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The Magic of Improvization

Sweet Dreamer

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I'm learning to play my instruments using various "Jazz Method" books by John O'neill & others. These books come with a CD that contains the band on one track and the instrument on the other. This way you can remove the instrument and play along with the band.

I always load the lesson that I'm learning into Audacity so I can record against it as well as having more control over choosing which parts I'd like to play over or have auto repeat when I practice.

In any case, I loaded in my first "improvising" lesson for Trumpet. The way these lessons are done is that they start out playing the written music for the first half of the track, then during the second half the trumpeter is set free to improvise.

The interesting thing is that as soon as the trumpeter has been unleashed from having to play a predetermined melody he starts to really 'get into the music' just playing whatever he feels like playing. And the excitement of his freedom is contagious! The whole band comes "alive".

You can actually hear this in the music. But you can also see it in the recording waveforms. Just look at the band. The volume level is restrained and constant prior to the improv, but not long after the trumpeter has been set free to improvise the band comes alive and stars feeding off his freed spirit.

Check it out, you can see the band going nuts in the waveform plot.

Magic.jpg

You can hear this too, the band is also getting in on it, they are inspired to add their own spices once the improvisation takes off. It just brings the whole band alive.
 
But you can also see it in the recording waveforms. Just look at the band. The volume level is restrained and constant prior to the improv, but not long after the trumpeter has been set free to improvise the band comes alive and stars feeding off his freed spirit.

That's 'cos an improvising trumpeter plays so loudly the band has to play up to make themselves heard!!>:)

Martin
 
Well the sample size (one song) is too small to really draw any conclusions. But I suspect you are on to something. A good soloist can really bring a band alive, putting everyone in a very happy place. :)
 

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