Improv 'days'

[ML94]

Hey guys

I've noticed that some days when I'm improvising over standards or anything with a chord progression, I have certain 'good' days and 'bad' days.

If I'm playing autumn leaves one day with some ideas I think are the bomb. The next day over the same standard it'll sound choppy, processed and a little too static.

What could this little issue be down to , too much thinking over the tune, not enough thinking? The reason why I'm worried about this is because I have some auditions for music college and I really wouldn't want a 'bad' improv day !

Cheers

[Bilbo]

What you are describing is a very common experience and, arguably, never goes away. I have done a series of gigs over the last six montns with some top drawer players; John Etheridege, Jim Mullen, Julian Siegel, Tony Kofi etc etc. I recorded most of the gigs on my Zoom H1 and have had the opportunity to listen back to most of them and what is interesting is the fact that, whilst recognising a personal style (something that all jazz musicians aspire to), a lot of that comes from repetition of phrases and lines driven by muscle memory rather than the creative process. On the few occasions when it comes together, it is usually because I am mentally in a space when I can be focussed on the music itself rather than the 'occasion' and can both remember everything I have ever learned and forget it all at the same time. It is a zen-like thing. YOu practice to internalise stuff not to 'learn' it and, eventually, if you are lucky, it comes out in your playing. FOr me, it happens at most once or twice a gig and, ig I am lucky, I have one or two gigs a year where I can do no wrong.

I was once thrilled to learn that Dizzy Gillespie felt that his 'hit rate' was about the same!!

THe subject is covered comprehensively in Barry Green's 'Inner Game of Music' (£6 for kindle or, on Amazon Marketplace, for the hard copy)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inner-Game-Music-Timothy-Gallwey/dp/0330300172/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1386839049&sr=1-1&keywords=barry+green+the+inner+game+of+music

[enricogaletta]

it's a common feeling, it's pretty natural and human, because, after all music is an expression of your emotions and feeling and they never are the same rights?
Talking more specifically about it, well sometimes it's better starting from some ideas and extending in multiple ways, and sometimes is better take a long break on the song, groove, chords progression you're a working and than come back on it with a fresh and completely new approach.
In both of cases, never give up !!

[booboo]

I find the same with just walking through standards. Sometimes it seems like I can't do any thing wrong, and other days the brain and fingers just don't seem to be connected. Maybe early onset dementia? I do find that if I start with simple ideas things seem to 'grow', but if I go for it straight away and try to be clever I crash and burn pretty quickly.

[ML94]

The thing is when your being watched at an audition, for me I can play peices that I've learned before hand easily because the pressure dosent get to me. But when I'm soloing and new ideas are running in my mind I feel as I'm being critically assed on how great my solo is !

[ambient]

From my experience of auditioning to get into uni, and from doing exams, the tutor knows exactly what you're up against, and isn't expecting you to be the next Jimmy Haslip or Tom Kennedy.

Just put your ideas across is a coherent manner, without shooting from one to another in a kind of zigzag pathway.

I do get nervous at auditions and in exams, but they see past that, they wouldn't be in their posts otherwise.

[ML94]

We will have to see what I make of it tomorrow !

[DaveFry]

My recommendation would be to maybe consider Mindfulness Meditation .
It naturally quietens the self-critical part of the brain and encourages the creative part to flow unhindered.

This study refers to it as " turning off the Monitor " ( ie the feeling that you are being criticised ) ;
[url="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-02/niod-iji022608.php"]http://www.eurekaler...d-iji022608.php[/url]

Jeff Berlin says this ;
[url="http://www.bassplayer.com/article/jeff-berlins-basser-instincts-untethered-souls-academics--language-learning/152612"]http://www.bassplaye...learning/152612[/url]

The Kenny Werner book " Effortless Mastery " is required reading for any instrumental course at Berklee.

Good luck tomorrow , and remember a sense of humour is always welcome in jazz .

[ML94]

Just letting you guys know that I got in ! Loved the solo, walking and general feel of the pieces !

[DaveFry]

[ambient]

Where have you got into ?

[ML94]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1387223721' post='2309621']
Where have you got into ?
[/quote]

Leeds college of music

Quite chuffed with only hitting 3 years of playing this summer
But I guess learning the 'right' stuff also helps !

[ambient]

Well done .

[sarah thomas]

Fantastic! You'll have a great time. Well done.

[Annoying Twit]

Congratulations!

[ML94]

Thanks guys

[Hector]

Nice one Manraj, living the dream!

[ML94]

[quote name='Hector' timestamp='1387573545' post='2313618']
Nice one Manraj, living the dream!
[/quote]

Haha thanks ! Getting there a step at a time

[Bilbo]

How lovely. Good luck with your studies and use the time well. It will never be wasted.

[DaveFry]

Just wanted to add that on re-reading my first post in this thread I became concerned that the sense of humour part may have sounded patronising .
What i meant was more like this ;
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9TavIO6PYU[/media]

practice is serious , play is PLAY .