>
> Different players are going to approach this differently.
>
> For me, I think the "drilling" should be"
>
> 1) Transcribing, analyzing the transcriptions, transcribing, transcribing,
> ....
>
> 2) Writing ... writing solos, melodies, etc. I.e. working out
> things that sound good.
>
> 3) Learning tunes (more melodies)
>
> 4) Trying to play melodies while improvising, at first very simple ones.
>
> 5) Studying classical music to understand more about thematic development.
>
> 6) Playing songs by ear.
>
> I'm sure I'm leaving out things.
>
> For myself, the formula methods never yielded any satisfactory results.
> I used formulas like everybody else does because I didnt know any better
> and couldnt think of anything better to do myself. Also, I assumed
> (incorrecly) that the top players were using them or used them during
> their development. In other words I assumed that the people writing
> books about them or teaching them in classes had learned them from
> these top players instead of just independently making them up.
>
> For me, the way you play is a direct reflection of how you practice.
>
> If you don't practice making melodies , you are not going to play them
> later.
>
> People I know that practice running changes or using other automatic
> methods of pracice play that way too.
>
> I interviewed and read about (or watched videos of) many top players in an
> attempt to try and see common threads of what they did. This is how I
> developed the method I use now .
>
> Most players told me they transcribed alot. It became obvious that
> many players worked things out to play long before getting
> on the bandstand. Most players new alot of tunes without the need
> for written music.
>
> In the beginning I was still groping but as I just tried doing these
> various things, over time I was able to observe how it changed my
> playing and became convinced that it was a valid practice method.
>
> reed
>
Thanks for the explanation. Your approach is certainly a different one,
and I can see the reasoning behind it. I haven't had a lot of success
with "formula" approaches either, but I have tended to think it was
because I have only had about 5-6 years of interest in jazz anyhow, and
that simply absorbing the phrasing and feel take a lot of time and
listening that can't be sped up.
I have definitely "got religion" on transcribing. I haven't found anyone
who omits this from the regimen of study. David Baker says "all the
answers are in you record collection." I hope during the holiday to get
some time to try transcribing something.
-- \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\//////////////////////////// Lawson G. Stone-Asbury Theological Seminary-Wilmore, KY ////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Prediction is very difficult, especially of the future. --Niels Bohr