How Do I Know What to Play? The fact is that improvisation is basically making up anything you want. There are no wrong or right notes, but there are some guidelines that need to be followed, such as the key and the feel. The easiest way to improvise is to use patterns. There are three main types of patterns. They are chromatic, scalar, and arpeggio licks. Once you get used to playing and listening to a lot of jazz, you will be able to sing in your head what you want to play. The more you practice, the more improvising will transfer easily to your fingers. You can start by practicing to sing a solo in your head without the horn. If you don't like how your ideas sound, then the solo won't sound good, whether or not you can transfer the idea from your head to the sound you make. Chromatic Patterns These type of patterns are the easiest for a very obvious reason. THEY WORK IN EVERY KEY! With these patterns, you do not have to worry about hitting a wrong note. There can't be a wrong note when you're hitting all of the notes. Once you play chromatic licks, you will soon understand how it feels to play with the band, instead of concentrating on a solo. This will make the rest of the patterns easier. Another reason why this pattern is the easiest is because it is easy to grow. If you want your lick to grow, repeat the pattern by starting a half step above the note that you previously started on. Chromatic licks cause the most tension and the most build for the little amount of work required. Once you get these patterns in your fingers, you'll be able to pull them out in any song because they work for any key. Scalar Patterns Knowing your scales is very important, when using scalar patterns. The most common chord in jazz soloing is the dominant 7th chord. This is when the 7th (the 7th note out of the 8 notes that make the scale) is lowered a half step down. For instance, in a C major scale, the seventh note is a B. For a dominant 7th chord, we would lower the B to a Bb. This Bb is called the leading tone. The chord would be C-E-G-Bb. Likewise, a G dominant 7th chord would be G-B-D-F. Scalar patterns consist of notes that are in a scale. I usually find these patterns in triplet eighth notes in a solo break. To build and grow in a solo with this pattern, the scale can ascend in triplets. Each triplet can pull back one note from the last note in the triplet. The most important thing about soloing is to feel the mood with the band. Playing a scale straight up sounds too plain, and good soloing causes the audience to want a surprise. Arpeggio Patterns I find these patterns to be the most difficult because they require you to know what note your going to. The other patterns require mostly correctly pushing down valves. Arpeggios include jumps and require more planning. An arpeggio is basically a chord broken down into separate notes. Once again, arpeggios should not be played up and down. They need to be experimented with so that they match with the groove of the group you are playing with. Final Thoughts Patterns (or licks) are not the only thing needed to improvise. All improvisation requires some actual making up on your own. However, the more and more you improvise, the less you will have to think because there will be more licks in your "vocabulary. One of the best ways to learn to improvise is to listen to great solos and look at famous solo transcriptions. Identify the patterns and look at the fingerings being used to identify what notes work best. Listening to the best jazz out there will leave certain licks stuck in your head that you can think of when you're soloing. How are you supposed to know how a good solo is supposed to sound like if you've never heard one? Finally, identify what works well for you and what doesn't. Evaluate your audience's reactions, if you have to. What usually works best is a repeating line that changes rhythm, but not notes. Suddenly, the notes finally change and the crowd goes wild because they were waiting for that surprise. This is a common technique used. Familiarize yourself with these techniques when listening to great solos. Don't be afraid to experiment with turns, grace notes, and half-valving. You can even include alternate fingerings and growls. |
