Chromaticism / Non-Diatonic Scales: Book & Online Audio

Liebman cuts straight to what intermediate and advanced players actually need: concrete language for breaking out of strict diatonic thinking without losing harmonic clarity. The pairing of written concepts with audio examples means students hear exactly what he means, not just read about it.

Opening these pages feels like getting a backstage pass to how experienced improvisers actually think. The content is lean and focused, with no wasted space, and the audio makes the concepts snap into focus immediately.

Intermediate to advanced jazz musicians on any instrument who feel competent with basic changes but want to expand their harmonic vocabulary. This is for the player who's ready to think beyond the chord tones and create more sophisticated lines.

• Study the piano chord voicings carefully before attempting to navigate around them. Knowing exactly what the harmonic foundation is makes your chromatic choices intentional rather than random.
• Practice the non-diatonic scales slowly over sustained chords first. Speed comes naturally once your ear locks onto the relationship between the scale and the underlying harmony.
• Use the recorded examples as reference, then play the same chords on a keyboard yourself and improvise over them. Hearing your own voice against the changes reinforces the concepts in real time.
• Work through polychord applications one at a time rather than trying to apply everything simultaneously. Master one approach before layering in another.

Assign this to ensemble members preparing for jazz combos or small group performances where soloists need to sound more contemporary and inventive. It also works as a directed study resource for students working independently on improvisation between lessons.

• Navigating chromatic passing tones and approach notes within jazz changes
• Applying polychords as harmonic extensions in improvisation
• Reading and executing non-diatonic scales over defined chord progressions
• Recognizing derived chords and using them as substitution options
• Developing ears that hear both the given harmony and the spaces outside it