stavrosdru
Junior Member
Hi guys,
I'm kind of new at jazz, and i have some questions that i would be grateful if you gave me some advice. I don't have any experience playing jazz live or jamming with other musicians yet, i've only been on a jam night once and played one song. i'm practicing with playalongs and learning and singing the melodies doing diferrent exercises and learning phrases. On that jam night i noticed two things about my playing, 1) I lose my place in the form of the song a lot (with playalongs i lose it only the first 5-6 times i play it, but it seems that after that i memorize parts of the solos that help me keep the form.That does help for pre-recorded music, but it's not the same live when the soloist improvise.), and 2) Sometimes i don't listen the soloist and my mind wonders or listen only to piano comping or thinking about the form. So my questions are:
1) What are some ways or exercises that can help me know my place in the form without counting measures. I have learned some melodies (doxy, nows the time, take the A train, Jordu, four etc) but if i don't count measures i can't follow the form even if i'm just listening.
2) Are there any ways or exercises to improve my ear so i can listen and understand the soloists more so that i can accompany in a better and more musical way? I feel that my comping till now is kind of random and i would like to change that.
I want to start going to weekly jam sessions and be able to be more free and enjoy the music without thinking a lot. I didn't really enjoyed it the first time, and i think that these are the reasons.
I'm kind of new at jazz, and i have some questions that i would be grateful if you gave me some advice. I don't have any experience playing jazz live or jamming with other musicians yet, i've only been on a jam night once and played one song. i'm practicing with playalongs and learning and singing the melodies doing diferrent exercises and learning phrases. On that jam night i noticed two things about my playing, 1) I lose my place in the form of the song a lot (with playalongs i lose it only the first 5-6 times i play it, but it seems that after that i memorize parts of the solos that help me keep the form.That does help for pre-recorded music, but it's not the same live when the soloist improvise.), and 2) Sometimes i don't listen the soloist and my mind wonders or listen only to piano comping or thinking about the form. So my questions are:
1) What are some ways or exercises that can help me know my place in the form without counting measures. I have learned some melodies (doxy, nows the time, take the A train, Jordu, four etc) but if i don't count measures i can't follow the form even if i'm just listening.
2) Are there any ways or exercises to improve my ear so i can listen and understand the soloists more so that i can accompany in a better and more musical way? I feel that my comping till now is kind of random and i would like to change that.
I want to start going to weekly jam sessions and be able to be more free and enjoy the music without thinking a lot. I didn't really enjoyed it the first time, and i think that these are the reasons.