Remarkable way to improvise over the ii-V-I with chromatic pentatonic shifts @QJamTracks

Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 36 minutes ago

In this lesson you’ll learn to create beautiful jazz solos over the II-V-I progression by using minor pentatonic scales that are shifted in a chromatic way. This way of improvising results in many colour notes and tension notes an results in no less than three scale flavours over the 4 bar progression. You’ll also learn something about the altered sale and how to use a pentatonic substitution for this altered scale. All the ideas can easily be used in other styles too.

Tablature, diagrams, examples and backing tracks will be available on my Patreon page:
patreon.com/QJamTracks

*Chapters:*
0:00 Introduction
0:58 Chord types in the II-V-I
2:45 Idea for the ii-chord
4:48 Idea for the V-chord
7:05 Idea for the I-chord
8:31 Putting it all together
10:29 using min7 arpeggios
12:30 Daring alternative
13:41 Final thoughts

*Crystal Clear E-BOOKS with audio files:*
qjamtracks.shopify.com

*Tabs and tracks at PATREON:*
patreon.com/Qjamtracks
*Social Media/contact: *
https:// facebook.com/QJamTracks
https:// instagram.com/QJamTracks
https:// youtube.com/QJamTracks
*Strandberg Guitars*
strandbergguitars.com
*Fractal Audio (FM9)*
fractalaudio.com
Neural DSP
neuraldsp.com

(c)2025 Rob van Hal, Netherlands

$Remarkable way to improvise over the ii-V-I with chromatic pentatonic shifts In this lesson you’ll learn to create beautiful jazz solos over the II-V-I progression by using minor pentatonic scales that are shifted in a chromatic way. This way of improvising results in many colour notes and tension notes an results in no less than three scale flavours over the 4 bar progression. You’ll also learn something about the altered sale and how to use a pentatonic substitution for this altered scale. All the ideas can easily be used in other styles too. Tablature, diagrams, examples and backing tracks will be available on my Patreon page: https://patreon.com/QJamTracks *Chapters:* 0:00 Introduction 0:58 Chord types in the II-V-I 2:45 Idea for the ii-chord 4:48 Idea for the V-chord 7:05 Idea for the I-chord 8:31 Putting it all together 10:29 using min7 arpeggios 12:30 Daring alternative 13:41 Final thoughts *Crystal Clear E-BOOKS with audio files:* https://qjamtracks.shopify.com *Tabs and tracks at PATREON:* http://www.patreon.com/Qjamtracks *Social Media/contact: * https:// facebook.com/QJamTracks https:// instagram.com/QJamTracks https:// youtube.com/QJamTracks *Strandberg Guitars* https://strandbergguitars.com *Fractal Audio (FM9)* https://www.fractalaudio.com Neural DSP https://neuraldsp.com/ (c)2025 Rob van Hal, Netherlands$ $ALL ABOUT the sound of the PHRYGIAN MODE! - Crystal Clear Lesson With examples and Tabs. In this video you will nail the secrets of the Phrygian Mode and Phrygian scale and learn how to put this dark and oriental beauty into daily playing over Phrygian chord progressions and minor chords. I’ll explain everything about this scale and why it’s such a wonderful asset to you your playing routines. You can play this profound sounding Phrygian scale in different situations over different chords. That’s what you will learn in this video by examples in different styles with tablature on screen. Learn also a thing or two about the major 7 arpeggio and a Steve Vai Phrygian signature lick which is awesome to combine with Phrygian scale! You can support me on my patreon page (also for tabs of the licks played in this video): www.patreon.com/QJamTracks Backing track for practicing the Phrygian mode: https://youtu.be/c3wUGLaoSWQ Artwork: (c) 2019) Rob van Hal Used: Ibanez JEM 7v (www.Ibanez.com) Ibanez SD GR Bass (www.Ibanez.com) Takamine GD930 (www.takamine.com) Castilla Classical Guitars Samson Concert 99 Wireless system Rode Microphone Axe FX II (www.fractalaudio.com) Social Media/contact: www.patreon.com/QJamTracks www.facebook.com/QJamTracks www.instagram.com/QJamTracks www.youtube.com/QJamTracks (c)2019 Rob van Hal, Netherlands$ $BLUES Chord Substitutions: JAZZ BLUES (Killer progression) Learn how to evolve a standard 12 bar blues into a sophisticated Jazz Blues progression in this guitar lesson with crystal clear graphics and animations, so everyone can learn and understand the way chord substitutions in Blues work. Pimp the 12 bar stand major blues with diminished chords, altered chords and dominant 9 and 13 chord to create a beautiful jazz blues progression. 0:00 Introduction 0:19 12 bar blues fingerstyle 3:08 Adding the II V I 4:32 Adding the #IVdim7 6:20 Rebuilding the last 4 bars 7:51 The turnaround 9:12 Another II V I 10:00 The whole Jazz Blues Progression 11:18 Conclusion You can support me on my patreon page (also for tabs of the licks played in this video): www.patreon.com/QJamTracks Artwork: (c) 2020) Rob van Hal Used: Ibanez JEM 7vb (www.Ibanez.com) Ibanez RT Ibanez SD GR Bass (www.Ibanez.com) Schecter Banshee GT FR (www.schecterguitars.com/) Takamine GD930 (www.takamine.com) Castilla Classical Guitars Samson Concert 99 Wireless system Rode Microphone Axe FX II (www.fractalaudio.com) BIAS FX (www.positivegrid.com) Social Media/contact: www.patreon.com/QJamTracks www.facebook.com/QJamTracks www.instagram.com/QJamTracks www.youtube.com/QJamTracks (c)2020 Rob van Hal, Netherlands Subjects in this video: Jazz Blues, Blues, Blues in A, A major Blues, Chord substitutions, 12 bar blues chord substitutions, Jazz Blues chord substitutions, #IVdim7 chord, #IV diminished chord, II V I, II V I progression, II V I progression in Blues, Jazz chords, Blues turnaround, Jazz turnaround, Music theory lesson guitar, Music theory, Guitar tutorial, Guitar lesson, Q jam tracks, Jazz guitar tutorial$ $I Discovered the Secret Chord for Writing Epic Prog Rock Songs! In this video we’ll explore a fantastic big sounding progressive Rock chord to sound like Plini, Intervals, Dream Theatre and the like. The chord is a harmonic versatile chord that can be many things. The great sound of this progressive Rock Chord will inspire you to come up with sophisticated Prog Rock and Prog Metal sounds. Tablature, diagrams, examples and backing tracks will be available on my Patreon page: https://patreon.com/QJamTracks The e-book The Ultimate Prog Chord with supporting audio files can be downloaded here: https://qjamtracks.myshopify.com/products/the-ultimate-progressive-rock-chord Xvive A58 wireless guitar system: https://shop.warwick.de/de/search?sSearch=xvive *Chapters:* 0:00 Introduction 1:00 Intermezzo (XVive commercial) 2:38 What makes a chord “Progressive”? 3:57 The Ultimate “Prog” chord 6:02 Harmonize scales with the “prog” chord 9:12 Variations on the “Prog” chord 12:21 Conclusion Photos: Animals as Leaders Grywnn, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Haken: kitmasterbloke, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Periphery: Markus Felix (talk to me), CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Scale The Summit: Robert Bejil from Bakersfield, Ca, USA, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Intervals: Kyle Gaddo, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons *Crystal Clear E-BOOKS with audio files:* https://qjamtracks.shopify.com *Tabs and tracks at PATREON:* http://www.patreon.com/Qjamtracks *Social Media/contact: * https:// facebook.com/QJamTracks https:// instagram.com/QJamTracks https:// youtube.com/QJamTracks *Strandberg Guitars* https://strandbergguitars.com *Fractal Audio (FM9)* https://www.fractalaudio.com Neural DSP https://neuraldsp.com/ (c)2024 Rob van Hal, Netherlands$ $12 Bar Blues: The Coolest, Most Interesting Way To Get Started On Guitar In video we’ll give 12 Bar Bles progression a make-over, so it will sound virtuoso, extremely cool, fast and exceptionally fun to play. Does one need more? ;) The concepts are simple and straightforward, based on only the pentatonic scale and some juicy faster riffs. Well also change some chords with chord substitutions for an awesome sound. Well change three12-bar Blues Rock progressions in a few steps to a much more interesting progression to play. *Chapters:* 0:00 Introduction 00:38 Make-over 1 (Blues in A) 03:54 Make-over 2 (Blues in A) 06:44 Make-over 3 (Blues in E) 08:59 Final thoughts Loek van der Knaap: https://www.loekvanderknaap.nl/ https://www.broekmans.com/nl/bladmuziek/knaap-l-v-d *Crystal Clear E-BOOKS with audio files:* https://qjamtracks.shopify.com *Tabs and tracks at PATREON:* http://www.patreon.com/Qjamtracks *Social Media/contact: * https:// facebook.com/QJamTracks https:// instagram.com/QJamTracks https:// youtube.com/QJamTracks *Strandberg Guitars* https://strandbergguitars.com *Fractal Audio (FM9)* https://www.fractalaudio.com (c)2024 Rob van Hal, Netherlands$

$Steve Vai Style BACKING TRACK in the beautiful E LYDIAN mode An awesome sounding modern rock @QJamTracks guitar backing track in the style of Steve Vai, filled with improvisation ideas, scales and arpeggios presented on screen. An educational and enhanced guitar backing track video to practice the lydian scale, pentatonic scale, minor scale, lydian arpeggios, Steve Vai signature lick and pentatonic substitutions. For guitarists who want to improvise in different keys and modes. This awesome modal backing track let ‘s you play different scales, which are visualized onscreen. Excellent for improvising, learning modes, scales, chords, licks and arpeggios. This Q JAM TRACKS jam track provides a visual representation of the chords and scales in diagrams as they appear in the backing track. Extra theoretical information is shown in the video. It is a high quality backing track and handy tutorial (lesson) at the same time. Contents: 0:00 Start 0:08 What is the Lydian mode 0:28 Improvising in the Lydian mode 0:48 Superimpose a pentatonic scale (lydian) 0:56 G# minor pentatonic scale 1:23 Moods of the Lydian Mode 1:45 E Lydian: B major diatonic scale 2:14 G# minor diatonic scale 2:40 Lydian arpeggio (1) 3:04 Lydian arpeggio (2) 3:28 G# minor: adding the blue note 3:57 Steve Vai Signature Lick 4:22 Lydian: Major 7 arpeggio of the Vth degree 4:47 Superimposing the pentatonic scale of the Vth degree (G# Minor) Artwork: Rob van Hal Main illustration: Pixabay CC0 licenced photo’s (www.pixabay.com) Used for recording: Ibanez JEM 7v (www.Ibanez.com) Ibanez SD GR Bass (www.Ibanez.com) Takamine GD930 (www.takamine.com) Castilla Classical Guitars Samson Concert Wireless Microphone system CR99 Axe FX II (www.fractalaudio.com) QJamTrack Uses: BIAS FX II Cakewalk by Bandlab Social Media/contact: www.patreon.com/QJamTracks www.facebook.com/QJamTracks www.instagram.com/QJamTracks www.youtube.com/QJamTracks (c)2020 Rob van Hal, Netherlands Subjects: Guitar backing track, Guitar Jam track, Backing track, Lydian backing track, E Lydian, Lydian backing track for guitar, E lydian backing track, Steve Vai style backing track, Modulating backing track, The lydian mode, Modes, Progressive rock backing track, Modes for guitar, Jam track E lydian, Spacy backing track, Dreamy backing track, Uplifting backing track, Emotional backing track, Modal backing track, Lidian backing track, Fusion backing track$

Diminished scale for Blues and Outside Sounds

$Enhanced SATRIANI / VAI Backing Track in A Lydian and C Lydian An uplifting, educational and typical Satriani and Vai style backing track for guitarists who want to shred in the Lydian Mode. You can also play pentatonic scales over this guitar Jam track. Excellent for improvising, learning modes, scales, chords, licks and arpeggios in the Lydian Mode. This Q JAM TRACKS jam track in provides a visual representation of the chords and scales in diagrams as they appear in the music. Extra theoretical information is shown in the video. It is a backing track and tutorial (or lesson) at the same time. Its also a play along video for learning exiting and beautiful chords. Photos: Joe Satriani: By LivePict.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8400888 Steve Vai: Toglenn [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], from Wikimedia Commons Used: Ibanez JEM 7v (www.Ibanez.com) Ibanez SD GR Bass (www.Ibanez.com) Takamine GD930 (www.takamine.com) Castilla Classical Guitars Rode Microphone Axe FX II (www.fractalaudio.com) Social Media/contact: www.facebook.com/QJamTracks www.instagram.com/QJamTracks www.youtube.com/QJamTracks (c)2018 Rob van Hal, Netherlands$ $Backing Track E (harmonic) minor & C major – Gentle & Graceful An educational and enhanced guitar Gentle and Graceful rock backing track in E minor and C major for guitarists who want to improvise in different keys and modes like the E minor scale, E harmonic minor scale and C major scale. This beautiful backing track let ‘s you play with modes, arpeggios and pentatonic substitutions. Excellent for improvising, learning modes, scales, chords, licks and arpeggios. This Q JAM TRACKS jam track in provides a visual representation of the chords and scales in diagrams as they appear in the music. Extra theoretical information is shown in the video. It is a high quality backing track and handy tutorial (lesson) at the same time. Learn: - Em Pentatonic scale - E natural minor scale - E harmonic minor scale - Pentatonic substitution of the 5th degree - B dom11 arpeggio - C maj7 and G maj7 arpeggio - Fmaj13 Steve Vai signature Lick - Leading notes/tones Used: Ibanez JEM 7v (www.Ibanez.com) Ibanez SD GR Bass (www.Ibanez.com) Takamine GD930 (www.takamine.com) Castilla Classical Guitars Rode Microphone Axe FX II (www.fractalaudio.com) Social Media/contact: www.patreon.com/QJamTracks www.facebook.com/QJamTracks www.instagram.com/QJamTracks www.youtube.com/QJamTracks (c)2019 Rob van Hal, Netherlands$

Unlock the whole tone scale over minor chords and sound like a Pro!

$Pentatonic Exotic Guitar Scales That Sound Amazing Instantly! Learn how to change sophisticated, complex and exotic scales into an easy to play pentatonic versions! In this video, Ill show you how to break down complex scales into easy-to-play pentatonic patterns, making it easy to add an exotic touch to your solos and melodies by adapting a simple minor pentatonic pattern. From Harmonic minor, melodic minor Lydian dominant to mixolydian b6 and whole tone, Ill explore the world of complex scales and provide you with practical tips to incorporate them into your music. Whether youre a beginner or an experienced musician, this video will help you to expand your musical vocabulary and take your playing to the next level. So, get ready to spice up your sound with these simple yet effective pentatonic hacks! Level 5 (of 6) Tablature, diagrams, examples and backing tracks will be available on my Patreon page: https://patreon.com/QJamTracks *Chapters:* 0:00 Introduction 0:57 The Challenge 2:27 Pentatonic Harmonic minor 4:45 Pentatonic Melodic minor 6:58 Pentatonic Min9 (Aeolian) 8:24 Pentatonic Lydian 10:04 Pentatonic Lydian Dominant 11:45 Pentatonic Whole Tone 13:56 Pentatonic Mixolydian 15:33 Pentatonic Mixolydian b6 17:30 Pentatonic Locrian 19:09 Pentatonic Final thoughts *Crystal Clear E-BOOKS with audio files:* https://qjamtracks.shopify.com *Tabs and tracks at PATREON:* http://www.patreon.com/Qjamtracks *Social Media/contact: * https:// facebook.com/QJamTracks https:// instagram.com/QJamTracks https:// youtube.com/QJamTracks *Strandberg Guitars* https://strandbergguitars.com *Fractal Audio (FM9)* https://www.fractalaudio.com Neural DSP https://neuraldsp.com/ (c)2025 Rob van Hal, Netherlands$