Improvisation Idea, Oz Noy, Harmony Guitars
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Guitar Practice
Dominant 7th over a Minor 7th Chord
When improvising over a Minor 7th chord, a way to temporarily switch things up (and add some dissonance) is to think/play Dominant 7th.
If playing over Gm7, for example, we can play some riffs based around C7. This works because both chords are in the key of F Major.
The G Dorian Mode and C Mixolydian Mode both have the same notes, since they are both from the F Major Scale. The idea is to play either notes from a C7 arpeggio or C Mixolydian Mode, and then resolve it by going back to playing G Dorian.
Below is a loop of a Gm7 vamp. Start by playing around with a couple C7 arpeggios over the backing track, to focus on the C7 chord tones:
Next, when you're ready to work in some more notes, you can use the C Mixolydian mode. Below is the C Mixolydian scale between the 2nd and 8th frets:
Guitarist Spotlight
Oz Noy
“It’s Jazz. It just doesn’t sound like it.”
That's how guitarist Oz Noy describes his blend of jazz, funk, rock, blues, and r&b.
Oz Noy is a true original in the world of guitar. Born in Israel, Oz started his musical journey at only 13 years old, diving into a variety of styles like jazz, blues, funk, and rock. By the time he was in his early twenties, he was already a sought-after session musician, playing on some of Israel’s biggest records and touring with top artists.
In 1996, Oz made the leap to New York City, and it didn’t take long for his unique voice on the guitar to make waves in the city’s music scene. Oz's sound is a blend of jaw-dropping technical skill and deep musicality, with influences ranging from Jimi Hendrix to John Scofield. He’s best known for mixing jazz improvisation with funky grooves and rock energy—creating a style that’s entirely his own.
Over the years, Oz has released acclaimed albums like Ha! and Who Gives a Funk, collaborating with some of the most respected names in music, including Vinnie Colaiuta, Dave Weckl, and John Patitucci. Whether he’s performing on stage or teaching in masterclasses, Oz brings humor, passion, and a love of music to everything he does.
When he’s not redefining what the guitar can do, Oz is a down-to-earth guy who loves sharing his knowledge and inspiring the next generation of musicians.
Oz has a lot of great albums, but Twisted Blues Vol 1 (2011) and Vol 2 (2014) are among my favorites, and are a good starting point. More recently, Fun One (2024) shows Oz putting his own twist on a number of great jazz standards, and on Recreational Substance (2025), him and guitarist Andrew Synowiec rip though jazz-fusion on a live-in-studio recording.
Check out Oz Noy: Website | Instagram | Facebook
Gear Showcase
Harmony Guitars
If you’ve been playing guitar long enough, you might remember the days when Harmony Guitars was a budget-oriented brand lining the shelves of stores like Sears (who actually used to own the company a long time ago). You could’ve bought a Harmony guitar for only $6 back in the late 1800’s!
In its heyday, the Harmony Guitar Company was the largest manufacturer of musical instruments in the United States, but the company shut down in 1975.
In 2018, Bandlab relaunched the historic brand, taking inspiration from some of the old Harmony guitar models you can sometimes at pawn shops today, but also introducing some amazing new models to their lineup.
With models such as the Comet, Silhouette, Rebel , Juno, and Jupiter, Harmony Guitars have some creative body shapes, and sought out features such as nitro finishes at reasonable prices. Made in Kalamazoo, Michigan in the United States, the modern-day version of Harmony Guitars have been getting great reviews from players of all levels that are being blown away by their high quality.
In addition to guitars, Harmony’s Series 6 line of guitar amps offer options ranging from use in your bedroom to the world’s biggest stages.
Check out Harmony Guitars: Website | Instagram
Trending
- Jeff Beck's guitar collection sold for $10.7m at an auction. The auction included over 130 guitars, amps, and other gear.
- Fender released a bunch of new web-exclusive colors for several Squier models, as well as the Vintera II Jazzmaster.
- Joel Harrison & Alternative Guitar Summit posted Part 1 of an interview with jazz guitarist Ben Monder, discussing warmup routines, chord soloing, and more.
- The Play Guitar Podcast dove into the techniques and ideas that make blues solos unforgettable.
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