Sound GREAT on a blues using only these 4 shapes!

I find myself time and time again looking for ways to get my students playing. I believe that learning improvisation needs to be musical and fun from the very beginning. You DON'T need to start with all of the scales and modes.. in fact I think it's better if you don't. It's so easy to have TOO MUCH information at your disposal, especially if you are searching the internet for jazz improv lessons. The information is very good - but too much of it is useless.

In this lesson, I demonstrate something that I've done countless times with students - many of whom are classically trained musicians learning to improvise for the first time. Using "shapes" is a great way to just get playing - they are essentially just small note clusters that fit well with any given chord. There are infinite ways you could organize this for yourself, but I think just this one example will open your mind to new ways you can practice improvisation without getting bogged down the "too much information" rabbit hole.

As I always say - "less thinking - more playing!".

If you learn and memorize these shapes visually on the instrument (doesn't even have to be a vibraphone!), you will be able to play freely and then just use your own musical sense of rhythm and phrasing to construct a great solo.

I've demonstrated this on a minor blues in C - similar to Mr. PC, Stolen Moments, or Equinox (although that's originally in C#, many people play it in C.) I explain how I decided to use each of the shapes, and then I demonstrate exactly how I would practice improvising with it.

I hope you find this video helpful! Please subscribe, like, comment, etcetera if you do.

Thanks for watching,
-Tim
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