Klarinet Archive - Posting 000050.txt from 1995/05

From: "Donald B. Kinghorn" <don@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Improvisation
Date: Tue, 2 May 1995 01:52:39 -0400

The most important thing you need to learn to become a good
improviser is to become a good listener. You have to really hear
what's going on around you and really hear what you are doing.
The second thing you need is to learn to sing, at least in your head,
and then work on playing what you are thinking, not just close to
what you're thinking, but really what you are thinking (it needs to
eventually become an unconscious process). Coping licks off of
recordings is good ear training, and helps with this process.

Also, playing the piano helps, exploring harmonic textures gives you
lots of ideas for solo work.
And lastly, JUST DO IT, you don't have to be a great player to kick a
few notes around over some chord changes, you'll learn more from 20
min. with a good rhythm section than you will from a year reading out
of some "improvisation" book (get the books too!). I've heard lots
of great blues players that don't have much technique, and don't know
much music theory, but they can bring tears to your eyes with just a
couple of notes. The more technique you have the easier it will be to
play what's in your head, but technique won't make you a good
improvisor.
This is the kind of pep talk I would give my guitar students. Take
this for what it's worth, I'm just a beginner at the clarinet, but I
was a hell of an improvisor on the guitar, I could "fake" any style,
even "classical" convincingly.
Hope this helps
-Don

   
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