Approaches to Improvisation

[Strat-itis]

ragman's narrative that you can't work up any facility otherwise it isn't truly improv.

[BreckerFan]

I do both written exercises and improv. The one to get better at the other.

Here's an exercise
Modern F Blues Outside Substitution Etude on Birdlike - YouTube

Here's some improv

[pamosmusic]

I do both written exercises and improv. The one to get better at the other.

Here's an exercise
Modern F Blues Outside Substitution Etude on Birdlike - YouTube

Here's some improv

But your eighth notes aren’t continuous.

But you’re only outlining the changes, you’re not really floating over them.

I mean, you’re only floating over the changes, you’re not outlining them.

[GuyBoden]

Still no one is IMPROVISING. You're doing pre-written exercises so you can improvise in the future... next week, next year, maybe never.

IMPROVISE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

Ragman, try this 'Not-Improv', it sounds very good.

Edit: I've been trying to improvise since the 1980's. Most of "Improvisation" is preconceived ideas rearranged in the moment, even from the best players. IMHO.

[lawson-stone]

So here's my attempt at the original exercise on the original tune. "Have You Met Miss Jones" is not really a hard tune, it just has a couple of tricky parts. I'm doing my best to stay with 8th notes though I slip up from time to time and insert a little rest or a triplet. I also tried to stay in pretty much one position and tried to build lines around the chord tones with chromatic connections.
This is not jazz artistry. You have been warned.

[James W]

Still no one is IMPROVISING. You're doing pre-written exercises so you can improvise in the future... next week, next year, maybe never.

IMPROVISE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

This is me doing an improv exercise, continuous eighth notes, initially mostly scalar.

[lawson-stone]

I decided to try "All the Things You Are" with the same limits as before: mainly continuous 8th notes, mainly based on chord-shapes and chord tones, with chromatic passing tones as needed. Intentionally using a "rikki-tikki" backing track just to annoy those of you who don't like backing tracks.

[Christian Miller]

Bah humbug

[pamosmusic]

I decided to try "All the Things You Are" with the same limits as before: mainly continuous 8th notes, mainly based on chord-shapes and chord tones, with chromatic passing tones as needed. Intentionally using a "rikki-tikki" backing track just to annoy those of you who don't like backing tracks.

Just to clarify I don’t think anyone has said they don’t like backing tracks.

Kind of the opposite. I’ve said I don’t have anything against backing tracks, but that I personally don’t use backing tracks and I have had to answer for it, apparently.

[lawson-stone]

Just to clarify I don’t think anyone has said they don’t like backing tracks.

Kind of the opposite. I’ve said I don’t have anything against backing tracks, but that I personally don’t use backing tracks and I have had to answer for it, apparently.

I was just being irritating for the fun of it. I actually use them because I like hearing the lines against the chords, and because otherwise I have nobody to play with. I'm in a very jazz-deprived area, and so if I am to play with an ensemble, it has to come out of a can.

[BreckerFan]

But your eighth notes aren’t continuous.

But you’re only outlining the changes, you’re not really floating over them.

I mean, you’re only floating over the changes, you’re not outlining them.

Well see I was gonna outline the changes, but then I thought instead I should float over the changes, but then I thought instead I should outline the floating changes, but then I thought instead I should float over the outlined changes, but then

[ElJefe]

Hi Jazzers,

I'm not sure if this is the right thread but I worked on this exercise a while back but I can't remember where I got the idea. I know it's a 4 note grouping concept but I'm trying to find the work book I got the idea from. Anybody have any suggestions?

Bewildered,

Jeff

P.S. I do have Bergonzi's Melodic Structures Book. Maybe it's an offshoot of this book?

[lawson-stone]

Well see I was gonna outline the changes, but then I thought instead I should float over the changes, but then I thought instead I should outline the floating changes, but then I thought instead I should float over the outlined changes, but then

Don't you need a floating bridge to do that? Floating over an outline might work.

[lawson-stone]

So I've posted two clips just this evening, between work projects. I am totally sure that many of you guys can do this 10 times better than I can. Why don't we stop talking about what to do and do some of it, then talk about what we did! Play first, talk later.

[James W]

I'm at my aunt's for a week. No laptop with me so no backing track, just a metronome.

Might do ATTYA tomorrow...

[Tal_175]

I have to take my cat to her acupuncture treatment today. I may try to post something tomorrow.

[pamosmusic]

I have to take my cat to her acupuncture treatment today I may try to post something tomorrow.

I’ll put it on my calendar.

[Mick-7]

So I've posted two clips just this evening, between work projects. I am totally sure that many of you guys can do this 10 times better than I can. Why don't we stop talking about what to do and do some of it, then talk about what we did! Play first, talk later.

Thank you Lawson for getting the ball rolling (floating?), I was beginning to fear this thread would turn into another long confabulation like the first one I started.

[grahambop]

My dog ate my homework.

[Mick-7]

Is the ship I put Miss Jones on floating?

Miss Jones Floats @158bpm - Box.com

This is the backing track I used, just bass and drums:

[CliffR]

For the record, mine was also an improvisation. So it seems the vast majority of us were improvising, despite Ragman saying otherwise. Remember on page 1 he said "I've got a feeling there aren't many people who could improvise all 8ths over a progression just like that." Because he can't do it himself he can't conceive of a relative beginner such as myself being able to do it.

[pamosmusic]

Is the ship I put Miss Jones on floating?

Miss Jones Floats @158bpm - Box.com

This is the backing track I used, just bass and drums:

The fact of your playing with a backing track, but that backing track being tough to hear in the recording is interesting. I don’t really hear the changes in long stretches of your playing.

So if we’re at a point where we’re playing mostly scales and also trying to hear the changes, I think Miss Jones is the sort of tune that exposes some short comings there.

[Christian Miller]

I decided to try "All the Things You Are" with the same limits as before: mainly continuous 8th notes, mainly based on chord-shapes and chord tones, with chromatic passing tones as needed. Intentionally using a "rikki-tikki" backing track just to annoy those of you who don't like backing tracks.

Nice, Lawson! Great to hear how you are developing.

[Christian Miller]

I have to take my cat to her acupuncture treatment today. I may try to post something tomorrow.

I'm yoinking that one ....

[lawson-stone]

Nice, Lawson! Great to hear how you are developing.

Thank you Prof. Miller! Coming from someone from whom I have learned so much that means a lot.