I don't think that learning jazz theory is bad.
I think that learning an incorrect or incomplete version of
jazz theory is bad because it incorrectly defines what is "legitimate"
for one to play.
For example, most of the jazz improvisation theory that I originally
was taught is just plain wrong. It's not at all supported by what people
actually played. BTW, it's still what is taught for the most part and
is in almost all books.
For example, what is happening in the first 8 bars of Rhtyhm changes?
Is it really all those different chord scales, one for each chord or
is it basically just playing in Bb?
Do you think that people playing by ear really intuitively know to
play a G7 alt scale on the second chord change? I don't think so.
Or are they just hearing Bb major and possibly making a few minor
adjustments when they hear certain chords?
Anyway, I'm not prepared in an e-mail message to write a book on jazz
improvisation theory.
However, I will say that if a person listened to jazz music and then
just played by ear, just listened to the chord changes and found some
things that worked, they would more likely be playing according to "correct
jazz theory" as defined by what is on the recordings of the famous artists.
This process to me has someone listening (LISTENING!!!) to the chord
changes and finding things that work against them. By listening to
(or ideally transcibing) jazz music, they are accustoming themselves
to the use of "jazz language" in practice.
The ear will make many intuitive decisions that would in some cases
be difficult to understand intellectually. Though all "good sounding"
jazz lines are totally analyzable in a straightforward (non far fetched)
way.
However what if you tell someone that when they see a Dmi7 chord, they
can play a D dorian scale? Now you've taken away their motivation to listen
and shifted the focus to being "correct". Now they know all these safe
notes to play that won't sound "wrong". Now if I hear a C# note to
play against a Dmi7 chord, I'm going to stop myself because its not
one of those notes. In fact, I'm not going to even think of this because
I'm not listening at this point but rather trying to be correct.
You have also given them a formula for playing lots of notes, at a time
when they cannot hear so many notes against a chord change and should
be in fact playing very few notes, but playing notes that really sound
good and are sincere.
I think you are better off playing notes by ear, making lots of mistakes
and gradually using your ear to correct things. For this process to work,
you have to play very few notes in the beginning so that you can listen
to how what you are playing fits with the sounds around you.
You also have to play things at practical tempos (i.e. not too fast).
Of course this all flies in the face of what people do (and are willing
to accept), which is often a gross approximation of the final product
(i.e. what they hear on records).
There is a tough road to walk if you try and do what I'm talking about.
Your peers and teachers will usually not give you time to develop in this
organic way and instead will try and remedy your "wrong notes" with some
diluted jazz theory.
In the days before jazz theory, people just learned to play the melodies
to tunes and then embellished them or did little things they could hear
by ear. Gradually over time they had more ideas that they were familiar
with and thus could play more notes and at faster tempos.
Of course I'm sure many people developed their own "jazz theory" but the
final arbitrator was the ear.
reed
Reed Kotler
reed@justjazz.com
http://www.justjazz.com