Technology to the Rescue

[jhatpro]

I've worked for years to improve my ability to improvise and, lately, I've been getting better thanks to the Recorder HD app I downloaded for my iPhone.

It makes it super easy to record, name, date, store, and share clips and the sound quality is amazingly good.

I find what helps me most is to use a metronome and work from a Real Book which, of course, has the changes clearly indicated.

Listening to each effort is great instant feedback and, as a bonus, enforces the time-honored "rest as much as you play" advice.

None of what I've written above should be taken as a substitute for the importance of learning scales and transcribing but, rather, is intended as yet another tool in the never-ending campaign to - as Jack Sheldon used to say - "get good."
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Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

[HERMOKIWI]

The thing that is missing for most people learning to improvise is hearing themselves purely as a listener. How we think we sound as a player can be much different than how we think we sound as a listener. Recording and playing back is a reality check. It's a good idea and it would help anyone. Great suggestion!
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HERMOKIWI