This video talks about "how" to improve and the guidelines for Jazz improve. It really just is good advice for everyone, Jazz player or not. Also Louie Bellson is one of my favorite Jazz Drummers of all time! Clark Terry Rocks Too!
Although I play sax, I shy away from being in jazz band just because I get freaked out when it comes to improvising. I like being told what I'm supposed to play instead, but I think this will definitely help me be more comfortable. Improvising, like everything else takes practice, and all it takes is taking that leap of faith that you won't suck as much as you think you could.
I am used to improvising because at my church all that we play is very contemporary/modern music. We have acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitars, and pianos. So, for me playing the clarinet there is no sheet music. So, I just have to feel the music and fit in, and where there are spaces I fill them in.
First, I love that Terry mentions how he will stop when people talk in the front row because it forces the audience to either listen or get out, which is how it should be in my opinion. Also really like "the word 'form' is still in 'free form,'" which ties back into the idea of what vibrations you send out and the need for responsible use of sound. Also, I don't know how much anyone has improvised in public, but I know from my experience the best way to get better is to just do it as much as possible, and that there's something wonderfully freeing about knowing you have messed up in public as bad as you possibly could have and survived.
I liked the tips they had in this. It was really helpful for me because I'm not very good at improvising.
ReplyDeleteI 'm with Hanae. I'm awful at improv and I love doing it on trombone so this is going to definitely help me out. Thanks Ben!
ReplyDeleteAlthough I play sax, I shy away from being in jazz band just because I get freaked out when it comes to improvising. I like being told what I'm supposed to play instead, but I think this will definitely help me be more comfortable. Improvising, like everything else takes practice, and all it takes is taking that leap of faith that you won't suck as much as you think you could.
ReplyDeleteI am used to improvising because at my church all that we play is very contemporary/modern music. We have acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitars, and pianos. So, for me playing the clarinet there is no sheet music. So, I just have to feel the music and fit in, and where there are spaces I fill them in.
ReplyDelete*Oh...and of course a drum set.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I love that Terry mentions how he will stop when people talk in the front row because it forces the audience to either listen or get out, which is how it should be in my opinion. Also really like "the word 'form' is still in 'free form,'" which ties back into the idea of what vibrations you send out and the need for responsible use of sound.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I don't know how much anyone has improvised in public, but I know from my experience the best way to get better is to just do it as much as possible, and that there's something wonderfully freeing about knowing you have messed up in public as bad as you possibly could have and survived.