[Dixielandjazz] Aebersold play a longs / beginning improv.
Rob McCallum
rakmccallum@hotmail.com
Tue, 17 Dec 2002 02:41:25 -0500
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Hello all,=20
Regarding Aebersold play-a-longs, criticisms first. It irritates me to =
no end that with over 100 play-a-longs, none are devoted to the New =
Orleans based style of jazz, and those that approach it (like Indiana) =
do nothing more than "adapt" it to "contemporary" styles and pass OKOM =
off as "period" music without realizing that the term "period" music =
must be applied to Bird and Coltrane as much as to Armstrong, Oliver =
etc. None of these play-a-longs are intended to deal with the concept =
of collective improvisation (at least not directly). With that in mind, =
it must be understood that the Aebersold play-a- longs are not intended =
to focus on OKOM, but are essential in the training of a well rounded =
jazz improviser. Aebersold deals almost exclusively with bop and post =
bop styles, though there are a couple of excellent volumes devoted to =
straight-up swing (Swing, Swing, Swing is an excellent volume to test =
your chops). Modern rhythm sections are much more subtle than those of =
the traditional styles (you're not going to hear a roll-off here) and =
force both your ear and mind to focus and internalize the changes. =
But... and this is important, each Aebersold volume deals with a =
different step in an improvisers development (and not chronologically). =
If you're a beginner, you're going to be absolutely lost from the first =
beat with the Benny Golson or Woody Shaw volume (a beginning improviser =
won't be able to make heads or tails of it, much less be able to hear =
the form being constructed). Most volumes are labelled beginner, =
beginner/intermidiate, and advanced. The Maiden Voyage and Killer Joe =
volumes are good, if you don't have the patience to start with the first =
volume (i.e. practice your scales), or ii-V7-I, or the scale syllabus. =
If you insist on starting with blues, there is a Nothing but Blues =
volume, but don't overlook the Blues in All Keys volume. After all, you =
don't want to bite off more than you can chew, but you don't want to =
oversimplify it either. Assume that you will be successful and work =
toward that goal.
P.S. If you get lost in the changes, keep plugging away. With practice, =
you'll be able to hear the form of a tune (no matter how subtle the =
rhythm section is, in any jazz style the form is maintained). At least =
you know that the Aebersold rhythm sections (and some monster players =
are utilized in many of the volumes), is always on form. If you're not =
with them at the top of the form then you're off, hit the repeat button =
and try again. I've found that a good way to practice and to =
internalize scales is to start by playing the major scale up to the 9th =
and back down, then play the dominant 7th scale to the 9th and back =
down, then the dorian scale (b3, b7) to the 9th and back down, then the =
minor with a maj 7th to the 9th and back down, then the whole tone scale =
up and down (for augmented chords) then the diminished scale (whole half =
up and whole half down - which will land oppositely) up and down for =
diminished chords. Do this in all keys. This covers the basic chords. =
It becomes easy to do. If you find it redundant, change the accents and =
phrasing. If you don't learn scales and chords, then you'll never =
really play jazz.
All the best,
Robert McCallum
www.solarjazz.com=20
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<HTML><HEAD>
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Hello all, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Regarding Aebersold play-a-longs, =
criticisms=20
first. It irritates me to no end that with over 100 play-a-longs, =
none are=20
devoted to the New Orleans based style of jazz, and those that approach =
it (like=20
Indiana) do nothing more than "adapt" it to "contemporary" styles and =
pass OKOM=20
off as "period" music without realizing that the term "period" music =
must be=20
applied to Bird and Coltrane as much as to Armstrong, Oliver etc. =
None of=20
these play-a-longs are intended to deal with the concept of collective=20
improvisation (at least not directly). With that in mind, it must =
be=20
understood that the Aebersold play-a- longs are not intended to focus on =
OKOM,=20
but are essential in the training of a well rounded jazz =
improviser. =20
Aebersold deals almost exclusively with bop and post bop styles, though =
there=20
are a couple of excellent volumes devoted to straight-up swing (Swing, =
Swing,=20
Swing is an excellent volume to test your chops). Modern rhythm =
sections=20
are much more subtle than those of the traditional styles (you're not =
going to=20
hear a roll-off here) and force both your ear and mind to focus and =
internalize=20
the changes. But... and this is important, each Aebersold volume =
deals=20
with a different step in an improvisers development (and not=20
chronologically). If you're a beginner, you're going to be =
absolutely lost=20
from the first beat with the Benny Golson or Woody Shaw volume (a =
beginning=20
improviser won't be able to make heads or tails of it, much less be able =
to hear=20
the form being constructed). Most volumes are labelled =
beginner,=20
beginner/intermidiate, and advanced. The Maiden Voyage and Killer =
Joe=20
volumes are good, if you don't have the patience to start with the first =
volume=20
(i.e. practice your scales), or ii-V7-I, or the scale syllabus. If =
you=20
insist on starting with blues, there is a Nothing but Blues volume, but =
don't=20
overlook the Blues in All Keys volume. After all, you don't want =
to bite=20
off more than you can chew, but you don't want to oversimplify it =
either. =20
Assume that you will be successful and work toward that =
goal.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>P.S. If you get lost in the changes, =
keep plugging=20
away. With practice, you'll be able to hear the form of a tune (no =
matter=20
how subtle the rhythm section is, in any jazz style the form is=20
maintained). At least you know that the Aebersold rhythm sections =
(and=20
some monster players are utilized in many of the volumes), is always on=20
form. If you're not with them at the top of the form then =
<STRONG>you're=20
</STRONG>off, hit the repeat button and try again. I've found that =
a good=20
way to practice and to internalize scales is to start by playing the =
major scale=20
up to the 9th and back down, then play the dominant 7th scale to the 9th =
and=20
back down, then the dorian scale (b3, b7) to the 9th and back down, then =
the=20
minor with a maj 7th to the 9th and back down, then the whole tone =
scale up=20
and down (for augmented chords) then the diminished scale (whole half up =
and=20
whole half down - which will land oppositely) up and down for diminished =
chords. Do this in all keys. This covers the basic =
chords. It=20
becomes easy to do. If you find it redundant, change the accents =
and=20
phrasing. If you don't learn scales and chords, then you'll never =
really=20
play jazz.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>All the best,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Robert McCallum<BR><A=20
href=3D"http://www.solarjazz.com">www.solarjazz.com</A>=20
</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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