Learn Jazz Standards Podcast 5 Struggles With Playing Great Jazz Solos
I recently ran a poll of over 2000 musicians playing all sorts of instruments over on our YouTube channel. And the question was, "What do you find most challenging about jazz improvisation?".
And here were the options that we gave:
a) Creating melodic and cohesive solos
b) Understanding and applying jazz theory during improvisation
c) Developing a strong sense of timing and rhythmic feel
d) Building confidence to take risks and explore new ideas
e)Spontaneously connecting with other players during jazz jams
I'm about to reveal to you the answer and which one of those was the biggest challenge for musicians in this poll, as well as go through each five of these and give you actual strategies to improve on them.
In this episode:
The poll results show that out of 2000 musicians:
1. 51% said creating melodic and cohesive solos is the biggest challenge to jazz
improvisation.
2. 24% said that understanding and applying jazz theory during improvisation
3. 10% said developing a strong sense of timing and rhythmic feel
4. 9% said building confidence to take risks and explore new ideas
5. 7% said spontaneously connecting with other players during jazz jams
6. The most important thing that you can do to create melodic and cohesive jazz solos
7. How to do the melody development exercise
8. Practicing with motivic development helps in creating cohesive jazz solos
9. Learn and internalize jazz language
10. Composing your own solos helps in developing better improvisation
11. Jazz theory isn't thought about during jazz improvisation
12. How to develop a strong sense of timing and rhythmic feel
13. The essence of improvisation
14. Playing with other musicians helps develop spontaneity in connecting with other
players during jazz jams
Important Links:
Free Guide to learning standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way
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