support Tutorials CDs PPT mouthpieces

Hello from Rome

Dirigo

Member
Messages
5
Locality
Rome
Hi
I have looked at this site and Taming the Saxophone for years, just never joined. I live in Rome mostly, though I'm from the US. Started on sax at 13 but took a couple decades off while working and doing other things, started back at it about 10 years ago. Started on alto and play it in a big band but also like playing tenor and soprano. I have been in a bit of a rut for a while and am especially interested in alternative approaches to improvisation that people have developed, beyond what is usually called "scale/chord". Thanks
 
Welcome to the cafè!

Sorry, I can't help you on the alternative improvising theme. I can't even get started on the regular way.
 
Welcome to the Café.
I can’t help with alternative improvisation methods either I’m afraid - I’m useless at it.
 
Welcome! Steve Allen had a TV show in the USA decades ago. He used to do a bit where he asked someone up at the piano and told them to play three notes. Then he proceeded to compose a song live on the show right then and there? It was a fun segment. Sometimes I do that. I generally start with a middle range note and without hearing the next note, just play some random fingering and blow. Basically what Allen did, choose a few random notes. Then I try to explore first how the notes might fit together, then apply rhythm. I have also taken to messing with some exercises that have weird patters by adding complex rhythms to them, effectively making them swing or be funky. Both of these lead me to ideas that sound interesting to me. They also avoid copying riffs, something that is attractive to most of us when we hear something we like.
 
Hi
I remember Steve Allen ....
I kind of do a similar thing to you in that when I practice scales and intervals I will let it develop into creating patterns, riffs etc and generally trying to develop the ability to play what's in my head.
However, doing that in a group setting in a solo on a tune is another thing entirely. I can come up with ideas and play rhythmically and melodically (I think); whether it "fits" is another story. It may be that I can play what's in my head but what's in my head isn't good. Or I'm trying to play by ear but without enough of an ear to pull it off. Certainly, though I study the chords of the tune and practice the chord tones, I don't have the instant recall to execute intuitively as the chords change every measure or couple of beats at 120 bpm or more. If I had more time to practice maybe it would come together, though I am always open to people pointing out flaws in my approach, if that's the problem.
 
There are a few tricks for soloing in a group context. I don't know many, but the most obvious is to play a phrase, then play the same phrase "outside", say up a half-step, or some interval. Wynton Marsalis once said in an interview something like "there are no wrong notes, it's just how you get out of it". So incredibly true, how if you go where you didn't want to, if you get vexed, it sounds awful, but if you are able to keep cool, you can make it sound intentional and even hip! :) The reductive version of this is, "If you make a mistake, repeat it twice".
 
Hi Dirigo, I am from Rome too! Welcome to this forum.
If you want to get it touch I will play next wednesday (June 12th )at the Gregory's jazz club, via Gregoriana, Rome.
I am in the resident band, we usually do a first set and then we open the jam session in the second set-
You can carry your instrument and jam with us if you like.
If you want to check out my musical activity this is my website www.fabriziodalisera.com
Feel free to write some links if you want.
The first thing to expand your improvisation approach and bring it to a next level starts from developing ideas from the head of the song.
It seems very obvious and "basic", but i believe that it has a tremendous potential, especially in the "unconventional territory".
Doing strange things in the improvisation is pretty easy, the difficulty is creating something to latch on to the song and the music while digging into your imagination.
 
I seem to remember one Steve Allen show where he played a tune by looking at a photo of a flock of birds standing on telephone lines. Anyway, welcome to the forum.
 
Hi Dirigo, I am from Rome too! Welcome to this forum.
If you want to get it touch I will play next wednesday (June 12th )at the Gregory's jazz club, via Gregoriana, Rome.
I am in the resident band, we usually do a first set and then we open the jam session in the second set-
You can carry your instrument and jam with us if you like.
If you want to check out my musical activity this is my website www.fabriziodalisera.com
Feel free to write some links if you want.
The first thing to expand your improvisation approach and bring it to a next level starts from developing ideas from the head of the song.
It seems very obvious and "basic", but i believe that it has a tremendous potential, especially in the "unconventional territory".
Doing strange things in the improvisation is pretty easy, the difficulty is creating something to latch on to the song and the music while digging into your imagination.
Hi thanks a lot I will come hear you if I can. Good advice too!
 
Back
Top Bottom