starting jazz

Guest · starting jazz

when starting jazz should you focus more on the style first or learning how to improvise?

TrumpetChat

You want to focus on the style that you're playing first. Improvising comes with soloing which is more advanced. You'll learn improv. eventually as you get into more advanced music. Thanks,and keep posting. Chris

bandman

A great answer by trumpet chat to which I'll add. While you are learning the style, which you must do first, you can be learning the blues scales and also how to read a chord chart. Try playing your blues scales with a jazz rhythm and you will find yourself starting to "doodle" and pretty soon the improve will start to happen naturally.

Have you ever noticed that some people "ride" so smoothly that they sound like they aren't even thinking? That's because they know the horn "inside and out" and they can hear the chord progressions. That allows you to think less and feel more!

bandman

I just posted this to my website for you. I hope it helps.

http://www.davehamilton.org/Blues%20scale%20study.htm