Improvisation - Week 2

Today, everyone brought their instruments in.  There was a wide variety, ranging from guitars and violins to pianos and synth keyboards.

After going round the class, discussing which Basie song we'd listened to, while singing back key melodies from the piece picked, Simon set up another drum loop for us to play over.  This time, however, rather than singing our name or whatever, we had to play on our instruments.

To start off, Simon introduced the Blues scale to those who hadn't used it before (though I think everyone had - just some more than others, depending on the course they were on) and had us playing back and repeating melodies that he played, emphasising on getting the rhythm correct.  This actually opened my eyes a bit, as when I heard what he played, I immediately thought "Oh, this will be easy.  That note there's a G."  And I was right about what the starting note was.  But when it came to playing the rest of the melody, on many occasions, I was using a trial and error approach when trying to play the next note, rather than listening and thinking "ah, that's a Bb now, and that must end on the C."  I couldn't immediately work out the notes he was playing when faced with a keyboard myself.  Which is very, very, very bad.  Everyone else (who was on their primary instrument) seemed to know exactly what to play without thinking.  This is something I'll have to look into.

Afterwards, we went around the group to the preset drum beat, told to play a 'blues phrase'.  "Blues phrase".  That was what we were to play.  Had I listened properly and understood, I'd have been fine.  Playing a blues phrase on any instrument is easy, you just use a typical blues rhythm and play almost anything you want using the blues scale.  Some of us, however, ended up trying to improvise on the spot with just the 'blues scale', which would have worked if we weren't just to play a phrase lasting two bars.  Simon then made it clear the difference between improvising and composing on the spot.

Some people also decided to throw in a D and an A, the second and sixth degrees of the C Major scale, respectively.  Simon then explained to us his theory of how a 'blues scale' doesn't actually exist, and that it's just a group of notes used to play over certain things, and how by throwing in the D and A, notes not associated with the standard 'blues scale', these people weren't 'wrong' at all.  Which is true enough.  If it sounds right, a person shouldn't be restricted on what notes he's allowed to play/not play.

For next week, more Basie is to be listened to.  We're "more advanced than first thought", so Simon Says, so we'll be put into miniature Jazz bands soon.  This coming week, hopefully.  Will update next on work done with the Riffy Rhythms sheet we were given.

Week 1; Introductions and Count Basie

The Improvisation class, taught to the HND1 class by Simon, is a class that every student in the Music Box at SCE now has, apparantely.  Which is pleasing, as I believe improvisation to be a vital skill every musician should possess.  Hearing that we'd be have classes in it this year pleased me to no end.

This blog will document said class, from what we do whilst in it to what work we do for it at home.  With any luck, if will also document any progress I personally make with my playing thanks to the class.  Expect thousands upon thousands of typos, as well as spelling errors and grammar bad enough to make a person vomit.

The first class was a tad awkward at first; improvising rhythms while introducing yourself to the rest of the class at the same time.  After that, we to improvise a rhythm and add melody to it.  At first, I was shy (as were most) and put little effort into it.  Once everyone had had a turn, however, and everyone got settled in, we were told to skat sing over a 12 bar jazz loop in the key of F.  I did this without feeling embrassed, as did most people - which is how it always should be in a course dedicated to performing.

Anyways, for next week we've to listen to a single Count Basie song and learn one of the various licks or solos played over a 12 bar blues section.  I've picked 'Honeysuckle', from an album I'm not sure of.  The one I've got simply says 'The Best of Early Basie'.  I will most likely use the piano melody heard at the very start, or the licks used by the brass section near the end.