LearnJazzPiano.com archives: "Planning" your improvisations

AdamP -- 03/08/2005, 17:51:20 -- #11785

I am a little confused about the exact way in which musicians improvise during a performance.   I have heard you should plan which exact modes/scales will be played over certain chord progressions (whichever can "fit" over the progression that it), and then stick largely to those notes.  Even if a original effect is then constructed from whichever mode has chosen, is that really improvisation? Should any planning be required? How did the great jazz pianists improvise - did they do it all by ear or did they plan in advance? Is the method of determining which modes to play in advance only for more novice musicians?  Is planning in advance only needed for a group situation? An example recently from this site happened when someone asked scot to help him with the keys or modes to solo in, and scot broke the chords down and showed which modes fitted on top. I guess the main question is; is the end goal to be able to improvise without planning in advance (although the other questions are also important!) Thanks, AdamP

marksdg -- 03/08/2005, 17:59:57 -- #11786

The end goal should be to make good music.  Period. Find out for yourself what level of improvisation gives you the best sound (i.e. planning what scales you will use vs. 'winging it').

marksdg -- 03/08/2005, 18:18:19 -- #11788

Another comment: With more experience, you begin to be able to take things you have learned from other pieces and apply them spontaneously. Everyone has a grab bag of tricks that they can use, but learning that grab bag often takes planning things for particular pieces.   I am all for doing lots of planning when you are first starting, and gradually getting into being freer with improvising the forms and scales and styles in your playing.

Copyright © 2005 by Scot Ranney. All rights reserved.

Click Here for more information about performances and clinics. Click Here to sign up for Scot's music announcements.