| LearnJazzPiano.com archives: bo cool or be picky? | |
| trocadero -- 07/12/2005, 11:58:49 -- #16432 | |
| I'm quite frutrated that I never manage to swing and make a good climax in my solos. I think my biggest problem is my timing, I dont swing. And when I'm listening to recordings where I'm playing it seems that I have not yet played a good solo. The solos sounds lame with only hints of good ideas coming out now and then. What is the best way to deal with this? Should I force myself to pracitise even when I think I play crap(I basiclly sound the same all the time although sometime I really FEEL like crap) or should I stop and search for something new. Should I just belive that this will work out with a lot of time with practise and experience or should I stop playing when I got nothing happening? And if you suggest I change some kind of direction, where sould I try search for the new "path"? | |
| Scot -- 07/12/2005, 12:06:20 -- #16434 | |
| Look at the thread down below on this page called How to Make A Good Solo and try out the idea there. See if it helps. As for swing, swing comes when you have great time. If you don't have great time you can develop it by practicing with a metronome a LOT, transcribing solos, and playing with a drum machine or Band in a Box or something like that. When time comes, it comes right away and all of a sudden "you got it". | |
| Jazz+ -- 07/12/2005, 12:30:19 -- #16437 | |
| You have to relax those swing eighth notes and make them "legato", don't try to hard or forcxe them. And you surely have to listen to recordings of swing eighth notes and try to find your version of them because everybody does it a little bit differently. I would also suggest you take to heart the three guidlines to good phrasing that Hal Galper offers in "Forward Motion" (the 3 characeristics of Charlie Parkers phrasing) | |
| SolArt -- 07/12/2005, 16:28:26 -- #16444 | |
| Just keep at it, persevere. I'm usually not satisfied when I play, depends on the style, piece, etc. Sooner or later something will "click" in you and you'll be so HAPPY you didn't quit piano at its frustrating stages. Although I'm not totally pleased when I listen back to a tape or video either, it does sound MUCH better than I remembered it live, there is more satisfaction to be sure. Sometimes there are "drop-outs" or incompleted ideas, weak spots etc. However overall I MUST SAY there are enough really COOL "professional happenings" in there to keep people's attention, amazing myself as well upon play-back. (What gratifying satisfaction!) So even if I hit a clunker or two it's offset by the little miracles that I'm grateful I presented. Does anyone have similar experiences? | |
| mooondancer -- 07/12/2005, 23:25:11 -- #16458 | |
| try relaxing your whole arm & hands - sometimes physically relaxing and kind of flowing over the keys like water can make your rhythm really happen. do you dance? if so it's kind of the same thing. maybe start with the simplest thing possible, like a blues scale - something where it's really easy to hear melodies, and just work on coming up with hip phrases (question & answer or otherwise like singing). start simple. in my experience this is the kind of thing you have to build from the ground up. more complex hipper swinging ideas come from little two or three note phrases. for me too, if I focus on hearing melodies, rhythm seems to come easier. hope some of this helps Alex | |
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