Musicians of all levels can benefit by learning how to improvise. After all, improvisation is a great ear-training tool allowing you to "hear" what notes sound good in different chord progressions and also the ones that don't. Learning to improvise will open many doors for the aspiring musician especially inside the jazz genre, as it is based around the musician's improvisation skills. There are many different play-a-long programs available to help musicians improve their improv skills, with the Jamey Aebersold series being the most popular and comprehensive ones. That being said, how does someone new to improvisation go about picking out where to start? Here are five of the first Aebersold tools that you should use when learning how to improvise:
- Volume 1 -- How To Play Jazz And Improvise -- Volume 1 is where it all began, and is a comprehensive set of instruction aids. It includes a book packed full of good stuff like general improv tips, a scale syllabus, chords and the cycle of fourths, and patterns that can be used with the CD that is included. The CD includes several different tracks that allow you to play-a-long with a live jazz combo. For volume 1 the tracks include the blues in two different keys, tracks in four different minor keys, a II/V7 sequence in all keys, and several others. This is a great beginning tool to learn improvisation as it lets you hear the band playing right along with you.
- Volume 21 -- Gettin' It Together -- Although equally suited to musicians of all levels, volume 21 can provide a solid foundation to jazz improv for beginners when combined with volume 1. This volume contains 31 different tracks in several different styles, and gives you additional work in the blues as well as major, minor, dominant 7th, half-diminished, Lydian, and sus4 chord changes.
- Volume 2 -- Nothin' But Blues -- Volume 2 build on the basics that you learn in volumes 1 and 21, and lets you work on the blues with eleven different songs in several different styles. Learning the blues is key to getting to that next level as a jazz musician, as it has been a vital part of jazz music since the 1920s. The book included in this volume has the scales and chords for each song written out in the staff for you to use as a guide.
- Volume 3 -- The II/V7/I Progression -- Volume 3 covers what many consider to be the most important chord progression in jazz... the II/V7/I. This set also covers chords and scales for major, minor, dominant 7th, diminished, whole tone, half-diminished, Lydian, and the diminished whole tone. The book contains the necessary scales and chords for each song, as well as over a hundred written patterns to practice, and three pages of piano voicings. Another great thing in volume 3 are the "call and response" exercises, which let you feel like you are on stage as part of a jam session "trading fours."
- Volume 24 -- Major & Minor In Every Key -- Able to be utilized for instrumental OR vocal practice, volume 24 is a great tool that includes 30 extended rhythm section tracks that allow you to practice your skills in all of the major and minor keys. Knowing your major and minor scales and chords is vital to your success as a musician. This volume can also be used by more advanced musicians who are looking to practice their double-time skills or playing "outside" the normal key. There are also several exercises that are transcribed and included to play along with.
One of the best jazz improvisation tools on the market with over 120 different volumes, the Jamey Aebersold jazz play-a-long series is a must-have for the aspiring jazz musician wanting to learn how to improvise, and these tools are the first five tools that you should utilize. Play-a-longs are a great tool that allows you to actually hear yourself playing in front of a jazz combo, and also for learning different chord changes and sequences. Visit us at The Best Trumpets for all of your trumpet needs. Jazz trumpet players at all levels should learn how to improvise, as it is one of the major factors in jazz music.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_C_Specht 
No comments:
Post a Comment