Can some people help me with learning improv piano jazz?

Question

Now, I have been classical trained for a reasonable amount of time (Four? years total), but have stopped lessons for about 2-3 years. Now, I want to learn improv jazz. What I want to know is this: Is it easy, even for somone at my level to learn how to do? How is it done? (basics) Are there any free sites I can use to learn by or use as reference or help? How long does it usually take for an adverage someone to learn it to an adverage level?

Answer 1

This is a good question.
(1)It is easy if you really desire it. You will keep working on it.
(2)There are myriad approaches to it. I'll give some easy starters.
(3)I don't know of any free sites to help you but there was a series on vinyl records called "Music Minus One" that has been continued by Jamey Abersold on CDs. Google him. (These are recordings of a jazz band playing songs with "one" instrument out of the mix. For instance, piano. You play along with the CD. Most of the recordings have the entire group playing the song also on the CD.)
(4)You can start immediately at an average level.

Here's what to start with:
(1) The chord structure of the song is all-important in most improvisation, so you need to know the song well. It is best to start with a simple chord pattern or any short pattern you know well. One of the most basic patterns is the "blues"-- 4 bars (measures) of the I chord, 2 bars of the IV chord, 2 bars of the I chord, 1 bar of the V chord, 1 bar of the IV chord and 2 bars of the I chord. (If you don't know the roman numeral system, they are just referring to the first, fourth and fifth tones of whichever scale you choose. For instance, in the key of "C" you would use "C", "F" and "G" chords. In basic theory the one chord is a major triad, the four chord (F) and the five chord (G) would be dominant 7ths (the first, third, fifth and flat seventh tones of the chord's scale). This is the standard "12-bar blues form and there are many variations. Don't worry about these finer points at first, just get the pattern down.

(2) If the chord pattern doesn't bring any "melodic" line to your mind, pick any short (one bar long, for instance) rhythmic or melodic motif that you like. For instance, a group of three eighth notes on the fifth tone and a dotted quarter on the first tone followed by a half rest to fill out the measure. On the "C" chord this would be g-g-g-c (I would go down to the c but it doesn't really matter.) On the "F" chord it would be c-c-c-f and on the "G" chord it would be d-d-d-g. Now this is just an example of a motif to use within the chord structure. I picked it at random to show how the tones of the scales are used to improvise upon the chord structure. You could use a more complex motif such as five-four-three-four-one in any rhythmic pattern which appeals to you. Or anything! Just choose something and play it across the chord changes. You are "improvising" a melody on top of the chord structure.

(3) Once you get the hang of playing on top of the chord structure try different motifs and mixing different motifs together. Or try playing a motif on one note throughout the chord changes (for instance a quartet of 16th note "c" notes every other beat through all the chord changes--stay on the "c" note. Another thing to try is "quoting" a line from another song on top of the chord structure--for instance just the six-note "happy birthday to you" or the 4-note "here comes the bride". Use anything that comes to mind, but fit it into the chord structure

(4) That's basically all there is to it. You improvise a melody line on top of the chord structure. When you get really good at it, you can do it "in real time". Most of the improvisation you hear recorded is rehearsed and worked out ahead of time. It may not be written out note-for-note, but the player has some plan in mind. If you listen to live jazz, you might hear some purely free improvisation. It is indescribably wonderful when it comes out right-- for the audience and for the player!

Answer 2

I've been working with the course for about a week now, and it's incredible. Just the practice aids and the different scales and memory techniques in Book 9 are worth the price of the course, alone! There are two things that make this course stand out. First, all the video and audio files are embedded in the lesson. I have yet to find another piano course that makes it this easy. It's so nice not to have three files going at the same time!

The second thing is that you actually get to play in each lesson! And the songs are not "Mary had a Little Lamb" types! From the Beatles to Bethoven, it's all there. I have several piano courses that I have ordered over the internet. This is the one I use because it makes learning fun! I'm amazed! Once you get the rhythms down, you really can sound like a pro! Great fun! Thanks for making this available at such a reasonable price. Anyone who doesn't grab this up is going to go the long way home! Joy!

Now ANYONE Can Learn Piano or Keyboard?

Answer 3

Okay this is not scientific, but if I were to create a step-by-step process it would go something like this: 1.) Listen to a lot of jazz. 2.) Learn how to play basic chords. Block chords. First triads, then seventh chords, then ninth chords. 3.) Get "The Real Book." It's basically THE jazz standards book, and is loaded with well-known jazz tunes that you can practice over and over again. This is pretty much the only book I used for years. Start with basic tunes from it (like "Footprints" and "Solar") and build up to more difficult ones. 4.) Learn your 251 chord progressions in every key and in different inversions. These are crucial! Once you get these, learn you minor 251s. 5.) As you learn your chords, learn the accompanying scales. If you play notes from the scale of the chords in any combination you want, that is the basics of soloing over jazz. 6.) Transcribe solos by great musicians. There is SO much more to learn, but I think this would offer a good start. Listen listen listen and play play play, and you should be well on your way to learning how to improvise jazz. Once you get the basics down, you may want to find a good teacher to guide you. Don't get discouraged if you don't get it right away. It takes a lot of time and practice.

Answer 4

i assume you know all your scales.....so get down the blues scale, which is:
1 b3 4 #4 5 b7 8....or.....one, flat three, four, sharp four, five, flat seven, and eight or one....
you would use that with any scale.
once you get the blues scales down learn how to read chord symbols...know which key to improv in.......also learn your dominate seven chords...........
and this is all assuming that you are as good as you say you are......
my advice is to get some private lessons.........if you're young, :-), go talk to your school's band director and ask for local private teachers, with jazz experience...
once you learn all the fundementals.....you just go..
...P.S. listening is a GREAT help in jazz....you should do more listening than actucal practicing....
weird huh...well its true, and it will also add to 'quotes' you can use during your improving.....
*kate....:-)
well....hope you got something helpful out of that!...lol...:-)

Answer 5

All you need is some basic Blues/Jazz Theory if you can follow this at all I dont know how to put it simpler use the I IV V Progression or I V IX of blues or Minor Scales

Answer 6

I am not trying to advertise here people, but I suggest going to my youtube page. I have 60 odd videos teaching blues and some jazz.

www.youtube.com/bennygblues

Hope it helps.
Ben

Answer 7

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