Skip to content
Matt Otto

Matt Otto

Free Jazz Education and Music

  • Matt Otto – Bio
  • Skype Lessons
  • Jazz Studies at KU
  • Bass Drones
  • Play Alongs
  • Books
  • Zoom Lessons
  • Play Along CD – in 7/4
  • Drum and Bass Play Along in 4/4
  • Matt Otto – Bio
    • Drum and Bass Play Along in 4/4
    • Matt Otto – Bio
    • Zoom Lessons
    • Play Along CD – in 7/4

Tag: jazz improvisation

  • Home
  • jazz improvisation
  • Page 2
By: Otto

Lesson 149: What is This Thing Called Love.

Using only the 1,3,#11,7 Tetrad (or 4 note set) I’ve been using this 1, 3, #11, 7 Tetrad (4 note set) for years in both…

Read Full Blog Post
  • -Lesson 149: What Is This Thing Etude
  • Lessons
By: Otto

~Play Along CD in 7/4

This is Vol.2 of the Drum and Bass, Roots and Rhythm “play along” which is designed for both practicing and teaching.  Vol. 1 has been…

Read Full Blog Post
  • Albums and Recordings
  • Play Along CD in 7/4
By: Otto

Lesson 79: Broken Arpeggio

Broken arpeggios are one great way to integrate some larger intervalic material into your improvisation while still outlining the chords that you are playing over. …

Read Full Blog Post
  • -Lesson 79: Broken Arpeggio
  • Lessons
By: Otto

Lesson 69: A Major

Sometimes working on just one key for a while can be beneficial.  Today I practiced a bit on concert A major –  on tenor sax…

Read Full Blog Post
  • -Lesson 69: A Major
  • Lessons
By: Otto

Lesson 68: -7b5 nat 9 nat 13

This is a simple melody that uses the 2nd mode of harmonic major over a -7b5 chord (or half diminished) in one key (concert F#-7b5)…

Read Full Blog Post
  • -Lesson 68: -7b5 nat9 nat 13
  • Lessons
By: Otto

Lesson 67: min triad add 9

This ii-7, V7, I melody that uses minor triads with an added 9th (or 2nd) i.e. 1,3,5,9 or 1,9,3,5 etc… The first part of the…

Read Full Blog Post
  • -Lesson 67: min triad add 9
  • Lessons
By: Otto

Lesson 64: Book ii-V-I

In this lesson we’ll look at the first ii – V7 – I melody found in the “Modern Jazz Vocabulary vol. 2” book.  This melody…

Read Full Blog Post
  • -Lesson 64: Book ii V7 I
  • Lessons
By: Otto

Lesson 63: Nat 9 ~ Flat 9

In lesson 63 we look at a simple melody that uses both the natural 9 (the #11) and the b9 on a dominant 7th chord. …

Read Full Blog Post
  • -Lesson 63: 9 and b9 on V7
  • Lessons
By: Otto

Lesson 62: Masterclass

I had the honor of doing a masterclass at Casa Valdez Studios while in Portland earlier this month.  We talked a lot about singing over…

Read Full Blog Post
  • -Lesson 62: Master Class
  • Lessons
By: Otto

Lesson 61: “Drop 2” Voicing

While working on major 7th and minor 7th “drop 2” chord voicings, I found a nice  shape to work on through the keys.   Drop…

Read Full Blog Post
  • -Lesson 61: Drop 2 Voicing
  • Lessons
By: Otto

-Lesson 60: Diatonic Sequence

This lesson covers a great melody from  one of the Bach Cello suites which has been extended slightly to cover the whole major scale. The…

Read Full Blog Post
  • -Lesson 60: Diatonic Sequence
  • Lessons
By: Otto

-Lesson 59: Spread Tri-tone

I thought it might be nice to work with a variation on Lesson 1 (Spread Triads) – In this exercise we play spread major triads…

Read Full Blog Post
  • -Lesson 59: Spread Tritone
  • Lessons

Posts navigation

Older
Next

Instagram

Instagram post 18083553422526467 Instagram post 18083553422526467
Here's a simple tune from Alliance called "Cyril" Here's a simple tune from Alliance called "Cyril" Matt Otto Saxophone/Composer (Cyril) Karl McComas-Reichl on Bass Ryan Lee on Drums Andrew Ouellette on Rhodes Marcus Lewis on Trombone Will Flynn on Guitar
CA friends, Playing at Jojo’s in Tustin tonight an CA friends, Playing at Jojo’s in Tustin tonight and Vibrato tomorrow night w Gina Saputo.
KU Combos playing great at the Blue Room! KU Combos playing great at the Blue Room!
Geoff Landman and I will be hosting Saxophone Day Geoff Landman and I will be hosting Saxophone Day at KU! Open to all saxophonists, regardless of age or ability level, Classical and Jazz. Music Educators are also welcome to attend.Here's a link to the sign up page: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd4QWu3JLWqlRVt7RLtAvr6BtHfkh5IngIOnmbCrKgD57cGBA/viewform
Here's a short Etude over I Love You - Ku Trombone Here's a short Etude over I Love You - Ku Trombone player Eli Lockhart, Asa Martin and Aidan Hamer learned it by ear and played it great! There's a free pdf on my blog m a t t o t t o . o r g
Playing the Majestic 6 to 10 tonight w Zach B. Mor Playing the Majestic 6 to 10 tonight w Zach B. Morrow and Sebastian Arias .
This is an etude I wrote for Alto saxophonist Keeg This is an etude I wrote for Alto saxophonist Keegan Kaiser. It's one chorus of 8th notes and uses the bebop scale, chromatic approach notes, bebop enclosures, diatonic cycle 4 motion (through dorian), the altered scale and tetrad (4 note cell) ideas. We worked on this together for a semester singing it and playing it and have finally began putting it through some other keys. Taking individual phrases through the keys is another valuable method for working with an etude over time.
This is a short etude I wrote over the chord chang This is a short etude I wrote over the chord changes to My Shining Hour in concert C. The etude utilizes a lot of modern-ish concepts in terms of the rhythmic groupings and harmonic/triadic substitutions. You'll find several uses of #9 on major, #11 on minor, Maj7 on -7, sequential fourths grouped in 5 or 7, #5 on Maj7, b6 on -7, plus regular harmonic tensions and standard melodic material. There are also several points where the harmony is anticipated or suspended by several beats. The PDF contains the melodic line and the common chord progression with no analysis.
After 2pm Owen/Cox Dance Group Nutcracker, We'll b After 2pm Owen/Cox Dance Group Nutcracker, We'll be at Corvino's tonight from 7pm to 9:30pm w Ben Leifer, Jaylen Ward, Eddie Moore.
Here's a Rhythm Changes Etude I wrote for Bari Sax Here's a Rhythm Changes Etude I wrote for Bari Sax player Andrea Edwards. Andrea is a senior at KU and is studying both classical and Jazz saxophone. You can visit my blog for a free PDF of the etude.
Here's a short Etude I wrote for Nic over the chor Here's a short Etude I wrote for Nic over the chord changes to Recorda Me (Joe Henderson). The Etude uses some triad pairs from the 4th mode of Harmonic Major over the first 8 bars (as well as the classical augmented scale). The bridge uses some simple triadic ideas. I'll post a free pdf on my blog for anyone interested in checking it out.
Conception etude. pdf at mattotto . o r g Conception etude. pdf at mattotto . o r g
Here's a fun Etude I wrote for KU Major Spencer Ad Here's a fun Etude I wrote for KU Major Spencer Addis over Conception by George Shearing. I wrote this in real time during our lessons and Spencer learned it by ear. This is a good method for learning as it's memorized from the very onset of learning the material. We added about 8 bars each week and finally had the whole chorus after a month or so. After that we just kept playing it and speeding it up while also singing phrases and playing phrases through 12 keys. We used the Bb-7 A7 Ab-7 G7 changes in Bars 7 and 8 although the OG changes are all Dominant 7th chords. I'll post a transcription on my blog later this week.
Got the new trio CD - The Landscape Listens. Feat Got the new trio CD - The Landscape Listens. Featuring Abe Rabade on Piano on Xose Miguelez and myself on Tenor sax. We recorded this in Portugal over the summer each contributing two original pieces to the project. It's available on Band Camp and in the usual web locations.
Follow me

Lessons

  • Lesson 187: Bird Chromatics
  • Lesson 186: 12 Note Bebop Scale
  • Lesson 185: Sax Alley Masterclass
  • Lesson 184: Self Critique
  • Lesson 183: Learning from PDFs
  • Lesson 182: Easy Coltrane Ideas
  • Lesson 181: Old Milestones Etude:
  • Lesson 180: How To Write A Song #3
  • Lesson 179: Whole Tone
  • Lesson 178: Miles Davis Chromatic Concept
  • Lesson 177: Charlie Parker “Outside” Concept
  • Lesson 176: 3 Note “Lick”
  • Lesson 175: Learn A Blues Etude By Ear.
  • Lesson 174: Giant Steps Etude
  • Lesson 173: How To Write A Contrafact
  • Lesson 172: How To Write A Song #2
  • Lesson 171: Byzantine – Double Harmonic Scale.
  • Lesson 170: I Love You Etude
  • Lesson 169: How To Write A Song.
  • Lesson 168: The Half Whole Diminished Scale
  • Lesson 167: Giant Steps – Cycle 5 Melody
  • Lesson 166: Thriving After College
  • Lesson 165: Harmonic Major Modes Over 2-5-1 in Minor
  • Lesson 164: Yardbird Suite Etude
  • Lesson 163: Blues For Alice Etude
  • Lesson 162: Rhythm Changes Etude.
  • Lesson 161: Recorda Me Etude.
  • Lesson 160: Conception Etude
  • Lesson 159: Lee Konitz – Sing a phrase – play it back.
  • Lesson 158: Cycle 5 – Harmonic Major
  • Lesson 157: 96 Melodies from any 4 Notes.
  • Lesson 156: Staying Relaxed While Playing Saxophone
  • Lesson 155: Blues Etude using Diminished and Triad Pairs
  • Lesson 154: Major 7 b9 Melody
  • Lesson 153: Minor Pentatonic Warm Up
  • Lesson 152: Maj Triad add #11 Tetrad
  • Lesson 150: Blues Etude – 4 note cell
  • Lesson 149: What is This Thing Called Love.
  • Lesson 148: I Hear A Rhapsody – Etude
  • Lesson 146 Part 4: Countdown, Giant Steps, Tri-Tonic
  • Lesson 146 Part 3: Countdown, Giant Steps, Tri-tonic
  • Lesson 146 Part 2: Countdown, Giant Steps, Tri-Tonic
  • #10144 (no title)
  • Lesson 145: Major Melody using #9, #11 and #5
  • Lesson 144: Barry Harris – Chromatic Chord Scales
  • Lesson 143: The Sus Chord – G7sus4
  • Lesson 142: Dominant Shell add #11
  • Lesson 141: Major #9 Melody
  • Lesson 140: Cycle 4 Melody – Altered
  • Lesson 139: Simple 3 chord Tune “Melisma”
  • Lesson 138: 6 Bar Tune
  • Lesson 137: All The Things You Are
  • Lesson 136: Woody and You
  • Lesson 135: Practicing Major Scale Melodies
  • Lesson 134: Chet Baker – Just Friends
  • Lesson 133: Singing all tensions on a Dominant 7th chord.
  • Lesson 132: Using Space
  • Lesson 131 b: 4-3 Suspension on Mrs. Jones?
  • Lesson 131 a: “Mrs. Jones” Natural 9
  • Lesson 130: Using the 9 on every chord
  • Lesson 129: Varijashree Venugopal – Sings Naima
  • Lesson 128: C Major Triad add #11
  • Lesson 127 Amazing Scale Warm Up!
  • Lesson 126: Practice PDFs
  • Lesson 125: Blues for Alice
  • Lesson 124: Shell + triad
  • Lesson 123: Ear Warm Up
  • Lesson 122: Melody: Triplets grouped in 5
  • Lesson 121: Fool To Want You
  • Lesson 120: Singing/Tapping
  • Lesson 119: Relative Pitch
  • Lesson118: All Intervals
  • Lesson 117: Major 9 #5 Melody
  • Lesson 116: The Four Half Diminished Scales
  • Lesson 115: Melodic Minor Modes
  • Lesson 114: Groupings of 5/8 Over 4/4
  • Lesson 113: Triads Through Scales
  • Lesson 112: Dominant Pentatonic: The “McCoy Tyner” Scale.
  • Lesson 111: 2nd Inversion Triads
  • Lesson 110b: Repetition – How to do it efficiently and effectively.
  • Lesson 110: Posture, Balance, Breath – Staying Focused and Calm
  • Lesson 109: Relax, Wait, Listen – Staying Focused and Calm
  • Lesson 108: Stardust Phrase – 12 Keys
  • Lesson 107: Car Practice
  • Lesson 106: Warm Up With Major7ths + Altered Scales
  • Lesson 105: 1,9,5,13 Tetrad
  • Lesson 104: Modes of Harmonic Minor
  • Lesson 103: -7b5 chords
  • Lesson 102: Accenting Triplets
  • Lesson 101: Lydian b13 Cycle 5
  • ~Lesson 100: Triads
  • ~Lesson 99: 4 Note Cell
  • -Lesson 98: Trumbauer
  • Lesson 97: Bergonzi
  • ~Lesson 96: Augmented Study
  • ~Lesson 95: Random Chords
  • ~Lesson 94: 7Alt Monk
  • ~Lesson 93: Scale Pattern
  • ~Lesson 92: the 3rd and 5th
  • ~Lesson 91: Yusef Lateef Scale
  • ~Lesson 90: Blues Tina Brooks
  • ~Lesson 89: Altered Melody
  • ~Lesson 88: Bach Theme
  • ~Lesson 87: ii-7 V7 Melody
  • ~Lesson 86: Bird Line (2)
  • ~Lesson 85: Intervallic Ideas
  • Lesson 84: Miles -Trane
  • Lesson 84: Visa – Charlie Parker
  • ~Lesson 83: No Tongue
  • ~Lesson 82: Maj7 #5 Pentatonic
  • Lesson 80 -Triplets in 4’s
  • Lesson 79: Broken Arpeggio
  • Lesson 78: 8th Note Feel
  • Lesson 77: Triadic Blues
  • Lesson 76: 30 Day Challenge
  • Lesson 75: Cycle Wheel pt.3 (Cycle 4 and 5)
  • Lesson 74: Cycle Wheel Pt.2 (Cycle 3 and 6)
  • Lesson 73: Cycle Wheel Pt.1 (Cycle 2 and 7)
  • Lesson 72: 3 Note Cell
  • Lesson 71: E Modal Melody
  • Lesson 70: Etudes
  • -Lesson 70: Augmented Melody
  • Lesson 69: A Major
  • Lesson 68: -7b5 nat 9 nat 13
  • Lesson 67: min triad add 9
  • Lesson 66: Minor Major 9
  • Lesson 65: Stage Fright
  • Lesson 64: Book ii-V-I
  • Lesson 63: Nat 9 ~ Flat 9
  • Lesson 62: Masterclass
  • Lesson 61: “Drop 2” Voicing
  • -Lesson 60: Diatonic Sequence
  • -Lesson 59: Spread Tri-tone
  • -Lesson 58: Triad Diminished
  • -Lesson 57: Scale Routine
  • -Lesson 56: Giant Steps Etude
  • -Lesson 55: ii – V7#5 -i dim
  • -Lesson 54: Triad w Neighbors
  • Lesson 53: pentatonic
  • Lesson 52: Enclosures
  • Lesson 51: Maj 7 #5 melody
  • Lesson 50: Wide Intervals
  • Lesson 49: sus4
  • Lesson 48: -7b5
  • Lesson 47: Dizzys’ Bebop
  • Lesson 46: Altered Melody
  • Lesson 45: Bird Line
  • Lesson 44: Simple ii – V7
  • Lesson 43: Diminished
  • Lesson 42: Synthetic Scale
  • Lesson 41: Shell + Tension
  • Lesson 40: HW diminished
  • Lesson 39: Bach Cello Suite
  • Lesson 38: 1st Inv Triads
  • Lesson 37: Singing Modes
  • Lesson 36: ii-V-i Harmonic Min.
  • Lesson 35: ii-V-i Harmonic Min
  • Lesson 34: V7 Altered Scale
  • Lesson 33: Rhythmic Grouping
  • Lesson 32: Bach – Minor V7 – i
  • Lesson 31: Bach Sing-Play
  • Lesson 30: Sing and Play
  • Lesson 29: Maj #5 #9 #11
  • Lesson 28: My Shining Hour
  • Lesson 27: 4ths-Maj7
  • Lesson 26: Relative Pitch
  • Lesson 25: 13 #11 Displaced
  • Lesson 24: Major Melody
  • Lesson 23: Harmonic Maj
  • Lesson 22: ii – V – I Chromatic
  • Lesson 21: V7 Chromatic
  • Lesson 20: V7 to i using -3rds
  • Lesson 19: Maj7 #9 #11 Melody
  • Lesson 18: Long Tones 2
  • Lesson 17: Intervallic Melody
  • Lesson 16: Long Tones
  • Lesson 15: Drones and Pedals
  • Lesson 14: Diminished Melody
  • Lesson 13: Lydian Melody in 5ths
  • Lesson 12: Embellished Triad
  • Lesson 11: Major b9, b13
  • Lesson 10: Whole Tone Melody
  • Lesson 9: Arpeggiating Voicings
  • Lesson 8: ii-V7 using triads
  • Lesson 7: C7 using Maj7(#5)
  • Lesson 6: Minor ii-V-i
  • Lesson 5: 13th Arpeggios
  • Lesson 4: Cycle Melody
  • Lesson 3: Rhythm Changes
  • Lesson 2: Diatonic 4ths
  • Lesson 1: Spread Triads

Listen or Buy Matt Otto’s Music

https://mattotto.bandcamp.com/
Copyright © 2026 Matt Otto All Rights Reserved | Music Freak by Theme Palace