Playing chord tones on the beat/non-chord tones off the beat/forward motion

[ShreddedCoconut]

I see mention of “forward motion” when discussing jazz improvisation: generally playing non-chord tones on off beats and chord tones on the beat.

First, what are your thoughts on this? Is it useful to pursue?

Second, how does one go about doing this? It seems fairly easy if one is playing 8th note scales so that the root, the third, then fifth fall of the beat, as an example. But otherwise, it seems impossible to sort that out in real time.

Is it a matter of learning lines that have those properties and then regurgitating them? Or something else?

Thoughts?

 

[ShreddedCoconut]

I'm not sure if Forward Motion is the same thing, or if playing chord tones on the beat is a subset of Forward Motion.

But I found this little article on Hal Galper's (who I believe coined the phrase) website about pentatonics and FM, so perhaps today I'll read through it.

Forward Motion & Pentatonics | Hal Galper

Forward Motion & Pentatonics Official Website for Harold "Hal" Galper, reknowned jazz pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader, educator, and writer.

halgalper.com