@RobertM20 6013 wrote:
Oh dude, it’s totally there in a way. But I think now is to take everything and kinda “Gather your thoughts” in a way. When it comes to improvising in the way that you did (or tried to do) in the video with this kind of jazz/fusion context, I would really take a listen to alot of sax players. To me, they are some of the best musicians around. You could even start with alot of the old bebop horn players and go from there. Kinda take an active listen to what they do. Listen to the way they make the notes flow into one another and the way they connect lines in a very fluid and coherent way so as to not seem stagnant. A big thing is repetition and they use it brilliantly.
Hopefully some of that might help ya out. š
Andres, š
As I commented earlier, I thought you played some excellent stuff!. š It seemed like you were jamming (improv) over a fairly limited accompaniment, (IE: not a lot of varied harmony, correct?) I suppose this makes it easier to navigate the changes (since there aren’t many) but this also means there’s a bit less opportunity to “connect” transitions in a way that speaks to the underlying harmony! So this ends up being easier & harder, all at the same time?!? :confused: However, to elaborate a bit on Robert M.’s point regarding development & phrasing as they pertain to improvisation, I think one very important and oft-overlooked point has been…well…overlooked! (LOL!) I believe that most guitarists -especially rock guitarists, (and BTW, that would include “YOUR’S TRULY=I/ME!!!” š® ) struggle with the essence of “phrasing” AND “pacing.” Do you know why? One of the primary reasons is so profoundly simple that most people don’t pay much attention to it! You see, as guitarists, we can (and do!) Breath in-and-out while playing, without any necessity to STOP playing! Therein lies the potential for overplaying and over-extending one’s phrasing, and in extremely annoying cases, rendering “pacing” non-existent! As Robert keenly noted, horn players (brass & reed) have some”amazing, blazing, phrasing” (Sorry Paul Gilbert – I stole that line!) Part of a horn player’s natural sense of pacing & phrasing (circular-breathing freaks like Winton Marsalis NOTWITHSTANDING!) is that they have to STOP PLAYING to catch there breathe periodically! Again, there are methods/techniques that allow for simultaneous inhale/exhale while playing a horn (I think Winton Marsalis has been on record playing a single sustained note for 45-minutes!” š® ) However, standard breathing practices would dictate a more natural and consistent “phrasing” So, one drill that I’ve given students to improve phrasing (besides learning as many David Gilmour/Pink Floyd solos note-for-note as possible!!!) is to “consciously” pause their guitar line, each time they “exhale-inhale” (breath.) It’s actually a bit tricky, because it’s NOT necessary to pause your “fingers” when you breath, but with a horn, it is somewhat of a “neccesity!”
Food for thought, at the very least!!! :rolleyes:
Hope this helps a bit! š
~Bill Meehan~
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