To begin improvisation in a traditional setting, you first have to know the tune very well. Start with a basic version of the tunes, as no-frills as possible. You can look at the tune as a skeleton on which you'll hang different clothes, to suit your expression.
The next step is work on small variations within the phrases. It helps to view the tune in small sections, which you can think of as shapes, ideas, melodic fragments. It's a good idea to have a tape machine handy to record the phrases you create. As far as what to do to create variations, you have to immerse yourself in the style by listening to various recordings of the tune to get a sense of what's 'right'. I like the ethic Texas contest fiddlers use, the tune should always be recognizable no matter how wild you get with the variations. If you can find it, the record "Texas Fiddle Jam Session" includes Mark O'Connor, Benny Thomasson, Texas Shorty playing fantastic versions of classic fiddle tunes, always improvisational and inventive, and always recognizable.This 'melodic improvisation' is a very different process from 'jazz improvisation' which creates a new melody based on the chord changes of the piece.
Working up small variations, not as improvisation but as thoughtfully composed breaks, is a good gateway to being able to truly improvise on the tune. Once you've worked out several versions of the tune, you can mix and match phrases 'off the cuff'. It's simply a matter of spending time with the music.
In Bluegrass, there is generally a bit more freedom for creating solos, especially on songs with simple melodies.Again, I think knowing the melody is important to keep the soloing relative to the tune. For example, if you recorded yourself improvising 10 solos on 10 different songs in the same key, with similar tempos, what would distinguish one from the other? If you have melodic integrity, you'll hear which solo belongs to which song.
I can't think of a better example than Kenny Baker, who was Bill Monroe's fiddler during various periods. His breaks often state the melody for about 3/4ths of the break, and then launch into an improvised segment to climax the solo. I think it works so well because you are 'led to the water' by the melodic statement, and then 'lifted up' by the excitement at the end.
Check out my book "Creating Melodic Variations on Fiddle Tunes" which goes way more in depth.
I offer private lessons on an individualized basis to help you develop skills in creating solos in a variety of styles, on all levels from beginner to advanced.
I posted this on the Gypsy Jazz Guitar list a few years ago to answer a basic chord theory question:
Rather than memorizing chord shapes, if you get "under the hood" and
think about the note functions within the chords, you can apply those
functions not only to chord shapes, but also to soloing. For most
jazz there are 7 distinct chord types:
major 7: 13 5 7
dom 7: 1 3 5 b7
minor 7: 1 b3 5 b7
minor 7b5: 1 b3 b5 b7
dim 7: 1 b3 b5 bb7(same as 6)
augmented 7th 1 3 #5 b7
all important gypsy jazz minor 6th: 1 b3 5 6- this chord inverted is
the same as a minor 7b5 Cm7b5= C Eb Gb Bb, Ebm6= Eb Gb Bb C formula
is a minor 6th is based on the 3rd of the m7b5, and the m7b5 is based
on the 6th of the minor 6th.
It's a good idea to start with a straight major chord, pick out each
note, name it and it's function: Barre chord C is C (root) G (5th) C
(root) E (3rd) G (5th) C (root). A common major 7th is CxBegx. That's
R735. Now, flat the 7th and it's a dom 7, keep the b7 and lower the
3rd, it's a minor 7, now lower the 5th and it's your m7b5. lower the
flat 7 again (to 6 or bb7) and it's diminished. Raise that 5th back
to normal and you get your minor 6th.Go back to dom 7 and raise the 5
and it's augmented. There's all your basic chord types, and now you
can see and hear they all relate to each other- often it's a half
step adjustment from chord type to chord type. This way of thinking
may make things less boggling and hopefully more useful.
For rhythm playing, these chord types are often distilled down to 3 notes...
<snip>
>
>The specific answer to how to construct a m7b5 chord is as follows. Start
>with the major scale (do re mi ...) corresponding to chord name you want.
>So, for example, if you want to construct a Cm7b5 (also written Cm7-5),
>first find the notes of the C major scale. They are C, D, E, F, G, A, B,
>(C). These correspond to the scale tones 1-8. The chord symbol Cm7b5 is
>short-hand for a C minor triad with a flat (dominant) 7th tone added, and
>with the major or perfect 5th replaced with the flat-5. Unless a chord
>name specifies a major-7th (written M7 or maj7), a plain "7" always refers
>to the dominant 7th.
<snip>
This construction also exists right in the C scale- build a 7th chord
on the note B (chords being built in thirds, meaning every other
scale note) B D F A- that's Bm7b5 which is diatonic (within) the key
of C. It is also the IIm7b5 which would usually lead to a V7 chord
(E7) in the "relative minor" key of Am. Usually, in jazz, the
"relative minor" is not the aeolian mode (A B C D E F G A or 1 2 b3 4
5 b6 b7) but the harmonic or melodic minor (both have the G# or
natural 7th which give the E7 it's third, rather than G which would
be an Em). If you haven't worked with a lot of theory it may seem
boggling, but if you sit down and play it it should make sense and
sound familiar...
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
check out Eric Dolphy's solo here...
As with any musical style, the word 'Jazz' really covers an huge stylistic area. Dixieland, Swing, Bebop, Modal, Fusion are all welded together under the 'jazz' heading, but each area has it's own practices and stylistic tendencies.Getting to know and understand the differences in this huge area of music is a lot of fun. Understand that each instrument has it's own rich tradition; and it is important to expose your mind to players of all instruments, not just your chosen one.
Learning to improvise in jazz is best begun with the common area shared by jazz, rock and roll, and country/bluegrass- which is "the blues". Learning the forms and chord changes usually encountered is a first step in getting a feel for improvisation.
Understanding chord/melody relationships is key to being able to develop coherent melodies that connect 'through the changes'.Knowing the notes available is like laying paints out on a palette- when you see what you have to work with, you can more easily apply the tools.
Listening and learning the vocabulary through transcriptions (or, transcribing the music yourself) are the only ways to really develop your language skills in an idiom.You can understand the chord/melody relationships, but have no sense of phrasing or how to put ideas together.Memorizing a solo so you can sing along with it,which will happen naturally the more you listen, is a good way to internalize the music.
If you are grounded in the fundamentals of harmony (knowing how basic triads are built, what the notes are ( i.e. D major= D F# A, 1 3 5), you can understand the concepts of extended harmony more easily ( i.e. Dm7b5/11= D F Ab C G, 1 b3 b5 b7 11). These choices affect the kind of lines you play, because the melodic material is dictated to a large extent by the harmony (chord) of the moment.
A good practice technique is to set your metronome to click on beats 2 and 4, and record a rhythm track. You can play it back and practice soloing. This allows you to have long explorations on a single chord, a good technique to learn a new sound.You can record 'just the hard parts' and practice them as a loop, or you can record entire tunes and practice playing through them.
Jamey Aebersold's series of music-minus-one type recordings are a fantastic source of practice material; they are top notch rhythm sections playing through tunes with you starring as the soloist. This is also a good source for educational materials for all levels of playing.Jamey Aebersold, 1211 Aebersold Drive, New Albany IN 47150.
I offer private lessons on an individualized basis to help you develop skills in creating solos in a variety of styles, on all levels from beginner to advanced.
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A suggestion for people getting started with improvisation:
---- how do you learn to improvise when you know a melody and a chord
chart?
That is your starting point, knowing the melody and the chords and being aware of the form.
The next thing to do once you have a basic feel to the technical stuff like what notes fit over what chords, etc.- FORGET ALL OF IT and get one of these computer based programs like Transcribe or Amazing Slow Downer that allow you to put in a CD and loop any section of it, and reduce the speed.
1) pick out a solo that you think you can handle technically (don't start w/ Coltrane!)
2) listen to the solo at regular speed, as many times as it takes until you can sing along with it. Get it in your head!
3) using the software, isolate the 1st phrase as a loop, and set the playback for 1/2 speed. It will remain at the original pitch (although you can fine tune to your instrument). Listen to the phrase a few times to get used to how it sounds slower.
4) find the 1st note, then the next etc. on your axe, and put them together.
5) pull out your metronome and play the learned phrase slowly without the recording. Is your fingering good? In the case of Django, can you hear where the downstrokes are used? It's pretty much almost always on a slower passage and when changing strings, even on descending lines, which can be a bitch!
6) go back to the loop and bring the speed up to 90%, repeat the above, etc. until you can play it at full speed.
7) Notice- NO TAB or NOTATION involved- get it direct into your ears, hear and soul and onto the instrument- you don't need the written page and in fact it can be a hindrance to developing your ears and instincts.
8) When you have the phrase together, think of what the notes are in relationship to the chord. Identify the arpeggio notes, scale and chromatic tones, (both by note name and function, ie. an Eb6 chord and the line is C Eb G A Bb- would be 6 1 3 #4 5). Listen how they sound against the chord.
Now, it may take quite awhile to get a whole solo this way, but by going phrase by phrase you get the VOCABULARY of improvising which has little to do with practicing scales and arpeggios.
When learning a jazz standard (or anything really) get as many versions of the tune as you can, listen and study them one at a time, listen for things like how the melody is played differently by different players.
Improvisation requires this kind of experience in assimilating musical phrasing- when you improvise you are calling on the sum total of your life's experience with playing melodically, rhythmically, and compositionally- a pretty big challenge when you are starting, but remember, Wes, Django and every player you've ever admired started somewhere, and they were genuises but didn't have the tools to help us mortals!
Your teacher may or may not agree with the above, but this is what I've done to assimilate a number of styles (Texas fiddle, Irish trad, bluegrass, various kinds of jazz) and it has really helped me.
I'd also suggest reading a book by Mick Goodrick called "The Advancing Guitarist" which has some great things to think about regarding improvisation.
This is all VERY time consuming, but as Darol Anger says, "You gotta log your hours", there are no short cuts unless you are born a genius, and even then...
I hope this might help!