F Blues Improvisation: Chord Tones & Approach Notes

Welcome to the second lesson in our improvisation seminar series for beginner jazz pianists. This session builds on the concepts introduced in the first seminar, with a focus on improvisation using the F Blues form.

By simplifying our melodic vocabulary and refining our rhythmic sense, we take a deeper dive into chord tone soloing, chromatic and diatonic approach notes, and blues scale applications.

Revisiting Rhythm as the Foundation of Improv

A strong rhythmic foundation remains at the heart of successful improvisation. Even with a limited set of notes—often just 1, 2, or 3 per phrase—creative rhythmic placement can breathe life into even the simplest ideas. It’s essential to begin practice routines with rhythmic exercises to lock into the groove and build confidence.

Practicing slowly with a backing track or play-along tool like iReal Pro is encouraged. This slower pace allows time to think through each note and clearly visualise upcoming chords, reducing the risk of rushing and promoting solid melodic phrasing.

Visualising & Playing Chord Tones (1, 3, 5, 7)

Rather than relying on abstract scale patterns, this lesson encourages playing melodies directly from chord tones—1, 3, 5, and 7 of each chord. In jazz, chord tones are essential because they reflect the harmonic function of each chord.

Using a basic F Blues progression, you’ll identify and play the 7th chords in each bar—such as F7, Bb7, C-7 to F7 to Bbmaj7—and use only their chord tones to construct melodies.

Practicing voice leading between chord tones from one bar to the next, especially using half-step or whole-step transitions, fosters smooth and logical melodic lines.

Connecting Chords with Chromatic and Diatonic Approach Notes

Once you’re comfortable outlining chords with 1, 3, 5, and 7, the next step is learning to approach those chord tones. This involves targeting a chord tone from either a half-step above or below (chromatic approach) or from a diatonic neighbour tone within the scale.

An effective jazz technique is to approach chord tones chromatically from below and diatonically from above. For instance, when resolving to an A (3rd of F7), approach it with an Ab or a Bb depending on the melodic context.

Practicing this over 2-5-1 progressions — like G-7 to C7 to F — helps internalise the concept.

Major & Minor Blues Scales in F Blues

Two blues scales are introduced in this session:

• F minor blues scale (based on the minor pentatonic with an added b5)

• F major blues scale (often derived from D minor blues, the relative minor of F)

These scales offer different emotional flavours and can be used interchangeably depending on the chord. For example, the F minor blues scale fits well over Bb7 due to shared chord tones, while the F major blues scale provides a lighter sound over the I chord (F7).

Learning by ‘Stealing’: Jazz Language & Transcription

The session concludes by emphasising the value of transcription. You’re encouraged to steal melodic ideas — ie. "jazz words" — from recordings and build your own solo vocabulary. For example, Red Garland’s solo on “Bye Bye Blackbird” is recommended as a source of rich melodic material.

These ideas can be transposed and adapted to fit different harmonic contexts. Whether you’re improvising over “Autumn Leaves” or “There Will Never Be Another You”, applying stolen lines helps develop authentic phrasing and sound.

Practice Tips

1. Start Slow: Use a backing track at a slow tempo to give yourself time to visualise and target chord tones.

2. Limit Your Palette: Practice soloing using only 1, 3, 5, and 7 of each chord. This constraint strengthens your melodic and harmonic awareness.

3. Use Approach Notes: Connect chord tones with chromatic or diatonic approach notes to create fluid lines.

4. Explore Blues Scales: Experiment with both F major and F minor blues scales.

5. Transcribe & Apply: Learn short melodic phrases from jazz recordings and repurpose them over different tunes and progressions.

By focusing on rhythmic creativity, chord tone mastery, and simple melodic devices, this lesson provides a structured yet musical path into the world of jazz improvisation.