Re: Learning to improvise: methods
Dick Bay ( DBay@AICI.COM )
Fri, 30 May 1997 17:30:07 -0500
>The current discussion reminds me of a book that came across my
>desk a while ago called "Jazz Improv: how to play it and how to teach
>it" (Jimmy Amadie, 1990). (snip) Amadie claims that his method helps
>the student learn to improvise melodic lines by emphasizing the
>concept of "tension and resolution." If I recall correctly, he says
>the notes of the chord should be thought of as "target notes" and the
>other notes of the scale and the chromatic notes are the "active
>notes" that create tension. The musician's job is to create and
>resolve tension by moving from inactive tones to active and back.
(snip)
>Richard Cotenas
>Calif. State Univ., Sacramento
I've never heard of this book, let alone worked with it, but it does
sound more like the way I think when I play than other methods I've
read about. When I play Dm G7 C, I certainly am not thinking in terms
of D dorian followed by G mixolydian and C ionian. But I'm not just
"playing the key" (to use Reed's term) of C through all 3 chords
either. I know that I'm in C, but make adjustments for each chord,
and those adjustments could well be thought of in terms of shifting
the "target notes" and the relative tension qualities of the other
scale & non-scale notes. At any rate, I've gotten pretty far with
that sort of thought process, but I'm trying to expand my musical
vocabulary by working on melodic minor, diminished & whole tone
scales. So far I haven't managed to integrate the 2 thought processes
& when I'm using those scales my playing sounds more scalar than
musical. I have the same problem when I try to substitute an F# major
scale, for example, to play "outside" -- since I haven't been able to
relate the distant scale to a "target note" sort of approach, I tend
to be disoriented and unable to play anything very melodic. At any
rate, I'd be interested in how Amadie approaches such topics.
--Dick Bay * DBay@aici.com