Stephan Mattner

Improvising: Systematic learning Vol. 1 (C)

Do you already play an instrument and would like to try out improvisation? But you don’t know how and are hearing from others that "you just start playing something"? While trying this way you realize that, due to a lack of knowledge, the result does not meet your expectations and you ask yourself: How can I learn improvisation? Where do I start? Then this book may be the key in answering your question, as it offers you an "overhead film" or "template" you can use on any jazz standard or other more modern improvisation.

Contrary to the idea that improvisation is something intuitively and spontaneously, it rather consists of recalling, combining and varying something you have learned beforehand and thus is similar to learning a language with its grammar and growing vocabulary. Spontaneity and individuality of expression will follow once the basis has been laid and will develop with exercise and practice.

This book follows the path to discover the sound of the language directly, capture and apply its principles by listening and speaking. This path will automatically bring more fun, motivation and success.

With this book you will be catching the form and the rules to improvisation by playing. They are being explained and built for the blues in G. Once you have learned to play this form, you can transfer the principle to other forms and standards. You will find the necessary skills with the most common scales in volume II. Important: For the playalong all pieces are being played ternary by the band as this is just most common in blues and jazz music.

Take your time for the individual exercises, repeat and internalize them. This brings immediate fun, as you are playing to live recorded playbacks and will gain more and more confidence. Like learning a language, when learning the structure and syntax by speaking and listening and assigning the rules underlying them afterwards, you will learn improvisation by playing.