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September 12, 2014 at 6:26 am #9774
😎 Hey Johnny,
In starting to make Improvisation the main focal point in my playing, I’m under the Impression that the Major and Minor Pentatonic Scales are one of the most commonly used scales in Improvisation—in listening to recordings of players like Michael Brecker, it sounds to me like he used these scales a lot in his playing—it sounds to me like I’m hearing Pentatonic Scales in his playing, but I could be wrong?
But then, like you show in Killer Blues, we have the Blues Scales……I REALLY like these blues scales! 🙂 When it comes to Improvising, how would you know whether to use a Pentatonic Scale or a Blues Scale? Is it a situation where you could use either one and they would both work over a 12 Bars Blues Progression?September 12, 2014 at 6:41 am #12655I would think you could but wouldnt the blues scale with those flattened notes offer more colour and feeling. I am also experimenting with improvisation on slow blues tracks and trying to get the chord progressions down so you are not just playing the blues scale randomly over the entire track. This is tricky and to alspo hear the changes and to land the chords at the right time. Any advice on how one might step their progression into this skill? Perhaps the 1,2 then 3 note theory for each chord Johnny touches on in killer blues would be a way to ease in? My (ex) teacher talked about how valuable a simple melodic idea with even a couple of notes is and how effective it can be. Johnny, if you are intending to do more lessons for purchase after the practice lesson 2 I would love to see you expand on the killer blues lessons and the topic of improvisation (for beginners) with some more of those principles outlined in greater depth. Cheers
September 12, 2014 at 8:48 am #12657yes guys you’re asking very good questions and on the right track. we can use both those scales in any typical 12 bar tune. When improvising I don’t differentiate between them, I do either or, or and a mixture of them along with others. But as you are beginning to learn you must know them each very well so you can start to use them in a way that they help you to express yourselves while playing, that’s what it’s all about.
The bottom line isn’t that your listener will know what scale you’re using, just if you sound good or not and to sound good you need to use the right tools. What I teach in the Killer Blues course are some of those tools. As for Michael Brecker, yes he uses these and expands on them in a big way… jazz theory is based on what we’re doing but gets much more complex but no matter which direction you want to go in you have to start with the blues. Actually, I read a book once that had a Brecker quote in it that went something like – “you should be able to play something meaningful within in the range of a 5th”. So think of a blues or pentatonic and think from C to G. That’s a 5th and it’s not even the entire scale and he says you should be able to play a meaningful melody within that 5th. I think I mentioned that in the opening part of the ebook? Anyway it’s something to think about as you continue with this.
As for more expanded lessons on this topic I think it’s was the 2nd highest request on the survey we did a while ago so yes I will be giving this some thought.September 12, 2014 at 9:57 am #12661WOW…..this is amazing Johnny! That’s an AWESOME thought of being able to use either Pentatonic or Blues scales in a 12 Bars Blues….now that is what I call “freedom” 🙂 This isn’t like memorizing songs at all……you mention in part 1 of your Improvisation lessons here on the home page (I’m working on part 1 and my own Improvised licks based off of those lessons right now; will have them done soon) that Blues is so wide open and that a player can do almost anything provided he has the right tools…..I REALLY like that thought 🙂 Don’t get me wrong: I love learning and memorizing songs–always look forward to new releases from you in your music selection (by the way….when’s the next one coming? LOL) and got a couple of your songs I’m going to upload to the blog–1 of which I may get the time to do tomorrow. But this is powerful, powerful stuff that we’re tapping into and it’s what I’ve always had the keen interest to doing. It’s something you mention about being able to play a meaningful tune in the range of a 5th……..the “gears” in my head have begun clicking towards my own licks and phrases; something comes into my head and I’ll write it down on paper and I start to play with it from the low range into the Altissimo range…. and they virtually all fall into this range of within the 5th!
In terms of expanded lessons on Blues and Improvisation….I know I was one of those who marked that down on your survey, but I would think it would be a “must” that anyone wanting to go deeper would have to, at the very least, FIRST know inside-and-out everything you teach in Killer Blues first……..we have to walk before we can run! I’m really enjoying this aspect of Saxophone playing 🙂
I’m going to write down on sheet music & e-mail to you the back-up playing that was used for Jake/I duet for Alto….just didn’t have the time to do it this week. I’ll do it this weekend; thanks for your help! -
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