Improvising

[thomasjet123]

I'm a 17 student who plays in a couple of jazz bands in and out of school. I play 1st trumpet in those bands and I'm getting numerous solos and improv sections. My problem is that I cant improvise, has anyone got any tips or tricks of how to improvise and to make those sections sound good.

Thanks
Thomas

[dstdenis]

Improvising isn't something that will fall in place after trying a few tips and tricks, IMO. It's bigger than that. But you can get started learning how to do it by listening to recordings of improvisers you like to get the sound in your head, then working with play-along books. I suggest you start with Jamey Aebersold book 1, How to Play Jazz and Improvise. Have fun!
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[BobD]

Take a look at the thread called "Jazz Improvisation, Jamey Aebersold
" in the Jazz/commercial category.

In addition look up this guy on Youtube. He has a nice simple approach to improve.

Jeff Antoniuk - Educator
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[Drklobz]

There’s also a thread on here from my blog posts at https://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=107369&highlight= that might be helpful too. A number of us here on TH also do lessons (in-person and Skype) and would be more than happy to help you out on your journey!
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[robbo]

Hi Thomas,

My thoughts on the topic are introduced in a little youtube clip I made a while back.

https://youtu.be/_TDbJ5_7pj0

I've got a few jazz students at the moment, and their age and playing situation really reflects how they're going with it. I've a 17 year old who needs to learn to solo for her big band, but she needs to solo NOW! (Possibly the same as you). As a result the progress is very slow as she's looking for a quick fix.
I've a 30 year old who's done no jazz, and in about 8 months is doing brilliantly. He's realistic about it, and it's paying off. I've also got a 15 year old, who's doing fine - slowly, but he's got time so small steps is good.

I've a page called "Jazz Lick OF The Week" which many tune into. It's a bit all over the place I must admit, and a bit better suited to players with a small bit of experience behind them.

http://pigletmusic.com/lick-week-archive/

I've intentions on doing something more progressive, but a healthy amount of work lately has slowed me up.

Rob
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Berklee College of Music, Elder Conservatorium Adelaide, Australia.
For some great trumpet and band music please visit piglet music.com. Grab some free music there!

[HERMOKIWI]

The most basic skill necessary is the ability to accurately maintain the melodic line. If you want to become proficient in jazz improvisation you start with developing that ability.

The exercise is quite simple. It's very advantageous to work with "music minus one" recordings such as those available from Aebersold and The Real Book. I suggest that you start with basic 12 bar blues.

Here's what you do: Play along with the recording but don't try to play a complex solo. Instead, what you want to do is imitate the bass line. Start by playing just one whole note per measure. Do it by ear until you can play through the 12 bars while always playing a note within the chord structure that sounds correct. There are multiple notes that will work for each measure. You don't memorize a single pattern. You become fluent in varying the notes while always staying within the melodic line. You are essentially "improvising" one whole note per measure. You just want to work through this, one whole note per measure, until you can do that by ear with 100% accuracy every time (with notes that fit).

Then you progress to two half notes per measure. Then you progress to four quarter notes per measure. Then you progress to eight eighth notes per measure. All of this is as if you're playing the bass line (although you should cover as much range as you can). What you're learning to do is to instinctively maintain the melodic line by ear.

You apply this foundational process to all songs: Blues, rhythm changes, melodies.

Everything in improvisation begins with and references the melodic line. Until you can maintain the melodic line accurately by ear you're going to have difficulty with improvisation.

Once you can accurately maintain the melodic line you want to increase your jazz improvisation vocabulary. That's done by listening to a lot of improvised jazz, studying transcriptions, etc. and assimilating what you hear into your jazz improvisation styling. This phase includes studying and developing "licks."

The biggest problem students have in developing proficiency in jazz improvisation is that they put the cart before the horse, that is, they dive into the second phase (trying to learn and play "licks") before they develop the foundational ability to accurately maintain the melodic line.

If you want to develop proficiency in jazz improvisation you have to develop your skills from the bottom up, that is, you must first focus on the most foundational elements. The most foundational element is developing the ability to maintain the melodic line. It takes time and patience but you will be well rewarded.
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[BeboppinFool]

If I may, I would think the most obvious place to start is some intensive listening to guys who are already doing that which you are wanting to learn.

If you wanted to learn Russian and everybody said get this book or that book, you still wouldn't know what speaking Russian sounded like.

Just sayin' . . . .


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[dstpt]

If you are needing this to happen now (like for an upcoming spring contest or concert), then probably one solid route to consider is to take some lessons with a local teacher or some Skype lessons from the contributors on this thread and beyond. I am not one of those. I do minimal ad lib, but there are many on TH that can help you start with maybe designing/writing out a solo for the changes in question, so that you have something to "fall back on" until you can branch out and actually play spontaneously (which wouldn't happen for probably several months of dedicated practice, anyway). That way you can at least avoid falling on your face trying to sound like you know what you're doing. Ask me how I know this. (Since you're in high school, I will tell you that that is cue for "it has happened to me!" because I've been presumptuous enough to think it would just happen on stage.)

[TrumpetMD]

[robbo]

Good call tptMD. Advice in posts doesnt really help too much for this situarion.

Thomas, feel free to pm me and I'll try to help a bit. There's nothing wrong with having a solo worked out in band while you continue to develop in the background.

Rob
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Currently staff arranger for the band of the South Australia Police.
Berklee College of Music, Elder Conservatorium Adelaide, Australia.
For some great trumpet and band music please visit piglet music.com. Grab some free music there!

[jhatpro]

You might start by learning some classic solos note for note and studying the chords and scales on which they're based.

Learning Bobby Hackett's solo on String of Pearls, Thad Jones' Pop Goes the Weasel solo on April in Paris, and Clyde Hurley's solo on In the Mood will give you great insight but also prepare you to step up when your band plays these tunes as it most surely will.

To get you started here's an analysis of the Hackett solo:

http://www.tonygezziportfolio.com/uploads/8/4/7/3/8473417/bobby_hacketts_string_of_pearls_-_by_charles_turner_1.pdf
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[EdMann]

[EBjazz]

Here's all the free lessons to get you started:
https://bolvinmusic.com/category/musicnet-free-music-lessons/?v=f24485ae434a

Eb
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[trumanjazzguy]

Soloing relies heavily upon your ear, your sense of pitch, and what harmonic language you have in your head, lips, and fingers you can string together. Analyzing chords and memorizing other solos and the way other players emote is great to do at the beginning, and even the middle of your learning process, but while you're playing a solo, you're basically invoking melodic statements and feelings through your improvisation in real time, and if you're busy thinking or reading the changes or of how player X or Y would've played it, you can't really make unique and potent statements. If you aren't making concise emotional statements, in a conversational manner, your improvisation will always fall flat, and you'll never be a convincing player.
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[Pete]