Playing by ear

["Keith Freeman" <keith.freeman@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> Of course I played lots of
> clams along the way, especially the first time through the head.
A couple of points that may help you:

There are no wrong notes in jazz - provided, of course, you can react quickly enough to 
turn the unintended note into an ornament!

If I play something unintended while practising, I stop, figure out what I actually played 
(perhaps it forms a pattern - what is that pattern? it doesn't work here, but where *could* 
I use it?), and deliberately practise both the "wrong" and the "right" version. It all helps 
to coordinate the ear with the muscles, and your brain is storing away the information 
and will be able to use it later.

If all else fails, slow down! Any practising you do where you are not comfortable and do 
not feel in control is ultimately counterproductive (however much you may feel you are 
pushing the envelope and playing exciting stuff). This is something I've painfully learnt 
after many many years of trying to run before I could even crawl - and making zero 
progress as a result.

- -Keith