Beginner Improvisers: PRACTISE THIS Instead of Songs
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- Опубліковано 16 кві 2023
- Learning to improvise can be tough, but by focusing on these common chord progressions, instead of songs and jazz standards you are setting yoru self up for success!
Most songs and jazz standards are made up of the same chord progressions and turnarounds. Practicing improvising over these turnarounds lets your practice be more focused and efficient, so you progress faster, and get closer to the jazz musician you want to be!
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Yes, that's what all beginners should be learning first...how to improvise using chord tones, chord progressions and turnarounds. Thanks.
Brilliant video once again, Josh. That moka pot is becoming a star too!
Thanks Francis. I'd be nothing without my moka pot so thought it was only fair to share the limelight! 😂
Love the idea... any chance you will be putting out a PDF of these with some practice advice? Say ii V I and 10 suggested exercises over each key, for example... Thx.
Hi Pedro, yeah that's definitely something I'm planning on putting out soon. Watch this space!!
Hey Awesome video!
Just curious would you recommend practicing with or without a backing track and would you cycle through a chord progression your studying in a different key every day or every week!
Really enjoying the videos you make very inspiring!😊
Backing tracks depend how hard you find it without really. Doing it without backing tracks is better but it can be hard to keep track of everything. If you struggle without, try it with a backing track ti help you get comfortable then try removing the track. I know when I first started doing this it was a nightmare trying without a backing track! As for keys, again there isn't a definite answer. If you have the time, cycle through all the keys, if not focus on the more common ones (F, Bb etc) first - you'll be playing a lot more ii V Is in Bb than in Gb after all!
So, this is a good perspective to share. I think I'd take the best of both worlds and blend them, to help me with learning and (moreso) memorizing standards. I struggle with some of the chord analysis to be honest.
I recently added, "Girl from Impanema", "the closeness of you" and cry me a river to my repertoire. What's preventing me from confidently moving one is understanding the chord progressions. The "reimagining" of the E diminished chord to a C minor (with a flat 9) blew my mind and still eludes me a bit. I followed most of your reasoning but I need more practice with chord analysis.
Could you do a few in future videos?
Using a mixture of both is definitely a good thing to do!
Understanding chord progressions definitely gets easier with practice - I remember spending hours as a teenager writing going over lead sheets and working out the notes in every single chord, just to be able to do it quickly, and then doing the same thing when I learnt about chord progressions, as opposed to just individual chords.
With the E diminished, and other 'equivalent' chords, first thing I'd suggest is not to worry too much about them! But, when you do want to tackle them, work out what notes are in the chord, and what other, more common, chords share those notes. For the Edim7 we have E G Bb Db. Those notes are also in C7b9 (they are also in a few other dominant chords, but we can ignore those for now as they are less relevant to our key of Eb major).
Then it's a case of seeing if they equivalent chord is actually helpful at all, or if it's overcomplicating things! In the key of Eb, chord VI would be a Cm7, but chord VI is often changed to a dominant chord when it precedes chord II, which our Edim7 does. That would make chord VI C7, which we know as the equivalent to the diminished chord! To begin with, this may seem complicated and if that's the case do feel free to ignore it. But, once you're comfortable on I VI II V progressions, it'll mean you don't have to think about the notes as much, and just relax and let everything you've practiced come out in your playing.
I'm definitely going to do some videos on chord analysis, and improvising over chord changes soon, probably at some point in May. Watch this space!
@@joshwakeham... A big THANK YOU, to you, sir! I don't know if it was having a good night's sleep that helped but your explanation certainly helped and I get it now.
Also, thanks for explaining the" why". I tend to commit things to memory better when I understand it and you've done a FANTASTIC job of breaking it down for me.
Yes, I draw inspiration from your recount as a teenager and working out the notes in each chord and then examining the chord progressions later. I did that with "Autumn Leaves" which was far easier and straightforward, compared to these other songs I more recently learnt.
I really appreciate your videos and help.
BIG UP! 😊
No problem, glad I could help clear things up! Feel free to get in touch if you have any other questions ever!
what's IIm7? Thanks for your work :)
IIm7 is chord II (or 2 if not using roman numerals) in whichever key you're in, and making it a minor 7 (pr m7) chord. So if you're in the key of C major it'd be Dm7 because D is the second note in the key
@@joshwakeham ah ok I was confused because you noticed chords progression ii V I and this one IIm7 so I was thinking is minor and major same time 😅 anyway thanks for your answer
Oh yeah that was just me being inconsistent with how I wrote it. My bad!
Josh...your hand movements are slightly aggressive. Please be careful when filming. Thanks, mate! (also, cool vid)
Hey Chip, yeah I'm trying to reign in the hand movements - definitely a work in progress! Glad you enjoyed the video, despite the hands!
@@joshwakeham Bro...did you check out that Kenny Dorham album Blue Spring w/ Cannonball?
Oh yeah, it was great! Thanks for making me hip to it!
Clear and concise as ever, but to be truthful you just wanted an excuse to incorporate alcohol into the working day, right?
Every now and then I need to play into the jazz stereotype!