Generic Question - How do you Improvise?

[kris]

Kris, you're lying for superiority. I'm not going to concede to your bs. I'm not obsessed with theory, I'm obsessed with how the pros conduct themselves. It's not wanking off to a 1 chord backing track. It's getting the material under their fingers which involves theory, as well as sensitivity to the music and experience. You accuse me of being rude but you treat me worse! All I want to do is discuss truth about this great music and breed good will. If I bring up theory, you start getting personal and making up nonsense how I don't get practical or ear approaches to the music and I'm a beginner. I spent plenty of time playing a single note instrument and using my ear exclusively in college. It doesn't interest me any more. Why don't you try playing a standard solo at the beastly tempo of 120 and see how far you get if you have to include bass and harmony at points in addition to melody.

You are taking my sentences to another thread without my permission.
... or maybe I was joking a bit in my statements to stimulate others to reflect ...?
Present something on the guitar that I'll say: sorry, you're a great musician....I am very sorry.
Once again, I've dealt with brilliant musicians who didn't know what theory was.;
They just had brilliant hearing.

[Bobby Timmons]

Yes, for the 1 millionth time, ear is essential but theory is essential for most too.

[princeplanet]

Totally agreed. There is nothing worse than a musician with poor hearing.

Phew, well I'm glad you chaps finally sorted that out !

[pauln]

Playing the guitar is like sitting on a three legged stool.
One leg is the mechanical adequacy of the instrument.
One leg's the hands' upper limits of controlled playing.
One leg's what your musical mind can conceive clearly.
When relative level of the three legs is maintained and
held in balance, you are less likely to slide off the stool.

If what your musical mind can conceive is short, listen.
If what your hands can execute is short, practice more.
If the instrument's mechanical adequacy is short, NGD!

[mr. beaumont]

Playing the guitar is like sitting on a three legged stool.
One leg is the mechanical adequacy of the instrument.
One leg's the hands' upper limits of controlled playing.
One leg's what your musical mind can conceive clearly.
When relative level of the three legs is maintained and
held in balance, you are less likely to slide off the stool.

If what your musical mind can conceive is short, listen.
If what your hands can execute is short, practice more.
If the instrument's mechanical adequacy is short, NGD!

And playing jazz without any of them is like jumping on the stool while it's upside down.

[NSJ]

I would say, if you can’t do SIMPLE things well, one is going to have problems. Music for me is really the progressive mastery of simple components that are internalized.

This piano player studied with Barry Harris and speaks of very simple phrases Barry would teach.

[GastonD]

I really like Dana Rasch approaches things when teaching improv, through restrictions and with getting a lot of mileage out of simple ideas. His Improv Blocks is absolutely great as a standalone method, although Visual Guide Tones is top notch as a long-term course.

[Dbl]

I am [Strikethrough]Spartacus [/Strikethrough] Stim
I am [Strikethrough]Spartacus [/Strikethrough] Stim
I am [Strikethrough]Spartacus [/Strikethrough] Stim

Anyhoo ... the OP has probably absquatulated. But I'll add one thought to this gem of a thread: enough already with how hard it is and how much work it is to learn to improvise. It's fun, not work. And it's easy (at whatever level of musicianship and knowledge you happen to be at). You just have to do it. What can be hard, and can seem like work because it involves structure and repetition is improving your level of musicianship and increasing your knowledge. But if it feels like drudgery, there's something wrong with your approach.

I guess it depends on what your goals are. But I couldn’t agree more. literally the only reason why I play the guitar is because I just love jamming so much (Blues, jazz, World music, pop, whatever). It’s as far removed from drudgery as could possibly be.