 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Fred
Date: 2002-12-30 14:06
After many years of playing - getting by fairly decently - I need to commit to some disciplined studies to get where I want to be. I really want to be able to improvise, and my music theory, scales, arpeggios, etc. just aren't up to the task.
I envy the dixieland players, the jazz artists, and all who go beyond covering the written part. I would welcome any helpful hints beyond the necessary scales and arpeggios. This will probably be a self-guided tour, though I play weekly with some pros that I can consult with. I will want to carry this through to alto and tenor sax as well.
I wish this need could be met by buying a new clarinet . . .
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Author: Anonymous
Date: 2002-12-30 16:10
Buy: JB Albert Scales, Hand in Hand with Hanon, and Klose.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2002-12-30 16:28
One can buy records of the great jazz players and play along with them as best possible by ear, over and over. Abersold records are good to play with but a little too "hip" for the beginning improvisor. One can play along with the radio as best possible. Exercises on the scale tone sevenths are valuable as well as the Charlie Parker "Omnibook". Good luck!
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Author: zadu
Date: 2002-12-30 16:42
Buying a new clarinet sounds like a good plan to me Fred. Send me your old one...don't forget the saxes too:~]
I'm in much the same boat, here's what has been working for me:
I have really concentrated on memorization of tunes to help me keep an interesting line going over the changes. It seems that if I really know the qualities of the chords and can stay in time, then things go pretty well. If I "forget" how the song goes, or lose the groove(you gotta keep good time sense) ... look out it won't be pretty! The more melodic material that is available to my memory the easier it seems to play freely. I like to try to steal licks from my guitar player buddy too. I like listen to recordings and play them over and over again to learn songs, and play along with them so I'm sure that I got it right as far as the little things that get done to notes,phrases,rhythms etc.
I'm working on arpeggios and scales in thirds and fourths now and it is'nt very easy but my technique is improving, and this has let me access some interesting stuff by "stretching" away from the chord (into upper extensions). I think that these exercises are helping my sightreading, bigger groups of notes are seeming to be easier to scan over. I took two lessons last year and still haven't ironed out the faults that were exposed,... guess I better arrange for them more often.
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Author: Benni
Date: 2002-12-31 00:27
I've looked at several improvisation method books, and none of them really start from the ground up . . . They all seem to depend on the player already having some improvistaional skills. I have just ordered the Essential Elements Jazz book geared towards 8th graders and I'll be glad to give a review of it once it comes in! :-) I figure if there's a book that can teach an 8th grader to improvise, it might give me the stepping stone I need to use those other books I have lying around!
"1001 Jazz Licks" might be worth a look, however . . . It won't teach you to improvise, but it'll give you lots of little phrases to play in the jazz idiom, and you can play them at any tempo, transpose them, etc. It's probably a good step towards improvisation. Also, try transcribing some of your favorite solos for yourself, then look at what the soloist is really doing with all those notes. I've found that this helps me see some of the common patterns certain musicians use.
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2002-12-31 01:12
You can't learn jazz from a book! Start by memorising standard tunes in a couple of different keys. Practise embellishment or in other words jazz the tunes up. Work on blues scales and structure and listen like crazy. Extended dominants 9, 11 and 13th's as well as diminished 7th's and half diminished help increase the vocabulary. Embellishing melodies and developing your ear to a wider harmonic vocabulary are essential. The blues, whether rock and roll, rhythm and blues, bluegrass or whatever to get you in touch with the roots.
Listen like you have never listened before.
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