[Dixielandjazz] Re: How to get started improvising.

[Stephen Barbone]

Well, each to his own. I suggested Aebersold because Bruce appears to be a highly skilled legit player.

Me, I got my chops back via Aebersold play alongs after my 30 year lay off from playing. It was a great help. And I found the written material relatively easy to follow, even those marked "advanced". (He puts out beginner, intermediate and advanced CDs and books)

Best thing to do is get Aebersold's catalog and buy a play along, see if it helps, and go from there. Trying to learn how to improvise on one's own after not being an improvisor for say 20 years, can be a very difficult proposition. Even with my limited skills in playing, I've had
the first clarinetist of the Philadelphia Orchestra tell me: "Wow, how do you do that?"  No way could I tell him to play along to Bill Bailey and it will come to him, because it won 't. And, of course, he can play rings around me. Agree with Russ that it is a right brain function,
and Aebersold has chord patterns, and actual improvisation aids, that will help one figure out if he'll ever be able to do it.

For him, if he wanted to try it, Aebersold is IMO, the best way. In addition to listening to the music.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

PS. Best advice I can thing of? "Sing through the horn".



Russ Guarino wrote:

> Please forgive me, but.....
>
> I hate to be a spoil sport, but I have not found the Aebersold "play along" material to be particularly helpful.  The recordings are "thin" and difficult to hear clearly.  The piano work is "choppy" and does not outline the chords clearly.  Also, Aebersold's technical outlines are
> complex & incredibly difficult to master.  In my opinion, best to start with simple ideas and tunes with limited chord movement.  Blues are best.  Many of them have only three chords in the whole tune and you can hear them clearly.  At first, avoid tunes that change keys in the
> middle.
>
> I would recommend playing along with quality, and slow at first, Dixieland material with simple chords.  Like Bill Bailey, Sunday, Codfish ball, etc.  Find the key of the tune on your horn and then begin to find the "sweet notes" that go along with the tune.  Build from there.  Of
> course, you must know your scales and how chords are built. Your "right brain" will borrow this information from your "left brain".
>
> A "legit" player can read the notes, fast and accurately.  This is a left brain function. Much like reading a book.   Improv is a right brain function and it takes a while to train this side of the hemisphere. It is like making up a bedtime story for your granddaughter rather than
> reading a story. The two functions are entirely different.  Guys like Bix or Armstrong must have learned from the "get go" to use the right hemisphere as well as the left.  But players like me and Bruce have to re-learn how to play to do improv.
>
> I can "Scat", vocally, good improv solos easily. So I know the talent is there.  It is getting it into the horn that is the challenge.
>
> Russ Guarino
>
> Stephen Barbone wrote:
>
> > >
> > > Bruce Zeiger <BDZeiger@aol.com> asked (polite snip)
> > >
> > > I'm excited about learning more. Now - where is the best place to start? I am a "legit" trumpet player who has dabbled in jazz in the past, but primarily as a lead or section player in a big band. I've never really had call to learn to improvise as every band I played in had a
> > > good improviser in the section.
> > > There is no Dixieland style band here in Huntsville Alabama where I live and work, so, other than starting a band with other guys who know as much or less than me, how do I develop this style?
> >
> > Bruce:
> > I suggest checking out what Jamey Aebersold has to offer. He makes play along records so that you as the trumpet, can play with an accomplished rhythm section that swings their butt off.
> >
> > Wide offering of 106 play along sets with written chord backup etc.including:
> >
> > Vol 1.  How to Play Jazz and Improvise
> > Vol 24 Major & Minor
> > Vol 21 Getting It Together
> >
> > All kinds of other sets with standards, be-bop, latin jazz and some OKOM like:
> >
> > Vol 79  Avalon + 10 more
> > Vol 80  Indiana + 11 more
> >
> > A wealth of information on how to improvise, jazz licks, patterns, chord change workouts, etc. Check Aebersold out at: http:www.jazzbooks.com
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Steve Barbone
> >
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