Piano Jazz? I need some improvisation tips

[Dooga 0]

Hello everyone! I just came back from a trip to Seattle (band trip), and I thought to myself... yuck, my piano improvisation is so bad I can't even play happy birthday on the spot. (Of course, give me any written version and I can play it despite the level of difficulty!) My problem is: I can't inprovise jazz, and it's crucial for jazz players to know how to improvise. Can someone please help me? Either tips, links to tips or software for improv is good enough. The only thing I know is how to use 1-3-5-7 chord notes to make a bad jazz solo, which I don't get solos since I can't improvise .Thanks for anyone's help. (I don't need tips on playing piano, and I know 4 part harmony so tell me jazzy stuff )

[iGuest 3]

Piano Jazz? - I need some improvisation tips

Piano Jazz?

 

Well, you are using "chord tones" to solo, which works great, if it's not the only thin you use. A big part of soloing on a jazz tune is using modes (Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian etc...) and licks that are catchy. What I like to do is play the chord progression and sing a solo, because then you ARE creating it out in your head, which is what improvisation is. It's creating one minute's music in one minute's time, where as composing, you can create one minute's music in three months.

 

Some basic stuff: on a Major7 chord use either Ionian or Lydian, on a Dominant7 chord, use mixolydian, on a dimished chord

 

If you have any specific questions, email me: michael.Raleigh0 at gmail.Com

 

 

 

-reply by Mike

[iGuest 3]

piano jazzPiano Jazz?Hi, just responding to your suggestion in the previous post, you said basically to play Ionian and/or Lydian mode over a maj 7th chord, should the 4th degree of the Ionian mode be raised and is that the Lydian you are referring to? I recently started reading the Jazz Piano Book and finding modes and scales very challenging. Does it all come down to ear? or do I need to know these scales, I'm willing to learn them but want to know how to use them