[Dixielandjazz] Improvising

[Don Ingle]

In reent posts, the subject of improvising ( how to ) has been the subject.

I can only offer the words of advice I received from my first teacher 
and mentor, Ernest Loring Nichols - that's "Red" Nichols to most of you.
He was a close family friend and when I decided that the clarinet (at 
least my playing of it) "sucked," and after dad had played a Goldkette 
side of Clementine and I heard those first notes of Bix's pouring forth, 
a cornet was my new goal. He helped my dad (a reed man) pick out a good 
horn for me (Conn Victor cornet) and then my wily pater got him to give 
me lessons.

You will have to learn the mechanics of your instrument of course to 
play anything. But the ear training begins even earlier and that is the 
key to improvising once you can play your damn horn. Red's advice is 
worth repeating - before what's left of my aging grey cells go straight 
line.

1. Learn the melody. REPEAT - learn the melody.
2. Learn the words. REPEAT, learn the words. The melody was made to go 
with words and words determine those important elements of emotion, 
humor, and nuance that carry over to performance. Sing the words aloud - 
forget any audience - do it in private but do it and you'll begin to 
know how to phrase words with melody.
3. Learn the chords - the foundation on which to build your eventual chorus.

Get these down as you continue to master the mechanics  of your 
instruments. By the time you'll be "button ready" ready to spread your 
improvisational wings you'll know what to play, how to phrase what you 
play (thanks to the message in those matching lyrics), and have the 
chops to get it through the  horn or  other sound producer. Your own 
ideas will begin to determine what you eventually play, but  still based 
on the basics of the song.

Give it time; practice, practice, practice your mastery of the 
instrument and always be aware of steps 1-2.-3.

(And for all the brass players I pass on the "master rule" - one from my 
friend & mentor, Red Nichols.  "DON'T FORGET THE LONG TONES!!")

This is one man's thoughts on the subject - certainly there are others 
with their routines - but opinions are still just that - opinions. I can 
only say that after recently retiring after 65 years of pushing air 
though brass and making a living doing it, it worked for me!

Best to all, and "don't forget the long tones,"

Don Ingle