The publisher declares itself available to pay the amount due for the pictures whose source could not be acknowledged. The musical examples used in the text, if not the property of the author, were used acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 70 of the law 6, adopted on April !!nd "#$, as well as with the subse%uent legislative decree 6& of April !00, on citation right. Translated from 'talian by (rancesca )uran. A special thanks to *lio +iingrilli for his editing service. -raphic design copyright // *opyright A+ 1oglia d2Arte +roduction3 viale 4uropa "5 6$0!6 /oseto degli Abrui 1T43 'taly www.vogliadarteproduction.com infovogliadarteproduction.com tel. 8# $#!60# (irst published in 'taly in !0"! by A+ "00!4
Renzo Ruggieri
TEN APPROACHES TO (JAZZ) IMPROVISATION
Voglia d'Arte Production
CONTENTS PREFACE..............................................................................................................................9 1. LISTENING, TRANSCRIBING AND ANALYZING...................................................11 1.1 Introduction...............................................................................................................11 1.2 Ho to tr!n"cri#$ ! "o%o............................................................................................12 1.& Conc%u"ion"...............................................................................................................1' E($rci"$"..........................................................................................................................1) 2. AN IN*DEPTH E+AINATI-N -F PATTERNS........................................................1 2.1 Introduction...............................................................................................................1 2.2 $%od/ 0!tt$rn".........................................................................................................1 2.& R/t3 0!tt$rn".........................................................................................................19 E($rci"$"..........................................................................................................................21 &. 4SING PATTERNS IN 4SICAL C-P-SITI-NS..................................................2& &.1 Introduction...............................................................................................................2& &.2 A00%ic!tion................................................................................................................ 2) E($rci"$"..........................................................................................................................2 '. 4SING STR-NG N-TES T- IPR-5ISE -N EL-DIES......................................29 '.1 D$6$%o03$nt !nd cr$!tion.........................................................................................29 '.2 A "t$0*#/*"t$0 7uid$ to t$ "tron7 not$" 3$tod......................................................&8 '.& I30ro6i"!tion it "tron7 not$" ! "u77$"t$d 0roc$dur$...........................................&& '.' Conc%u"ion"...............................................................................................................&& E($rci"$"..........................................................................................................................&' ). IPR-5ISING :ITH THEATIC CELLS.................................................................&) ).1 Introduction...............................................................................................................&) ).2 A "t$0*#/*"t$0 7uid$ to t$ u"$ o; t$3!tic c$%%"......................................................&) ).& Conc%u"ion"...............................................................................................................& E($rci"$"..........................................................................................................................&9 <. PLAYING :ITH SCALES.............................................................................................'1 <.1 od!% 0roc$dur$........................................................................................................'1 <.2 An $(!30%$................................................................................................................'1 E($rci"$"..........................................................................................................................'& . PLAYING -5ER CH-RDS........................................................................................... ') .1 An $(!30%$................................................................................................................') .2 A "t$0*#/*"t$0 7uid$ to t$ !00%ic!tion o; ti" 3$tod.............................................' .& Ho to !ddr$"" ! 0i$c$..............................................................................................'9 E($rci"$"..........................................................................................................................)8 . PLAYING :ITH APPR-ACH N-TES.........................................................................)1 .1 Introduction...............................................................................................................)1 .2 A "t$0*#/*"t$0 7uid$ to t$ "tud/ o; ti" 3$tod......................................................)1 .& So3$ $(!30%$"..........................................................................................................)& E($rci"$"..........................................................................................................................)) 9. IPR-5ISING :ITH PHRASES..................................................................................) 9.1 Pr!"$".......................................................................................................................)
9.2 =u$"tion !nd !n"$r..................................................................................................) 9.& Conn$(ion"................................................................................................................) 9.' Sort ri;;"...................................................................................................................)9 E($rci"$"..........................................................................................................................<1 18. PENTAT-NIC IPR-5ISATI-N..............................................................................<& 18.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................<& 18.2 A "in7%$ 0$nt!tonic "c!%$ r$6o%6in7 !round ! ton!% c$ntr$......................................<& 18.& P$nt!tonic "c!%$ r$6o%6in7 !round ! ton!% c$ntr$ it di""on!nc$..........................<' 18.' Ho to u"$ 0$nt!tonic" ;or out"id$ 0%!/in7.............................................................<' 18.) Conc%u"ion".............................................................................................................<) E($rci"$"..........................................................................................................................<< Not$".....................................................................................................................................<9
PREFACE 9riginating from the need of outlining a practical method for improvisation 1not only intended for :a performers3, this book is designed for those who already master the basics. ;a classes most of the times primarily focus on theory as well as on its application, often neglecting or putting aside practice. )ut the theoretical framework can sometimes be perceived as overwhelming by students to such an extent that they may find it hard to get the ma:or eleme nt of improvisation, that is the creation of a personal language which must inclu de an appropriate assimilation.
uite the opposite. 't is, indeed, desirable for the student?teacher to make them personal 1for instance, by changing their order3 throu ghout their schooling. @o as to make that possible the pupil should already have a good knowledge of ma:or and minor cadences, most common :a scales, let alone theory, in other words the basics. 'n order to make the here outlined conc epts more effective it is, then, advisable for the reader to attentively focus on every single chapter and move to the next one only after each explained figure is well assimilated. As individual learning paths may highly differ from person to person, the teache r will have to adapt to their student2s needs. 't is nevertheless worth remembering that not perfection but a fair level is to be achieved. Boreover, at least four pieces for each figure should be considered a ballad, a medium, a fast and a peculiar rhythm selected by the student. This sort of textbook has become particularly prominent in my intermediate level courses, even though it does not re%uire students, who haven2t ac%uired a well defined style of their yet,s to to be perfectly understand :a harmony. @till, every single figure own re%uire studied on its own, even though it is then supposed to be used along with the others. “Neither everything is necessary, nor useless”. the Author
Cistening, Transcribing and Analying
1 LISTENING, TRANSCRIBING AND ANALYZING Cistening selecting a solo which has made a ma:or impact on the history of :a, listening to it and playing it getting into all its stylistic nuances. Transcribing putting what you hear onto music paper. Analying understanding the chosen artist2s grammar of composition. 1.1 INTRODUCTION Listening to the most famous jazz musicians' improvisations is by far the most important thing you can do to learn about jazz. For years in the past this was the only way to learn/teach and still nowadays it is essential for any pupil to do that. As a matter of fact, listening helps a musician recognize and understand intervals, chords and the rhythmic grid, as well as the form of the piece, whenever the soloist's real purposes are clear. his procedure supports any student in a conscious and e!haustive development of their personality while introducing elements to their memory which are essential for everyone who wants to perform professional and stylistically advanced solos. A good listener will then be able to pic" out the notes of the solo and identify the music genre it belongs to, as well as its form #intro, chorus, solos, etc.$ and harmonic structure. Listening and transcribing a solo can be a very difficult process, which re%uires a well&trained ear and a good "nowledge of harmony and theory. dentifying the already "nown elements is not enough. n addition, the incongruities which typically occur within the African 11
Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
American rhythm can ma"e the transcription even harder. (ut don't give up in the face of initial challenges) (esides, as a teacher, you can sometimes decide to ma"e the tas" easier either by choosing pieces that have already been transcribed and published or ignoring the transcription process altogether. Finally, for those aiming at a significant stylistic growth, it is crucial to perform the solo along with its recording paying close attention to all its stylistic inflections #licks, timing, grace notes, articulations, etc.$.
1.2 HOW TO TRANSCRIBE A SOLO *ere is a detailed e!planation of the step&by&step process you need to follow when learning a solo.
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Listen to the tune you have chosen over and over, trying to sing it along with the recording. his will help you identify the general mood of your solo, the performer's timing as well as ma"e you comfortable with its sound.
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Determine when the song was first recorded, its style and the musician's work. his will allow you to identify patterns you already "now in the tune you are going to transcribe. f you are listening to bebop solos, for instance, it will be easier to recognize their voicings and phrases.
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Figure out the harmony of your solo. his tip will be particularly helpful, since chordal notes, as well as chords and scales are the most widely used.tension ry to identify the complete for every single the performer seems chords to aim at.
4.
egin !y !reaking u" your solo into short "hrases and start singing the first one. #nce you have learnt it, re"eat it on your instrument. Do the same for each single "hrase until you can accurately "lay 12
Cistening, Transcribing and Analying
the entire solo. his is the most important as well as the hardest stage of the whole transcription process. +inging is crucial as it offers you clues to what the rhythmic scansion and the general melodic development are. Furthermore, playing the phrases on your instrument will offer you a chance to practice improvisation patterns as well as chec" if the notes you have figured out are correct.
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%se a music transcri"tion software to write down your solo, in order to check the accuracy of the work you have done so far. his is a necessary step to fi! the elements you have figured out by ear and help you memorize them, as writing down things is e%uivalent to reading them four times. Last but not least, it gives you the opportunity to build up a proper repertoire of the patterns you have come to "now since the beginning of your learning path.
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&ranscri!e your "iece "aying close attention to its articulations accents, tem"o, timing, ornaments, etc...(. his often neglected step is essential if you wish to achieve a deep understanding of a solo as well as of its author. f you do not focus on the stylistic elements, timing and phrase dynamics, in fact, you will never be able to truly benefit from your transcription efforts. +o, do not forget to write down all articulations when possible.
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*nalyse your solo. -very solo is the result of a controlled freedom, employed by the performer to e!press their own creativity as well as their personal art project. (y listening to a tune, you can learn a lot including something about the soloist's personality. (egin by determining the historical period of the transcription, 1&
Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
then move on to chords connections, reharmonizations when present, tonality changes, accompaniment arrangements, melodic patterns as well as the approach adopted by the musician. Finally, be sure not to forget the innovative elements introduced by the performer.
1.3 CONCLUSIONS he action of simply reading a se%uence of notes is a waste of time if you do not provide a comparison with the original recording, with all of its e!pressive, performing and stylistic nuances. henever you approach a transcription, try to choose solos performed by famous musicians. As a teacher, remember never to force your students to transcribe tunes which are too far above their s"ills. his subject must first of all be approached gradually. ou can start with short, easy solos and then move on to more comple! ones. 0laying already transcribed solos is a good e!ercise anyway. Finally, with those of your pupils who prove to be less responsive, consider the idea of implementing your regular classes with ear training e!ercises.
1'
Cistening, Transcribing and Analying
EERCISES 1. Transcribe a short solo 1at least one chorus3 from the Tradition 1Dew 9rleans, Eixieland, *hicago, @wing3. 2. Transcribe a short solo 1at least one chorus3 from the )op /evolution 1)ebop, *ool ;a, Fest *oast, Gard )op3. 3. Transcribe a short solo 1at least one chorus3 from the Avant-arde 1Bodal ;a, (ree ;a3. !. Transcribe a short solo 1at least one chorus3 from the *ontamination 1;a /ock, (usion, 4thnic ;a, Forld Busic3. ". Transcribe a solo you particularly like.
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An 'ndepth 4xamination of +atterns
2 AN IN#DEPTH EAMINATION OF PATTERNS A pattern is a melodic cell which can be easily adapted to the harmony and rhythm of a specific musical moment and is often repeated over and over in improvisations. 'n other words, it is a styleme containing all the basics of a music genre as well as an artist2s most relevant features. 2.1 INTRODUCTION 1any te!tboo"s contain lists of patterns resulting from the transcription of the most popular musicians' solos. ou can find them grouped together either according to their historical period or their distinctive characteristics. hese boo"s prove to be helpful tools if you aim at mastering every single "ey while improving your memory. hese are both necessary re%uirements if you wish to create your own sound within a specific music genre. he purpose of this chapter is to provide you with a critical guide to the use of patterns and it mainly focuses on the practical aspect of the issue. As a matter of fact2 as a student, you will be able to select yourself the patterns you prefer3 they must be short and convey a single, self& •
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sufficient easily adaptable idea.s"imp our tas" will be then and to analyse, pic" out and on the selected melodic cell3 this study is not not only conceived as the "ey transposition of a tune, but also as its arrangement according to many different conditions.
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Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
2.2 MELODY PATTERNS e are now going to discuss the concept of melody pattern. n order to do so, we will restrict our analysis to the case of a soloist's arrangement primarily focusing on notes while "eeping the selected phrase easily recognizable. *ere is a recommended approach for you to follow2 1.
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5. 6. 7.
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+elect a to pattern, which is either used by an or belongs a specific period in the history ofartist music. 1a"e sure it conveys a strong and easily adaptable idea. (e careful moreover to choose short and meaningful phrases. 0lay and memorize your se%uence paying close attention to its whole articulation as well as to the author's lic"s. ranspose your pattern into every "ey or, at le ast, into the most common ones. 0lay it moving diatonically firstly into C $%&', then into all the most widely used "eys. Arrange it according to the five basic types of chords #ma+or, minor, dominant, diminished and semidiminished$. ou can replace the notes as well as change the direction #ascending to descending$. *owever, be careful not to change the srcinal rhythm chart nor the basics of the performance.
Fig. A2 the pattern is clear ad well&defined.
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An 'ndepth 4xamination of +atterns •
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Fig. B 2 he se%uence shows how to diatonically transpose the pattern onto another "ey while "eeping its srcinal characters intact. he order of notes can be inverted # Fig. C $ and leaps can also be used #Fig. D$. Fig. E shows you how to push your options to the limit by radically replacing the notes of your pattern. 8n live performances small changes both to the rhythm and the number of notes fre%uently occur. he most important thing, however, is to "eep the nature of each phrase intact.
2.3 RHYTHM PATTERNS Another way to use patterns is to memorize their rhythm chart only. his is a very helpful tool especially if you aim at trying improvisation since it provides you with a ready rhythmic scansion. ou can also beat once again the same notes on the selected se%uence. hese same patterns could prove useful at different times, whenever you find it hard to approach a solo. *ere are some rhythm se%uences that can be filled with notes. ou can either use them as a whole or split them into single bars.
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Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
2.3 CONCLUSIONS +ince patterns are other performers9 statements, be careful. :emember they can be often used in songs made up of several chords #tonal and fast runs$, while they re%uire you to be more cautious with harmonies poor of chords #modal or ballads$. (e careful, though, not overdo with the use ofand se%uences. 8therwise, you mayto sound predictable gradually lose your creativity. As a caring teacher, be sure to increase or reduce practice in this field whenever needed.
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An 'ndepth 4xamination of +atterns
EERCISES . *hoose four short patterns from solos performed by famous :a musicians "3 TraditionH !3 )op /evolutionH 3 Avant-ardeH $3 ;a *ontamination. Transcribe and transpose all of them into every key. *. Apply the melodic figures you have learnt in this chapter 1A, ), *, E, 43 to the four transcribed patterns. )e sure to do that on the twelve ma:or scales 1'onian mode3. +. @ame as exercise 7 but on the twelve minor scales 1Eorian mode3. . @ame as exercise 7 but on the twelve dominant scales 1Bixolydian mode3. 1-. @ame as exercise 7 but on the twelve diminished scales 1T?@ mode3. 11. @ame as exercise 7 but on the twelve semidiminished scales 1Cocrian mode3. 12. *hoose a harmonic structure and improvise on it applying the melodic figures 1A and )3. 13. Ise the melodic figures you have learnt in this chapter 1*, E3 to improvise over a harmonic structure of your choice. 1!.
Ise melodic figures youofhave overthe a harmonic structure yourlearnt choice.in this chapter 14, (3 to improvise 15. Ise the melodic figures you have learnt in this chapter 1-, G3 to improvise over a harmonic structure of your choice.
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Ising +atterns in Busical *ompositions
3 USING PATTERNS IN MUSICAL COMPOSITIONS The application of a pattern to the harmon y 1all chords3 of a specific tune helps the soloist getting familiar with the pattern itself. 't will be then easier for them to use it over and over again without making mistakes. 3.1 INTRODUCTION e have already discussed the use of a pattern, that is to say how to memorize a cell, deal with its diatonic transposition #one "ey$ and chromatic transposition #all "eys$, as well as how to write down free notes on a rhythm chart. ou are now going to learn how to use a se%uence in rhythmic and harmonic conte!ts different from the srcinal one. he unrehearsed adaptation of a pattern may in fact cause problems when you are re%uired to use it in a conte!t whatsoever. *ere is a suggested method for mastering these techni%ues2 •
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select a to pattern andits play it paying attention all chords structure is madeclose up of. ;otice that the notes of the harmony must be adapted without regard to time3 repeat the same procedure for each of the patterns you wish to use, this time providing adaptation for the rhythm only3 2&
Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation •
start your improvisation trying to combine the harmonic and rhythm characteristics of your pattern with srcinal phrases.
*ere is an e!ample #an e!tract from the
2'
Ising +atterns in Busical *ompositions
3.2 APPLICATION
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Loo" carefully at the first stave containing 0ar"er's cell as well as its harmony. Figure B is similar to Figure A, but for the fact the attention is focused on bars no. 4 and no. 6 of the #harmonic$ turnaround. 2)
Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation •
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n Fi gure C the same procedure as above is applied to every single bar. ;otice that the last note of the progression was left out, since it was already present in the bar used to strengthen the whole turnaround. Figure D shows a rhythmic arrangement. he first %uaver are, in fact, unsyncopated3 chromatic notes #including passing notes$ are lengthened. he second half of the cell is polyrhythmic used #a 5/6 figure over a 6/6 metre$. Figure E shows a true improvisation with a pattern used all along the chorus of a blues in F. t begins with a faithful repetition of the pattern #bars no. = and 4$, which is in turn repeated even though 5/6 anticipated #bars no. 4 and 5$. he rhythmic scansion of the pattern remains intact all along bar no. 6, e!cept for the final part, where it ta"es the form of a descending phrase shaping itself around the harmony. n bar no. 7 the pattern is 4/6 postponed and it fits the chords as usual. n bar no. >, a brand new melodic cell can be found. n bars no. ?, @ and =, the pattern, arranged in melody and harmony, turns into progression. (ar no. == doubles the pattern opening while adapting it to the conte!t3 in bar no. =4, it finally draws to a close. Figure A is a first e!ample of *A:18;< arrangement onto a different structure #first four chords of a -hythm hanges$. t particularly focuses on bars no. = and no. 5. ;otes were arranged as re%uired by chordal degrees.
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Ising +atterns in Busical *ompositions
EERCISES 1. @elect a tune either from the /eal )ook or among those you have already learnt 1be sure chord changes do not occur too often3. Dow choose a pattern from the melody and use it on every single bar after the necessary harmony arrangements have been made. 1*. Fith the aid of either a metronome or a backing track, use a different pattern. )e careful the necessary rhythm arrangements re%uired by the structure are made before you use it. Also remembe r you do not need to practice on every single bar and you can begin from different points within the bar itself. 1+. *hoose a pattern and a slow tune 1ballad3. +lay it from the beginning to the end 1melody and solos3, tryin g to enhance its characteristics 1one repetition every four bars at least3. 1. *hoose a pattern and a medium tune 1swing3. +lay it from the beginning to the end 1melody and solos3, trying to enhance its characteristics 1one repetition every four bars at least3. 2-. *hoose a pattern and a fast tune 1fast swing or latin3. +lay it from the beginning to the end 1melody and solos3, trying to enhance its characteristics 1one repetition every four bars at least3.
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Ising @trong Dotes to 'mprovise on Belodies
! USING STRONG NOTES TO IMPROVISE ON MELODIES Ising strong notes to improvise on melodies means arranging the main theme according to guidetones !.1 DEVELOPMENT AND CREATION Lee Bonitz advised his students to "eep practicing the same melody for a long time #which means playing it slow ten times at least$ in order for them to achieve the greatest inspiration as possible, before focusing on chords. *e also suggested that they obtained sung recordings of the piece. he arrangement of a melody always involves both ela!oratio and inventio. he wor"out process produces a paraphrase of the main melodic line with a more or less definite change achieved by using ornaments #L. Armstrong, A. atum, :. -ldridge$. nvention gives birth to phrases only sharing the harmonic structure #for instance the one used by (ebop jazz performers$ with the main theme.
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f you wish to perform solos drawing inspiration from the melody, an interesting method is based on determining the most significant notes #i.e. strong notes$, where the major melodic pillars rest. n order to do so, assign a long duration to each one of your notes #for e!ample halfnotes or whole notes$ before writing them down. hen play them until you get 29
Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
them perfect. +tart now to improvise focusing on the notes. t will be impossible for you to lose sight of the melodic sense of your tune.
!.2 A STEP#BY#STEP GUIDE TO THE STRONG NOTES METHOD he word generally referswhich to theare significant notes of aCstrongC melody, i.e the notes mostly learnt. hese notes help you memorize the melodic flow while suggesting you proper creative clues. 8bviously, the research for significant notes can be accomplished by instinct, that is to say singing. he most important notes are those you choose should be. (ut, if you prefer a more practical approach, here is a less spontaneous though e%ually effective procedure. henever you need to figure out what the significant notes of a melody are, you must consider three essential elements2 a$ their length3 b$ the crucial position they occupy within the phrase or bar3 c$ the fact melodic accents affect the importance of certain notes compared to others. L-;D* A long note always plays a "ey role in a melody and the composer normally chooses to use it within the piece where no ris" of dissonances might occur.
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Ising @trong Dotes to 'mprovise on Belodies
According to this definition, the first # A/$, second #D/$ and last # E$ notes of this well "nown standard must then be strong notes, since they all are long and have a relevant #melodic$ value. 08+8; henever you have to choose a note, another "ey element you must consider is its crucial position #for e!ample first beat of the bar$ within the phrase #either at the beginning of a progression or wherever it enhances the harmonic flow$.
n this case emphasis can be put on G #bar no. 5$ and F #bar no. 7$. Eespite the fact they are both %uarter notes #hence not long$, they indeed fall within a melodic progression beginning from A/ #bar no. =$ and going through G #bar no. 5$, F #bar no. 7$ and E #bar no. >$. Finally, be careful not to &1
Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
undervalue the beat position of the notes, which draws a greater attention on the melody itself. 1-L8E< A<<-;+ As you can see on the above&mentioned melody, relevant melodic elements lay ne!t to ones in a less relevant position. ;onetheless they play a "ey role within the phrase and are therefore useful in order to achieve the desidered effect.
n bars no. 6 and you can find notes on the second movement # C and B$ which portray the cases we have just discussed. hen you listen to the melody, these notes stand out, even though they are not long or in a relevant position within the measure. he syncopation acts on them producing a melodic natural accent which "eeps them in the foreground. Dathering the notes shown in the previous e!amples, you will therefore obtain a melodic line similar to this one2
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Ising @trong Dotes to 'mprovise on Belodies
as you can see all three previously discussed cases have been considered and used in a single melody. Eespite that, the piece is still easily recognizable.
!.3 IMPROVISATION WITH STRONG NOTES0 A SUGGESTED PROCEDURE =. 4.
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0lay obtained melody written notesthe only$ over and over,asuntil you #strong get it perfect. ;ow wor" on the strong notes by adding embellishments #acciaccaturas, mordents, turns, trills, etc.$ as well as any element that can well define your style. se a passing note, #preferably$ diatonic or chromatic #half tone above or below$ to lin" your notes. f you choose a chromatic passing note, play it fast so as not to ma"e the intonation heavier. As above, but using 4 notes. As above, but using 5 notes. As a bove. h is t ime feel free to us e gr oups of short notes #= to 7$. ry to play freely, always "eeping an ey e on strong notes
!.! CONCLUSIONS ou can greatly benefit from using this method, which will moreover ma"e the memorization of the harmonic structure of a piece much easier. hose who find this subject particularly hard will appreciate it. 8n the other side, we must recognize it could potentially reduce creativity since it suffers from the restrictions imposed by strong notes, which are so heavily used in repetitive and unoriginal solos. n order to balance such a guided solo without losing sight of the harmonic structure, just rely on your good taste and common sense. &&
Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
EERCISES 21. +ick a piece of music and find out what its strong notes are. Dow improvise on it only by using ornaments such as acciaccaturas, mordents, turns, trills. 22. 9n the same piece as above, use " or ! passing notes to link the strong notes. 23. 9n the same piece as exercis e !", use groups of passing notes 1, $, 5, etc.3 to link the strong notes. 2!. +lay the piece freely always calling attention to the strong notes. 2".
Ise the strong method on the following a ballad, a medium, a fast, notes a peculiar rhythm 1latin, ethnic,pieces srcinal...3.
&'
'mprovising with Thematic *ells
" IMPROVISING WITH THEMATIC CELLS 'n order to change the main theme of a piece, you need to use and change the cells it is made up of. ".1 INTRODUCTION his interesting procedure & firstly advocated by +onny :ollins & consists in using the cells of the theme as a base for the whole solo. ou need indeed to pic" an easily recognizable melodic cell #one or more up an to adaptation three$ andtoconstantly varystructure. it also providing the harmonic his is a highly effective approach as well as a good alternative to the ones discussed so far. Finally, note that during the solo the attention is not called to the whole theme, but to one or more small parts of it.
".2 A STEP#BY#STEP GUIDE TO THE USE OF THEMATIC CELLS he first thing you need to do is pic"ing a melodic passage. his must be self&sufficient and easily reco& gnizable, while retaining a clear connection with the srcinal theme. *ere are the ways you can use the selected melodic passages2 trans"osed re"etition/ the phrase is repeated e!actly the same as the original but on a different pitch #for e!ample, to achieve out effects$3 •
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Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation •
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harmonic re"etition/ the phrase is repeated literally, but built on different chords3 diatonic re"etition/ same phrases starting on different degrees of the same scale3 melodic re"etition/ same notes, different rhythm3 rhythmic re"etition/ different notes, same rhythm3 "olyrhythmic re"etition/ a se%uence of arranged cells producing a different time, but synchronized on the basic time3 retrograde re"etitions mirror reflections(/ same notes, but the motives are turned bac"wards3 re"etitions in different registers/ same phrase but played in different octaves3 inversion and contrary motion/ phrases are turned upside&down. he same effect can also be achieved by alternating rising and falling intervals3 diminution/ same phrase but the durational value of each note is divided by the same amount3 augmentation/ same phrase but the durational value of each note is multiplied by a variable3 re"etition with additional notes/ phrase similar to the srcinal but additional notes are used, the phrase must be easily recognizable3 diminution/ phrase similar to the original but some notes are delated. he phrase is still easily recognizable.
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'mprovising with Thematic *ells
18E-L+ F8: 18G< E-G-L801-;
-ach one of these techni%ues can be used whenever you wish melodic cells to guide your improvisation. f you find it hard to start playing a solo, begin by selecting a phrase as it is written. hen simply repeat it starting at a different degree #5rd, 7th, etc$ or at a different point in the measure and finally use one of the suggested transformations. +ometimes the repetition of a melodic cell in a rising or falling progression #diatonic or chromatic$ proves to be very effective. *owever, the best solution will be the one you choose yourself. he (A+< E-A is a techni%ue based on the repetition and development of a melody throughout the solo. Eespite the fact the material &
Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
doesn't belong to the melody, it nevertheless falls into the field we have just discussed since its development is very similar to the one of the other techni%ues.
".3 CONCLUSIONS +ince the material is suggested by the theme itself, improvising upon elements which belong to the original melody may have important effects2 an enhanced respect for the composer #cherished both by the public and the critics$, a firmer grasp of the soloist's purposes #the listener may have several points of reference$, as well as motivated and style& appropriate ideas.
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'mprovising with Thematic *ells
EERCISES 2. @elect a piece you know well enough from your repertoire 1or from the real book3. Dow start performing E'AT9D'*, *G/9BAT'* and GA/B9D'* transformations upon it. 2*. @ame as exercise !6, but using /GJTGB'*, +9CJ/GJTGB'*, E'B'DIT'9D and AI-B4DTAT'9D. 2+. @ame as exercise !6, but using B4C9E'* /4T/9-/AE4, *9DT/A/J or ACT4/DAT'D- B9T'9D and the *GAD-4 9( /4-'@T4/. 2. @ame as exercise !6, but using E4CAT'9D and 9/DAB4DTAT'9D. 3-.
@ame as exercise !6, but using all the aforementioned techni%ues.
&9
+laying with @cales
PLAYING WITH SCALES This figure of improvis ation applies a specific scale to every single chord the harmonic structure is made up of. .1 MODAL PROCEDURE As far as it concerns the modal procedure, it is less important for you to figure out the connections of the harmonic structure, than the nature of every single chord as the scale will be used on them. t is therefore necessary for you to perfectly master the scales as well as the chord progression, since this procedure aims at performing each chord in a different mode. 0laying on scales proves to be much more effective within coherent harmonic conte!ts, characterized by broader se%uences of atmospheres, while it is impossible when there are plenty of chords performed at a fast time.
.2 AN EAMPLE *ere is how scales applied to the harmonic structure of 0o hat by 1iles Eavis loo" li"e. his modal tune is only made up of two chords in an AA(A structure.
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Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
;ow, let's ta"e a loo" at the e!ample here below. his phrase uses improvisation with scales switching from one chord to the other simply by changing the mode while "eeping the schema of the scale intact.
t's remar"able how in the aforementioned e!ample chord variations are always shown by chordal notes #E/ in bar no. 4, =st degree of E/$3 F in bar no. 5, 4nd degree of D$$. his is crucial whenever you wish to avoid strong dissonance, which would occur for sure if you lingered on the scale passing notes, instead. A borderline case is represented by the closing note # B, th degree in D$$ which produces very basic strong chord. sound as this degree doesn't belong toa the *owever, since the average listener is already familiar with the th degree, this could come as much of a surprise. n all these cases you will need to adjust the basic voicing as well #D$$.
'2
+laying with @cales
EERCISES 31. Analyse the following harmonic chart. Dow identify all scales and root position voicings.
@9 FGAT 1Biles Eavis3 harmonic structure AA)A A
Em# K L K L
KL
KL
KL
KL
KL
K
A
Em# K L K L
KL
KL
KL
KL
KL
K
B
4bm# K L K L
KL
KL
KL
KL
KL
K
A
Em# K L K L
KL
KL
KL
KL
KL
KK
32. Dow improvise on the same piece as exercise " only using the notes
scales are made up of eighth notes 1dupl ets3, triplets and sixteenth notes 1%uadruplets3. 33. (reely improvise on the piece any figure can be used, but linear se%uences must be predominant.
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+laying over *hords
* PLAYING OVER CHORDS +laying over chords means improvising mainly using the notes these are made up of. )y doin g so, you will choos e a tonal rat her than a modal procedure. *.1 AN EAMPLE f playing with scales tends to eliminate harmonic connections #modal procedure$, playing over chords re%uires you to understand functions and lin"s of chords according to their tonic. his techni%ue is the one traditional jazz performers #(op$ seem to li"e best. hey, indeed, use passing chromatic notes to lin" chordal degrees. 0laying over chords means playing arpeggios melodically and freely over chords in their position #voicings$. hat allo ws you to ma"e interesting sounds, especially on tensions #@th, ==th, =5th$. 1oreover it minimizes the possibility of mista"es. A chord improviser will create a sound which is mainly tonal. +entences will therefore begin and end with scale fragments, conveying a distinct lyricism, even though mainly obtained by arpeggios. ;ow loo" carefully at the e!ample shown below2
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Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
cer"t from harlie arker5s solo in *% -67*7 7-7 8919( n bar no. =, the phrase has a melodic opening #on the >th and @th degree of the G$$. t then goes on with an arpeggio over the basic voicing finally ending on the G note #in C*$. n bar no. 4 #the 7th degree used as a passing note is altered and becomes 7H, even though it is transcribed with a bth$ the interesting melodic cells still use chordal notes. he melodic ending with a major second on the th degree is remar"able. n order for this procedure to be successful and ma"e the phrases more significant, you need to embellish your arpeggios by adding short, melodic lin"age elements. 0laying arpeggios only over voicings would produce a static, dull effect. henever you choose a polyphonic instrument, you can also use other ornaments, such as groups of chords #always to be added to the voicings$ so as to ma"e your piece more pleasing. hen practicing, this method is often applied along with others already discussed in the previous chapters. (y interacting with the soloist9s own style, they will be helpful to create always new professional solos. n addition, listening to pieces performed by jazz musicians of the 7s, such as annon!all *dderley, lifford rown, :ohn oltrane, ;iles Davis, -ed
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+laying over *hords
*.2 A STEP#BY#STEP GUIDE TO THE APPLICATION OF THIS METHOD After having harmonically analyzed your piece, wor" on getting yourself ac%uainted with voicings. nstead of considering one chord at a time, build your phrases by lin"ing the progressions one with the others paying close attention to the major as well as the minor cadences. (y stressing the 5rd and >th, which are essential degrees, you will also highlight the harmonic movements. o put emphasis on tensions means to enhance the harmonic richness of the piece as a whole. =$ in order for you to master this techni%ue, the first step consists in gaining a perfect control of the above&mentioned degrees. +tart by memorizing the following e!ercise2
4$ now change it as shown below2
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Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
==&he eercise continues in all keys you can re"lace the !ichord on the left with a dominant chord(. 5$ he following e!ercise, based on the voicings #dominant$ of the =5th degree, is meant to be done in all measures, as shown by the model in bars no. = and 4. hen you feel confident enough, try to improvise only by using the notes of the voicings you have just learnt. ou can replace the left hand bichord with a dominant chord.
6$ he most significant progressions in tonal music are the 1AI8: and 1;8: cadences. se the aforementioned models on the shown below chart. hen transpose your piece into all "eys.
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+laying over *hords
D $* G* C&*
D$A$ GM E$ C$ G$
D$*(/") G*%56 C$*
F$F4 G* E/M C$ G$
*.3 HOW TO ADDRESS A PIECE Analyze carefully the harmonic structure of your piece and learn all its voicings. 0lay arpeggios up and down through your piece #don9t forget inverted chords$. n order to do so, use a free rhythmic figure made up of groups of four ascending or descending notes each. +tart to improvise freely using only the notes voicings are made up of. mprovise freely over chords, using chromatic/diatonic passing notes to lin" the •
•
•
•
voicings one to the others.
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Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
EERCISES 3!. *hoose a piece of music. 9nce you have identifie d all voicings, play their notes both simultan eously 1harmonic position3 and in se%uence 1melodic position3. EonMt forget to do the same with inverted voicings. 3". +lay the voicings you have found starting each time at a different position, as shown below 1start for instance at Cmaj and use it throughout the harmonic structure of the piece3.
3.
@tart to improvise over the same piece by using only the notes voicings are made up of. 3*. Eo the same as exercise 6, linking the notes voicings are made up of using chromatic?diatonic scale fragments.
)8
+laying with Approach Dotes
+ PLAYING WITH APPROACH NOTES +laying with approach notes means using chromatic or diatonic passing notes to approach the main notes 1i.e. strong notes3 of a melody +.1 INTRODUCTION his system arose spontaneously among jazz performers and reached its clima! during the (ebop era, when musicians used chromatic notes to obtain their harmonic degrees # chromatic a""roach$. his procedure leaves aside modal scales while enhancing chordal notes, which are approached by using short se%uences of notes #a semitone above or below$ that are generally chromatic.
+.2 A STEP#BY#STEP GUIDE TO THE STUDY OF THIS METHOD he first thing you need to do is figure out what the main notes # strong notes$ of your chords or melody are. For the sa"e of simplicity, the 5rd and the >th degrees of a series of chords descending by fifths are used in the here below e!amples.
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Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
A very common ascending chromatic approach as well as a rarely used descending chromatic approach are shown below2
he e!ample below illustrates a seldom used ascending diatonic approach as well as a very common descending diatonic approach2
he combination of different methods privileges the ascending chromatic as well as the descending diatonic2
)2
+laying with Approach Dotes
he diatonic approach, which is more tonal than the chromatic one, re%uires a real "nowledge of the chord scale you need to use. n static situations it normally wor"s better than chromaticisms. ou can also choose more comple! approaches all resolving to the < note, as shown below in the e!ample. hatever techni%ue you prefer, anyway, it will help you achieve a well recognizable sound of your own.
+.3 SOME EAMPLES =. his is from the theme #rnithology by im #Gerve ?7$, always by
Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
%uarter note beats of the measure following a polyrhytmic criterion. 5. his is an e!ample ta"en from the piece rime Lacrime #Bappadue, :A=, =@>?$ by Dorni Bramer. Loo" carefully at the third beat of the measure. ou can find an approach to the b7J of the B/8 chord #i.e. E$ wi th F #descending diatonic approach$ and D #ascending chromatic approach$.
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+laying with Approach Dotes
EERCISES 3+. Transpose the here below chart into all keys 1use approach notes over chordal notes3 for all BA;9/ chords.
3. Transpose the chart shown in 4xercise & into all keys for B'D9/ chords 1C, Eb, G, Bb3. !-. Transpose the chart shown in 4xercise & into all keys for E9B'DADT chords 1C, E, G, Bb3. !1. Transpose the chart shown in 4xercise & into all keys for E'B'D'@G4E chords 1C, Eb, Gb, A3. !2. Transpose the chart shown in 4xercise & into all keys for @4B' E'B'D'@G4E chords 1C, Eb, Gb, A3. ))
Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
!3. +lay a piece of music trying the following methods to approach strong notes chromatic 1ascending3H diatonic 1descending3H both of the previously mentioned approaches 1asc.?desc.3H chromatic with several notes 1ascending?descending3H diatonic with several notes 1ascending?descending3. !!. 'mprovise on the same piece as 4xercise $ 1or another if you prefer3 using the approaches discussed so far.
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'mprovising with +hrases
IMPROVISING WITH PHRASES This procedure, drawn from the oral tradition 1%uestion and answer3, pays a special attention to voice tones and underlying inner intentions. .1 PHRASES A %uestion is a spo"en sentence whose last syllable is characterized by the pitch of the voice getting higher. An answer, on the other hand, is mar"ed by a falling pitch on the end. f we applied this principle to improvisation, we could state the following2 each musical improvised phrase should be connected to the preceding one # answer$ as well as provide an incipit for the ne!t one #?uestion$. +o as to better analyze this techni%ue, we will use the word Kphrase only referring to a se%uence of notes which has a musical meaning of its own and is delimited by two significant empty spaces, mar"ing each one a pause. n order for this method to be efficient, you must, then, isolate a phrase and ta"e the following steps2 =. listen to the phrase3 4. ta"e away a single small cell from the final part of the phrase3 5. use the cell to create a new lic" evo"ing a completely new meaning3 )
Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
6.
go bac" to the first step after a proper pause.
his procedure allows the solo to constantly evolve and strengthen itself in its entirety by establishing a strong lin" between the elements it is made up of. (y doing so, it will be easier for you to develop new ideas while providing the listener with a concrete and interesting interpretation. 0laying with phrases gives rise to three different procedures each one having its own peculiar nuances.
.2 9UESTION AND ANSWER he most natural procedure consists of2 A ?uestion sentence #whose final part implies a follow&up$ followed by2 an answer #whose conclusion relieves the •
•
tension created by the %uestion$. Muestion and answer have very similar features and need to be distinguished so as to be clearly understood. Loo" carefully at the e!ample shown below2 to every rising sentence there corresponds a similar falling sentence.
.3 CONNEIONS A typical evolution of improvisations based on the %uestion/answer method consists of using the final part of a phrase as a brand new melodic cell. t is )
'mprovising with +hrases
therefore crucial to use part of the preceding phrase as a starting point for the new lic". he e!ample below #similar to the one shown above$ closes with a small series of notes #bar no. 4$. hese are then used at the beginning of the new phrase #bar no. 6$. Another appendi! #bar 7 and $ will provide the means for the new creation.
.! SHORT RIFFS his procedure is different from the concept of melodic evolution, but it nonetheless deals with phrases to improvise. :iffing means repeating a particularly forceful phrase over and over #
• • •
•
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Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
•
•
•
•
•
Figure B2 the motive shown in Fig. A is melodically changed ma"ing the phrase longer. Figure C2 the motive shown in Fig. A is rhythmically changed. Figure D2 the cell at the beginning is treated polyrhythmically. he phrase shown in Fig. A here lasts 7/6 and is repeated starting at different points within the bar #on the 4nd beat, on the 5rd beat and so on$. Figure E2 the motive of Fig. A is sh own in a different pitch. Figure A2 the motive is repeated every two bars.
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'mprovising with +hrases
EERCISES !". @elect a phrase from a famous piece of music and improvise on it by using the >I4@T'9DNAD@F4/ method. !. Ise the same phrase and improv ise on it by using the *9DD4O'9D method. !*. Ise the beginning of the same phrase to create riffs to be treated melodically. !+. Ise the beginning of the same phrase to create riffs to be treated rhythmically. !. Ise the beginning of the same phrase to create riffs to be treated
polyrhythmically. "-. Ise the beginning of the same phrase to create riffs to be treated harmonically. "1. @elect a motive and use all the discussed techni%ues to improvise on it.
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+entatonic 'mprovisation
1PENTATONIC IMPROVISATION +entatonic scales 1i.e. musical scales with five degrees which do not contain semitones3 are very popular in modern music?:a for the lack of dissonant notes and linearity. 1-.1 INTRODUCTION here has been much written about pentatonic scales. *ere are some e!amples just to show you how to use natural progressions #major, minor$, which can be easily adapted to any other pentatonic scale.
1-.2 A SINGLE PENTATONIC SCALE REVOLVING AROUND A TONAL CENTRE A pentatonic scale will perfectly wor" over any chord diatonically generated by a tonality. he 1AI8: pentatonic contains the same notes as the 1;8:, which however starts at different degrees. C M%&' +entatonic A M:;' +entatonic
C, D, E, G, A A, C, D, E, G
Loo" carefully at the harmonic progression below2
|C
<&
< <<
Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
;ote that it contains all the chords generated by the C $%&' and its relative minor # A$$. Eissonances are present in the E* chord # G instead of the pentatonic natural G$, but they are perfectly acceptable since they fre%uently occur in blues. 1oreover the e!clusive use of the C $%&' pentatonic while improvising, will ma"e the employ of chords easier. our ears will suggest you what the degrees that really count are. he outside effects produced by this solution never sound too strong.
1-.3 PENTATONIC SCALE REVOLVING AROUND A TONAL CENTRE WITH DISSONANCE f you wish to ma"e the dissonance more stri"ing, you can use the major pentatonic built on the 7th degree of a "ey #for instance, in the "ey of C$%& you can use the G$%& pentatonic$. hat does not have difficult degrees to deal with, e!cept for the >th major # B in C$%&$, which creates a rather sophisticated and modern tension. *owever, since this degree does not wor" well with all chords of the tonic "ey, be careful when using it.
G entatonic @ G, A, B, D, E in Cmaj( it does not work well over Dm, Fmaj( 1-.! HOW TO USE PENTATONICS FOR OUTSIDE PLAYING 1odern improvisers often weave in and out of a "ey in order to create short off&"ey lines, which they usually bring bac" into the chordal degrees shortly after. 0entatonic scales are especially useful when it comes to side&stepping. he e!ample below shows you how from a major pentatonic # C$ you can easily shift up to the same scale a semitone above #C$.
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+entatonic 'mprovisation
he same e!ample would also wor" with a pentatonic a semitone below.
1-." CONCLUSIONS he use of pentatonic scales should not be undervalued, since the lac" of linearity may cause fingering problems difficult to tac"le. his is anyway a very good method and the final result is generally much more convincing than the %uality of the phrase itself #contrary to what happens when using scales to improvise$. ts adaptability to several music genres has for sure contributed to its success. .
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Ten Approaaches to 1;a3 'mprovisation
EERCISES "2. Ise the shown below charts 1 C pentatonicP C, D, E, G, A 3 on the BA;9/ pentatonics in all keys
...similar
...similar
...similar
...similar
...similar
...similar
...similar
...similar
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+entatonic 'mprovisation
"3. Ise the same charts as exercise 5! on the B'D9/ pentatonics 1 C pentatonicP C, Eb, F, G, Bb3 in all keys. "!. Ise the same charts as exercise 5! on the E9B'DADT pentatonics 1 C pentatonicP C, D, E, G, Bb3 in all keys. "". Ise the same charts as exercise 5! on the )CI4@ scales 1 C pentatonicP C, Eb, F, F#, G, Bb3 in all keys.
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NOTES
