Comments on: Planning, Structuring and Writing out your Jazz Guitar Solos http://www.learnjazzguitar.com/2010/01/27/planning-structuring-and-writing-out-your-jazz-guitar-solos/ Take Your Jazz Guitar Playing to the Next Level! Tue, 25 May 2010 20:22:31 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Gerald http://www.learnjazzguitar.com/2010/01/27/planning-structuring-and-writing-out-your-jazz-guitar-solos/comment-page-1/#comment-5511 Gerald Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:53:11 +0000 http://www.learnjazzguitar.com/2010/01/27/planning-structuring-and-writing-out-your-jazz-guitar-solos/#comment-5511 Thanks for the info: i too love the smooth playing of guitarist Calvin Keys. I have been playing for over 30 years and it's still good to get over there to learn a few things. You can play for 100 years and still learn a lick or two. Just learn of your web and want to see and hear it all.... Thanks for the info: i too love the smooth playing of guitarist Calvin Keys. I have been playing for over 30 years and it’s still good to get over there to learn a few things. You can play for 100 years and still learn a lick or two. Just learn of your web and want to see and hear it all….

]]> By: ollie http://www.learnjazzguitar.com/2010/01/27/planning-structuring-and-writing-out-your-jazz-guitar-solos/comment-page-1/#comment-5368 ollie Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:48:08 +0000 http://www.learnjazzguitar.com/2010/01/27/planning-structuring-and-writing-out-your-jazz-guitar-solos/#comment-5368 Great post.I saw a youtube video once on creating lines.The pros do have their own licks already prepared and thats how all the great players tend to rattle of licks without thinking-its been rehearsed before.To improvise impromptu we need to have the vocabulary-the speech example analogy is clear cut.Just as with speaking-we learn a word a day and slowly learn a sentence or phrase.When we have enough vocabulary that same sentence can be rephrased out with different words but with same meaning-that's improvisation Great post.I saw a youtube video once on creating lines.The pros do have their own licks already prepared and thats how all the great players tend to rattle of licks without thinking-its been rehearsed before.To improvise impromptu we need to have the vocabulary-the speech example analogy is clear cut.Just as with speaking-we learn a word a day and slowly learn a sentence or phrase.When we have enough vocabulary that same sentence can be rephrased out with different words but with same meaning-that’s improvisation

]]> By: jgman http://www.learnjazzguitar.com/2010/01/27/planning-structuring-and-writing-out-your-jazz-guitar-solos/comment-page-1/#comment-5367 jgman Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:00:38 +0000 http://www.learnjazzguitar.com/2010/01/27/planning-structuring-and-writing-out-your-jazz-guitar-solos/#comment-5367 You can tell most of the greats have done this when you listen to multiple takes on recordings. Their solos on these takes have similarities that obviously come from using such an approach. For anyone who thinks this approach is too rigid, you can try just planning out every other measure, or the first two measures of four bar phrase sections, playing freely in the unplanned measure(s), as a call and response type variation. Using this modified approach will assure you that you are still working on developing your creativity, without forsaking vocabulary and coherence. You can tell most of the greats have done this when you listen to multiple takes on recordings. Their solos on these takes have similarities that obviously come from using such an approach.

For anyone who thinks this approach is too rigid, you can try just planning out every other measure, or the first two measures of four bar phrase sections, playing freely in the unplanned measure(s), as a call and response type variation.

Using this modified approach will assure you that you are still working on developing your creativity, without forsaking vocabulary and coherence.

]]> By: Brad http://www.learnjazzguitar.com/2010/01/27/planning-structuring-and-writing-out-your-jazz-guitar-solos/comment-page-1/#comment-5344 Brad Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:09:55 +0000 http://www.learnjazzguitar.com/2010/01/27/planning-structuring-and-writing-out-your-jazz-guitar-solos/#comment-5344 I write out solos over tunes everyday as part of my practice routine away from my instrument using specific concepts that I'm working on. For example, I'm currently practicing Coltrane Cells and patterns over many of his tunes. I write out solos using the patterns to tunes like "Giant Steps" and practice what I've played until i can practice it to the Aebersold Tracks (225 bpm and 308bpm). Now I don't know why, but my written solos usually sound very mechanical,but when I go to actually improvise I seem to have a better command of the material. Now I never ever perform or memorize my solos and use them in a live performance, but simply as an improv etude. My former improv teacher, Charlie Banacos used to suggest doing this and even said that it was the best thing a student of improvisation could do and actually speeds up everything. Improvisation is basically spontaneous composition. When you write out solos, you just slow down the whole improv experience and put more thought into it. I recommend doing this for everyone. I've even wrote solos out on a tune in all 12 keys and learned it, but remember that it's just a practice procedure, and not a performance procedure (at least in the jazz sense) I write out solos over tunes everyday as part of my practice routine away from my instrument using specific concepts that I’m working on. For example, I’m currently practicing Coltrane Cells and patterns over many of his tunes. I write out solos using the patterns to tunes like “Giant Steps” and practice what I’ve played until i can practice it to the Aebersold Tracks (225 bpm and 308bpm). Now I don’t know why, but my written solos usually sound very mechanical,but when I go to actually improvise I seem to have a better command of the material. Now I never ever perform or memorize my solos and use them in a live performance, but simply as an improv etude. My former improv teacher, Charlie Banacos used to suggest doing this and even said that it was the best thing a student of improvisation could do and actually speeds up everything. Improvisation is basically spontaneous composition. When you write out solos, you just slow down the whole improv experience and put more thought into it. I recommend doing this for everyone. I’ve even wrote solos out on a tune in all 12 keys and learned it, but remember that it’s just a practice procedure, and not a performance procedure (at least in the jazz sense)

]]> By: gwizdek http://www.learnjazzguitar.com/2010/01/27/planning-structuring-and-writing-out-your-jazz-guitar-solos/comment-page-1/#comment-5319 gwizdek Sun, 31 Jan 2010 14:05:22 +0000 http://www.learnjazzguitar.com/2010/01/27/planning-structuring-and-writing-out-your-jazz-guitar-solos/#comment-5319 it's all ok. but... improvisation its not a lick or shapes..and i disagree -"Remember, improvisation is only the creative and impromptu reorganization what you already know". i think its true but not exacly.. in real improvisation you HAVE TO play somethimes ideas what you dont understand-this make your improvisation really yours:) like said miles. in jzzz mainstream maybe its improvisation but i dont think its only one good point to think off improv.- when you play someething that you really know its only one level- you play some good notes to chords, you can choose what notes triad , from scales, but its to small head.. its only making a "new melody" to some song. IF you dont try to hear and play together with people who play in background then its not jaz for me..its 4 people in quartet who play what they see on the paper and only change a little thing.you have to play in deeper level. in this improvisation of your think the best choise i think its sing some melody to track and try to play this in guitar. i tried play scales triad and other thing. now i only try to play from my head some ideas. that really helps me. lisening chords and try to play what im hear. but its 1 level improvisation. not big deal!!!!!!! too many words and book with lessons:) deep improvisation starts over this. i mean like abercrombie, or bach chopin in the past . that guys was really true improvisation. in the same time chords melody and more, a TRUE CREATION PROCESS!!!you have to imagine sound hear in your head and then try to explore this and play on your instrument..YOUR IDEAS YOUR!! not a other player. in USA you have many, too many good players, but they dont have this thing like coltrane davis monk had..only great copies. so I can only say the same thing like John Scofield said in book "on improvisation" "SCALES NOT EVERYTHING" your plan its super but its only first level. but you have to right. we have to plan ours lessons and try to build solos but only on room..but not to be one more copy of benson...i try explore to my language and expresion, and build my songs. on the stage important its fogeret everything and play what you hear inside, in this moment an build your ideas in big interaction with other players your life your choise:) if thin a real inspiration for me was Theo Jörgensmann and his teory of improvisation. i dont read his book but some article in Polish webside. i play some other stuff. not free jazz:) but his voise really helps me and for myself i think jazz improvisation its not big deal. you only have to hear the background and react for this. when you really hear chords and other stuff you have create all. django or montgomery propably dont know nothing about scales and jazz strukture, but really have big ears and the talent. books are for dummies:) tabs....... now i try ear tryining courses and this really help me to play jazz. keep swinging Gwizdek from Poland it’s all ok. but… improvisation its not a lick or shapes..and i disagree -”Remember, improvisation is only the creative and impromptu reorganization what you already know”. i think its true but not exacly.. in real improvisation you HAVE TO play somethimes ideas what you dont understand-this make your improvisation really yours:) like said miles. in jzzz mainstream maybe its improvisation but i dont think its only one good point to think off improv.- when you play someething that you really know its only one level- you play some good notes to chords, you can choose what notes triad , from scales, but its to small head.. its only making a “new melody” to some song. IF you dont try to hear and play together with people who play in background then its not jaz for me..its 4 people in quartet who play what they see on the paper and only change a little thing.you have to play in deeper level. in this improvisation of your think the best choise i think its sing some melody to track and try to play this in guitar. i tried play scales triad and other thing. now i only try to play from my head some ideas. that really helps me. lisening chords and try to play what im hear. but its 1 level improvisation. not big deal!!!!!!! too many words and book with lessons:) deep improvisation starts over this. i mean like abercrombie, or bach chopin in the past . that guys was really true improvisation. in the same time chords melody and more, a TRUE CREATION PROCESS!!!you have to imagine sound hear in your head and then try to explore this and play on your instrument..YOUR IDEAS YOUR!! not a other player. in USA you have many, too many good players, but they dont have this thing like coltrane davis monk had..only great copies. so I can only say the same thing like John Scofield said in book “on improvisation” “SCALES NOT EVERYTHING” your plan its super but its only first level. but you have to right. we have to plan ours lessons and try to build solos but only on room..but not to be one more copy of benson…i try explore to my language and expresion, and build my songs. on the stage important its fogeret everything and play what you hear inside, in this moment an build your ideas in big interaction with other players your life your choise:) if thin a real inspiration for me was Theo Jörgensmann and his teory of improvisation. i dont read his book but some article in Polish webside. i play some other stuff. not free jazz:) but his voise really helps me and for myself i think jazz improvisation its not big deal. you only have to hear the background and react for this. when you really hear chords and other stuff you have create all. django or montgomery propably dont know nothing about scales and jazz strukture, but really have big ears and the talent. books are for dummies:) tabs……. now i try ear tryining courses and this really help me to play jazz.
keep swinging
Gwizdek from Poland

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