How did you learn to improv?

[Sixstring]

Play with better and more tolerant musicians than yourself, I play strictly by ear I can hear a song once or twice and I can go from there. Improvisation for me is a collection of playing experiences some things I can do and others I can't so I adapt. Fretboard knowledge definitely helps coupled with lots of practice.

 

[SJB]

I think this is a great thread... Really enjoying the advice and perspectives. Thanks everyone.

On composition versus improvisation.... Both are obviously creative processes but operating on different scales. Composition is more deliberate - how do I construct the bones of a piece? What harmonic structures work? How do the parts fit together? Which lines should be used and where for maximum dramatic effect.

Improvisation is something that happens after the bones are laid (or, with no bones at all). A section of a tune is wide open and you stretch out and let your fingers do the talking. Although as you learn improv takes a lot of thought, once you work at it for a while it starts to become second nature - reflexive - like a martial art, where thought and motion become one. This is where you begin to express your inner musicality without conscious thought, just feel. That's when YOU really come out. Have you ever listened to a recording of yourself and asked "how the hell did I do that?" You will. It comes out of the sub-conscious. I love this feeling, being in the "flow" of music. Improv can be a group activity too.

Recently I had a chat with a concert violinist - the sister of a friend who plays with the Chicago symphony and teaches concert violin. I asked about how she teaches improv strategies - she looked at me like I was from another planet - not a common activity in concert settings - seems to be much more about composition and recital. I'm sure there are exceptions.

I prefer to go for the flow. But you need some vocabulary and theory first.

 

[SmokinHalfNote]

Absolutely nothing to apologize about, I'll take every bit of advice I can get my hands on. Transcription I can definitely do, every little lick I do know has come from the handful of solos ive managed to digest wholly haha. As far as breaking down the tougher stuff to learn, do you by chance have a preferred method? (I usually import the track into my DAW and high/low pass the life out of it to focus solely on the lead lines and solos)

I use a program called "Transcribe," (nice name, right?) - it just makes the workflow easy. But I also use a program called (wait for it - funniest name ever) called "The Amazing Slow Downer" for both Mac and iOS.

But as much as possible, I try to figure stuff out at original speed. But even Steve Vai used a reel-to-reel player to slow stuff down (and guys slowed record players down for years), so you do what you have to do.

I'm no purist. I'll check out other transcriptions and sometimes I find I'm way off, but sometimes I wonder why I shouldn't get paid to do those things since I find mistakes (at least to my ears) all the time.

Not to get all Obi-Wan on you, but it's the journey as much as it is the destination. Use every tool you can, but I think learning scales and arpeggios, using a metronome always, and transcribing are the "golden tickets."

 

[Clockwork Creep]

Solo improv is basically this:
Memorizing a hell lot of phrases/patterns. These are "words". Now put sentences together, using these "words". No one really has the thinking speed to improvize each note, it's all in phrases.
My vocabulary is pretty poor though.

 

[Geezerjohn]

I was wondering, "what's the real difference between composition and improvisation?"

This guy argues as follows (http://music.arts.uci.edu/dobrian/CD.comp.improv.htm):

1. Composition is written. Improvisation is not.
2. Improvisation takes place in real time. Composition does not.
3. Improvisation is often a group activity. Composition is rarely a group activity.

I used to think of it as #2, but I think he's right about #1 and #3.

So, why is improv so exciting, is it reason #3?

I think there are two distinct kinds of musical energy. The first occurs when composing and arranging. There is a "zone" I get into when composing and arranging. Hearing the various parts, visualizing how they will work together, etc. There is a second kind of musical energy that comes from playing with other musicians. For me, I play much better when I am playing with other musicians. Listening to them and responding makes me hear things I do not hear otherwise. That musical energy makes me more adventurous and inspired. It is something you cannot do by yourself. That moment of inspiration is dependent on the other players. It is what makes music so much fun.

 

[racetra]

I have the exact opposite “problem”….I can ONLY improvise.

I always played by ear only, never took the time to sit down and learn proper theory so I play only by listening and adjusting myself accordingly. It’s not that I’m playing nonsense, not at all, I use scales, phrases and different techniques but again, all by ear and “on the spot” improvisation.
However if I hit a nice lead, then I memories it and that’s what I use for the song (in my band).
I remember everything by ear, I don’t write a single note.

Now, there are 2 advice I can give you:
1. Don’t think to much, go with the flow of the song and try to “feel” the song when soloing.
2. Learn scales and phrases. It will give you all the “words” and “sentences” you need to improvise correctly.

Keep in mind that it does need practicing, play as much as you can by ear and you will see its getting better.


Good luck.

I was gonna say something but this says it all. I couldnt have written it better. Thats me in a nutshell. I will say this, try to find some musicians that are at your level or better that are willing to just "Jam". Ya know, get a groove goin and just go with it. I have had some of my best and funnest moments doing just that!

 

[Maxxblade]

I feel that you need to play, play, play. Your patterns and "licks" are a vocabulary but the best improv happens when it comes almost by itself. I played as a pro in a band for years and I used to record off the board. At break I would go to my car and listen and the best things I've ever heard coming from me happened when I was in the zone. I would literally listen minutes after I played and would not even really remember playing the stuff I was hearing. It's like a pro athlete making a tremendous play, I'm sure they don't think about it it just happens. But it wouldn't happen without all the practice that takes place. Now that I'm a part timer, I need to practice at least an hour a day just to keep my playing at the level it is now which is probably only 70% of what it was when I was giging 5, 6 and 7 nights a week 40 to 50 week a year. It's like a golf swing, you have to practice enough so it just happens. If you think too much it doesn't happen. Another challange is those time when your improvisation stalls. When it flattens I listen a lot to people I like be inspired by. For me it's players like Luke and Andy Timmons ect.....

 

[RoshRoslin]

Transcribing solos

There's a great book by Hal Crook called "how to improvise" that I used during my years at GIT/MI. It's great at having a methodical approach to learning how to PRACTICE improvisation.

 

[iaresee]

I listened to a lot of Phish. Copied what Trey was doing. Morphed it in to my own, less evolved and far less amazing, thing.

 

[favance]

Best thing that helped me dramatically improve my improvisation skills was to learn how to "scat" (i.e. sing what I'm playing). Then I just cut out the singing and only do it in my head...

 

[Minotaurean]

Here's how I got my start; I'd pick a simple but cool backing track, start with simple improv around the basic pentatonic scale (Blues is awesome, it pretty much goes with anything) and then I'd slowly start branching into more minor or major tones from the pentatonic scale.