Developing Outside Sounds in Your Improvisation

Here's a quick lesson on playing outside. If you're into improvisation and jazz guitar and want to develop more outside sounds, this is for you.

One way I've developed my outside sounds is by playing over a drone. Work on playing inside over the drone, then go outside, then come back inside.

I've got a G drone going. I'll play a G major chord. For outside sounds, find a chord that is far away from G major and creates a lot of tension. I'm going to try C minor major 7 (C minor with a major 7). It creates the sound of C minor going back to G.

Now we've got the drone and our chords. Try this pattern: start inside, go outside, come back inside.

Start with G. Throw in the C minor major 7. And then back to G.