C-Sharp
Key of D-flat		Key of D
Key of E-flat		Key of E
Key of F		Key of F-Sharp
Key of G-flat		Key of G
Key of A-flat		Key of A
Key of B-flat		Key of B
Key of C-flat

When reading chords in jazz charts you will come across many different symbols and numbers. Some will have flats and sharps. Some may just have numbers. In the diagram below the numbers correspond to the note above it. So if there is a sharp or a flat in front of that number in a chord you will know which note to change. This chart is only written out in C but is applicable to all keys in the same way. Another thing to remember is that when a chord has a flat or a sharp in front of a number it means that you either raise(sharp) or lower(flat) that note by a half step. You don't necessarily put a sharp or a flat in front of that note.

The first thing you need to know is that a 7 chord is actually a flat 7 chord. This is very important to know because 7 chords are very common in Jazz. Notice the example below. It is a C7 chord, and the 7 of the chord is a a half step lower than the B in the C major scale.

Now notice the Cmaj7 chord. This chord does not have any altered notes, and is written the same as in the major scale. This chord can also be written as CM7 and C(triangle)7. A triangle is the symbol for major.

Another set of chords that you will see are chords with the 5 altered. Here are those chords, and the more common ways that you will see them.

The last set of chords before we move on are minor chords. Here is an unchanged Cmin7 chord.

This is a Cmin7 chord with a flat 5. These are the common ways you will see this written.

Now that you understand the basics of chord symbols let's dive a little deeper. Here is the chord diagram again. We are now going to look at extended chords.

The 9 of a chord is one of the most colorful notes in a chord. It also has the most flexibility in soloing when it is not a maj9 chord. As part of a min7 or regular 7 chord it can be a flat 9, 9, or sharp 9 interchangeably when soloing.

When dealing with 11 chords you will find that they are generally very altered chords. Typically a maj9 chord will have a sharp 11 implied even if it isn't written in the chord, but with regular 7 chords the chord will have altered 5's, 9's, and omitted chord tones.

13 chords are the easiest because they never change. If a 13 was flat it could be confused as a sharp 5, and if it was sharp it could be confused as a flat 7. So the 13 of a chord will always be the same both in minor and major.

Your final lesson in understanding how to read chord changes is a chord over a bass note. This is simply just a chord over a note. For solo purposes the chord should be played as if the bass note weren't there. In the example below you would play the notes in the Cmaj7 chord, and basically ignore the F unless you were using it as a melodic passing tone in your solo.

Now that you know about chords. It's time to learn about chord progressions. In the diagram below there is a major and minor scale with chords built on each note. These chords have a roman numeral attached to them indicating which chord they are in that scale.

In jazz there are really only 3 kinds of chords - ii V I. A 7 chord is a V chord, a ii chord can be both a minor chord and a diminished chord, and a I chord can be either minor or major. Because of this jazz is made up mostly of ii-V-I chord progressions. When we think this way it is easier to figure out what to play over a given set of chords. We will discuss this later on in the Improv Techniques section. So keep this in the back of your mind as you practice your scales.

Knowing all of the major and minor modes in music is an integral part of learning how to improvise. Once you have committed these scales to memory you will be able to play anything and everything that is put in front of you.

The Ionian Mode is most commonly known as a major scale.

The Dorian Mode is a scale based off of the second scale degree of a major scale. For example, if you are in C major (no sharps or flats) the scale goes from D to D with no sharps or flats.

The Phrygian Mode is a scale based off of the third scale degree of a major scale. For example, if you are in C major (no sharps or flats) the scale goes from E to E with no sharps or flats.

The Lydian Mode is a scale based off of the fourth scale degree of a major scale. For example, if you are in C major (no sharps or flats) the scale goes from F to F with no sharps or flats.

The Mixolydian Mode is a scale based off of the fifth scale degree of a major scale. For example, if you are in C major (no sharps or flats) the scale goes from G to G with no sharps or flats.

The Aeolian Mode, most commonly known as the minor scale, is a scale based off of the sixth scale degree of a major scale. For example, if you are in C major (no sharps or flats) the scale goes from A to A with no sharps or flats.

The Locrian Mode is a scale based off of the seventh scale degree of a major scale. For example, if you are in C major (no sharps or flats) the scale goes from B to B with no sharps or flats.

The Blues scale is very common. This scale can be used in addition to the other scales you have learned to play some very bluesy melodies.

The Pentatonic scale is a good scale to master in all keys. Because of the ease this scale you can use it to tastefully get through difficult passages with out having to think of an entire scale.

The Whole Tone Scale is played over a V7 sharp-5 chord. Try it out next time you come across that chord in your practice.

The Octatonic scale can be played over pretty much any chord. This scale is comprised of alternating half steps and whole steps. There are 2 forms of this scale the half step whole step form:

And the whole step half step form:

Now, you are ready to improvise. You know your scales, and you know how to read the chord changes. Here are just a few tips to help you along your way.

First, jazz is about rhythm. A person could could play one note for their entire solo, and it could be a decent solo. The rhythms that a person plays really make their solo what it is.
Second, listen to recordings of jazz, and try to figure out what they are doing in their solos. It is common practice to completely transcribe a solo that you really enjoy, and figure out what they are doing.
Third, remember these words from Duke Ellington. "If it sounds good, it is good."
Finally, have fun! Jazz shouldn't be stressful. If anything, it should be relief from stress. Just enjoy it!

There are 2 things to remember when thinking about rhythm as you solo. Off beats are hip, and silence is a good thing. Here are a few examples of rhythms that you can, and should, play. Don't feel limited to these rhythms though. These are just a few examples. Explore and create interesting rhythms as you play.

Remember when you learned all of those scales? Well, this is the payoff for all of your hard work. Each scale correlates to a chord. Take for example this chord progression. The scales below the chords you have already learned.
The Dm7 chord uses the Dorian Mode. This is the scale most commonly used with a minor 7 chord.
The G7 chord uses the Mixolydian Mode which is the scale used for a 7 chord.
The Cmaj7 uses a major scale, at least for now.
The Fmaj7 uses the Lydian Mode.
The F#7flat5 uses the Locrian Mode.
Back to G7 which uses Mixolydian Mode.
Finally, the Cmaj9sharp11 is using the Lydian Mode.

Just because you are improvising you don't have to come up with every note you are you going to play that moment. You can have already planned out licks to help you through a passage in your solo. Since chord progressions are ii-V-I most of the time plan them out according to that chord progression. In fact, the more you come up with the more you will be able to use during a solo. As you build your library of licks you will be able to use and embellish them as you continue to play. Here are just a few examples.

There is a very common lick in jazz called Indiana Bebop. It is very simple, and can be played over a ii - V progression or a V chord. The basic lick starts on root of the V chord that you are playing over, or the root of the V chord that comes next in the ii- V progression. The example below shows the Indiana Bebop lick over an F7 chord.

When using Indiana Bebop you can also add some embellishment to the lick. The first way to accomplish this is to use a trick called Deflection. This is a universal trick, and can be used in any melodic line, but it works really well with Indiana Bebop. When you are descending with a melodic line you can pick either the 3 or 5 in that chord, and then skip to the note below it and approach the note you have chosen chromatically. In the example below the chord is an F7 chord and the 3 of the chord is being deflected, then the Indiana Bebop lick is added.

Another way to embellish your melodic line is with a technique called Enclosing. This is also a universal trick to use when you are creating your melodic lines. With this trick you can pick any chord tone (1, 3, 5, or 7), and then you precede that note by essentially jumping around it. You can start on the note a half step above the note and then jump to the note a half step below it then land on the chord tone, or do the opposite and start a half step below and jump to the note a half step above it then land on the chord tone. The example below shows the 3 of an F7 chord being enclosed followed by the Indiana Bebop lick.

The next 2 examples are ways to piece together both Deflection and Enclosing in a melodic line using Indiana Bebop. The best way to get better at soloing is to explore and practice these ideas. The use of chromaticism is not limited only to these two techniques. Try to find other ways that you can use chromatic notes to piece together your solo.

The last thing you will learn is called a Substitution. There are a few ways that you can substitute a chord for another chord. For example, if there is a V-I progression over 2 bars you can change it to a ii-V-I chord progression over two bars, and substitute the first 2 beats of the first bar into a ii chord. This is a very good way to create a more interesting melodic line for your solo.

A very common substitution for a V7 chord is called a tritone substitution. The V7 chord can interchangeably be a dominant flat II7 chord. The reason this works is because of the two common tones that both chords share. In the example below the G7 chord and the D-flat7 chord both share an F and a B (C-flat). Note only do they share common notes, but the flat II7 chord is also more harmonically driven to the I chord. This creates a more intense resolution to a chord. The beautiful thing about this particular substitution is its ability to take the place of any V7 chord. So when you are soloing give it a try.