Got a question from Robert the other day about sax and improvisation.
Hey Neal, what do they mean ” playing over a chord”…I sound thick and i am, but what’s that..”playing over a chord”..??
Thanks
-Robert
Neal:
Hey Robert, that’s a pretty good question actually. It’s not something you learn in a beginning sax method book. Although something like an Aebersold book will get into it.
Basically you’re playing with other musicians who can play chords – like the piano and bass. So if you stop playing, there are still chords being played. You play ‘over’ it since you add to what’s going on. You are improvising ‘over’ the chord changes.
You should know the chord changes very well for this to work correctly.
So playing over a chord just means playing what you want to play in your solo on top of the chord changes.
A chord has at least three tones. The triad uses the root, third, and fifth. Seventh chords use one more note and there are many variations of harmonies. You can play the chord tones and the notes from the corresponding scales. And actually you can get outside of them too when you know what you’re doing. But even then, you generally want to ‘resolve’ or come back to a note that sounds nice with the changes.
Playing melodically, grooving with the rhythm section, creating music is what you’re really doing.
You’re spontaneously composing as you do this, it should just fit with the chord changes if you want it to sound pretty.
Giving it tension with some notes that create color is cool too. But a solo that’s dissonant from the beginning to end might not be all that relaxing for the audience!
Hi Neal
Your last email about ii V 1Progression is totally over my head and didn’t understand it at all, but I heard some thing the other day about Double Tonguing is it true that you can only do it in Classical pieces and on16th & 32nd noteation how is that done? And do you have anything on that, its just for interest, Im not up any standard yet still plugging away an still really injoying playing.
Henry
Hello Henry,
I think I might do a video showing what a ii V I progression sounds like then, you’re likely familiar with the sound, but maybe not so much with the terms. Might even play it on piano.
Double tonguing is a lot more commonly done on brass instruments. Some years back it was commonly taught on saxophone also, but it has become less common. It’s a technique that can be useful in some situations. I think of it as somewhat like circular breathing in that regard, not completely necessary.
I practice a bit of classical music to work on technique but never have found it necessary to double tongue.
-Neal