Jazz Chords, Arpeggios, and Enclosures

[Gabriel Perez]

Hi,
So I’m doing some private jazz guitar lessons and for my jury I’ve been learning All of Me since it’s a fairly simple progression, simple melody but introduces me to different ways to go about solos that isn’t just staying in the pentatonic. I have been doing some diving into each chord and how they relate to the next. But I am really having trouble doing enclosures to land solidly on a target note. Are there any good exercises that I should do that might help?
Thanks!

 

[idssdi]

Basically solidly landing it really helps to know which notes make up the chords. The best practice really is improvising over backing tracks. Arpeggios really work wel for this too.

 

[Gabriel Perez]

Thanks! I’ll start getting into arpeggios and backing tracks more

 

[Ekrem Taha Ünlü]

One of the way improve your soloing is playing over backing tracks

 

[Brian Haner Sr.]

It's all about arpeggios. On "All Of Me" (Key of C) Play a C arp going up, then an E7 arp going down, then an A7 arp going up, them a Dm arp going down, etc. Then reverse; C going down, E7 going up, etc. THEN do it in a different position. These are ALL "target" or "landing" notes.
OK - now instead of just running arps, start picking notes from those arps; C note to G note back to C note over C chord, then B note to G# note back to B note over E7, then A note to E note back to A note over A7 chord, etc.
Then start adding notes out of the arp; D, B, C over the C Chord, etc.
Eventually you'll also want to add chromatic (linking notes) to your solo. C over the C chord, then just before the E7 chord a C# (passing tone), then a D B G# over the E7 chord.
A good solo combines lots of different techniques. Stay in one spot over a couple of chords, then run a full arpeggio over the next chord. Enclosure over the next chord, etc. Link chords with chromatic notes. Mix it up.
Jazz requires you really KNOW the chords and arpeggios. It's a long process.
The very best advice I can give you is to listen to players who play what you want to play. This will condition your ear to different harmony, rhythm, etc.
Hope this helps!