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Originally Posted by mrchief128  yeah, maybe i should make my question clearer...its not so much improv that i want to learn as it is playing with someone or with music...i can improv with drums pretty well...and as far as playing with another guitar, i'm ok at that (if i'm near the guitar player) cause i can look and see the roots and shape of the chord that the guitar player is playing...but yeah...for me its more about playing with music...or more specifically, playing with chord progressions... |
First I think you would get more reply if you used the work Jam instead of improv. I think it is closer to what you are trying to say. In some context they are interchangeable but not to all.
As the other post said you just have to do it and do it a lot. First probably want to work on it at home. Every style of music has common chord progressions you need to work on. First to be able to recognize them when you hear them, but all practice making up bass lines to them, then if into soloing work on improvising over those changes. This is were some sort of recording device is your best teacher. If you play guitar or keyboard lay down a track with a click or drum machine. If you don't play a chordal instrument buy a burger for a guitar or piano playing buddy to lay a track down for you. Then sit and listen get the sound of the progression in you ear. Sing the root movement of the chords with the track get that progression inside of you. Now start working on simple bass lines, keep it simple and focus on groove. Once you have some good lines that groove now start working on lines with a few more notes, find what notes work best to convey the style of music. What are notes you can sit on, what are notes that just work as passing tones. Come up with some lines.
If into soloing put the bass down and start analysizing the progression. What key is it in? What scale works for the key? What scales/modes for each chord. Now practice those scales and modes to get them under your fingers. Okay now the arpeggios for the chords do you know those, work on them. Get all that together now get their sound in your ear. Play along with the track and play eighth notes and run the scales for the key(s) for the track. Next play the scale/mode for each chord with the track. Last run the arpeggios for each chord with the track. Actually a whole lot more in this area that could be done, but for now start using the tools you have and work on playing a solo to the track. Keep it simple listen for which notes work and which to avoid. Actually more advanced, but try playing a solo without the track and see if you can make the chord changes come from the solo.
Okay you done all that, now head to a jam session and suggest jamming on the chord progression you been working on. If possible record yourself at the jam. Listening to ourselves of the best teacher.
You should have that progression nailed now, you should be able to recoginze it when you hear it and instantly have ideas flowing of things you could do. If not then get back to the shed and work some more.
