prize17-8, Exercise 1: Chord changes and modes

Model answer (check the details):

Improvising on chord changes means following a sequence of chords that changes every bar or two, so the soloist must pick notes that fit each chord as it arrives. That asks for quick knowledge of the harmony and skill at linking one chord to the next.

Improvising on a mode means staying on one scale for many bars. The soloist can build a melody and a mood from a single set of notes, so the challenge moves from navigating the chords to shaping an idea, using rhythm, space and development.

In "So What" the mode changes by only a half step, once, after sixteen bars, so the music is spacious.

Care: modal playing is not easier. With fewer chords to lean on, the soloist has to supply the interest.