Strategies for Beginning Improvisation (Part 5 is up)

Mike Neer · From: NJ

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I've started a new series on my blog dealing with Strategies for Beginning Improvisation. These posts are designed for anyone who wants develop a sound approach to improvisation from the ground up. Most of it will deal with the simple 12 Bar Blues form (a really important form in improvisation, especially for Jazz). When I say this is from the bottom up, I really mean it. I'm not talking scales, modes, etc. at this point, but instead just some simple guidelines to help anyone who is interested in bringing structure to their improv. The key is to really get you to listen to your inner voice and play great melodic content.

In various parts, I'll present new ways of approaching it; for this lesson, it is a simple one bar phrase in question and response. These exercises are effective not only for beginners, but also intermediate players. I use them myself and I have taught them in the past.

Part 1:
http://www.mikeneer.com/lapsteelin/?p=1305
Part 2:
http://www.mikeneer.com/lapsteelin/?p=1364
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Dale Lee · From: Down Yonder

Thanks, Mike! This is a valuable project.

I am just a hobby player so maybe what I think carries not much weight. But I looked at your link and I think your project has immense potential to help people learn. I am looking forward to subsequent installments.

Jerome Hawkes · From: Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA

this is good stuff Mike - i like the approach you are taking where the student has to listen for the chord change and play easy logical phrases, building an effective musical motif - this being the more natural way as opposed to what i see a lot of...ie "this is a blues scale, you can play any note over all of these changes"...thats not improvisation, thats just note vomiting.
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Mike Neer · From: NJ

Thanks, guys. This approach works for not only beginning improvisers, but also more advanced players. It's a good way of organizing ideas.

It's a good discipline to control the length of phrases and it's not easy to do. It's kind of like having a conversation, but just being direct and to the point. It also helps you to find out which notes carry the weight of the harmony and their melodic value. I'll get into some heavier stuff down the road.
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Jean-Sebastien Gauthier · From: Quebec, Canada

Thanks Mike very good lesson!

Its very true that when you learn or practice something you have to focus on one simple idea and just be sure you play clean and have a good timing.

I'm playing a lot of questions responds phrases but never realize how much its important to finish the questions with ascending note and the reverse for the answers, good point!

Chris Gabriel · From: Oregon, USA

Good Stuff Mike. Practicing right now, Chris

Mark Roeder · From: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

This is a great approach Mike! I often try to think of phasing like sentences. The question and answer is very helpful. Too many times I create run-on sentences when I try to improvise.......
Thanks
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Stephen Abruzzo · From: Philly, PA

Great stuff Mike......and I think it's perfect that you put in a full bar of REST after each snippet....so that the player can breathe.

Just a thought but you might want to include TAB for this so that folks not familiar with the tuning, or who don't read standard music notation, you use can more readily play along.

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Stephen, the idea was just to present an example--each individual should find his own examples. That's a big part of it. I don't want to tell you what to play; I just want to tell where and how to play it. You'll have to discover the rest on your own.

It took me literally 5 minutes to write that simple example using an online notation site. I never played the example, just sang it, which is another great way of practicing this exercise.
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Bill Hampton · From: Colorado, USA

Very nice Mike. Thank you for taking the time to do this.

Bill Leff · From: Santa Cruz, CA, USA

Nice article Mike.

Christopher Woitach · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

Its always inspiring to see effective teaching! I really love to see a great player display great teaching - beautiful job, Mike!
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Dan Schwartz · From: Bloomington, MN

That's cool MIke. I'll look forward to seeing the next installment.
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Mike Neer · From: NJ

Thanks for the encouraging words, guys. Improvisation is my lifesaver, only because I have a terrible time remembering tunes and parts. Truth is, for me, music should be alive and shouldn't be played the same way over and over. That's why I don't have a regular gig. Laughing

I consider myself novice on this instrument--but one who is making pretty good progress. I enjoy sharing what I think works.
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Robert Murphy · From: West Virginia

I play a lot of music in differing styles. Just this month I thought I'd start playing around with the minor pentatonic scale. How timely. Thanks Mike. Keep up the good work.

Joel Bloom · Posted 10 Feb 2012 7:02 pm

A really great read, thanks. I think slide guitarist/guitarist Derek Trucks has a great grasp of this call and response idea within his impro's/solos.

Joel Bloom · Posted 10 Feb 2012 7:03 pm

A really great read, thanks. I think slide guitarist/guitarist Derek Trucks has a great grasp of this call and response idea within his impro's/solos.

Jack Aldrich · From: Washington, USA

Nice, Mike. I picked up the concept of "pockets"
(places where you can focus on your improvisations) from Buddy Emmons. For example, in a 6th tuning, the first pocket is where the I chord lies (e.g., 7th fret G in C6 tuning). Since the 6 and 1 are the 3 and 5 for the IV chord, it is right there. Up 2 frets and you have the 3 and 5 for the V chord. The other pocket is at the V chord position (D7 - 2nd fret for a C6 tuning) with a slant for the I chord, etc. Of course, for a pedal steel, pockets are all over the place. This concept really helps me improvise, aldong with the slants around the pocket for diminished and other chords. - Jack

Chris Griffin · From: Queensland, Australia

Very helpful indeed Mike. It helps greatly to think in terms of the human voice/call & response. Thank you.

Paul Seager · From: Augsburg, Germany

Mike, we've commuicated before and you helped me out with my 'Satin Doll' issue. I've just tried the 'Strategies for Improvisation' and it really works very well. Just playing around with the licks and the scale I'm having great fun here and doubling the solo's quality each time I play it.

I'm working with Band in a Box and I'm already transposing the licks up and down the neck to get to know the different keys, etc. Great work, can't wait for the next one!
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Mike Neer · From: NJ

Part 2 is now up. http://www.mikeneer.com/lapsteelin/?p=1364

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Enjoy.
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Dan Schwartz · From: Bloomington, MN

Again - very cool Mike. Great stuff to think about. I tend to blather on in my solos and end up saying nothing at all. The conversation idea is great. I recently saw a short video by Gary Burton where he talks about a similar approach "playing an improvised solo is a lot like explaining something or telling a story" http://www.berkleemusic.com/welcome/jazz-improv-video

Thanks Again Mike - keep them coming!

Dan
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Mike Neer · From: NJ

Thanks, Dan. This stuff really does make a difference--it puts you in control of what you play rather than letting the instrument set the limitations. I realize that on the steel guitar, if I am improvising, I have to fight the urge to just play what is convenient and instead focus on what I want to say.

You may want to go back and look at Part 2 again--I've just included a little deeper discussion and introduced some concepts that have made a big impression on me.
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Jerome Hawkes · From: Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA

i have read about using consonant and vowel sounds in your playing - like early scat singers and many horn players (hard / soft sounds) - i understood some of it, but never really could apply it. is this along those same lines as prosody?

was listening to some Lester Young last week after reading Pt 1 and you can really hear him doing this. he is just singing right over the changes. if you come from, or have attempted the "chord = scale method" in the past, its easy to see/hear which method is the most musical.
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Mike Neer · From: NJ

Jerome, it wouldn't quite be the same, as it has more to do with rhythmic stresses. For instance, an iambic pattern would have an accent on every second syllable, like this: Heigh-HO, Heigh-HO, it's OFF to WORK I GO. The trochaic pattern would stress every first syllable: TWIN-kle TWIN-kle LIT-tle STAR. That is just the tip of the iceberg--it gets so much heavier--the De Alcantara book is amazing, a real eye opener.

I can see what you are saying about the soft vowel and hard consonant sounds. That has a lot to do with legato tonguing. Lester was a master.
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