bostonjazz29

Hey all,
I would like to hear about how all of you approach learning how to improvise Jazz, and why you do it this way.

Mike

Brekelefuw

I lift tunes of people I enjoy listening to. I try to do a diversity of people so I can get a wide vocabulary. I have lifted Freddie, Dizzy, Chet, Clifford, Joe Gordon, Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan and many more.
Each tune I lift is for a different reason.

I also use Aebersolds.
When I can, I take lessons with the greats in my city and play tunes with them and talk about their concepts. Trading chorus' and 8ths etc is great to really push yourself. I find I play my best when I am playing beside someone who is a lot better than I and who is willing to help me get to where I want to be. I tend to take more risks than when I am on the bandstand being paid to perform.

I also listen to music pretty much every minute I am awake. This gets the sounds in my head before I have to play them.

Bob Grier

I've been teaching jazz improvisation for 20 years. You need to find a teacher who plays jazz professional not a student who is just learning. It doesn't have to be a trumpet player any instument will do. jazz theory is the same for all instruments. For example, in addituion to trumpet I teach jazz improvisation to all brass and woodwinds, violin, viola and cello.

Until you can find a teacher, you can get a head start with these books: Jamey Aebersold Vol. 1, How to play jazz and improvise and jazz Conceptions for trumpet by Jim Snidero. this is really important. Listen to as much jazz as you can from the mid 1920s to the present.

Bob G

ebjazz

Here's some videos you may find helpful ::: Eric Bolvin Music Studios - Music and Trumpet Stuff:::

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Bill McCloskey

I find a song I want to learn, get the chords, put it into band in a box and export it into garage band and use that as the backing track.

Then I learn the melody. Then I learn the basic scales. Then the chords. I play around with those things. Then I start recording myself and listening to it critically. Then I do it again, and again.

Then I might listen to someone else who has recorded the song and try and learn some of the riffs they play and try and incorporate that into what I play.

Here is a track I did yesterday exactly that way: AutumnLeaves 28 - Putfile.com

bostonjazz29

Thanks to all who replied. I just wanted to get a feel for what some of the people posting in here that are looking for help are already doing, and why they feel its working or not working. Thanks again and please feel free to continue posting about this.

Mike

BergeronWannabe

I've been practicing scales and chords from Jamey Aebersold's
jazz handbook. I'm going to try working on patterns next to get
some 'vocabulary' into my playing.
-Andrew

TrumpetMD

I try to practice scales and chords (triads and other arpeggios) over all the main scales (major, lydian, dominant, minor, dorian, half-dim, dim-whole-tone, blues). A good place to start is to learn the major, dorian, and blues scales, and build up from there. Learn everything in the more common 6 or 8 keys, but shoot for all 12 keys if you can.

As others have stated, Jamey Aebersold's free Jazz Handbook is a great resource. It lists most of the key scales. It also has some jazz patterns based on Jerry Coker's book. The section on "learning new tunes" is a must-read, and is an excellent method for learning how to improvise over new songs (similar to what Bill wrote above). His book is free, and can be downloaded from: Jazz Handbook: Jazzbooks.com

I also practice general jazz patterns. These, along with scales and chords, are a great way to build up your arsenal of improvizational tools. I try to play everything in all 12 keys (or at least the more common 6 or 8 keys) following a chromatic pattern or a cycle of 4ths.

I'm currently using Patterns For Jazz by Jerry Coker, which can be found on Aebersold's site, Amazon, etc.

Emile DeCosmo, my jazz teacher while in college, also has several book on jazz patterns (Woodshedding, Polytonal Rhythm Series), which I've used in the past. You can find his books online at: EDC Publications Books - Emile and Laura De Cosmo

Can anyone else suggest other good books for learning jazz patterns?

Finally, I use Aebersold's play-along CD's to learn new songs and practice old ones (following Jamey Aebersold's method for learning new songs). Vol's 1, 2, & 3 are an excellent start. Vol's 24, 54, 65, 70, & 84 are also excellent beginning/intermediate choices (Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Inc.). Hal Leonard (Hal Leonard Online) also has a play-along series of CD's.

Mike

jdizzle

I use Smartmusic. This program is great. Some Aebersolds are in there, the program allows me to change the key and tempo of the tracks. There are also ii V I patterns in there as well. This program is awesome. I have also loaded mp3's and slowed them to 50% to transcribe. I absolutely love this program.

__________________
"If you don't hear it, it won't come out your horn."

Bach219

In my school's Jazz Band we are just starting improvisation, it's kind of fun! Like we got this one song, and we have to make up our own solo using the chords given.

We play that Major, dominant, dorian, and blues scales. And with those we figure out the notes from the chords. With those notes, we become creative and make our own solo! It's really cool, because you are really free.

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I didn't want to get that ring around my lips from practicing the trumpet, because I thought the girls wouldn't like me. So I never practiced.- Wynton Marsalis