How to add more color tones?

[deecher99]

Let me give you all a little bit of background on my theory background before I pose my question. On major and minor chords, I generally play the root, the 3rd (flat 3rd), 4th, 5th, and octave. These are very safe notes, and once in a while I'll play the 2nd and a flattened 7th here and there. I guess when I'm playing a major chord, I tend to always play the mixolydian mode.

My band is pretty good, but our chord structures don't veer too far off the path of, say, G Em D Am. Rarely does anyone say we're playing a Cm7 or something like that. I know my piano player will add a 7th as a color tone but he never knows when, he just does it as he feels it. And I have no idea how to apply some of the other modes since it seems we play in either major or minor mode.

I definitely feel that I can get a lot out of what I'm playing now, but if anyone has any additional ideas for my predicament, I'm all ears. Oh, I guess I never asked a question: please help?

[JimmyM]

Obviously the more you learn about theory, the easier it is to figure out how to use the color tones. Also, learning how to make walking basslines in a jazz context is an excellent way to work more color into your tones. When you first start doing it, expect to play a few things that sound wack. But just remember what sounds wack and what sounds cool and try to do the cool things more often