GUITAR TIP- MENTALLY APPROACHING IMPROVISATION
MENTALLY APPROACHING IMPROVISATION
My students and other musicians often ask me what I think about when I solo. My first answer is usually, "If I'm on, I'm not thinking at all." A musician needs an uncluttered mind to achieve the musical freedom that underlies improvisation. However, I do ask myself some questions before I play. For example, "What would I want to hear if I were listening and not playing?" Asking this question gives me a more objective perspective and keeps my mind open to musical possibilities that I might not otherwise consider. It also keeps me from doodling or playing a predetermined arsenal of memorized licks. Another question I ask myself is, "What does the audience want to hear?" Posing this question doesn't turn my playing into an exercise in commercialism; it simply allows me to look the audience in the face and identify their collective spirit. Sometimes I access emotions that I would never think of or draw upon, and it gives me the opportunity to articulate those emotions musically. For me, the ultimate goal is to capture the present moment in a musical statement while reacting to the players and audience around me. Another way to approach improvisation is to try and express a feeling or moment musically. Sometimes I reflect on an emotion or situation and try to articulate it with notes. For example, "It's Sunday, it's raining, and I'm alone." How does that emotion translate into music? This isn't an exercise in being depressed! Setting up a strong emotion or atmosphere gives you a starting point from which to share a story musically. How about something more upbeat? "It's the first day of vacation, and I'm jumping up and down on the hotel bed." Which musical phrases or chords express that moment and feeling? Approaching improvisation in this way will connect you with your instrument and give you the means to say something musically expressive. To me, this is what improvisation is about.
My students and other musicians often ask me what I think about when I solo. My first answer is usually, "If I'm on, I'm not thinking at all." A musician needs an uncluttered mind to achieve the musical freedom that underlies improvisation. However, I do ask myself some questions before I play. For example, "What would I want to hear if I were listening and not playing?" Asking this question gives me a more objective perspective and keeps my mind open to musical possibilities that I might not otherwise consider. It also keeps me from doodling or playing a predetermined arsenal of memorized licks. Another question I ask myself is, "What does the audience want to hear?" Posing this question doesn't turn my playing into an exercise in commercialism; it simply allows me to look the audience in the face and identify their collective spirit. Sometimes I access emotions that I would never think of or draw upon, and it gives me the opportunity to articulate those emotions musically. For me, the ultimate goal is to capture the present moment in a musical statement while reacting to the players and audience around me. Another way to approach improvisation is to try and express a feeling or moment musically. Sometimes I reflect on an emotion or situation and try to articulate it with notes. For example, "It's Sunday, it's raining, and I'm alone." How does that emotion translate into music? This isn't an exercise in being depressed! Setting up a strong emotion or atmosphere gives you a starting point from which to share a story musically. How about something more upbeat? "It's the first day of vacation, and I'm jumping up and down on the hotel bed." Which musical phrases or chords express that moment and feeling? Approaching improvisation in this way will connect you with your instrument and give you the means to say something musically expressive. To me, this is what improvisation is about.
Comments
That's a very valuable lesson. For FREE!!
Thanks for your post Jim!