Advice needed, what to practice now - video inside

[jeffroi]

Hi all,

i'm a 1 years 1/2 jazz beginner.
I'm looking for advices from great players. Looking at the videos and according to you, What should I work on from now in priority ?
Hostfile.nl Free Image and File Host
Hostfile.nl Free Image and File Host

I know there are a lot of areas to practice, but i would like to work in priority on my main failings.
Thanks (and sorry for my poor english)

[Zhivago]

Nice playing man!

Have you played live yet?

[jeffroi]

Thanks Zhivago !

I've made 2 "concerts" at home last year, with a trio and in front of friends ... and I once played "In Walked Bud" at a Jam session a couple of month ago . That's all...
I'd like to work for half a year more, before I try again to play at a jam/ or find other players

[Zhivago]

I think you have a nice level to start playing, you should build up your standards repertoire and hit the streets a bit, rehearsing with a band, or something along the line.

It's hard to say what you need to practice only with two videos, because we don't get to see your real playing, your live improvisation. I think you should find that by yourself. It's a great step you've taken by recording. You should listen to it with an objective ear, and criticize your own playing, then come up with your weaknesses and work on that. Listen and figure out what you want to get better at... timing maybe, repertoire, new scales, chord tones, triads, rhythm feel, using more of the instrument range... the list goes on forever !

[jeffroi]

thanks, you help me,

So my priorities from now on are :

- Continuing Building a repertoire
- Using more of the instrument range
- Timing
- Find some people to rehearse with

Sounds good like that because it's not overwelhming and help me to focus on important things.

Enough for this year !!

[Zhivago]

I'm glad being of some help.

I just said some areas you could work on, but doesn't mean you should do that, because I don't really know if you're weak on them.

I've written an article some days ago on selecting different areas for a studying routine, check it out, maybe you'll get some ideas out of it.

My blog: I Want That !

It's the last published one, hope it helps !

[FatJeff]

I think your playing is actually really good. You seem to 'follow the changes' well, which is something that I have a hard time with. I think that if you concentrate on learning a lot of new songs (like Zhivago said), your playing ability will naturally increase. It doesn't seem to me that you have a lot of technical difficulty with the instrument.

By the way (and this is just my opinion), I think that the best way to learn new songs is to transcribe them yourself from actual audio recordings, instead of just getting them from the Real Book or somewhere else. You really learn a song that way, instead of learning someone else's version.

Welcome to the site!

[jeffroi]

Originally Posted by Zhivago

I'm glad being of some help.
I just said some areas you could work on, but doesn't mean you should do that, because I don't really know if you're weak on them.
I've written an article some days ago on selecting different areas for a studying routine, check it out, maybe you'll get some ideas out of it.
My blog: I Want That !
It's the last published one, hope it helps !

What you said remind me things I already knew but needed to be sorted. Thks
I've just read the 2 posts on your blog which is cool and instructive BTW.

I think that the best way to learn new songs is to transcribe them yourself from actual audio recordings, instead of just getting them from the Real Book or somewhere else. You really learn a song that way, instead of learning someone else's version.

Yes, sounds clever, regarding ear training work.

Well, thanks guys, I have to build a repertoire, that's the first thing to do. Next will be probably to transcribe. Let's see that in a couple of month.

Thanks again for the kind welcoming

[Reg]

Hey Jeffroi... How goes... Sounds great. You could just start playing and would be totally cool. But to raise your level of playing, you need more chops. Your left hand has a lot of movement for the tempos your playing at on videos.You should add technical studies for both your picking and left hand. There are different schools of hand position... but you need to have less movement with any style.
How would you do if I threw a couple tunes in front of you ? How's your reading, understanding of what your playing. Your rhythm sounds good, But your tempos are pretty slow. Start working at getting your eyes off your neck...bad habit. I do give you a lot of respect for putting your neck on the chopping block. It appears your in a great direction. If I can help let me know, there are a ton of great players on this sight...Reg

[jeffroi]

Originally Posted by Reg

I do give you a lot of respect for putting your neck on the chopping block

to raise your level of playing, you need more chops

Ok. you're right, It's part of my daily routine since 2 month, and it will stay here for a while.

you need to have less movement with any style.

hmm, it's a good indicator, i think i see what you mean. thks

Start working at getting your eyes off your neck...bad habit.

Ptoo ... hard one, but as far as there is no need to spend extra time on it, so ok.

I'm on a the right tracks, and that's good, now i will focalize on :

- Tech routine until jedi mastering
- Repertoire (first by ear, then ...)
- Working on all the fretboard (without looking at it)
- Playing with real people.

Nice forum here, thanks for your comments Reg.

[Hatim]

Really nice playing! A lot of things are very good.
You could practice on frasing to get a more organic structure in your solos. Start on a 4, repeat a frase over 3 count, or over 3 bars, challenge the 4 bar structure.
Best way to practice is with a very few notes and put them on less obvious places. Just for practice, but you'll see it will influence your impro.

The other tip ofcourse is, take a few lessons, or jamm with guys who are better.
Thanks for the honest videos. Really brave.

Hans

[jeffroi]

Yeah, thks for the comment Hans, I agree with the melodic fragment practice. Good thing to challenge the 4 bars.