Kenny Garrett playing some improv on alto.
I think there’s a mic on Miles Davis’s trumpet.
Kenny Garrett playing some improv on alto.
I think there’s a mic on Miles Davis’s trumpet.
Why Improvisation?
In jazz and many other styles of music you take solos on saxophone and a lot of the time you need to make something up. And you probably want it to sound good. Improvisation can seem really complicated, but it just takes practice and some guidance.
What is improvisation?
Making up your own thing in your own voice based on the music you’re playing- could be blues, jazz, salsa, they used to do it in classical music too.
How do you learn improvisation on sax?
A lot of experimentation is necessary. You can learn ideas from hearing them and the ideas make more sense with a theoretical understanding of what’s going on.
What will learning improvisation do you for your saxophone playing?
You’ll be able to take a killer solo on saxophone and melt peoples faces. That second part will vary from person to person.
If you play saxophone, and someone asks you to play, and you don’t have music….. what are you going to do?
Even if you do call the ghostbusters, it’s not going to help you.
Knowing tunes and being able to make up a solo will save you.
Putting in the practice beforehand will help you out a lot. BUT you don’t want to sound like you’re practicing when you’re taking a solo. So part of it has to be spontaneous. If you put together phrases you know in a way that sounds good, you’re still being creative.
In that sense it’s like language, you speak using words and phrases. It’s not as if you make up new words on the spot using only the letters.
Above phrasing and ideas even, the most important thin however, in my opinion, is your sound. People will often compliment you afterward by saying, “you sounded good.” So practice your long tones! Those will make you sound better and more in tune.
It’s not just about sound though, you also don’t want your rhythm to be off, so practice with a metronome!
Want to play saxophone, but feeling lost and not sure how to get started?
In this online/downloadable class you will see methodical lessons in a sequence and you can get feedback and ask questions at any point.
Learn moreWant to take your playing to the next level?
You’ll learn fundamental saxophone skills, building past the basics. Master rhythms. Learn about phrasing, tone, and more. Here you will get feedback which is crucial to developing good habits.
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