Hannahthegreat88

Ive always thought it would be fun to try to learn how to improvise as i enjoy listening to jazz and playing some when i get the opportunity but because i dont really know what to do ive never got far and also because ive only really been taught classical playing so i dont have a great idea about how to go about it, has anyone got any ideas on improvising for beginners or any tips?

Brekelefuw

Listen to as much jazz as you can. Listen to where in the beat the notes sit, and the accents they use. Try to play along by ear to solos that are within your ability. Write them down as well to see in writing what you think they look like.

Learn ionian, dorian, and mixolydian scales. These are the scales that you will use the most when learning to improvise. Learn them in all keys up and down to suit your range.

Start off with songs that don't involve many changes. Songs like Impressions or a Bb or F blues are great starters. Try to hear the solos that you improvise in your head as you play them. WHen you are starting, don't try to play as many notes as you can in a solo. Remember to use space, and develope your ideas instead of blurting a bunch of them out without connection and flow between them. Some of the best solos involve simple developement of an idea and lots of space. Listen to Donald Byrd play Slow Drag for an example of one of the most laid back, spacious swinging solos ever recorded. (Donald is a hero of mine.)

Don't be shy. Alot of classical players I talk to get affraid when improv is mentioned. As long as you play with confidence, you will be fine. If a person goes to a concert and plays a bunch of stuff but doesnt sound confident, even if they are great ideas, the audience will be uneasy. If you go up and play a bunch of notes that don't fit as well as others, but you do it with confidence, the audience will be happy because they know that you meant to play those notes. There aren't really wrong notes in improvisation because YOU are composing the song.

I hope that helped a bit.

Aebersold accompaniment books and cd's are a great practice tool, but nothing compares to playing with real people and learning with others.

Hannahthegreat88

Thanks very much! Thats great, i will have a go at what you said, hopefully i will get somewhere!! i will let you know how i get on soon!!

trumpetmike

Sorry Hannah - looks like it is back to learning scales

TrentAustin

Don't be afraid to pick up your horn, close your eyes, and just play. Whatever comes to mind. "Mess around with a familiar melody, pattern, or scale" Try to create something fresh and interesting to your ears (Don't worry what everyone else says or thinks).

I asked Tom Harrell when I met him many years ago what he practiced and he said Clarke #2. I got a chance to hear him play a ton of permutations (variation) based on Clarke #2 when I snuck backstage to hear him warmup as well.

Sometimes we get too wrapped in the "there's so much to learn" that we forget that we can just pick up the horn and improvise ANYTIME... any level.

HAVE FUN!

-T

Fred

Try to find a pianist or a whole combo to play with!
The best way to learn Jazz is to play with others guys. Learning to play with a rhythm section isn't very simple and natural for classical players.
Learn about the chords and jazz chord symbol, which differ from classical harmonic notation.
If you are a classical player, you already know scales!
Jazzers are not the only guys who know scales.
Playing jazz isn't all about knowing scales!

Fred

trpt2345

The only "scales" there are are the modes of the major scale and different modes of the melodic minor scale. Then the diminished scale and the whole tone and that's about it. People like make up names for everything, but it's all just the major scale and melodic minor.

Michael McLaughlin

Never put off until tomorrow what can be put off until the day after tomorrow.
Mark Twain

TrentAustin

Mike,

While a younger improviser can "survive" on the two scales and their modes I think your comment isn't really 100% accurate. Outside of the Whole Tone and Diminished scales you have many scales based on non-European theory that neither come from the major or ascending melodic minor (jazz minor) scale. Yusef Lateef's "Repository of Scales and Melodic Patterns" has tons of examples outside of your parameters.

One of my favorites is the Archaic Greek scales... but I'm crazy!

One of the joys in more advanced improvisation is finding other alternatives to the basic scale choices mentioned above.

Brekelefuw

Can you give an example of an archaic greek scale? that sounds interestic.

TrentAustin

d eb g ab c. Most of scales like this lend themselves to modal improvisations. I wouldn't play it on "All of Me" :)

Best,

T