How to Practise All the Things You Are: 12 Structured Jazz Improvisation Exercises
- Darren Lloyd
- Feb 17
- 4 min read
If you’ve been working on All the Things You Are, you’ve probably felt this:
You know the scales.You know the chords.You can technically get through it.
But it still sounds like you’re running information instead of improvising.
That’s completely normal.
How to practice all the things you are! The harmony in All the Things You Are moves quickly and through multiple key centres. If your practice isn’t structured, it’s easy to default to scale patterns and hope for the best.
So here’s exactly how I’m practising it right now.
Not random ideas.Not licks for the sake of licks.
Twelve structured exercises — each with a clear learning objective.
These work on any instrument.
Check out this solo where I use lots of the elements outlined in this blog post (only for serious students, takes a lot of practice).
Practicing the way I have outlined below has enabled me to improvise beautiful melodic, flowing solos, as in this video, without trying to remember licks or think of scales!
1. Chord Triads Only (1–3–5)
What to practise:
Improvise through the entire form using only the 1st, 3rd and 5th of each chord.
Learning objective:
To internalise basic chord structure and hear harmony clearly.
This strips everything back. No extensions. No passing notes. Just pure harmony.
If this doesn’t sound strong yet, nothing else will.
2. Add the 7th (1–3–5–7)
What to practise:
Now include the 7th on every chord.
Learning objective:
To clearly hear the difference between major 7, dominant 7 and minor 7 colours.
In All the Things You Are, this is essential because the quality shifts constantly.
3. Linear Motion Between Chord Tones
What to practise:
Move to the nearest possible chord tone when the harmony changes.
Learning objective:
To develop smooth voice leading instead of jumping vertically.
This tune rewards horizontal thinking.
4. Scale Flow – Start on the Root
What to practise:
Run the appropriate scale starting on the root of each chord.
Learning objective:
To develop rhythmic flow and loosen phrasing.
This stops everything sounding square.
5. Scale Flow – Start on the 3rd
What to practise:
Same idea — but start on the 3rd of each chord.
Learning objective:
To break root dependency and strengthen harmonic awareness.
The 3rd defines the chord quality. Starting here changes the sound immediately.
6. Target the 3rd in Minims
What to practise:
Land on the 3rd of each chord and hold it for a half note (minim).
Learning objective:
To train strong resolution and phrasing confidence.
Long notes are harder than fast notes.
7. Enclose the Root (Starting on the 3rd)
What to practise:
Start on the 3rd, then approach the root chromatically from above and below before landing on it.
Learning objective:
To introduce tension and controlled release.
This is where jazz language starts to sound intentional.
8. Chromatic Enclosure of the 3rd
What to practise:
Approach the 3rd chromatically from above and below before resolving.
Learning objective:
To emphasise chord identity with tension.
In this tune especially, clearly outlining the 3rd keeps you grounded through key changes.
9. Broken Chord Patterns (Start on the 3rd)
What to practise:
Use patterns like 3–5–7–9 instead of always starting on the root.
Learning objective:
To create a more modern, less predictable sound.
It immediately sounds more “inside” the harmony.
10. Apply One Bebop Rhythm to Every Chord
What to practise:
Take one rhythmic bebop idea and apply it to each chord through the form. Notice, I am again targeting the 3rds!
Learning objective:
To separate rhythmic vocabulary from harmonic thinking.
Improvisation is rhythm first.
11. Combine: Triads + Target 3rds + Enclosures
What to practise:
Improvise through the form using:
Clear triads
Strong 3rd targeting
At least one enclosure per chord
Learning objective:
To integrate structure and language.
Now it starts sounding like real improvisation.
12. Full Phrase – Everything Together
What to practise:
Create one complete 8–16 bar phrase that includes:
Strong chord tones
Linear movement
Enclosures
Clear rhythm
Intentional targeting
Learning objective:
To think in phrases rather than exercises.
This is the shift from practising components to making music.
Why This Approach Works on “All the Things You Are”
This standard moves through multiple key centres and long harmonic cycles.
If you rely only on scale shapes, it feels overwhelming.
If you train:
Chord clarity
3rd awareness
Voice leading
Controlled chromaticism
Rhythmic intent
The tune becomes logical instead of stressful.
You stop chasing the harmony.You start outlining it.
Want 5 Structured Jazz Lessons Like This?
If this way of practising makes sense to you, I’ve put together 5 free structured jazz lessons where I break down this exact approach in more detail — applied to real standards.
They’re designed for players of all instruments (concert, Bb, Eb and bass clef included).
You can join the newsletter here and I’ll send them straight to you.
Structured practice changes everything.
Great explanation and very clear Darren. Thanks.