[Dixielandjazz] Re: How to get started improvising.

[Patrick Cooke]

Steve wrote:

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

When I was in high school, we had an old Italian band director...Professor
Taverna.  He used an old chair leg for a baton so he could beat loudly on
his music rack and stop the band.
   He would yell  "No, No! Don't just blow into your instruments...You have
to SING into your horns!!"
   I never forgot him.....
     Pat Cooke

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Barbone" <barbonestreet@earthlink.net>
To: "Russ Guarino" <russg@redshift.com>
Cc: <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 9:03 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Re: How to get started improvising.


> 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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> > > Dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com
> > > http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
>
>
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