Trompeten Herold 1. Seite
das Original!,
I have taught Jazz Improv for about 30 years now. I notice many players
wish to be able to improvise but simply don't know how to get started.
Many get Jamey Aebersold's Volume 1 book/CD set to start with but then
find it quite daunting. There is so much information in it, that people often
feel that it will be too difficult and they quickly give up. I can make Jamey
Aebersold's method books/CDs much easier to understand, and therefore
a much more enjoyable and successful experience!
I'll present very small bits for beginners to fully digest and it will be done
quite slowly, one lesson at a time. If all goes well, it'll lead to many posts
that can take a person from beginner to advanced. There are many small
steps to be taken, but learned one at a time each will be very simple and
easy to understand.
................................*** LESSON NUMBER 1 ***..................................
When one begins trying to play by ear along with some music for the first
time, they quickly find that some notes sound good in certain places, while
others sound 'wrong' or 'bad'. Eventually, we see that almost any note can
sound right if used in the correct way, but in the beginning the student will
need to think of the various notes as either 'right notes' or 'wrong notes'.
If you try to improvise along with some music in the key of C major, it'll
quickly become obvious that the notes of the C major scale will generally
sound "right", and the other notes will sound "wrong" (especially if they're
held for more than just a beat or two). If the song is in the key of F major,
the notes of the F major scale will generally sound good, and in the key of
G major, the notes of the G major scale will sound good, etc, etc...
Sometimes in the middle of a song you may notice that a different scale
may be needed for certain sections. For the beginner, this is what improv
is all about, knowing which scales yield good sounding notes. Sometimes
one scale will work well for a whole song, but usually more than one scale
is needed. Later, the improv student begins to learn 'licks' based on these
scales (which help make his improvisations sound much more advanced)
but it all starts with the basic scales.
It is necessary to learn to play all 12 major scales very well right away. I
suggest starting this project now if you want to begin jazz improv with me.
Just start with the simple ones first like C, F, Bb, Eb, G, D and A. That is 7
scales (through 3 flats and 3 sharps). The last five scales can be learned
more gradually, perhaps one each week, and you will be doing just fine.
You must eventually know these 12 scales "like the back of your hand",
and then everything will go very smoothly. Without them you will soon
crash and burn. So get yourself a schedule in mind and start now. I will
keep posting, but you should just take it all slowly, at your own pace.
Specific questions will be answered right here on this thread, so posting
questions is welcomed, especially the kind that might benefit everyone!!
Be sure to get Jamey Aebersold's book/CD Volume 1. If you want to get
stocked up for a year's worth of study get Volumes 2, 3 and 5 too. Later
I'll ask you to buy just a few books that will last you a very long time!!
I'll be going to great lengths to make this thread a logical way to learn
everything you need to know in a very efficient and enjoyable manner
using the first few Aebersold albums as a foundation. It is organized as
a kind of method system that can take you step-by-step from beginner
to advanced. This course of study presents information in a logical way
along with appropriate play-along tracks for each new bit of material. I
feel that almost anyone can follow along and reach their goals... if they
simply stick with it.
...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 2 ***...............................
OK! You now know the 12 major scales MUST be mastered, and that these
scales will be the key to your success... EVERYTHING that you will learn in
the future about jazz and improvisation will be built on this platform. When
you get to the harder scales, you will want to practice physically fingerring
them and visualizing them even when you're away from the horn... during
TV commercials, at stop lights, or in even in bed at night before you go to
sleep! Become obsessed with the 12 major scales now! The other thing I'll
stress is listenning to jazz. You should get in the habit of listenning to good
jazz if you don't already. Chet baker is a great place to start, or any other
great jazz trumpeters or sax players like Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. I
will leave the choice to you, but I'd strongly advise small combos so you'll
hear the most solos possible. This is a MUST. LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN!!!
Now, on to Jamey Aebersold's improv book/CD "How to Play..." Volume 1!
die Seitenzahlen beziehen sich auf die englische Version
Die sind in der deutschen etwas anders, aber einfach zu finden. Thomas
This book is in two parts. The first 67 pages are instructional material. You
will study basic music theory in these pages, and ideas about improvising.
It isn't necessary to read and fully understand all this material before you
get started with the second part of the book. Starting on page 68 you find
pages that basically give the suggested scales to use when playing along
with the recorded background tracks on the enclosed cd.
The 1st section of the second part is for use by Concert Key Instruments
such as pianos, etc. Skip to the second section, which begins on page 73,
and you'll find the material for trumpet players, "Bb Instruments". These
are the tracks that you will play along with, and the first one is two tuning
notes, "Concert Bb and Concert A". For trumpet players these are the two
notes that we call C and B. Below that you'll see "Track 2". That is where
you will actually begin improvizing along with a real jazz combo... but not
just yet!
Before we start to play we need a bit more knowledge so let's get started
with a little reading. It won't be long before you'll be playing along with a
real rythm section! These guys are always ready to play when you are...
They never complain, they never get tired, and they are always happy to
go back and play a track as many times as you need.
Please read pages 2, 3 and 4. Don't worry about not understanding every
single sentence. Just take it in, re-read it a time or two and just relax. This
will be a long journey, so let yourself enjoy the learning process itself. Be
very patient and secure in the knowledge that if you keep taking one step
at a time, you WILL reach your goals! Tomorrow listen to some jazz, then
go back and read those three pages again a couple more times, then you
should start checking off some of those major scales. Just be very patient,
and let all of this stuff start sinking in very slowly and very deeply. If you
like, you might try listenning, and skat singing (vocal improvization) along
with "Track 2".
In my next post I will get you actually playing along with that track a little
bit for the first time. This is usually a very magical experience! People can
hardly believe it when they jump in and actually start to play along. You'll
likely make some very nice musical sounds that'll please and amaze you,
RIGHT FROM THE VERY FIRST TRY!!!
Read and study ahead if you like, sing, listen, and begin practicing those
scales, but don't play along with the CD quite yet. Listen and sing along
with several tracks if you like, and reread these two posts, but don't play
along with the CD until I give you some tips in my next post. Thanks...
Your Friend, Tom in Texas
JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR
................................*** LESSON NUMBER 3 ***.................................
Alright, now you are working on the 12 major scales, reading a little in
the book, and listenning to jazz soloists. It is also very helpful to try skat
singing along with the recorded tracks or any regular jazz recordings!
What's next? We begin to play... RIGHT NOW!!
TRACK 1: Open the book to page 73, "Bb Instruments". That's the section
for us trumpet players. Put the CD into your player and press PLAY. You'll
first hear tuning notes, "Concert Bb and Concert A". Trumpet players call
these notes C (third space C) and B (third line B). Proceed to tune up with
the CD using these notes just like you were about to play with a live band
(which you actually are, kind of...)!
TRACK 2: This is your very first playing experience with a real recorded
background. It will be quite easy, and you'll probably be amazed. Before
actually playing along with Track 2, it would be best to simply listen to it
a time or two.
As you can see in the book, the band will first play a G minor chord for 8
measures, then F minor chord for 8 measures, and then an E minor chord
for eight measures (then these three "8 bar phrases" repeat several more
times).
First just listen and count the measures. After eight measures you'll hear
the chord change. Eight more measures later you should hear the chord
change again. Every eight bars this will happen. Listen and anticipate the
"changes", you may even want to hum a little "skat" along with the music.
Even when you just sing along you will notice that there are "right notes",
and "wrong notes"... But, now lets play!
The first chord is a G minor chord for eight bars. Some "right notes" that
fit well with this chord are written out just below the "G-" symbol, meaning
"G minor". They are the notes G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F, and G. These are the
notes that you should use to play the first 8 bars of G minor. Then you'll
hear the chord change to F minor and begin using the notes written below
that chord symbol for the next 8 bars. Then you'll hear the chord change
to E minor and begin using the notes written below that symbol. Finally it
all repeats and you are back at the beginning.
Remember the "good sounding notes" change each eight measures, and
you must keep up with these changes. Listen carefully to make sure you
are keeping up with that band and playing the proper notes with each of
the various chords... If this is too tricky at first, go back to just listenning
and humming. When you do play (for now) just simply play slowly up and
down the scales a bit, then try playing very short musical ideas using the
scale tones. You can benefit the most by playing a few notes, then pause
and think about what you just played, then play a few more of those scale
tones. Keep doing this. Try to hear short musical ideas in your head when
you pause each time, and then attempt to play the ideas you "hear". Keep
it very, very simple for at least a couple of weeks and don't go on to those
other tracks quite yet!
If it doesn't all go perfectly at first, don't be surprised. Each time you sit
down to practice it will get a little better and better. Be patient! You may
want to get a tape recorder and tape yourself sometimes. Later you will
find some parts sound pretty darn good. Continue with the re-reading of
pages 2, 3 and 4. Also work on the major scales, and LISTEN TO JAZZ!!
Don't overdo the playing. Be sure to take breaks and pace yourself. You
are already taking the first baby steps! Go very slowly. We will stick with
this one track for a couple of weeks (and perhaps Track 3, the same thing
but just 4 bars for each chord). I will give further explanation for how and
why these notes sound "right" with these chords later, as well as more tips
for how to practice. Remember to go very slowly...
We are laying the foundation for all that is to follow. We want these first
steps to sink in very deeply, especially learning the 12 major scales, and
the process of beginning to hear short musical ideas in our mind as we
begin to play. Have fun, re-read the three pages again, and LISTEN. One
last suggestion. Make sure you don't let the quality of your trumpet playing
slide as you practice improv. You should always use the best technique you
can just as if you were playing classical music with a wind ensemble. Don't
let your technique suffer! Later...
Your Friend, Tom in Texas
JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR