Improvisation

[trbguy]

There was no thread on improvisation so here goes.

How to practise chord progressions

This is one way to learn a new tune and its chord progression.

Pick a tune

Start practising by playing root and 2nd note of scale to learn the progression in time. Use 8ght notes. You can use metronome or play-along. Repeat until you don't make mistakes anymore. Try to memorise the tune as fast as possible and get rid of written notes.

Add third, remember to play minor/major thirds.

Add fifth, use b5 or #5 when needed.

Start improvising using only chord arpeggios. Use whole/half steps when going from one bar to another still using only notes from seveth chords. That is not always possible but try to use invertions so you can accomplish that.

Add your favourite phrase or lick between chord arpeggios in order to learn to use that phrase when needed.

Add some variations start on upbeat, use different rythms, dynamics etc.

All you have left to do is repeat this in 11 keys left. Play everything in every key. Don't rush stay on one tune for a long time until you REALLY know the tune like your empty pockets.

[trbguy]

The idea of bebop scales is that there is allways chord tone on downbeat and a passing note on upbeat. There are 3 type of bebop-scales. Dominant, Major and Minor bebop-scale.

When starting phrase on downbeat use one of 4 notes from seventh chord.

When starting phrase on upbeat use targeting note for a chord note.

[modz1]

Hey trbguy

Good thread idea & post!

How about sorting an avatar?

Modz1

[trbguy]

Some thoughts

Use different length phrases (short,medium,long)

Use different rhytmic values: vary fast passages, long tones, quarter notes, etc.

Use wide intervals, diatonic lines, change direction of melody on your solo.

Pacing: play/rest

Use melodic motives to add melodic continuity

Vary articulation:staccato/legato etc..

Build, don't show everything you know in the first phrase

Use dynamics

Use parts of melody in your solo to keep yourself connected to tune you're playing

Communicate with other players

[sureno]

when ever i tried improvising i would usually just play the notes that where in the scale obviously accenting root, third, forth, fifth etc or the pentatonic version also the intervals and the relations they have to the root. the hardest point sometimes was the timing for me when i got carried away how ever nice post

[trbguy]

Hal Crook-- How to improvise
Mark Levine-- Jazz piano book and Jazz theory
Jerry Bergonzy-- Inside improvisation series with included play-alongs
Jamey Aebersold-- Play-alongs ---- vol 167 tune up is great to be used with first post in this thread.
All the nice guys writing to this forum-- this thread

[saxman]

Berkleemusic - Store - Jazz Improvisation: Starting Out with Motivic Development
Berkleemusic - Store - Jazz Improvisation: A Personal Approach with Joe Lovano

[Monarch]

Very nice idea for a thread. Lots of useful info in here thanks!

[saxman]

I own both the Berklee Music DVDs I mention above. I particularly like something Joe Lovano had to say about practicing a tune without accompaniment and allowing the tempo to change if you feel you want to explore part of the tune more. His idea was that you try to accompany yourself as you play the melody. He says piano players do this all the time of course but he thinks any solo instrument player can benefit from this kind of practice.
I have always liked to learn tunes by ear unnaccompanied anyway.

[trbguy]

I own both the Berklee Music DVDs I mention above. I particularly like something Joe Lovano had to say about practicing a tune without accompaniment and allowing the tempo to change if you feel you want to explore part of the tune more. His idea was that you try to accompany yourself as you play the melody. He says piano players do this all the time of course but he thinks any solo instrument player can benefit from this kind of practice.
I have always liked to learn tunes by ear unnaccompanied anyway.

I can't agree more. Still I found it extremely important to take one tune and learn it in every key. Better yet if you can find a song with lots of harmonic things going on, for example tritonus substiotution, some basic turnaround and maybe V-V-I progression. After you mastered those basic musical situations everything will be easier. Just practising 15 minutes/day just that one song can make miracles happening in your playing. It is very important to learn how to keep your time without accompaniment or metronome still knowing where in the progression you are going. I thought you would jump in saxman

[trbguy]

Coltrane patterns: http://valdez.dumarsengraving.com/PD...nePatterns.pdf
Brecker patterns:http://valdez.dumarsengraving.com/PD...reckerIsms.pdf
Ray Brown patterns:http://valdez.dumarsengraving.com/PD...brownwhole.pdf
http://valdez.dumarsengraving.com/PD...edPatterns.pdf
http://valdez.dumarsengraving.com/PD...rownii-v-i.pdf
http://valdez.dumarsengraving.com/PD...brownminor.pdf
Paul Contos:http://valdez.dumarsengraving.com/PD...VIPatterns.pdf

[trbguy]

List of jazz musicians by instrument in Wikipedia.
List of jazz musicians - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[trbguy]

Targeting is all about how you go to chord tone. You can take note/notes above or below chromatic or diatonic to really nail the note your going to. For example if you are targeting #11 note you really nail Lydian sound for major chord. If play "wrong" note you are always one step from chord tone and you can easily change that "wrong note" into a targeting note. Simple example for C-major triad.