Hearing chord changes and learning about improvisation

Hi there, I’ve started to work on my improvisation skill and I realized that I can’t hear the chord changes on Dm backing tracks (I posted a topic a few months ago sharing a Dm backing track that I like and I think that slow 3rd position is my favorite way of playing, at least at the moment), do you have any advice on that ?

I also some questions about improvisation in general :

-What’s the matter with scales ? Am I supposed to play them over the backing track ? To select note from it ? To play them but to make “jumps” (like cutting a part of it) ?
-Also, how should I practice ? Should I just improvise over the backing tracks that I like everyday, without putting much thought into it ? I love doing that (in fact the most fun I had playing the harp was improvising) but I’m afraid that I will “stagnate” if I just stick to that. Should I try to write down the licks that I come up with when improvising ?

Here is the backing track that I was speaking about earlier :

Could you highlight the chord changing please :pray:
I really can’t hear them

Thanks in advance for the answers, and also, I’m French so English is not my main language, I hope that I didn’t made too much mistakes and that my post is understandable lol

3 Likes

Hey. The first part of your question is over my head. I don’t know much about chord changes. But as far as scales, I practice skills a lot when I first started. I kind of found out that it really gave me a good base. Especially blues scale. Skills are just a comfortable place for me to go back to when I kind of get lost. But I feel the same way about backing tracks I just like to improvise and just play with the ones I like. I’m not sure if that’s the best way but I think the main thing is to have fun.

2 Likes

HI @mauraulucien this is a standard minor blues with a “quick iv”

I | iv | I | I |
iv | iv | I | I |
v | iv | I | I |

Line 1: Dm - Gm - Dm - Dm
Line 2: Gm - Gm - Dm - Dm
Line 3: Am - Gm - Dm - Dm (Am)

YES! Keep doing that!!! The most important thing is to just play with things and find out what you like.

Practicing Scales over the track is not a bad idea:
C Harmonica in 3rd Position = Plays in the key of D minor

3rd Position Minor Pentatonic Scale:

-4 -5 6 -6 7 -8 (Descending: -8 7 -6 6 -5 -4)

3rd Position Dorian Scale:

–4 5 -5 6 -6 -7 7 -8 (Descending: -8 7 -7 -6 6 -5 5 -4)

BUT always spend time doing what you LOVE, follow your BLISS, follow the MUSE, etc.

Learning some songs/melodies in 3rd position might also open up some new melodic ideas in your playing Scarborough Fair is a good one:

Or Oye Como Va

But just keep jamming and you’ll feel when you stagnate, and then you can search out resources to help you out of your rut.

Rock on! :sunglasses: