Improvising and not getting lost

[mauriciopcsouza]

I believe that learning the tonal movement of the song is the best way. I've never been able to think in terms of chord scales in an entire song, it can be exhausting. I've been practicing Howard Roberts superchops for 20 weeks and it's all about tonal moves in a chord change. I'm also trying this with bossa nova compositions and it's working much better than any other method for me.

[PickingMyEars]

I believe that learning the tonal movement of the song is the best way. I've never been able to think in terms of chord scales in an entire song, it can be exhausting. I've been practicing Howard Roberts superchops for 20 weeks and it's all about tonal moves in a chord change. I'm also trying this with bossa nova compositions and it's working much better than any other method for me.

Very grooving, especially when you were playing the head in and out. Everything felt like it was right in that Brazilian pocket. I loved what you did with the double stops and harmony of the tune. I need to learn that!

In terms of solo'ing, don't forget the melody--especially for a Jobim tune. Tonal centers help ground your playing--the less, the better. All relates to how you hear everything in relation to the overall tune. But focus on that melody. You play it very beautifully. Try to get more of the melody into your improvisation. Take the notes. Take that rhythm!

Pay attention to where you start and stop a phrase. Listen to the last phrase to inform the next phrase. What notes can you return to? What melodic ideas can you continue to develop?

Write an etude. Keep it simple. Listen to Stan Getz

That said, I have to learn how to play a bossa like you do. Very rhythmic and danceable. I enjoyed that!

[mauriciopcsouza]

Very grooving, especially when you were playing the head in and out. Everything felt like it was right in that Brazilian pocket. I loved what you did with the double stops and harmony of the tune. I need to learn that!

In terms of solo'ing, don't forget the melody--especially for a Jobim tune. Tonal centers help ground your playing--the less, the better. All relates to how you hear everything in relation to the overall tune. But focus on that melody. You play it very beautifully. Try to get more of the melody into your improvisation. Take the notes. Take that rhythm!

Pay attention to where you start and stop a phrase. Listen to the last phrase to inform the next phrase. What notes can you return to? What melodic ideas can you continue to develop?

Write an etude. Keep it simple. Listen to Stan Getz

That said, I have to learn how to play a bossa like you do. Very rhythmic and danceable. I enjoyed that!

I like the American way of playing bossa, and I can say that I'm influenced by that. Thanks for the improv tips, they're great. Indeed, simple is often more difficult, so controlling the beginning and end of a sentence is a rule of thumb. Keeping the melody of the song on the lines is the right way to do this. Stan Getz is a master at this issue.

[Christian Miller]

Wanted to chip in with a general observation; when not playing any notes people in general tend to shorten rests, so they’ll cut a bar rest short, etc.

It’s quite hard for humans to play silence actively and accurately. Our psychology works against us.

Try practicing a solo or a melody with gaps but keeping track of the pulse without any backing or a metronome. It’s harder than you think - if you record yourself you’ll find out!