gypsy jazz school free lesson 2

1 | P a g e Copyright © 2011 GypsyJazzSchool.com All rights res erved. Double enclosure free lesson

Double enclosure - Improvisation method, taken from the first phrase

of Django’s Tiger

The first phrase of Django’s Tiger is so beautiful that I just had to understand it. Here is the

phrase:

Ex 1: The first phrase of Django’s Tiger

Figure 1: A6, the chord shape the phrase sits on

For each note of the chord, he uses an enclosure, which is a half tone below the chord note

(target) and one tone above the chord note (target):

Figure 2: A6 with enclosures


In lesson 8.1, there is a thorough explanation of enclosures, with examples and variations, using

the notes a half tone below the chord note and one tone above the chord note on a single

string.

In the first phrase of Django’s Tiger, Django extends this idea onto two strings and adds more

tension to the musical sentence.

Ex 2: Double enclosure:

In this phrase, Django uses a half tone approach below the 3rd

degree, then one tone above the

6th

degree, and then resolves the tension to the 6th

and then to the 3rd

degrees.

The numbers in the following picture demonstrate the chord degrees and not the fingering.

Figure 3: A6 with double enclosures


Now here is an exercise that I came up with using this idea. In this exercise, you will learn how

to master this idea in a systematic way over a major chord, in three positions. We will use three

inversions of the A major chord. In lesson 7, you will find a thorough explanation of chord

inversions and about mastering their positions all over the fretboard in all the keys. The first

example is in the following shapes:

Figure 4: C triad inversions


The exercise uses two notes at a time. For each pair of notes, we play a note that is a half step

below the lower one and a note that is one tone above the upper one.

Ex 3: C major simple double enclosure

Once you understand this principle, you can apply it to any chord shape you like and to any pair

of notes that you like. The notes you choose may be chord tones, but they can be tensions as

well - 9th

, 6th

and so on.

In lesson 11.2 you will find explanations of how to use this idea with tensions, in various chord

shapes, in Be-Bop sound, how to apply it to your improvisation over the J’attendrai chord

progression and most important- how to create new variations to it and how to make it your

own.

gypsy jazz school free lesson 2

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