Take Five Improv

[Mikeman9412@gma]

Hey guys!

So Im playing take five and I'm wondering how you guys think I should improvise over the song? I'm thinking stick to the key for the start but then the chords change key and I'm just wondering what you guys would do?

Scales modes anything?!?

[Malcolm]

Take Five is a standard, get the tune down first - play what is written. Here is a lead sheet.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/17275379/Take-Five-Lead-Sheet

Here is a straight version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQoFX...eature=related
Improvisations of the tune can be found in the right hand side of the screen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0KOz...eature=related

[Mikeman9412@gma]

Yeah I have learned the song, I'm just wondering about improvising

[JonR]

Originally Posted by Mikeman9412@gma

Yeah I have learned the song, I'm just wondering about improvising

The A section is natural minor, although there is no 6th in the melody, so you could treat it as dorian. Or blues scale (the opening phrase of the melody is blues scale).
The bridge is two cycles of 5ths in the relative major (IV-vii-iii-vi-ii-V-I, repeated) - except for the end of the 2nd one, which replaces the major I with a ii-V back into the minor key. IOW, there is a major V chord at the end of the bridge, even tho the melody retains the b7 of the (minor) key.
(Hope you're following all this.... )

In short, you could probably get away with one scale throughout - the minor/relative major scale. (Ebm/Gb major in original key.) Or even the blues scale of the opening minor (still works as a major blues scale in the relative major key).
But if you only did that it wouldn't make for a very good solo! You need to work from chord tones, at least some of the time, to give it some shape and meaning (connection to the harmony).

[maximillion]

Just go chord of the moment and over lay any scale you want into the mix.. compatable of course.. if you studied the note names, you'd have 15 or 20 scales that will work.. haha but if you could do that, you wouldn't be asking..

[Mikeman9412@gma]

Originally Posted by JonR

The A section is natural minor, although there is no 6th in the melody, so you could treat it as dorian. Or blues scale (the opening phrase of the melody is blues scale).
The bridge is two cycles of 5ths in the relative major (IV-vii-iii-vi-ii-V-I, repeated) - except for the end of the 2nd one, which replaces the major I with a ii-V back into the minor key. IOW, there is a major V chord at the end of the bridge, even tho the melody retains the b7 of the (minor) key.
(Hope you're following all this.... )

In short, you could probably get away with one scale throughout - the minor/relative major scale. (Ebm/Gb major in original key.) Or even the blues scale of the opening minor (still works as a major blues scale in the relative major key).
But if you only did that it wouldn't make for a very good solo! You need to work from chord tones, at least some of the time, to give it some shape and meaning (connection to the harmony).

Yeah I get what your saying

Haha finally!

But with the chord tones, how would I use them? The chords are so quick you can't stick with a set of chords tones because the next chord is already there before you even play!!!

Just elaborate a little more on the chord tones idea and how you would use them in a Take Five solo?!?

[Mikeman9412@gma]

Yeah Mainly the chord tone idea! Thanks!

-mike