Author Topic: My improvisational skills are severely lacking. Any advice? (Read 628 times)

keavin · « **on:** December 12, 2006, 03:20:56 AM »

Rockbassist asks in a previous thread.....

(Message edited by keavin on December 13, 2006)

88persuader · « **Reply #1 on:** December 12, 2006, 03:31:02 AM »

Listen and copy and lot of styles, (not just rock) practice your scales and play all the time. Rock music IMO is not a style that allows a bass player to grow as far as improve goes, for that you need to listen to jazz and fusion. But I think the most important advice I would give is to stick too it and keep your ears open. BIG EARS in improve are VERY important. Again ... just my opinion. Good luck and have fun!

keavin · « **Reply #2 on:** December 12, 2006, 03:33:12 AM »

Hey Rock Baby what i've learned over the yrs is jamming with records (learning bass solos)early mornings after a POT of coffee. sometimes the brain works better when fresh from a night of sleep.......also too try just jamming with the drummer as often as possible try a long solo during a drum & bass jam feed off your drummers chops/rolls etc...but most importantly JAM with a Drummer as (just the two of you)more frequently you will notice your self opening up with the little things & after 30 yrs of bassplaying it's not as hard as it seems!

adriaan · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2006, 03:53:37 AM »

Put on the radio, find a music station that you normally would NOT listen to, and play along with everything that comes along, by ear, and not using an amp.

Put on a station that does classical music. Find a folk station. Find an anything-goes station.

You are encouraged to doodle. Play too much. Play too little.

The thing is to get a feel for the flow of music that you don't know beforehand. And you will probably find that you already know more about that than you might think.

If I'm in a rock-related mood, I might think of putting on a Doctor Nerve CD.

811952 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 12, 2006, 06:05:39 AM »

I used to play along with the TV all the time (I think lbpesq said he does likewise), which was great ear-training. As for learning to improvise, most folks will tell you to learn all your scales and modes up and down the neck. I think what they're getting at is knowing your instrument so well that you don't ever have to THINK while soloing. Nothing kills a good solo as effectively as trying to take it someplace it's not already going on it's own, imho. I think the key is to listen and play the intervals and phrases you hear in your head, rather than think about a half-diminished run beginning on the and of one. My solos still usually suck, so take this with a healthy grain or two of salt...

John

lbpesq · « **Reply #5 on:** December 12, 2006, 06:11:16 AM »

Listen to lots of Grateful Dead. It worked for me.

Bill, tgo

olieoliver · « **Reply #6 on:** December 12, 2006, 06:34:52 AM »

All the above post are contain great advice. The only thing I can add is learn your scales. Nothing worse than playing a major improv over minor chords.

olieoliver · « **Reply #7 on:** December 12, 2006, 06:36:51 AM »

Keavins advie of jamming just bass and drums is one of my favorite ways of jamming. VERY COOL.

keavin · « **Reply #8 on:** December 12, 2006, 07:21:38 AM »

Just like an alembic can take you places any other bass cant... a kickass drummer will open up New world of chops in a Bassplayer!.

olieoliver · « **Reply #9 on:** December 12, 2006, 07:32:34 AM »

Amen to that Keavin. I have a drummer that I jam with (been a while though) who is phenomenal. We?ll jam for hours straight with out even stopping. We?ll change grooves and time signatures and not even pause. A good drummer will improve your playing.

tom_z · « **Reply #10 on:** December 12, 2006, 07:57:11 AM »

Great advice from everyone. I'll add that in addition to being comfortable with scales (modes), get friendly with arpeggios. Improvisation can get a little dry and will sound like scales if that's your only focus. Phrasing with arpeggios will add nice color and lend strength to the chord patterns.

Most importantly during any improvisational number - Listen Listen Listen!

Peace
Tom

olieoliver · « **Reply #11 on:** December 12, 2006, 08:08:03 AM »

Tom is right it should always be melodic. Think of it as singing with your fingers.

mica · « **Reply #12 on:** December 12, 2006, 09:21:29 AM »

Henry Kaiser prescribed improvising 20 minutes a day every day.

chuck · « **Reply #13 on:** December 12, 2006, 09:26:45 AM »

All of the advice above is great, my problem with improve/jamming had always been brain lock,lack of creativity or something like that.I have always played what I like to call !in the box!.That being just like its heard on the radio.Playing the Holiday Inn/Ramada clubs ment you had to play top 40 dance music in a familiar way.Club owners wanted the patrons dancing and sweating which ment more drink sales' more patrons, more money for the club,If the band Could not produce you were not booked again.
I think I,m drifting off a bit but my point is If you learned this way its harder to get back to jamming. What had the greatest effect on my playing was the purchase of a good drum machine and a book on scales and finger exercise,s,Playing along with the dead also helped.You will find that when playing scales with the machine you will almost automaticly start to improv.And as Ollie says keep in meloidc.
Hope this helps

Chuck

echo008 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 12, 2006, 10:17:03 AM »

like has been suggested get a Drum machine and yes learn scales!
I like to usually improvise with Pentatonic scales to get myself going when I do solo which is not often, (my solo skills are lacking as well).
It takes alot of work and time to find your own style, just know that you are going to be discouraged but you will move past that if you stick with it.
Listen to players who are better than you, listen listen listen that is important. Listen to horn solos and see what there doing. try and figure out what scales they are in play along to better develop your ear and sense of timing... even if it doesint feel like you are getting better you will be and it will come through eventually.
- Tom