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Why you won't be good until you do these 3 things - "Gypsy Jazz Full Immersion Weekend" Recap
Dario Napoli
Milano✭✭✭✭ Hahl Gitano Deluxe
So, I thought about what were some recurring thoughts and impressions that came to mind during and after the 2 and 1/2 days of the "Gypsy Jazz Full Immersion Weekend" with myself and Benji Winterstein and figured I would share with you in my new YOUTUBE VIDEO.
There's always a unique energy and a special "wavelength" that occurs at these type of camps, which I find to be very positive and conducive to the most effective and efficient way of learning, therefore, I hope to be able to announce some new dates soon:)
Enjoy your week,
Dario
Comments
Thanks Dario for another video. I really appreciate your third "takeaway." I always play my worst when I think about duplicating canned licks in jamming & performance rather than being present in the moment and receptive, ready to apply very general musical ideas. Especially when I first sit down to play. But its also a difficult thing to talk about, I find, since as improvisors I think we inevitably want to bridge those "channels," that necessary divide between practice & performance. I love the Charlie Parker motto. Looking forward to attending one your camps one day.
Super, thank you! Yes, it's one of the hottest topics with my students, and just recognizing the existence of these 2 "channels" and being aware can help take the pressure off, concentrate on the surroundings, and not be studying while playing:) Looking forward
For me it's being able to let go is what has been difficult to overcome. The better I get the clearer I can see that's it's a possibility but I feel the gap between my practice room and public performance, whether it's a jam or a gig, is still large. I also understand I need to be realistic about it and that even the best play better in their practice space vs on the stage.
I know you've done a short on the metronome practice. I rarely use it because I just don't enjoy hearing it and I believe I have a good timing overall. But recently I did a practice with the metronome and felt like it's actually a good way to practice the private vs public performance gap. Because the metronome does add a touch more pressure, at least I felt so, compared to either nothing or a backing track. Keeping your own groove will allow you to vary the time (which can still groove nicely) and backing track you can sort of hide behind a little and rely on it to guide you through the song. With the metronome, not only that it will not wait for you, you have to create harmony to your playing. More of my practice in the future will be with it that without.
One aspect of GJ that is often missing from the practice room is playing rhythm before soloing. I'm a huge advocate for practicing rhythm specifically and separately from improvising but that's not exactly what I'm talking about here. When you're on a gig or at a jam you will often be playing rhythm for quite awhile before taking a solo which is a different experience compared to sitting down and immediately playing melodies or improvising in the practice room.
A fun exercise at home can be taking a simple tune like Joseph Joseph but crank the tempo way up, slightly above what you find comfortable. Play rhythm on the tune 5-10 times before even attempting to solo. Do you feel relaxed? Are you able to play your fundamental licks and navigate the changes? If not, the problem may be with the exertion from playing rhythm and not the lead playing.
@JasonS I remember you mentioning that recently and I think you're right. My practice in the last post involved playing a chorus of rhythm, then a melody and then a chorus or a few of soloing. And it felt different from practicing improvising for most of the time, in a physical way, aside from the mental aspect that the metronome added.
I personally would never recomment to always use the metronome, but occasionally it's a great asset. Especially when you think of it as another musician instead of some inanimate object that just keeps time. Also, more than for actual time, the metronome keeps us in check and will fight against the instinctive speeding up that holds all us guitarists in that frenetic mode..you can just relax, stay at a certain speed and allow the motor skills to settle in and become second nature..
I always tell my students a true test of proper mechanics and technique is if they are never tired when they have to solo regardless of how many choruses off rhythm they just played. A first step for me is to alternate one chorus of rhythm and one of solo, over and over and then build from there