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So, how do folks think it's best to achieve a measure of success in learning jazz guitar. Let's define success as either being able to hang at a friendly jam session or, for those of us less socially inclined, play decently over a decent backing track. I'm talking strictly about soloing here, not comping.
For myself, I've been using what folks seem to describe as the lego brick approach - take small portions of phrases and string them together, learn how to vary them rhythmically and melodically. Plus all the usual stuff about enclosures, pivots, skips, arpeggios, etc etc. I like to call them 'licky bricks', because my cat's favourite treat is called 'licky sticks'. Actually, I'm not sure if that's the brand name or just the phrase my wife uses for the cat. Not that I think I've achieved 'success' according to my own definition. Anyway....
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Today 12:46 PM
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Oh... how complicated it all is.
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I should add that I do listen to jazz, usually 1-2 hours an evening while I'm cooking. But I confess, other than when I transcribe, which is rare, I don't do the sort of focussed listening that Brent describes in his Showcase thread. Normally it's on in the background and I might scat sing a phrase I like, or try and remember an idea I hear for practice later. I'm sure more focussed listening would be very beneficial. And better ears.
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When I was young I spent a lot of time learning Jimmy Page's solo on Since I've Been Loving You. I like to think some of the feel rubbed off on me, and at one point I believed I could do a half-way decent improvisation over it, largely because I learnt the notes so well I didn't have to think about them. For jazz, I'm still not quite at that stage, so I'm spending too much mental energy thinking about the notes. More and more I think that, if I could forget about the right notes, I'd instead be able to improvise rhythmically and with true feeling.
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So I have an opinion on this a little stronger than most things. I spent years practicing arps scales and enclosures in order to make lines. And I could make lines that I was happy with. I thought one day I'd be able to construct them on the fly if I stuck to that method. It just never happened.
So here is a video from a few years ago of an 'etude" blues I wrote. Took about half an hour probably. If I spent time getting it clean and faster it would be decent. So I thought "each time will be faster until it is real time."
I took a couple years off from playing and then spent about a year memorizing vocab. In this video from about a year ago maybe my playing is better maybe not, but the difference is I just sat down and played it. That whole solo is 2 bar phrases and I mixed and matched them in an order on the fly. Much closer to improvising. Now (a year later or so) I can basically use smaller bits and pieces of these to the point that they arren't even the same licks. Improv by any definition, plus play them as longer licks on auto pilot if I get stuck. I can jam a blues that sounds like jazz now, I couldn't before.
I was going on in that other thread because at this point I'm lamenting the fact I didn't take this approach sooner, and it was cool to see someone who is on that track and making exceptional progress. I guess you could say i'm "mad at theory" but only because it distracted me from the important things.
Be able to play vocab at medium swing through the cycle, then analyze if you want...but you might not want to
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I've been taking a line I like and run it through major, minor and dominant. Then turn it into a ii V I line and run that through 12 keys with a backing track. Christian did this in a video, but instead of 12 keys he applied it to a tune. That's the next step for me.
This is the stuff that helps you play the language, if you come across a tongue twister in a line, figure out what it is and shed it. The great thing about working on Parker heads is everyone and their brother has analyzed them and you can look up what is going on in any troublesome bar. You could also figure it out yourself, the more you do this, the more things pop out.Plus all the usual stuff about enclosures, pivots, skips, arpeggios, etc etc.
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I've been too lazy to play lines in all 12 keys. My compromise is to try them over the chord of whichever tune I'm working on at the moment. Most of them seem to be in F
Regarding learning language from heads, I have a controversial opinion without any standing to back it up. While I agree there's great bebop language in them, there's I think lots more to be learnt from the solos. You listen to a Parker tune and, as soon as the head is done, he really opens up and I think there's a lot to be learnt there.
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The best recipe is to play concerts.
When playing live, you are in a completely different situation.
In front of the computer at home, you are safe.
In front of the audience, you have to have a different kind of concentration.
For a beginner, it is stress.You go on stage and your head is completely empty.
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thank god
Originally Posted by kris
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Same shape and fingering..I figure I don't know them well enough if playing through the cycle isn't easy Originally Posted by CliffR
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I did play a handful of gigs in my youth. The first was a battle of the bands thing at University. Apparently by the end people were getting ready to start throwing things at us Originally Posted by kris
. I remember being so nervous that every time I lifted my foot off the floor to tap it, I could feel it trembling. The guitar felt like an alien thing in my hands. After that I played a few gigs as rhythm guitarist in an indie, Pixies-inspired band. I really enjoyed that, and didn't feel so much pressure. The songs the guy wrote were pretty good, I thought.
But playing jazz live seems like a tall order. I hear at your first gig you play at like 30% of your ability. Maybe if I perform at our local jam I'll have more respect for those guitarists who already do and I think I'm better than
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Probably with Joe.
Some scales and arpeggios and things are good for fretboard knowledge too.
I think also picking a small handful of licks that are simple enough to apply to tunes quickly is really useful.
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My thinking is, if I can’t play the simple stuff, I won’t be able to play when he opens up. Originally Posted by CliffR
I've been too lazy to play lines in all 12 keys. My compromise is to try them over the chord of whichever tune I'm working on at the moment. Most of them seem to be in F
Regarding learning language from heads, I have a controversial opinion without any standing to back it up. While I agree there's great bebop language in them, there's I think lots more to be learnt from the solos. You listen to a Parker tune and, as soon as the head is done, he really opens up and I think there's a lot to be learnt there.
Not that I haven’t pulled lines from solos. I’m also lazy and if you learn the head it’s easier to restart the song over and over.
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Today, 12:46 PM in Improvisation