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Sorry If this is a dumb song but is a jazz song improvised for example the song Zhivago by Kurt Rosenwinkel. I mean did he sat down and tried different stuff and like made a song and then recorded or did he like record and just improvised and tried stuff (I dont mean specifically his songs but jazz overall) I guess that when you play live you improvise and stuff but not sure when releasing songs. Is writing a jazz song different than writing a metal song for example? Thanks for any replies.
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02-19-2019 01:08 PM
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The existence of a defined melody would seem to preclude on the spot improvisation of a tune.
The solos of course could be spontaneous improvisations.
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Yeah, so jazz tunes will definitely (usually, there are exceptions) have a form-- a melody and harmony. The harmony is often not played as a set "part," like in a rock or metal tune, but it follows a chord progression. But yes, even the accompanyists are often improvising, so the extent of that they're following the ebb and flow of the soloist--but generally, there's still a framework--it's not just "made up on the spot."
The solos are yes, improvised, which has some wiggle room to "how much" improv you're actually hearing...listen to the outtakes from Blue Note sessions, for example--you'll hear some players have kind of an idea where their solo is going to go and they improvise within that context, while others throw it a bit more open to the cosmos...
So re: writing a song...generally, the writer has some control over the arrangement...they can write set intros, outros, forms, etc...or they might leave it more open and allow the players to do their thing...a lot of times, what you'll get when playing with others is a simple "lead sheet," chords and melody only, and it's up to you to make it work.
It's fun.
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If you sit down and write a solo and dont improvise Will you be counted as a bad musican or what is the case.
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Originally Posted by AlexMalmis
I think you'll find that the standard response is that it's not really Jazz if you don't improvise...
It's why we like Jazz, knowing that the player is "winging" it and could fall off the high wire at any step. That's why listening to good playing against challenging changes is exciting. Listening to metal (improv or not), hmmm, not so much...
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Writing solos is a great way to practice.
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Writing solos is DEFINITELY a great way to practice...just keep in mind, for jazz, the goal is to move beyond that. But it takes time...it's a marathon not a sprint...or the journey is the destination, so to speak...or some other cliche...
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I wonder if everyone here is old.. it is maybe a weird question. I am only 13 years old but it feels like everyone else here is like 50 or something. That is good though because in that case you can have alot of experience.
Last edited by AlexMalmis; 02-19-2019 at 03:39 PM.
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Post of the year. Originally Posted by AlexMalmis
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If I could catch that kid I'd hit him with my cane.
JJ Johnson to my understanding wrote out his solos.
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I am not 50!
I'm 40
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I don't think so.... Originally Posted by AlexMalmis
I think you write a song like any kind of music. That's what I do anyway. And Zhivago is definitely a song.
Obviously we improvise on the form of the song (not always though - sometimes there's a separate improvisation section) as in the case of Zhivago. So there's a little bit of a thought about providing the improvisor with material for solos, chord changes, a vamp and so on.
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Why would you ever do such a thing? To take a cane swing at me? Maybe you could just give it to a bee or slap your own knee. Well I guess I am going back to practicing guitar since I am by far the best guitarist in the world or maybe I am just swirled. Who knows and bye take a piece of my pie. Originally Posted by A. Kingstone
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I'm literally 100 years old BTW
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Sorry. ;( Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
I am not 50!
I'm 40
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... Originally Posted by christianm77
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I said that I was 12 years old.. Actually I am 13.. But I guess in your eyes there is no difference.
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Of course there are examples of improvised 'jazz songs'. Some of Miles Davis' most important work in terms of it's effect on the course of music was accomplished by getting talented musicians together, jamming in the studio, and then editing the best parts into discreet tracks which THEN became 'songs'. There are also many "standards" who's actual written framework is extremely minimal (like many Coltrane tunes, etc, or even tunes like Footprints: just a few changes, a couple lines of very simple melody) that most versions of them only use the 'song' as a stepping off point for extended improvisations.
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No, no, I'm kidding! Originally Posted by AlexMalmis
If you're that young, but interested in jazz, us old fogeys are here to help!
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Correction, this is post of the year. Originally Posted by AlexMalmis
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Hey everyone be nice to Alex, we need some youngsters round here.
I’m even older than Christian.
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Originally Posted by christianm77
That's all your clean living and fine British cuisine.
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Thanks Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
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Thanks for being nice. Originally Posted by grahambop
Honestly I am not sure you and Christian are serious or not but well I do not think that many persons over 100 years are using computers and writing and forums. I am not sure though.
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Actually it’s because he’s a product of the British education system and he can’t count. Originally Posted by A. Kingstone
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Raney and Abersold, great interview.
Yesterday, 11:21 PM in Improvisation