What Improvisational exercises work for you?

richter4208

That was nice suggestion Jim.

Jim Kaznosky

No problem. I'd suggest checking this out. It is conceptual and well worth either the stream or the download. https://www.mymusicmasterclass.com/premiumvideos/bruce-forman-guitar-lesson-5-burn-to-learn-masterclass/

NylonDave

I just remembered something that I used to do.

Commit to this rhythm. Two quavers quaver rest quaver quaver rest. This will create a five over eight polyrhythm if you are keeping good time in four.

Try to get through a whole chorus without breaking the polyrhythm and, naturally, choose notes that spell out the harmony over that rhythm.

Straight quavers would look like this, with the first two bars of the polyrhythm to be played written underneath (x indicates a rest)

1a2a3a4a1a2a3a4a1a2a3a4a
1axaxa4x1x2axaxa1x2x3axa

That is just the first two bars, it takes a very long time for this pattern to repeat (actually it takes five bars but since five doesn't go into 32 if you were to actually stick to the pattern it would take 160 bars before you would repeating youself with respect to the form of a standard tune).

Doing this should help break the habit of playing licks. Not that there is anything wrong with licks, it's just that playing licks won't necessarily help you focus on your rhythmic concept. I think Dizzy Gillespie said something like 'Think of a rhythm first and put notes to it'. Which is kinda the opposite of 'Write a hot lick in quavers and then try and make a load of them sound like a statement'

Django's playing is littered with this kind of rhythmic game, if you know how to listen. If you don't then don't sweat it just assume I am talking nonsense and tell yourself he would have agreed.

You might even be half right !

D