[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] that simpler improvised musical phrase
that simpler improvised musical phrase
that simpler improvised musical phrase there it’s quite easy for me to do
there it’s quite easy for me to do
there it’s quite easy for me to do because I’ve been playing for a long
because I’ve been playing for a long
because I’ve been playing for a long time but how do I go about teaching that
time but how do I go about teaching that
time but how do I go about teaching that to these young musicians in the band
to these young musicians in the band
to these young musicians in the band there you can sit down guys well a lot
there you can sit down guys well a lot
there you can sit down guys well a lot of people have said to me before
of people have said to me before
of people have said to me before isn’t jazz all just made up as you go
isn’t jazz all just made up as you go
isn’t jazz all just made up as you go along and after I help them back up off
along and after I help them back up off
along and after I help them back up off the floor I’ll say Oh unknown not quite
the floor I’ll say Oh unknown not quite
the floor I’ll say Oh unknown not quite jazz like all forms of music has its own
jazz like all forms of music has its own
jazz like all forms of music has its own distinctive sound its own language and
distinctive sound its own language and
distinctive sound its own language and when we speak we all use words and
when we speak we all use words and
when we speak we all use words and phrases we know already don’t we to
phrases we know already don’t we to
phrases we know already don’t we to convey but we want to stay we can give a
convey but we want to stay we can give a
convey but we want to stay we can give a speech we’ve already prepared or we can
speech we’ve already prepared or we can
speech we’ve already prepared or we can speak off the cuff deciding what we want
speak off the cuff deciding what we want
speak off the cuff deciding what we want to say as we go along in jazz and other
to say as we go along in jazz and other
to say as we go along in jazz and other forms of music that future improvisation
forms of music that future improvisation
forms of music that future improvisation are no different from that we can play
are no different from that we can play
are no different from that we can play the bit we’ve prepared the main melody
the bit we’ve prepared the main melody
the bit we’ve prepared the main melody the bit you might recognize but we can
the bit you might recognize but we can
the bit you might recognize but we can also make some stuff up play around with
also make some stuff up play around with
also make some stuff up play around with that melody introduce their own ideas
that melody introduce their own ideas
that melody introduce their own ideas playing off-the-cuff therefore
playing off-the-cuff therefore
playing off-the-cuff therefore improvising I’d just like to show you
improvising I’d just like to show you
improvising I’d just like to show you one approach I take to teaching young
one approach I take to teaching young
one approach I take to teaching young musicians the very beginnings of
musicians the very beginnings of
musicians the very beginnings of improvising and when you’re playing in a
improvising and when you’re playing in a
improvising and when you’re playing in a band like this it can be quite daunting
band like this it can be quite daunting
band like this it can be quite daunting to get up and play in front of everyone
to get up and play in front of everyone
to get up and play in front of everyone placed solo in front of everyone so
placed solo in front of everyone so
placed solo in front of everyone so let’s start from a really simple point
let’s start from a really simple point
let’s start from a really simple point now this is going to require a bit of
now this is going to require a bit of
now this is going to require a bit of audience participation so that simple
audience participation so that simple
audience participation so that simple point we’re gonna start from it’s just
point we’re gonna start from it’s just
point we’re gonna start from it’s just one single sound just a single note I’d
one single sound just a single note I’d
one single sound just a single note I’d like you to sing it back to me
that’s excellent you can’t go home early
that’s excellent you can’t go home early fantastic okay let’s play around on that
fantastic okay let’s play around on that
fantastic okay let’s play around on that note for a little bit
okay now with just three notes there we
okay now with just three notes there we already have infinite possibilities for
already have infinite possibilities for
already have infinite possibilities for improvisation we can play the notes in a
improvisation we can play the notes in a
improvisation we can play the notes in a different order we can repeat the same
different order we can repeat the same
different order we can repeat the same note several times we can leave gaps
note several times we can leave gaps
note several times we can leave gaps play long notes and short notes so we’ve
play long notes and short notes so we’ve
play long notes and short notes so we’ve gone from that single sound which we can
gone from that single sound which we can
gone from that single sound which we can think of as the equivalent of a one word
think of as the equivalent of a one word
think of as the equivalent of a one word or one syllable to building up words and
or one syllable to building up words and
or one syllable to building up words and building up phrases and by copying what
building up phrases and by copying what
building up phrases and by copying what I’m playing there you’re really doing
I’m playing there you’re really doing
I’m playing there you’re really doing what a young child does when she first
what a young child does when she first
what a young child does when she first learns to speak starting with a syllable
learns to speak starting with a syllable
learns to speak starting with a syllable and building up into words let’s try
and building up into words let’s try
and building up into words let’s try some phrases on those three notes
some of us tried that I love that now
some of us tried that I love that now with the exception of that last example
with the exception of that last example
with the exception of that last example there you found that really easy just to
there you found that really easy just to
there you found that really easy just to copy what I played you can hear it and
copy what I played you can hear it and
copy what I played you can hear it and sing it straight back we’re very good at
sing it straight back we’re very good at
sing it straight back we’re very good at that as human beings now unfortunately
that as human beings now unfortunately
that as human beings now unfortunately for our young musicians in band here
for our young musicians in band here
for our young musicians in band here they’re not human beings no I’m joking
they’re not human beings no I’m joking
they’re not human beings no I’m joking they’re definitely human but they do
they’re definitely human but they do
they’re definitely human but they do have the obstacle of a musical
have the obstacle of a musical
have the obstacle of a musical instrument so we can hear the note but
instrument so we can hear the note but
instrument so we can hear the note but we have to get it back out onto the
we have to get it back out onto the
we have to get it back out onto the instrument and it’s a bit like having to
instrument and it’s a bit like having to
instrument and it’s a bit like having to translate so you’ll hear that when I
translate so you’ll hear that when I
translate so you’ll hear that when I play them the first note that first
play them the first note that first
play them the first note that first syllable we talked about you might find
syllable we talked about you might find
syllable we talked about you might find there’s a bit of trial and error trying
there’s a bit of trial and error trying
there’s a bit of trial and error trying to get the note and that trial and error
to get the note and that trial and error
to get the note and that trial and error is really in point it’s important give
is really in point it’s important give
is really in point it’s important give them give them the space to to have that
them give them the space to to have that
them give them the space to to have that room for error
room for error
room for error because that’s how we overcome problems
because that’s how we overcome problems
because that’s how we overcome problems it’s even more important they give
it’s even more important they give
it’s even more important they give themselves room to make mistakes to get
themselves room to make mistakes to get
themselves room to make mistakes to get over the psychological problem of the
over the psychological problem of the
over the psychological problem of the idea that I must get it right no you
idea that I must get it right no you
idea that I must get it right no you must get it wrong that’s how you learn
must get it wrong that’s how you learn
must get it wrong that’s how you learn stuff so let’s just try a single note
stuff so let’s just try a single note
stuff so let’s just try a single note band
okay so we found it eventually you might
okay so we found it eventually you might notice the trombones got that note
notice the trombones got that note
notice the trombones got that note before everyone else and that’s because
before everyone else and that’s because
before everyone else and that’s because trombonist are better than everyone else
trombonist are better than everyone else
trombonist are better than everyone else or maybe because my slide was in in an
or maybe because my slide was in in an
or maybe because my slide was in in an obvious position and they could they
obvious position and they could they
obvious position and they could they could copy they could use a visual aid
could copy they could use a visual aid
could copy they could use a visual aid of whether a slide was there okay so
of whether a slide was there okay so
of whether a slide was there okay so let’s try a second note okay now like
let’s try a second note okay now like
let’s try a second note okay now like you they could clearly hear that the
you they could clearly hear that the
you they could clearly hear that the second note was higher than the first
second note was higher than the first
second note was higher than the first note but the question is how much higher
note but the question is how much higher
note but the question is how much higher we have to know the interval between the
we have to know the interval between the
we have to know the interval between the notes the music leans well that’s the
notes the music leans well that’s the
notes the music leans well that’s the distance between the two notes and so we
distance between the two notes and so we
distance between the two notes and so we need to use listening skill – do I need
need to use listening skill – do I need
need to use listening skill – do I need to employ listening skills and develop
to employ listening skills and develop
to employ listening skills and develop them to be able to do that but we also
them to be able to do that but we also
them to be able to do that but we also need to listen on a much more general
need to listen on a much more general
need to listen on a much more general level we need to listen to lots of music
level we need to listen to lots of music
level we need to listen to lots of music if you want to play a jazz solo it’s not
if you want to play a jazz solo it’s not
if you want to play a jazz solo it’s not much used if you haven’t heard much jazz
much used if you haven’t heard much jazz
much used if you haven’t heard much jazz music before so we might listen to Miles
music before so we might listen to Miles
music before so we might listen to Miles Davis John Coltrane Louie Armstrong
Davis John Coltrane Louie Armstrong
Davis John Coltrane Louie Armstrong person sitting next to us and think wow
person sitting next to us and think wow
person sitting next to us and think wow that sounds really good I’d love to
that sounds really good I’d love to
that sounds really good I’d love to sound like that and so you imitate what
sound like that and so you imitate what
sound like that and so you imitate what they’re playing or try to at least and
they’re playing or try to at least and
they’re playing or try to at least and you’re never going to sound like like
you’re never going to sound like like
you’re never going to sound like like those people never gonna send anyone
those people never gonna send anyone
those people never gonna send anyone because everyone’s got their own
because everyone’s got their own
because everyone’s got their own individual sound but by trying we find
individual sound but by trying we find
individual sound but by trying we find our own sound and this is where making
our own sound and this is where making
our own sound and this is where making mistakes really comes in if you’ve
mistakes really comes in if you’ve
mistakes really comes in if you’ve already decided that making mistakes is
already decided that making mistakes is
already decided that making mistakes is a bad idea
a bad idea
a bad idea then when you play something different
then when you play something different
then when you play something different from what you intended you then just
from what you intended you then just
from what you intended you then just discard it as wrong but if we allow
discard it as wrong but if we allow
discard it as wrong but if we allow ourselves to make mistakes we can play
ourselves to make mistakes we can play
ourselves to make mistakes we can play something we never intended to do and
something we never intended to do and
something we never intended to do and think I didn’t mean to do that but it
think I didn’t mean to do that but it
think I didn’t mean to do that but it sounds pretty good I’m going to do it
sounds pretty good I’m going to do it
sounds pretty good I’m going to do it again and that’s finding your own sound
again and that’s finding your own sound
again and that’s finding your own sound finding your own voice in the music so
finding your own voice in the music so
finding your own voice in the music so let’s try some phrases that we can
let’s try some phrases that we can
let’s try some phrases that we can repeat here Ben so we can sit on that
repeat here Ben so we can sit on that
repeat here Ben so we can sit on that first night
first night
first night [Music]
[Music]
[Music] okay now so far we haven’t really done
okay now so far we haven’t really done
okay now so far we haven’t really done much improvising I’ve been playing
much improvising I’ve been playing
much improvising I’ve been playing patterns and everyone’s been copying
patterns and everyone’s been copying
patterns and everyone’s been copying what I’ve played so let’s see what it
what I’ve played so let’s see what it
what I’ve played so let’s see what it sounds like if I play a group of notes a
sounds like if I play a group of notes a
sounds like if I play a group of notes a little musical pattern or riff and get
little musical pattern or riff and get
little musical pattern or riff and get someone in the band to play back to me
someone in the band to play back to me
someone in the band to play back to me the same notes in a different order or
the same notes in a different order or
the same notes in a different order or introduce their own ideas as they think
introduce their own ideas as they think
introduce their own ideas as they think of them so Harry’s really really
of them so Harry’s really really
of them so Harry’s really really trombone here
[Music]
[Music] yeah Harry witty on the trombone okay
yeah Harry witty on the trombone okay
yeah Harry witty on the trombone okay now I’d love to see is young musicians
now I’d love to see is young musicians
now I’d love to see is young musicians that learning musical instruments to
that learning musical instruments to
that learning musical instruments to sometimes get rid of this security
sometimes get rid of this security
sometimes get rid of this security blanket of the music in front of them
blanket of the music in front of them
blanket of the music in front of them Chuck that way well put it to one side
Chuck that way well put it to one side
Chuck that way well put it to one side if it’s expensive and learn bits of that
if it’s expensive and learn bits of that
if it’s expensive and learn bits of that music and try and noodle around the net
music and try and noodle around the net
music and try and noodle around the net try some different ideas and you know
try some different ideas and you know
try some different ideas and you know just try and improvise either with those
just try and improvise either with those
just try and improvise either with those ideas or ideas of your own or if you’ve
ideas or ideas of your own or if you’ve
ideas or ideas of your own or if you’ve got scales to do for an exam we’ve all
got scales to do for an exam we’ve all
got scales to do for an exam we’ve all heard this before
[Music]
[Music] Della’s ditch halter but we can try and
Della’s ditch halter but we can try and
Della’s ditch halter but we can try and play with those ideas and and we’re kind
play with those ideas and and we’re kind
play with those ideas and and we’re kind of really using those how they would
of really using those how they would
of really using those how they would appear in music you don’t really see us
appear in music you don’t really see us
appear in music you don’t really see us to go like ascending and descending in
to go like ascending and descending in
to go like ascending and descending in music like that were you hear them more
music like that were you hear them more
music like that were you hear them more like this so I’d love to see more people
like this so I’d love to see more people
like this so I’d love to see more people doing that kind of thing and just
doing that kind of thing and just
doing that kind of thing and just experimenting you know music the
experimenting you know music the
experimenting you know music the creative subjects they be creative with
creative subjects they be creative with
creative subjects they be creative with it now what I like to do is show you
it now what I like to do is show you
it now what I like to do is show you what we can do with some of those ideas
what we can do with some of those ideas
what we can do with some of those ideas those riff they’re three and four note
those riff they’re three and four note
those riff they’re three and four note riffs and give them to the band to play
riffs and give them to the band to play
riffs and give them to the band to play I’m going to give each section of the
I’m going to give each section of the
I’m going to give each section of the band a different thing to play and build
band a different thing to play and build
band a different thing to play and build up a whole new piece of music now they
up a whole new piece of music now they
up a whole new piece of music now they have no idea what I’m gonna in fact I
have no idea what I’m gonna in fact I
have no idea what I’m gonna in fact I have no idea what I’m going to do now
have no idea what I’m going to do now
have no idea what I’m going to do now we’re just going to try some things and
we’re just going to try some things and
we’re just going to try some things and see where we end up so come on a musical
see where we end up so come on a musical
see where we end up so come on a musical journey with me
”
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