Much of bebop melodic improvisation involves the use of neighbors, passing tones, and chord tones. A neighbor is defined as any note a half or whole step above or below a chord tone. With these exercises you can learn some common combinations of neighbors in jazz. These patterns are all written for a C major triad. You can practice in as many keys as you want! I’ve included some fingering suggestions, but remember, no fingering is set in stone. The only rule is, it must be comfortable. Practice with a swing feel.

This is a downloadable handout.