Improv (was Re: [Harp-L] Memphis Blues)

[Jp Pagan <jpl_pagan@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Pic2318834@...
wrote:
 
> My problem is this.  I never know what to play when
playing lead,  I know 
> most riffs playing alone with songs and doing
background to it, but when its an 
> improve jam my brain goes numb and I forget most
things I can play.  Any help 
> out there as to how you decide what to play when you
get up there?
> 

the absolute best thing you can do is to start working
on improvisation BEFORE you get up there. there are
many ways to approach learning to improvise, so i
won't pretend i know the best way, but here are some
suggestions: 
1.) you don't even need a harmonica. just whistle or
scat along to recordings of tunes, turn the music down
then solo comes along and try making up your own.
"play" whatever sounds good to you. if you can record
when you do that, say, while you're driving in your
car, play it back later and try to play the same thing
on your harmonica. you're doing two things here - a.)
practising improvisation and b.) applying your OWN
lines to harmonica.
2.) practice scales and riffs in as many different
positions as you can. you can start with just doing
the blues scale in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd so you feel
comfortable with where your choice notes are all over
the harp. try making up licks using those notes. try
adding new notes. practice playing your own 12-bar
instrumental. just start making something up, little
by little. you don't even need accompaniment for that.
3.) listen to and learn from other people's solos.
start by copying them as closely as possible, then
altering them. try playing a solo from one song over
another song and making it fit.
4.) buy playalong tracks - Doug Puls has great ones on
Coast2Coast, David Barrett and Jerry Portnoy both have
instructional material with backing tracks. Jamey
Aebersold has tons of backing tracks (they're all
aimed at jazz players , fyi). or, just find a friend
with a guitar or a piano and have them play you some
blues progressions. record them. practice playing over
them.

improvisation is not magic and it's not just some
innate talent you have or don't have. anyone can
improvise, but it's something you have to practice -
you have to feel comfortable being in charge of
creating music, just as you feel comfortable talking.
the more you practice it at home or wherever, the more
comfortable you'll feel on stage.

  --Jp

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