Lesson 8 - Turnarounds

A turnaround is a short (usually four chord) section at the end of a larger progression. The turnaround serves to return the progression to its original starting point. The last two bars of the following progression are an example of a turnaround:

|CΔ	Dm7	|Em7	FΔ	|CΔ	BbΔ	|EbΔ	Ab7	|

There are a vast number of turnarounds. Some of the more common ones are shown below. Because turnarounds are usually very quick and also change key centers often, arpeggios are usually the best solution for improvising over them. However, each situation is different. Some turnarounds are totally diatonic. Some have only two key centers. Pentatonic scales can often be used in turnarounds which are primarily dominant seventh chords. Be flexible in your approach to turnarounds and experiment with each new one that you use.

Try the turnarounds above in larger extensions and with sharped or flatted fifths and ninths.