Now that we have covered a few of the elements used to build a cohesive and interesting improvised solo, I felt it necessary to establish a little of the history behind jass (original spelling). I found this yesterday and believe this is the only video I have found which actually features Paul Whitman speaking on camera. Most may find the Beer commercials a little boring but even those are a very good example as to how far we have improved in cooperate advertising.

Seldom do improvisers recognize the value in changing octaves when performing a solo. Many times your improvised solo can be repeated in a different octave and sound completely new. Changing a melodic line by inverting it to a different octave can give your solo a whole new meaning. To give you an example of how this can be done, please watch and listen to one of my favorite trumpet stylists Chet Baker. You may wonder why he is missing some of his upper, front teeth in this video. This could have been shortly after he was mugged on a street…

1950 Rock and Roll was the beginning of the volume invasion. Even Folk music was limited in decibels until the day Bob Dylan went electric. Once amplification was established in pop music, nothing would be the same. Every garage band was twanging away with 10 on their dials. As time past, more musicians were evaluated and eventually praised for the number of Marshal Amps they were able to get on stage. It seemed that the higher the decibels, the better the band. At least to the children who eventually lost their hearing. “Loud is good /soft is bad”. Many musicians…

One might ask “What do you mean “playing the rests”? Utilizing periods of rests or pausing during an improvised solo is something many players never think of. As I listen to great improvisers, I realize that the short periods of “nothing” can be an oasis in the desert. These mini points of contemplation give the rest of the solo meaning and contrast. Often we are bombarded during a conversation with an over excited and sometimes recreationally medicated person who seems to be able to talk without stopping for air. The more the person prattles on, the less we tend to…

Playing by ear is a term used to describe the musician’s ability to improvise a melody or a melody coordinated through a series of chords. To some it is a mystery and to others, it comes natural. What abilities do musicians have when performing music by ear? Can this ability be learned and is it important? First let’s discuss what playing by ear really means. 1. To perform by ear requires an ability to function on an instrument which is capable of reproducing the desired pitch. 2. This series of pitches need to be placed in a proper order so…