Jazz improv

[seven skrang]

can anyone show me some improv techniques particularly arpeggios?

 

[Drew]

That's a pretty broad question, don't you think?

I don't play much jazz these days, but tell me where you are, musically, and what you're trying to do, and I'll try to fill in a few missing links.

 

[seven skrang]

well i know scales and modes, im know some theory. im trying to know how to solo off of chords and what not

 

[theunforgiven246]

well you can play a specific scale to a chord like play an ionan on top a maj7 or aolien on top of the m7 and a mixolydian ontop of a 7. thats basicly it but i just fuck around the key the song is in and it usually works.

 

[wolfsd]

Get yourself a couple of books on music theory. There is a book in the guitar grimoire series.....progressions and improvisation (I think it's titled something like that) you may find useful, in fact, all of the books in the series are pretty good....

steve

 

[jim777]

Spend 30 bucks on Jak Zucker's book, it's simply the best there is, and so worth the money it's laugh out loud funny.
http://www.sheetsofsound.net/

jim

 

[Drew]

Interesting, Jim.

Also mandatory if you want to play Jazz - "The Real Book, Volume I." when someone talks about a fake book, they mean this. Everything you need to know about soloing over changes can be learned by sitting down with one of these and working out arpeggios of the chords in the standards transcribed within.

-D

 

[seven skrang]

Interesting, Jim.

Also mandatory if you want to play Jazz - "The Real Book, Volume I." when someone talks about a fake book, they mean this. Everything you need to know about soloing over changes can be learned by sitting down with one of these and working out arpeggios of the chords in the standards transcribed within.

-D

thats weird, i have that one

 

[Metal Ken]

Work through that thing, Then you'll be a god.

 

[Drew]

Yeah. If you know even the BASICS of chord theory and your stock modal scales, you should be able to come up with everything you need to know to play over anything.

I suck at playing changes, but that's just lack of practice, the theoretical side really isn't that tricky.

 

[Drew]

I mean, I don't know how to explain this any easier, but if you have to play over an Em9, then any Em9 chord tones will work - the root, m3, 5, m7, and 9 are all in play (respectively E, G, B, D, and F#). Say you're going back and forth between Em9 and C11 - switch from those chord tones to lines focusing on C, E, G, Bb, D, and F (root, 3, 5, b7, 9, 11) and you're good to go. Once this begins to get comfortable, you can start adding tones from extentions of these - suggest 11ths 13ths, and whatnot, as your ear begins to get comfortable with adding tension.

(a cautionary word - this is how to get comfortable playing "inside" and serious jazz guys think that's boring as fuck. Still, you gotta build the vocab before you can step out)

Find a head you like in your fake book, sit down, and once you're comfortable comping it, start going through and playing lines in straight 8ths with JUST chord tones, a nonstop stream of 8th note arpeggios, improvising. Don't worry about phrasing or anything, just force yourself to keep playing. Once you can do this in your sleep all over the neck, start adding outside tones, scale tones, varying the phrasing, and just go to town.

If you've got volume II, I've always been partial to Gershwin's "Summertime," Carmichael's "Georgia," and Waldron's "All Alone."

-D

 

[Vince]

I mean, I don't know how to explain this any easier, but if you have to play over an Em9, then any Em9 chord tones will work - the root, m3, 5, m7, and 9 are all in play (respectively E, G, B, D, and F#). Say you're going back and forth between Em9 and C11 - switch from those chord tones to lines focusing on C, E, G, Bb, D, and F (root, 3, 5, b7, 9, 11) and you're good to go. Once this begins to get comfortable, you can start adding tones from extentions of these - suggest 11ths 13ths, and whatnot, as your ear begins to get comfortable with adding tension.

(a cautionary word - this is how to get comfortable playing "inside" and serious jazz guys think that's boring as fuck. Still, you gotta build the vocab before you can step out)

Find a head you like in your fake book, sit down, and once you're comfortable comping it, start going through and playing lines in straight 8ths with JUST chord tones, a nonstop stream of 8th note arpeggios, improvising. Don't worry about phrasing or anything, just force yourself to keep playing. Once you can do this in your sleep all over the neck, start adding outside tones, scale tones, varying the phrasing, and just go to town.

If you've got volume II, I've always been partial to Gershwin's "Summertime," Carmichael's "Georgia," and Waldron's "All Alone."

-D

I proclaim this statement true. Excellent post, Drew.

 

[Drew]

Is it metal to talk about jazz?

*ponders*

*head explodes*

 

[dpm]

I proclaim Jazz supreme and administer Naked City.
pfffff *flex*

Sorry, I'm late to the party

 

[Vince]

I proclaim Jazz supreme and administer Naked City.
pfffff *flex*

Sorry, I'm late to the party

Agreed. Administering Stanley Jordan "Live in New York."

He makes "Somewhere over the Rainbow" cool.

 

[telecaster90]

*administers Miles Davis*

Miles Davis is supreme.

 

[The Dark Wolf]

Agreed. Administering Stanley Jordan "Live in New York."

He makes "Somewhere over the Rainbow" cool.

Stanley Jordan. Like Whoa.

 

[dpm]

+1 Miles and Stanley, administers 'Trane

 

[seven skrang]

screw not being metal
be individual as possible and thanks for the help guhys much appreciated

 

[kman]

Anyone here like Chick Corea? He was just in Pittsburgh. He is one of my favorite jazz musicians, hes fricken awesome.