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Getting ideas on the keys

how do you do that...very often i hear bashing solos in a bpm rate i cant even play technically. so i think the idea of jazz is bringing your headmelodies onto your instrument. but i realy have truble to hit the right keys, so i mean the tones i have in mind. so if the metrum is faster i am starting hiting random notes (dont realy know if they are completly random because it often sounds good o_o).

my question is how did you trained to get your ideas on the keys ?

by PomPom on 02/13/2007, 07:44

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one thing that helps me is repeating sequences in all 12 keys. i play them quite slow, i find speed is not really the issue. the issue is playing the right notes without having to think what key i'm in.
so for example i'll play a simple ii-v voicing with the left hand (1-7 / 1-5-3) while repeating a bebop scale with the right hand.

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by knotty on 02/13/2007, 10:20

read through the thread below "any tips on practicing fast tunes", a lot of the advice given in that thread applies to your question. the gist of it is, practice slow and deliberately. don't practice fast and sloppily, it's the worst thing you can do.

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by jwv76 on 02/13/2007, 15:19

first of all you need to quickly recognize all the important chord tones of each chord, particularly the voice leading of 3 and 7. this guides your ear to the tonality and then you are able to deviate from these chord tones (usually on up beats). if you maintain the important voice leading chord tones, including the root and the 5th (which is more neutral), you will find some natural tendencies in the melody. just because it is fast doesn't mean the notes are just randomly selected. on the contrary, bebop, particularly fast bebop, is really all about outlining the chord changes so it is more important in this style to stick to chord tones on downbeats. so in this style, knowing the scales that go with each chord is paramount.

in non-bebop style, and slower tunes, you will have the opportunity to think of a series of chords (horizontal improvisation) which requires a different thought process.

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by jazzwee on 02/15/2007, 22:33

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Getting ideas on the keys

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by knotty on 02/13/2007, 10:20

by jwv76 on 02/13/2007, 15:19

by jazzwee on 02/15/2007, 22:33

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Getting ideas on the keys

There are 3 comments, leave a comment.

by knotty on 02/13/2007, 10:20

by jwv76 on 02/13/2007, 15:19

by jazzwee on 02/15/2007, 22:33

Reply to Thread

Jazz Piano Notebook Series

"Latinesque"

LJP Jazz Piano Blogs

Most Recent Discussions

Articles

Top Sheetmusic Picks

Jazz piano education is cool.

Rock on. Follow your passion.

Sign In