Autumn Leaves Practice Routine for Jazz Guitar: 3 Exercises in 15 Minutes
Nov 06, 2026Short answer: A focused 15-minute practice session over Autumn Leaves is three exercises of about five minutes each, played through the changes at 80 bpm: (1) the 1-2-3-5 pattern (the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th notes of each chord), (2) ascending 7th-chord arpeggios, and (3) three-note enclosures that target the root of each chord. Over A-7♭5, play the C minor 1-2-3-5 pattern instead. When you have more time, add the melody and the chord voicings you know in the same position.
One of the things I'm asked for most is practice routines. So in this video you watch me practice through a brief session over Autumn Leaves: three exercises, played live. Grab your guitar and play along, or just watch. These three exercises come from my 31 Essential Jazz Patterns course. ▶ 0:00
| Exercise | What you play over each chord | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. 1-2-3-5 pattern | the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th notes of the chord | 5 min ▶ 0:28 |
| 2. Ascending 7th arpeggios | root, 3rd, 5th, 7th of the chord | 5 min ▶ 2:34 |
| 3. Three-note enclosures | three notes around the root, then the root | 5 min ▶ 4:32 |
Exercise 1: the 1-2-3-5 pattern
The first pattern is 1, 2, 3, 5: the first, second, third and fifth notes from whatever scale or chord you're on. ▶ 0:28
The one exception is A-7♭5: use the same pattern as C minor (the 1-2-3-5 pattern up a minor 3rd). I explain why in other classes; here we just get into the practice. ▶ 0:39
| Chord | 1-2-3-5 notes |
|---|---|
| C-7 | C, D, E♭, G |
| F7 | F, G, A, C |
| B♭Maj.7 | B♭, C, D, F |
| E♭Maj.7 | E♭, F, G, B♭ |
| A-7♭5 | C, D, E♭, G (the C minor pattern) |
| D7 | D, E, F♯, A |
| G-7 | G, A, B♭, D |
Each chord gets one bar of eighth notes: the pattern, then the same four notes an octave up. There are little flubs: we're doing this live and keeping it as is. ▶ 1:23
Exercise 2: ascending 7th arpeggios
Same tune, same tempo, 80 beats per minute: now ascend the 7th-chord arpeggio of each chord. ▶ 2:34
| Chord | Arpeggio (1, 3, 5, 7) |
|---|---|
| C-7 | C, E♭, G, B♭ |
| F7 | F, A, C, E♭ |
| B♭Maj.7 | B♭, D, F, A |
| E♭Maj.7 | E♭, G, B♭, D |
| A-7♭5 | A, C, E♭, G |
| D7 | D, F♯, A, C |
| G-7 | G, B♭, D, F |
As in exercise 1, each bar plays the arpeggio and then continues it an octave up. ▶ 2:56
Exercise 3: three-note enclosures around the root
The last exercise comes from one of the later lessons in the 31 Essential Jazz Patterns course: three-note enclosures around the root. You target the root of each chord with three notes around it, using some chromaticism. Some of the enclosures change from chord to chord; I talk about that in the course. ▶ 4:32
| Chord | Enclosure → target |
|---|---|
| C-7 | B♭, B, D → C |
| F7 | E♭, E, G → F |
| B♭Maj.7 | A, C, B → B♭ |
| E♭Maj.7 | D, F, E → E♭ |
| A-7♭5 | G, B, B♭ → A |
| D7♭9 | C, E, E♭ → D |
| G-6 | F♯, A, A♭ → G |
These are the enclosures on the exercise's on-screen chart. ▶ 5:06
Two things to add when you have more time
If you have more time, I'd add two things on top of these fundamentals: ▶ 6:38
- The melody of the tune: play through the melody of Autumn Leaves in one or two octaves, depending on how much time you have. ▶ 6:51
- Chord voicings: play through the voicings you know within the position you're playing these fundamentals in. ▶ 7:09
For right now, just stick to playing through the fundamentals. ▶ 7:09
The video description links the ebook with 10 routines like this one over common progressions (Autumn Leaves, Blue Bossa, All the Things You Are and more): The 15min Practice Routines Vol. 1.
Frequently asked questions
How do you practice Autumn Leaves on jazz guitar?
Play fundamentals through the changes at a steady tempo (80 bpm here): the 1-2-3-5 pattern, ascending 7th arpeggios, then three-note enclosures that target each chord's root. Then add the melody and the chord voicings you know in the same position.
What is the 1-2-3-5 pattern?
The first, second, third and fifth notes of the scale or chord you're on. Over C-7 that's C, D, E♭, G. Over A-7♭5 in Autumn Leaves, use the C minor pattern instead.
How long should a jazz guitar practice routine be?
This one takes about 15 minutes: three exercises of about five minutes each over one tune. Add the melody and chord voicings when you have more time.
What is a three-note enclosure?
Three notes that surround a target note before you land on it. Here the target is the root of each chord: over B♭Maj.7, for example, A, C and B lead into B♭.
What tempo should I practice these exercises at?
In the video all three exercises are played at 80 beats per minute, the same tempo for each one.
Keep learning
- How to practice jazz guitar in 30 minutes a day: the MAP plan for short daily sessions
- Jazz guitar arpeggio workout over ii-V: more 7th arpeggio shapes, in all keys
- The 4 jazz standards that teach you most of jazz harmony: which tunes to practice next, and in what order
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Chase Maddox is a jazz guitarist and educator in Miami and the founder of Chase's Guitar Academy. George Benson has called him "an amazing instructor." More free lessons are on his YouTube channel.
