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Jazz practise routine

W

whiteout2

Dec 14, 2011
3
0
#1
Essentially I'm looking for one that would consist of about 30 - 60 mins a day.

I'll try and give as much info as possible and feel free to ask any questions if I've missed something.

I have a decent understanding of theory and can read notation. I currently have no one I can play with but I'll be starting a 3 year improv. course next year so I'll meet people then. I have a little bit of experience playing jazz but I'm still a begineer, I took a year off from studying this year and am now fast approaching the start of my music course. I need to get back to my previous standard of audition from last year ( I deferred for 1 year) and am having a lot of trouble with what to practise.

Any good scale/arpeggio exercises in particular would be appreciated. Maybe good standards to learn to solo over with backing tracks, since I can't jam with anyone? :hmm:

apologies for the if this post is a bit incoherent. I'm tired and stressed :)
 
#2
I'd practice as much as possible, 30-60 mins isn't long at all.

I'd pick out a few tunes, start with a harmonic analysis i.e. key centers etc. and then either find an aebersold play along version of it or record some chord changes and solo/walk over them while recording yourself.
 
#3
Aebersold is a good recommendation.

I would suggest taking a look at the stuff on my site:

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Learning how to play a good walking bass line is probably the most important thing.
 
#5
Blueszilla said:
Sounds to me like you have enough of the goods to play tunes. What you need now is to find some others to play those tunes with. Find others and play tunes, there is no substitute.
Click to expand...

+1

In the meantime, I'd suggest setting aside half your time for learning heads.You can always play melody lines by yourself and at least be hearing music. ;)
 
#7
These two books offer a lifetime of practice material for the aspiring jazz player:

The Serious Jazz Practice Book

Amazon.com: The Serious Jazz Practice Book for All Instruments: Melodic Materials for the Modern Jazz Soloist (Book & CD) (9781883217426): Barry Finnerty: Books


Comprehensive Technique for Jazz Musicians

http://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323894842&sr=1-1

Excellent sources of practice ideas and exercises.

Note that these are not necessarily resources for the beginner and are not books about walking bass lines. These are exercises for soloists primarily.
 
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#10
I was in a similar position to you a couple of years ago, and now I can play most jazz tunes from a first reading (not incredibly but I can make it!!)

I would agree that it's really important to join a band or find some guys to play with.

With regard 'walking bass' (which is what I take it you mean by jazz bass) - I spent about 2 years trying to practice and reading theory books etc. I would say it was almost a complete waste of time. I learned a lot of theory etc, BUT the thing is that a lot of the time you only have to play 4 notes per chord. If there are two chords per bar, you only get to play 2 notes per chord. So really even though you can read a lot of theory, you don't have very much time at all to think. So most of your playing needs to be habit, little phrases you pick up through experience of playing actual tunes.

I found that I spent loads of time reading and practicing and learning theory etc but felt I was getting nowhere. In the end I answered a musician for a trad jazz band that seemed not too intimidating and quite relaxed. They sent a list of about 10 or 15 tunes and I tried to 'learn' them using a theoretical approach. I was getting nowhere and then two days before the first rehearsal I just realised I had to just play, and when I let go, I found my ears could just guide me around, a bit like I was humming in my head and finding the notes. I thought I was faking it, but in reality, you just have to take the plunge and do it. The trouble with jazz is there's too much talk about theory, it can stop you from ever starting. For example playing a tritone substitution is a lot easier than explaining it.

So what I mean is just hook up with some guys and to start with just play root notes. If you can do that, you're supporting the harmony which is the best place to start. Once you know the root movement, start putting in other notes like 5ths, and 3rds, and start feeling your way between roots using scalar movement and chromatic movement. It's like the blues, you have to know the chord sequence inside out in your head, and then notes will start to suggest themselves. But having the pressure of playing with others is REALLY useful and it gives you a definite target - to make it through the tune, supporting the band and giving a strong rhythmic accompaniment.
 
#11
>I'd practice as much as possible, 30-60 mins isn't long at all.

I'd pick out a few tunes, start with a harmonic analysis i.e. key centers etc. and then either find an aebersold play along version of it or record some chord changes and solo/walk over them while recording yourself.

I work 9 hours a day and have a few other commitments, I think it would be better to ease my way back in to practising than dive straight back in to 2+ hours a day on top of everything else I do. I used to be good at harmonic analysis but I really don't understand it too well anymore as like I mentioned (at least I think I did), I haven't played much this past year. How will I know if I'm getting the changes correct?


> Learning how to play a good walking bass line is probably the most important thing.

Agreed. I'll go walk over some charts after I finish this post :)


> Transcribe, Transcribe, Transcribe.

SO HARD! But I know you're probably right.


> Find others and play tunes, there is no substitute.

This might be good for motivating me to practise more. The problem is I really don't know anyone I could contact who would be interested in jamming standards with me, in all honesty I'll probably just have to wait a few months until my course starts.


> You can always play melody lines by yourself and at least be hearing music.

Haha that's a pretty good point.


> They sent a list of about 10 or 15 tunes and I tried to 'learn' them using a theoretical approach. I was getting nowhere and then two days before the first rehearsal I just realised I had to just play, and when I let go, I found my ears could just guide me around, a bit like I was humming in my head and finding the notes. I thought I was faking it, but in reality, you just have to take the plunge and do it.

Letting go and following my ear is what got me to where I was before I stopped practising for a while. Do you have any ideas where I could find backing tracks to walk/solo over? I'm sick of playing the same ones that have been on my ipod for the last 12+ months...
 

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