Klarinet Archive - Posting 000059.txt from 1995/05

From: Fred Jacobowitz <fredj@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Improvisation
Date: Tue, 2 May 1995 01:52:48 -0400

Fred,
Having taught Jazz improv to my clarinet and sax students for
years, I have a few observations for you: I don't start to teach jazz
until the student has a very solid grounding in "legit" sound and enough
technical control to not need to even think about it (this is assuming,
of course, that the student wants to keep a passing acquaintance with the
legit world).
Once I am satisfied that they have sufficient technique to deal
with it, I start them on exercises and solos in the jazz style (using
vibrato, hard accents, bends and slides). There are quite a few collections
of studies. I prefer the Niehouse "Jazz Conception" series from
Professional Drum Shop in, I think, LA. The Colin "Rhythms Complete" is
also quite good. Once I am satisfied that they can play any written
melody like a jazzer, with a recognizable style and sound, I start
teaching them the actual improvisation using the Aebersold play-along
recordings. It has basic pattern exercises to be played n three keys with
the band comping. This teaches the students to 1) count how many measures
they meed to play and when to change 2) learn to string together
patterns. Then I make them make up their own patterns or alter the
pre-composed patterns. Finally, I get into straight improvisation and how
to make up melodies, spin them out, construct a solo, etc. I do lots of
demonstrating and playing along with the students. It seems to be good
for them to hear it done.
Hope this helps.

Fred Jacobowitz

On Mon, 1 May 1995, Fred Cicetti wrote:

> If a student came to you and asked you to teach him/her how to improvise,
> what would be the first steps you would advise that student to take?
>
> Improvising successfully takes years of devotion to learning chords,
> progressions and a variety of scales. There are no shortcuts.
>
> The question I'm posing is where would you tell the student to start?
> What are the baby steps on the path to becoming a mature improvisor?
> Technical proficiency in your instrument is a given here.
>
> fred cicetti <cicetti@-----.com>
>