Coltrane's solo on Moment's Notice is often labeled as a turning point for him as an improviser; breaking it down into it's core improvisational concepts can help reveal that it's more simple than one might think.
Published on April 30th, 2025
John Coltrane's Blue Train, recorded in 1958 at Rudy Van Gelder's legendary New Jersey studio, featuring "Moment's Notice" as one of the most notable tracks, with Coltrane tackling complex harmony at impressive speeds—a preview of what would come in his landmark album Giant Steps. Joining Trane is an all-star lineup: Lee Morgan on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Kenny Drew on piano, Philly Joe Jones on drums, and Paul Chambers providing on bass.
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Title: Moment's Notice Transcription
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As only Coltrane's second album as leader, Blue Train starts to hint at the future of Coltrane's improvisational style. While the compositional style on Blue Train continues the style of other hard bop albums released around the same time, it’s Coltrane’s unique, but often repetitive approach to improvisation and technical execution that set this album apart from the crowd.
What seemed revolutionary on "Moment's Notice" can be broken down into clear techniques for us to analyze, study, and incorporate into our own solos.
This solo sounds "good" to our ears for three main reasons: Coltrane's use of consistent patterns, his application of jazz scales like altered and bebop scales, and his use of repetitive musical phrases/licks that he cleverly disguises.
Let's explore these techniques by looking at specific moments in the solo so you can start using these same concepts in your own playing.
At the core of Coltrane’s approach are familiar jazz sounds – the bebop scale, altered scale, and substitutions of the relative minor over major chords. While these scales themselves aren’t revolutionary, it’s how Coltrane moves between these sounds that makes this solo (and his playing in general) distinctive.
Coltrane relies on two main types of the bebop scale; the major bebop scale and the dominant bebop scale. This scale sounds good to our ears because the defining notes or scale degrees of the chord (the root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th) naturally land on strong beats in the measure.
Though these scales appear in various forms and fragments throughout the solo, Coltrane tends to use them in specific spots in the form over the same chord changes.
Examples of the major bebop scale being used in measure 1 and measure 39. Both of these examples occur in basically the same place in the form.
Example of the dominant bebop scale in measure 80.
Coltrane uses the altered scale (a scale based off of the seventh mode of the melodic minor scale) similar to the bebop scale – when resolving a dominant 7 chord to the 1 chord. However, often he merely hints at the altered sound, which is a clever way of creating tension and resolution.
In the key of Bb, Implied D7 altered scale, resolving to a G minor (in the key of Bb)
In the key of Bb: implied Bb7 altered resolving to Eb major in measure 24.
Throughout the solo, Coltrane repeatedly emphasizes the ♭6 over C7 chords – a distinctive altered scale tone that creates a strong pull towards resolution on the 1 chord.
Emphasizing the b6 scale degree from the altered scale in measure 20.
Emphasizing the b6 scale degree from the altered scale in measure 32.
Emphasizing the b6 scale degree from the altered scale in measure 42.
The same technique appears in measures 56, 94, 97, and 108.
Coltrane often superimposes relative minor scales or arpeggios over major chords (and occasionally vice versa). This creates interesting modal color while still outlining the underlying harmony. For example, playing an F minor arpeggio over Ab major.
This harmonic approach adds richness to his lines by sometimes emphasizing the extensions of a chord and without sounding “wrong” or too far outside of the changes.
In the key of Bb: implying F minor over Ab major in measure 55.
In the key of Bb: implying G minor over Bb major in measure 62.
In the key of Bb: implying Ab major over F minor in measure 84.
Coltrane navigates the harmony of “Moment’s Notice” using a blend of flowing lines and distinct patterns – including arpeggios, digital patterns, and enclosures. These more vertical patterns highlight the harmony while creating contrast with the more linear passages. Coltrane seamlessly weaves together all of these individual techniques to create a cohesive and dynamic sound despite using many of the same patterns repeatedly in disguised forms.
Arpeggios are often the most direct way to highlight the harmony – by playing the actual chord tones in a sequence. These broken chord appear consistently throughout the solo, often in the same sections of the form each chorus.
In the key of Bb: Bbm minor arpeggio in measures 16, 54, and 60.
In the key of Bb: E minor arpeggio starting on the 9th in measure 61.
Coltrane frequently employs digital patterns – sequences based on scale degree numbers rather than specific pitches – throughout his "Moment's Notice" solo. These numerical formulas (like 1-2-3-5 or 5-3-2-1) allow him to create consistent melodic shapes that clearly outline the underlying harmony while being easily adaptable to different chord changes. Like arpeggios and scales, Coltrane often places these digital patterns at similar spots in the form across multiple choruses, though there are many other instances of digital patterns throughout the solo.
Example digital pattern using scale degrees 5-3-2-1, used in measures 4, 18, 25, and 43.
Example of a digital pattern using scale degrees 1-2-3-5 in measures 9 and 85.
Coltrane deceptively uses enclosures throughout "Moment's Notice" – a technique where he approaches target notes by playing both above and below them before landing on the target. This creates brief moments of tension and resolution, adding rhythmic interest and forward momentum to his lines. Like arpeggios and digital patterns, Coltrane often employs these enclosures at strategic and repetitive points in the form, particularly when approaching important chord tones or when setting up resolution to a new chord.
Example of a 4-note enclosure of the root in measures 31-32.
2-note enclosure of the third scale degree.
Example of a 2-note enclosure of the 3rd in measure 41.
Despite the rapid tempo harmonic rhythm of "Moment's Notice," Coltrane repeatedly uses similar licks at strategic points in the harmony. A clear example appears in measures 8, 62, and 100. Though these occur at different points in the form, each time Coltrane uses this phrase over the same chord progression: a ii - V7 - I resolving to Eb major.
This phrase is primarily diatonic to Eb major. The first half clearly outlines the F minor (ii) sound before resolving through a descending scale from the fifth (V7) to the tonic (I). The phrase contains strong chord-defining tones (3rds and 7ths) that clearly establish the harmony in a straightforward way.
This lick can be found in the Lexicon along with two others that Coltrane repeats throughout the solo.
Example lick from measures 33 - 36.
Example lick in measures 45 - 49.
While Coltrane’s solo on “Moment’s Notice” might seem superhuman at first, its brilliance stems from his application of fundamental jazz concepts. When broken down, we can see he’s using straightforward techniques in consistent and repetitive ways throughout the form.
To incorporate these concepts into your own playing, focus on these three key areas:
Remember that Coltrane's genius wasn't just his technical ability, but how he combined these approaches in creative ways. By mixing these elements together in your own playing, you'll develop a more cohesive improvisational style that’s all your own, while echoing and referencing John Coltrane.