What's In Your Head When You Improvise On Sax? [
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- Опубліковано 24 лип 2024
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🎷Thanks for watching!
Free online saxophone lesson where I peel back the kimono and give you an up close and personal insight into my thoughts and feelings when I improvise a saxophone solo.
🎬Watch more videos about improvisation here...
• Improvising
Chapters
0:00 - Intro and announcements
3:01 - Everyone Is Different
5:01 - your brain health
6:04 - rhythm
9:41 - listening
12:18 - memory
14:02 - the finger brain
18:24 - playing with ideas
21:46 - inspiration and the source
27:52 - outro
29:43 - end music and bloopers
Get Your Sax Together is a fun and informative channel, packed with free online saxophone lessons. My name’s Jamie Anderson and I’ve been a pro saxophonist since 1996. I release new content every Sunday at 7am UK so you can Sax Up Your Sunday! Please subscribe and click the bell icon 🔔 (set to ALL) to get notified when new content is released. Practice hard, practice smart and enjoy your music! Jamie 🎷
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#getyoursaxtogether #onlinesaxlessons #howtoplaysaxsolos - Навчання та стиль
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I have always said how music fills my soul, but music is part of my soul. I like how you said "I feel the music In me and just try to Express what you're feeling when you play."
Great comment, thanks Aaron. 🙏🏻
It's not easy to put into words what's happening upstairs - but you've done it beautifully. Well done Jamie.
Many thanks John. 🙏🏻
I second this, here here!
I once posed the same question to Robben Ford. He replied "When improvising, I'm LEAPING around from note to note. And when you've played as long as I have, you know where to land."
Interesting. Thanks!
I found that I could improvise in my head without any chords written down to follow, I can hear the chords changes coming and or react in an instant to when the chord does change. I thought all I need to do is be able to play by ear and that’s what I started to learn to do rite at the beginning of lock down and it’s going quite well so far. As Improvising is making music up in the moment and I can do it in my head in the moment I just need to be able to get the brain to be able to play the notes I’m hearing. While I’m playing songs by ear I find that if I’m thinking about it then sometimes it’s harder to play the song, if I’m thinking about something else or there’s a tv on then sometimes it’s easier to get the song out as it’s the subconscious side of the brain that controls my fingers.
I used to be glued to sheet music, text books and a whole host of written material, I even had to have all my scales written out as I couldn’t remember how many flats or sharps each one had. My practice routine for the last year and a half has consisted mainly of playing scales and chords without any book or print out. I use my ears to listen to what I’m playing. I reference my major scales to the C scale and minor scales to the A minor as these are easy to play but you can hear the pattern. After I could do these half decently I started to play songs I know really well be ear, I wasn’t very good at first maybe only getting half a dozen notes into a song now I can play most songs all the way through.
My next thing to start doing is call and response, being able to play back a note or group of notes straight away...
Getting rid of the paper this last year or so has really helped me so much, I’ve come on more in the last 18 months than in the last 24 years just by using my ears and ditching the paper I thought I couldn’t do without.
Really great comment Ian - I'm glad you're finding a method that works for you. Fantastic.
24:26 thank you for sharing the healing connection we create as we play our instruments. BTW medical doctors also use instruments, not tools, when they heal.
Great comment, thanks.
Ever since I started to me a saxophonist long time ago i learned the basics, play with other musicians, and realised that listening is very important to creatively improvise. i learned to improvise on melody, not chords. I tried to improvise on chords but a certain great retired saxophonist said I must always rely on the melody. I don't always know what to play in my saxophone improvisations but when I hear or practise the melody i get very deep feelings, although colleges and universities of music we are told to concentrate or master the changes.Later i realised that if you master the changes you'll always play the same thing. But if you listen to different songs there's always a different approach. You cannot be playing the same thing everyday. The great MIles Davies used to sack musicians who improvise the same way in every gig!!!
If you master the changes you don’t always play the same thing. And every jazz musician repeats language, even miles. You’re fundamentally misunderstanding the nature of jazz improv my friend. 🙏🏻
Wow, I'll remember from now on the power of connecting, listening, pl!aying with rhythm and being good to myself for a start with just a few notes. Thanks for sharing from the bortom of your heart :-)
You're welcome!
I too, can feel the music coming out. My problem is that feeling, that emotion, doesn’t know which key to press next. But I can find the neighborhood.
It'll come with practice!
Jamie you did a great job expressing your thoughts on a subject which hard to communicate. Thank you so much. I love your teaching style, and always learn something new.
Very kind, thanks Ron.
Bravo, Jamie! It’s a search for transcendence each and every time you pick up the horn. The work is the answer to how you build a conduit to the stars. Your most important video yet.
What an awesome comment. Thanks 🙏🏻
Woo-woo actually brought a tear to my eyes. Thanks as always for spreading the joy,
Aw, thanks Larry.
Great topic and well done. I have questioned many soloists on many instruments on how much and how deeply they think. All over the place from never to always.
Awesome- glad you enjoyed it 😊
Jamie my sax sound is bigger than before. You are a great teacher
That’s music to my ears!
Great and interesting video
I quit playing 12 years ago due to Bell's palsy (paralysis of facial muscles)
So chops completely gone however watching your videos i have got the bug back and bought myself a tenor yesterday mouthpiece comes in a couple of days
I have had a few blows on a friends alto and its going to be a long haul i struggled to blow a note
So thanks for inspiration.
Regarding thoughts in my head i always was thinking on where to go and how,
I was always confused with chord changes etc and like a rabbit in headlights and felt inadequate which i was as the library in my head of licks, phrases etc was not good enough
Thank you for your work
Go for it! You've nothing to lose. I seriously injured my neck, and can't play piano any longer. I bought a sax in January and Jamie's excellent videos mean I can now play a few pieces (badly) , but what matters is that I feel that connection with the greater Universe again. It salves my soul. Thanks to Jaime I'm a happy bunny again, just making music.
Good luck with it all Jeremy! Hope you can get a sound going. Tenor sax has the loosest embouchure of all the saxes at least!
See and feel... Thanks Jamie for the clear passion and motivation behind your sense and feeling (and mine) and love for music and saxophone specifically.
My pleasure!
Another great video.
I find that choosing one jazz standard and, after my usual practice regime, playing it over a backing track many times each day for many weeks is a great way to expand improvisation flexibility. It doesn't take too long before I start regurgitating the same ideas and licks. It's at this point that I step back and throw out all the 'rules' and simply experiment with every idea I feel as the changes flow. It can sometimes hit and miss but that really doesn't matter....what's important is that you end up discovering stuff that works brilliantly that you would otherwise have not even attempted when sticking to the 'rules of improv'.
Great method. Love that.
@@GetYourSaxTogether Thakyou :)
Love the messages on (1) putting heart and soul in and (2) rhythm, which are so missing in so much contemporary jazz. Was great to hear the things you can do on auto-pilot and the things you still need to think about. ☺
Thanks 🙏🏻
So interesting Jamie, thank you so much!
You’re very welcome 😊
Hello Jamie! This is pure GOLD my friend! You’ve nailed it once again. Sometimes we are so focused on learning more scales, diminished, half-whole, and tons and tons of “intelectual” stuff, that we forget what music is all about: feelings and emotions. I think that Wayne Shorter and you agree 100%… never let the music theory or your instrument become obstacles in your effort to express yourself and connect with others. That’s what we have to do… not to impress others with our proficiency playing up and down the horn at speed light…but playing with our hearts... Great stuff Jamie!
Wonderful comment, thank you so much 😊
Great video, Jamie. Thank you much.
Anytime 😊
Fantastic insight, Jaimie. It is a question I have often been asked. I loved your ay of explaining it.
Many Thanks Richard!
Marvelous stuff..thank you Jamie :-) Loved the Molly Duncan anecdote!
Cheers Neil. Hope you're doing ok!
Very good suggestions and perspective, Thank you, Jamie
Anytime 😊
Brilliant once again!!!! I can't wait for the full course to come out.
Many thanks. It's going to be fantastic!
Great question & a top quality informed response. Outstanding stuff once again Jamie. Very much appreciated
Thanks buddy 🙏🏻
Truly from the heart!! Thank you
You're most welcome!
Thant was great. Thank you Jamie.
You're welcome!
Hi Jamie,
That was beyond wu-wu! Thanks for a superb session from the heart and mind. Incredibly helpful and encouraging.
Thanks again,
Neil.
I'm glad this was helpful Neil.
Fantastic vid today, Jamie. Loved it, especially the Woo Woo. Thank you.
Thanks Glenn. Much appreciated!
Hey Jamie, thanks for your reply ! This video is just amazing ! It makes the link between the daily technical sax stuff, the objective to be able to assimilate these concepts in our bodiy and the upper level, that you call wow-wow :) I already got sometimes that feeling to be fully connected with the instrument, the groove, the surrounding space... It was like a magic or a daydream, since I can not understand how this can happen only by blowing into a simple saxophone, but Its my motivation to continue studying ! Anyone can construct improvisation using different processes but finally I guess that we share this same "magical" goal. Thank you for sharing such personal fellings. The mountain is high but now I distinguish the summit, I am sure it will help anyone to find his way to progress.
Hey Pascal, thanks to YOU for asking such a great question, and leaving such a great comment. 🙏🏻🎷
I envision in my head a large crowd of people listening to me playing my horn and giving me a standing ovation ! It's a dream I have when practicing .... LOL
Maybe it’ll be a reality one day Jimmy. You just need the right info and a good dose of dedication. 👌🏻
This is best video you have ever done, I’m a a bit woo woo in general and it’s great to hear you say that, it’s given me a renewed sense of belief that in time with Practice practice practice I will be at full on woo woo level one day 🧘🏼♂️🙏, thanks again well deserves a coffee or two!
Nice one Mike, thanks!
Thank you Jamie for a great video.
Thanks Robert!
Thanks Jamie. There’s rarely a bar where I’m gigging that doesn’t have a TV on with sports playing. I find myself ‘watching’ it with total disinterest, but there’s something about the way it engages my visual sense that’s great for my improv. It seems to cancel out any anxiety and provides a free flow from my mind to my fingers. Of course, I don’t do this when I practice, but I find that if I’m jamming to Pandora, Spotify, or SiriusXM at home, my eyes want to see the graphics of the station on a television or computer monitor, rather than close my eyes. That may seem odd to some of you, but for me, it really works well.
That's really interesting, whatever works works hey!
Positive and very up lifting Jamie. I'm right with you on this and has me so motivated to pick up my sax and do scales and improvise except its 5 in the morning and cops might show up.
Thanks! 🚓
Absolutely brilliant and clear breakdown of improvising music. Thanks for this.
No problem. Thanks for watching 😊
Very nice philosophical master class!
Thank you kindly!
Thanks Jamie, for this beautiful session! I love improvising! Really good explanation of getting the rhythm from the head into the whole being. I see this is the case when I really know a piece well as opposed to a number I'm learning or haven't yet got the "feeling of" yet. My fingers are not (yet or anymore?) as adept as playing the rhythms I feel as I would like. Listening! This last week I had my first live gig in over a year. When warming up I just played along with the ambience music (which I had never heard before) that was playing in the club. This caught the attention of another club owner who offered me another gig!
Great comment - thanks Rob. Fantastic that you already got another gig. That's more than me! lol
Love your passion and yes Woo Woo is the great gig in the sky :)
Thanks for commenting Stuart.
I totally love your videos Jamie. I've been dipping in for a while and have got something from every video I have watched, even the basic level stuff that I like to think I know. Kudos.
Thanks!
Jamie, thank you for another Sunday inspiration!
You are so welcome!
Totally agree Jamie….I’m definately in the woo woo catagory………I new nothing about theory for 30 years ..even what I do know is still basic and holding me back I’m in for the Improvisation Mastery Programme. Your the Man!!!!
Thanks so much Jimu! 🙏
This is such a powerful and inspiring video. So full of content and great ideas. I found myself pausing the video ever so often to try out exactly what you have been saying. As a result, I found myself making sounds and getting tones that I never thought I could achieve. Great stuff. I really appreciate it. Thanks
Awesome! Thank you!
Very in-depth info Jamie. I just had a marvelous time playing to a 12 bar blues and because I've only been playing for less than a year, I used a subtractive/additive approach to improvise.
So, subtracting notes from an existing phrase & adding note length at random with a bit of syncopation gave me that woo woo feel.
Cheers!!!
Cool. Thanks for that comment Rex!
Great again. I found that I could improvise when I'm totally conected with music, when I feel it, otherwise is totally lost
Thanks for that interesting comment Eva!
Thanks Jamie! Excellent! Although I am a developing player, I find that other complicated hobbies in my life are described in terms of "bandwidth" where you can only process so much information, so in order to move to a higher level, some details, especially the basics, have to become muscle memory so that you can allow your brain to have space to handle other components.
Yeh, good point.
You’re incredible 🙏🏽
You make it sound so easy! Listening to you I just realized I’m way further away from this than I thought. I already knew I’m far away (just played 1.5 year) but wow!
I feel I have the creativity, but I can not find the notes that I want use, my fingers are not moving fast enough either.
I’ve got a new course coming out soon (Improvisation Mastery) that will be perfect for you. Easy steps to get there. Make sure you sign up for my Masterclass or any of my PDFs then you’ll be on my mailing list. 👍🏻
Great lesson as allways jamie, practice practice and practice then your fingers just go there hopefully,,looking forward to the improv course i am determined to learn how to improvise with your help..Pete Spain
You’re gonna love the course Pete - I really hold your hand and take you through the process in manageable steps. 👍🏻
Thank you, Sir!
You are welcome!
Fantastic video Jamie thank you. I struggle to think about chords and scales etc while I improvise - I rely on hearing the structure in my head - and usually it works enough, though not with complicated changes! But expression and following melodic ideas as you discuss seems to be the thing that matters and gets positive comments. Having confidence that you have something to say/play helps too! Thanks for sharing your process.
Glad it was helpful Rachael :-)
Currently working on module 6 of your amazing Total Improvisation Mastery. This course is a blast !! 🚨🔥🎷
👍🏻
All of this makes sense ! I meditate a lot and the ideas you discussed connect with some of the moments that I experience off the sax . I think I will just buy the socks and hoodie and hope that will make the difference lol .
You’re gonna love the hoodie! And the socks of course. 🙏🏻
Loved this discussion of improv thought and body processes. Re/your comment about the body knowing where you are within a piece, that makes sense to me when I am playing something like Blue Bossa. The tune has such definite transitions from chord to chord that if you can hear a backing track clearly, you know exactly where you are without counting. However, on music like Little Sunflower with 3.5 measures of a single note amidst 16 bars of Em7, I'm not sure how the body's sense of rhythm can tell when to do a repeat or shift to Fmaj7. This is especially hard when you try to make your solo more complex.
Really interesting comment. Thanks for that. I guess even on little sunflower my gps keeps track.
Wow that was intense. Haven't playing for a while but are inspiring me to get back into it. I studied with the late great Bill Green for a while. His teaching is coming back to me if that makes sense.
Good luck! 👍🏻
That’s another great video, Jamie. I really liked hearing about the way you approach this and was particularly struck by your description of the finger brain thing.
I’m not sure how far I will be able to go in getting to grips with this as I’ve just started out as a very late learner at 65 ( I have my first lesson tomorrow - yippee! ) so I guess I need to maximise my practice time. I'll keep your words in mind as I go, and do what I can.
Thanks for the stuff you put on here.
Good luck with your lesson and it’s never too late. Some of my fans are 95!
Fantastic
Thanks Timur!
Really interesting, I’m there with my brain trying to process everything and I lose my way, but sometimes I forget everything and feel the tune. Just need to get chords and scales under my fingers more.
Sure thing Adrian.
What usually pops in my head that hangs me up is what is my exit route, and I'll end up unfortunately thinking about those last couple changes. This goes away once I've played it a couple times but when just reading stuff down, this is my hangup.
Thanks for sharing Mike 😊
fascinating
Thanks for watching Juliet.
I just think about the chord changes and cool licks
Great. thanks for sharing.
Thanks Jamie another great lesson. Have heard and read that some improvisers just play too many notes in quick succession and don't leave sufficient space between phrases (motifs?). The idea being the space allows more time for the listener to comprehend the musical ideas being expressed. Do you agree with is? Would also seem to allow more time for the improviser to generate musical ideas and take some pressure off.
I'd agree with that, for sure. That space is really important for performer and audience alike.
What a great question. I have wondered about this for decades. Thanks to both of you. (Who got themselves a new footswitch for the mics?)
Hey, well spotted on the foot switch, eagle eye!
Boom bam bam thanks 🎷
Ka ching! You’re welcome!
Thank you Jamie for all your tutorials especially this one which is inspiring !
May I ask you which alto Sax mouthpiece do you use ?! Thank you 🙏🏼
ua-cam.com/video/ZdK7VdadkkE/v-deo.html
I played the drums for years and I think I also have rhythm engrained within my Soul,, its my Saxophone that get s in way lol, just kidding although I totally understand what you mean.
With every song I hear played on the radio i have an alternative drum beat and I have been doing this for over 50 years. i just cant stop myself, Sad eh ?
Not sad, that’s great!
Wow !!!
Thanks for watching Eduardo!
The muse, she's a beaut. For some reason hearing and seeing are fine, but feeling energy is not? Nothing about it is woowoo to me. And playing an instrument has always been my easiest way of feeling it and passing it through. Couldn't be more grateful.
🙏🏻
This is the best video I have ever watched on UA-cam.Great explanation about brain while playing.a few days ago I noticed that I am changing my upper theeth position while playing low notes and high notes .sounds are good which I believe but I don’t want to get a bad habbit.on low notes sometimes my top theeth is on the edge and near upper register I used to take more mouthpiece in my mouth .am I doing stg wrong?i believe the sound is good for audiences:)they like it 😅
Glad it was helpful!
Jamie, you could make separate videos on developing each aspect you mention in the rhythm section of this video, if you haven't already. Many people would benefit from that.
Not a bad idea, thanks!
Good day Jamie. Have always love yours lessons. But how can I learn and play with my ears.
It takes experience and practice but I’m a big fan of Rick Beato’s ear training course.
Good shit brother. Makes me think of my predicament. I just blurt out the notes as I see fit. And seem to be getting away with it. Which in all honesty I find embarrassing. I am in the process of looking for structure. Not sure if that makes me a Shorter though. But hey I try. My philosophy. The highest notes are some sort of knee jerk reaction .
Thanks for that comment man - interesting thoughts!
Depends on whether you are seeing music as communication of emotion or not.
Thanks for your comment J J.
Can you please do a video on doing sound effects on the sax?
Yeh, I’ve got plenty on that. Search for growling.
I do exactly whst Wayne does, no fear here! If you hit a klunker gere and there so what, Parker did it all the time
Just blow baby...
Good for you Jake! Love that.
Brain to finger brain, just solid advise.
Thanks 🙏🏻
Excellent ... Thanks so much.
Just one question how do you deal with chord tones which i presume are usually in concert pitch compared to the notes of the sax. This always confused me when i just wanted have the chord tones and scales under my fingers without thinking and the need to transpose all the time. For this reason and because I only play tenor I learnt the notes and always practice with concert pitch in mind. Any comments on this ... thanks ... looking forward to the course :))
Yeh, I never think I concert pitch. Don’t sweat it by transposing everything, get the transposed music! Life’s too short.
@@MyRackley THANKS :)
Hi Jamie, I've just discovered you!
Can you hone in a little more on this one of the areas of whats going on in your head - How conscious of the chords are you while you are improvising?
Do you become more conscious as you get to the end of a melodic idea / muscle memory sequence? and.. away from the lead sheet, do you always know exactly where you are in the changes, do you see the chords in you mind’s eye? as a graphic e.g. “G7” or have you just learnt to feel the changes as they approach?
I am working on learning standards, I don't have a problem learning the melody or transposing through the keys but keeping track of the changes while i'm trying to improvise is the issue
Cheers
Leigh
I always know exactly where I am in the chords and I always know exactly what chord I’m on. I don’t have to think of what notes are in the scale or chord - it’s just “there”. However, I still use brain power to manage that information. In other words I’m not away with the fairies playing what I feel in a trance. Not over changes anyway. Where that information is processed though is more abstract and difficult to say. The more you practice the easier it is though. Put it this way, you don’t have to think about letters or words when you speak but you’re still thinking about what you say right?
Hello Jamie. When you play or work do you think in Bb for the tenor and in Eb for the alto or do you transpose everything in C concert? If you play a C on the tenor You think D? (real C) for me I'm a little lost. I don't know if I have to relearn everything in C concert fingerings.
Sorry for this silly question but it's a big problem for me. Most of the time I play by ear but I think in Bb If I play a A on my sax it' a G if we ask me to play a A I must play a B . You do that automatically ?
Good question. I only think in the pitch of the instrument. Not concert.
@@GetYourSaxTogether Thank you it's more simple. I am reassured
@@olivierherment1188 👍🏻
Where's the button to buy the maestro coffee?
Many thanks, you can use this link - www.buymeacoffee.com/GetYourSaxTogether
What mouthpiece is it? 🤔
Watch this for details of my set up ua-cam.com/video/ZdK7VdadkkE/v-deo.html
I see great sounds in my head, but crap comes out my Sax 😪
You may want to watch Chad LB's video about how to play what you hear in your head
You are lucky man.....
I had my head suddenly empty...and my finger stucked !!!
At least you've got great sounds in your head. That's a good start!
@@GetYourSaxTogether thanks mate 🎷🤪
Play something... anything,No not that, something else. Repeat the main motif then something else. Lots of notes maybe there's a good one in there wait that's not it. Play one good long note. Find the tonic and bounce on the beat. Play something expected then something unexpected.
Leave spaces but enhance the groove.
Use dynamics but with a strong clear tone.
Above all stay loose and relaxed while being focused and forceful.
Was that ok? It's lame I can do better...well it's ok,that one part was good but then that was either a mistake or pure genius.
No I can't do it again.
🤣