require professional jazz improv bass lessons in London

[MrsKite]

Hello
I´m in need for help in preperation for a jazz degree starting next September. I especially want to focus on my improvisational skills and require someone who can guide me finding my inner voice instead of repeating mindless patterns and cocky chops.
It would be great if you could also teach double bass and some jazz history.
I have years of playing and gigging experience and a diploma in performance, based in West London.
If you think you can help me write to

[email protected]

Thanks

[malcthebass]

[quote name='MrsKite' post='1084302' date='Jan 10 2011, 02:58 PM']Hello
I´m in need for help in preperation for a jazz degree starting next September. I especially want to focus on my improvisational skills and require someone who can guide me finding my inner voice instead of repeating mindless patterns and cocky chops.
It would be great if you could also teach double bass and some jazz history.
I have years of playing and gigging experience and a diploma in performance, based in West London.
If you think you can help me write to

[email protected]

Thanks[/quote]

Janek's pod/video casts have really helped me find 'inner voice' particularly with the singing what you play and melodic soloing motif concepts. (as opposed to running up and down scales)

[url="http://gwizmon.podbean.com/"]http://gwizmon.podbean.com/[/url]

mal

[mikenichols]

Hi, I hear what you're saying about finding your inner voice, it takes years!
I think you have to break the process down into stages:
1. You have to have enough technical facility to say what you want to say - this is mechanics, fingering system, posture, muscle memory for scales etc
2. You have to learn chord scale relationships until they are completely automatic and subconscious.
3. You have to learn licks/vocabulary - really you have to listen a lot to the people you want to be influenced by, transcribe them, learn their lines - essentially fill your mental hard drive with all the sounds you want to make
4.To improvize effectively you have to learn to be relaxed and focussed in the moment, so that nothing gets in the way of your train of thought.

The other thing that I've become more aware of as I've got older is really simple: You've got to have really good time - that's one of the things that separates world class players from say, the top players in London - it's really simple but there it is - they just play more in time.

When you go through the educational process it can sometimes feel clinical, like it stifles your creativity rather than helping it. That's quite normal - at some point you have to get out of 'student mode' and just start doing things instinctively again - but all those years of study will have transformed you.

If you're still looking for some tuition check out my site www.mikenichols.co.uk

All the best

Mike