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personally, i'm terrified of it, simply because i'm so used to playing only with black-dots, i can't really play without them unless i have a song memorized, but i would love to learn, post how you learned it here (please don't say it's just instinct, that doesn't help)

sounds a bit hypocrit to learn improv really xp xp

yeahhh...
a bit ironic to "learn" improv? yes no?

I went to an improv course early this year, for something to do over the summer.
The guy there taught us about chords and smooth transitions. He said learn the scales and whatever, then unlearn them.
PM me if you want a cool writing technique he taught us. Would explain here, but it takes pictures, and LOTS of words razz

I love improvisation. I just find it very hard to follow what is hapening behind me if I am going for an extended amount of time.

If you don't learn you're just throwing out a bunch of random notes without understanding anything. sax players are notorious for this and it ends up sounding like garbage.

In response to people stating how ironic it is to learn improv: When you say "learning improve" that is actually a specific reference to the ability to play music on the spot and have it sound good with all the accompanying music.

Just like how improving lines when you forget the real ones is an important ability to fall back on in acting, improv is an ability you have to learn and refine.

I have had improv explained to me by about three different teachers (not as much input as it sounds)
But the basic idea starts with this:
Know your theory- Know your major and minor and modal scales, know how to build chords and how chord tones (notes in a chord) are chosen for a chord.

Be quick- You gotta be able to pull outta hat the third major 7th flat 13th chord in harmonic aeolian mode so you can decide what notes to use when the musicians behind you are strumming that chord out.

The idea is, basically, that as you move with these chords playing the notes in them, and passing tones, it will give more meaning to your sound and the sound you're making (often described as telling a story).

Now what some of what I said might be gibberish to you, I dont know how educated you are in music theory, but normally you dont approach how to build chords and such until late high school or beginning in college. Some seperate cases might be a private teacher, or a fancy pants school that has more than one band teacher. (******** rich kids)

I actually attend a part-time art high school, which is where you still go to public school, but you attend the art school for the other half of your school day. Thats why i already have taken freshmen music theory (music theory 101)


thats the basic jist, but I found that my ability to improv increased in ability by leaps and bounds as soon as I sat back and really let myself play on the fly. Its easier if you can hear a note on the piano or voice and play it back on your instrument, just from hearing it (just learned that last year) this "tune" your ear and helps train you to hear in different instruments.

It also helps if you can hear the chord tones, then you can just play it as you hear it, but, knowing your theory plays a big role in your ability to be FLUENT in music writing, improv and performance.

To begin with, you need to know all your minor, major, and minor 7th chords/arpeggios, and the scales to go with them. These are vital, and it's probably a good idea to practice them every day until you can play them all flawlessly. Then two good ways to begin to learn is to transcribe licks or learn entire solos from good recordings you enjoy. As a vibraphonist, I like to imitate guitarists, especially Pat Metheny. Another way, especially if transcribing and playing complicated written out parts isn't possible for you yet, is to simply experiment. Experimentation is key, no matter how good you are. Try not to play the same solo twice, and never stay inside your own boundaries. Simple standards like So What and Blue Monk are extremely easy and lots of fun. Then move on to slightly more advanced songs, maybe something like Autumn Leaves or Girl From Epanima (though I do not think that's how you spell it). Autumn Leaves is a great song, it won me first prize in the solo competition in the Utah Crescent Jazz Festival in 2009, and Girl From Epanima won me first place the next year. You'll find certain songs will stick with you better, especially according to your instrument. C- and F∆ flow very well on the vibraphone, so Girl was a good song to choose.

And to earlier people mocking the idea of 'learning' improv, much of improv requires so called 'learning'. Most of this comes from past experiences, what sounds good what sounds bad, but technical things to help you improv must be learnt, like 2 5 1s or special scales, like the simplest and most common of all, the blues scale. Although your music may say B♭7, you know, either because you took a class, learned from a friend, or have a personal teacher (which I strongly recommend!), that a B♭ blues scale might sound good (obviously depending on the song). Although improv becomes very much a part of you and your own style, it does not mean parts cannot be learned.