[Dixielandjazz] could use some proffestional help

Fri Feb 29 10:01:48 PST 2008

One thing that I did forget that you might try is with an accompaniment 
background of some kind like the (JA Blues series or BIAB) play whole notes 
to match the chord name then play the third of the chords.  Do this until 
you have it memorized.  Then the fifths.  Note the common notes between the 
chords C chord has the common G between the C and the G7 chord and C is the 
common note between the C and F chords.  Play through and try to find the 
common notes as you play.  If there isn't one then move between them with a 
passing note.  You may have to write this out at first but it will help.

The key to this is to be able to hear it.  Another suggestion is to pick 
which note of the chord to start on.  If you are an absolute beginner then 
use the name of the chord as your first note.  In reading through a 
progression the chord names will give you sort of a guide point as the 
chords change.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with hitting that chord 
name note on the beat of each change.  As you get better you will be able to 
make your solos a little bit more interesting.

I'm not so sure this will be of a lot of help but I also decide if I want to 
generally ascend, descend or stay in about the same place.  So if I start on 
let's say a high D on my sax I'm going to descend where if it's the middle D 
I may either go up or down with the overall line.  I am sort of partial to 
descending patterns.  I would imagine that most players don't think much 
about that and just go for it.

If I'm looking at a solo in a tune I don't know I will sub tone through the 
chord line that way in the minute or so before I'm on.  This will orient me 
to the changes so in effect I go back to square one.

One guy suggested playing the bass notes.  This is more or less that idea.
Larry
StL
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Berl" <berl at sti.net>
To: "Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 10:45 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] could use some proffestional help

> Larry,thanks a lot. I needed this help.I was getting so frustrated.
> Berl Howell
>
> .
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
> To: "Berl" <berl at sti.net>
> Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 4:31 PM
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] could use some proffestional help
>
>
>> Even though I play woodwinds I find improv on brass instruments to be 
>> easier so that should encourage you.  Instead of complex fingerings to 
>> drop a half step in any range you press the middle valve and so on.  This 
>> you know but there are differences in instruments.
>>
>> Improv is a lot like whistling.  First you have to have in your mind what 
>> you want to do and it's best to keep it simple before you can do it.
>>
>> First you need to have a basis and you may be trying to fly too soon. 
>> Start with a tune that you know very well and that you can play without 
>> music. Don't worry about the tune there have been many great improv's on 
>> My bonnie lies over the Ocean.  I even heard a band tear loose on Jesus 
>> Loves Me.
>>
>> Then use simple embellishments at first.  On long notes use upper and 
>> lower neighbors.  That's the next scale tone either above and below the 
>> note. (that middle valve again)  What ever sounds good.  Now try applying 
>> some sort of rhythm to it.  Maybe triplets.  I use turns all the time. 
>> That is up one note, back to the note, one note lower and then back to 
>> the start usually done in 16th's or some variation of that.  Then there 
>> are passing tones.
>>
>> I am assuming you have a basic knowledge of chords and can at least chord 
>> spell some.  That is a C chord is C,E and G.  The general rule is you 
>> must hit one of those notes on the beat but what goes in between can be 
>> scale tones usually called passing tones.  Look at your melody - can you 
>> put in some notes between the notes written?  How about neighbors on some 
>> interesting rhythm.
>>
>> I use a lot of classical ornaments like turns and chromatics along with 
>> rhythm.  One of the coolest tunes is the One Note Samba.  For the first 
>> part of the tune it uses rhythm to be cool.  Try basing an improv mostly 
>> on rhythm.
>>
>> What I am having you do is dress up an existing melody.  You should have 
>> some way to play the chord background either with accompaniment 
>> recordings or a computer program like Band in a Box so you can start 
>> hearing the chord progression.
>>
>> Your practice should be arpeggio's on some common chord progressions like 
>> Blues.  Again you need to learn to chord spell if you can't already.
>>
>> You should do all of this without music especially when you start doing 
>> arpeggios but having the chart in front of you isn't the worst thing. 
>> Start with basic blues because the patterns usually have the most 
>> predictable chord progressions.
>>
>> As an aside there are two types (or more) of improvisation.  They 
>> basically are vertical and horizontal lines.  Vertical usually consists 
>> of licks based on chords and play off of the chord.  This is good because 
>> you can use the same pattern for the same chord in another tune but it's 
>> bad because IMO produces a lot of nonsense out of most players.  Guys 
>> like Charlie Parker were geniuses and could handle it.  Unfortunately the 
>> garden variety of player isn't.  This is the easiest form of 
>> improvisation to teach and has been embraced by much of the musical 
>> community especially schools and colleges.  Easy to learn but incredibly 
>> difficult to pull off. One of the short cuts to this method is you don't 
>> have to know the tunes. You can look at a chord progression and wail 
>> away.  This is why it's easier to teach and works with kids who don't 
>> have a vast mental knowledge of tunes.  Have you ever noticed that guys 
>> do this type of improv incredibly fast.  That's because if you slow it 
>> down it sounds like crap.
>>
>> I prefer line based or horizontal improv.  This means you are composing a 
>> melody against the chords or providing counterpoint to another melody. 
>> This also incorporates all of the licks you might learn.  But it must 
>> have a start and it must follow the road map and it must end.  Dixieland 
>> music is most like this where you play a constant counterpoint to other 
>> players. Jazzers call this "playing off" another part.  Speaking of that 
>> the general rule is when the other part is moving you aren't and when 
>> it's holding still you are moving.  Horizontal improv requires that you 
>> know the tune and keep it in your head all the time.  Guys that do this 
>> will often have thousands of tunes in their mental library and you have 
>> to have the melody cold. Knowledge of the tune is a must.
>>
>> Piano players do this all the time they call it filling.  Instead of 
>> holding a long note they play all sorts of stuff to keep the music moving 
>> and interesting.  That's great if you are a piano player but if you are a 
>> horn player you have to learn to fill against other players.  Let's say a 
>> piano player is backing someone.  When the horn player is holding a note 
>> the piano is doing licks. or fills.  For some reason this simple concept 
>> escapes a lot of horn players.
>>
>> There is a lot going on and trying to think about all of this stuff at 
>> the same time will blow your mind and probably keep you from improvising 
>> smoothly.
>>
>> Close your eyes when you improvise and concentrate on the sound and where 
>> it's going.  Visual things can interfere with what you are hearing. 
>> Vision is a much stronger and over riding sense.  Have you ever noticed 
>> jazzers doing that?  I do all the time.
>>
>> First you need something like the Aebersold music/cd's to work against. 
>> Don't go from tune to tune for awhile.  Stay on the same one until you 
>> can absolutely know where the progression is going.  After two or three 
>> choruses stop and start over again.  His progressions keep getting more 
>> advanced and may throw you off.  In the beginning you need to keep it 
>> simple.
>>
>> What you are trying to do is make muscles move to what you hear in your 
>> mind without all the associated thinking.  For example walking.  Do you 
>> think about it? Or do you just get up and start walking somewhere.  Your 
>> mind said I need to go to the next room.  What you did not do is tell 
>> your foot to raise up your leg to extend and sit down and now shift your 
>> weight raising the other foot.  You simply do not think about that you 
>> just do it.
>>
>> Printed Music is a wonderful aid but it is the enemy of improvisation and 
>> somewhere you have to compromise and decide how much you want to use it. 
>> I run the gamut from using only music to only improvising.
>>
>> You have to have control of your horn and that you aren't thinking about 
>> it. If you are thinking notes you need to back up and clear your mind.  I 
>> do not think notes or keys only sound and if I have to for some reason 
>> think about those things it will totally screw up my playing when I am 
>> improvising. With me it's sort of a Zen or out of body experience more 
>> like I'm listening to someone play and there is nothing between me and 
>> the sound coming out.  I can't be bothered by fingerings or anything.  I 
>> can't even feel the horn in my hands because I move into the sound.  When 
>> I'm done I often don't know what I did and have to listen to a recording. 
>> BTW I recommend recording yourself and listening to what you do several 
>> times. You will hear things that you aren't hearing normally.
>>
>> You didn't say how old you are and while this shouldn't make any 
>> difference I believe that the older you get before you start the more 
>> difficult it is to do.  I waited around till I was 60 to start trying to 
>> memorize words to tunes and I find I just can't do it whereas tunes I 
>> learned as a kid I can remember.  Don't be discouraged you are asking the 
>> right questions.  And if you have any more this is the place to ask. 
>> Listen to what everyone says and build your own style.  Some of the guys 
>> on the list have some great perspectives on this part of music.
>>
>> It may not come quickly but you need to hang in there also don't be 
>> intimidated or discouraged by what others do.
>> Larry
>> StL
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Berl" <berl at sti.net>
>> To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
>> Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
>> Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 11:31 AM
>> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] could use some proffestional help
>>
>>
>>>I could use some help. I play trumpet and I want to learn to improvise. I 
>>>am not a great reader.
>>> In practicing I have been jumping around and getting nowhere.
>>> Can you guide me in how to organize and set up a practice routine.
>>> What to practice
>>> How to practice
>>> I listen to a lot of CD's then get confused on how to improvise.
>>> I'm struggling and seem to be hitting my head against the wall.
>>> any suggestions please.
>>> Thank You
>>> Berl Howell
>>>
>>> berl at sti.net
>>>
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>>
>>
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