I understand that often times jazz is improvised, but how, exactly? For instance, who leads? Is it always the same person/instrument leading?
In: 48
It depends a bit on the style of jazz. Big bands will have complete arrangements, but the arrangement will have a section or two designated for a solo.
In a small combo it’s a bit different. This could be just a piano, bass and drums, or there could also be a trumpet or sax player, or both.
Bands like that work off of lead sheets. It will have the melody of the song written out, with the chords that are to be played. They’ll play the melody together, sometimes called the “head”, then everyone will take turns soloing over the whole song. The bassist will improvise a walking bass line, and the pianist will improvise the accompaniment based on the chords of the song.
As far as an actual solo goes, there are many approaches. You can base a solo on the chord tones, or you can use scales or modes that fit with the chords of the song. Different styles and periods of jazz have focused more on different approaches.
It depends a bit on the style of jazz. Big bands will have complete arrangements, but the arrangement will have a section or two designated for a solo.
In a small combo it’s a bit different. This could be just a piano, bass and drums, or there could also be a trumpet or sax player, or both.
Bands like that work off of lead sheets. It will have the melody of the song written out, with the chords that are to be played. They’ll play the melody together, sometimes called the “head”, then everyone will take turns soloing over the whole song. The bassist will improvise a walking bass line, and the pianist will improvise the accompaniment based on the chords of the song.
As far as an actual solo goes, there are many approaches. You can base a solo on the chord tones, or you can use scales or modes that fit with the chords of the song. Different styles and periods of jazz have focused more on different approaches.
Alto sax player checking in. You fully familiarize yourself with the instrument and it becomes an extension of you. You no longer have to think of what fingerings make what pitches/notes, so if there is an idea in your head for a cool Riff, you can just do it, depending on the keys im holding down, I know exactly what sound is about to happen. It is not a skill that is learned overnight, and I have plenty of friends who have played for years and still cannot improv. You really, really have to put yourself out there and get smashed for years to be that good. Some people can kinda fake it and play variations of the big band piece in their solo but that’s not the same thing. Practice. A lot.
Alto sax player checking in. You fully familiarize yourself with the instrument and it becomes an extension of you. You no longer have to think of what fingerings make what pitches/notes, so if there is an idea in your head for a cool Riff, you can just do it, depending on the keys im holding down, I know exactly what sound is about to happen. It is not a skill that is learned overnight, and I have plenty of friends who have played for years and still cannot improv. You really, really have to put yourself out there and get smashed for years to be that good. Some people can kinda fake it and play variations of the big band piece in their solo but that’s not the same thing. Practice. A lot.
In small(ish) bands, they usually have a set order to solo in. E.g., the band decides ahead of time that the trumpet goes first, then the sax, then the piano. As for length of solos, that’s typically based off the number of measures. And again, decided ahead of time (e.g., in blues, the solos are typically 12 measures long, or multiples thereof.)
As for what notes to play, the members play notes that go well with either the chords being played or the scales being played (again, decided ahead of time). So a song might have a set of chord changes and the soloists play solos that they know sound good over those chord changes.
Alto sax player checking in. You fully familiarize yourself with the instrument and it becomes an extension of you. You no longer have to think of what fingerings make what pitches/notes, so if there is an idea in your head for a cool Riff, you can just do it, depending on the keys im holding down, I know exactly what sound is about to happen. It is not a skill that is learned overnight, and I have plenty of friends who have played for years and still cannot improv. You really, really have to put yourself out there and get smashed for years to be that good. Some people can kinda fake it and play variations of the big band piece in their solo but that’s not the same thing. Practice. A lot.
In small(ish) bands, they usually have a set order to solo in. E.g., the band decides ahead of time that the trumpet goes first, then the sax, then the piano. As for length of solos, that’s typically based off the number of measures. And again, decided ahead of time (e.g., in blues, the solos are typically 12 measures long, or multiples thereof.)
As for what notes to play, the members play notes that go well with either the chords being played or the scales being played (again, decided ahead of time). So a song might have a set of chord changes and the soloists play solos that they know sound good over those chord changes.
In small(ish) bands, they usually have a set order to solo in. E.g., the band decides ahead of time that the trumpet goes first, then the sax, then the piano. As for length of solos, that’s typically based off the number of measures. And again, decided ahead of time (e.g., in blues, the solos are typically 12 measures long, or multiples thereof.)
As for what notes to play, the members play notes that go well with either the chords being played or the scales being played (again, decided ahead of time). So a song might have a set of chord changes and the soloists play solos that they know sound good over those chord changes.
First of all, most of the time on jazz they are playing a standard song that musicians already know. They usually know the song’s chord structure so they know how the musical language to solo. If they don’t know it they’ll play by ear and/or use more generalized language to fill the solo until they learn it.
Jazz songs start with a “head,” or the main melody and then usually do solos after and trade around, then go to the melody again and end.
Regarding coordination, experienced players have an intuitive psychic connection and can figure it out on their own silently. Someone will step up take a certain amount of measures, and then someone else will step in when it feels like they’re done. Even if there is a slight miscommunication they can figure it out quickly and adjust. The rhythm section (bass, drums) can also make adjustments based on the notes soloists are playing and when they are transitioning the song.
First of all, most of the time on jazz they are playing a standard song that musicians already know. They usually know the song’s chord structure so they know how the musical language to solo. If they don’t know it they’ll play by ear and/or use more generalized language to fill the solo until they learn it.
Jazz songs start with a “head,” or the main melody and then usually do solos after and trade around, then go to the melody again and end.
Regarding coordination, experienced players have an intuitive psychic connection and can figure it out on their own silently. Someone will step up take a certain amount of measures, and then someone else will step in when it feels like they’re done. Even if there is a slight miscommunication they can figure it out quickly and adjust. The rhythm section (bass, drums) can also make adjustments based on the notes soloists are playing and when they are transitioning the song.
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