Newsgroups: bit.listserv.allmusic
Date:         Wed, 19 Aug 1992 17:05:21 EDT
From:         Walter Keller <WK7@CORNELLC.BITNET>
Subject:      Theory/Improv/Beginnings

Michelle: You've already gotten a lot of quality advice here on the net for
your jazz improv training plans. Although I don't play jazz very much, I do
play blues, and I did come from a similar background as you.

I was taught to play classical piano over a period of years, ending formal
training in college where I took 4 semesters of music theory. Playing by
ear had always been a goal with no idea of how to approach it. The theory
courses included ear training, which helped me get started with what I wanted
to do, namely sit down at the piano and play along with other musicians, or
with my favorite recordings.

So all the theory really helped me, in particular the scales major and minor,
and then just the overall structure of music itself - how it ebbs and flows awa
y from a base chord. I used to try to describe what I was doing to people as
stretching a long rubber band, and leading me/the listener away from the base
and then trying to surprise or please them with the way I ended up back at that
base point. How you do it involves those suspensions and passing notes others
have mentioned, and also alot of healthy experimentation and pleasant screw-ups
.
I tried the jazz books, and some blues books and they were helpfull in a very
basic sense, but never taught me how to play what I felt or heard. The 1st time
I broke into a blues mode I just listened to "Spoonful" as done by Eric Clapton
and Cream. I did it over and over until I got the basics right. Then I looked a
t the notes I had been using and said 'ok, so you've got m3rd, m7th, M4, M5, et
c. And I started making my own rules for myself.

That worked fine for solo playing, but in order to try to play with other peopl
e I expanded on it, and tried to be the keybaord player in countless blues song
s. And bye the way, I really needed an adjustable speed turntable, so I could
change the key of the recorded music, sometimes to make it easier at first, but
more importantly because of the basic change in the standard pitch of all music
which happened in the late 60's, early 70's (?) Without being able to adjust
the speed, I would be 1/2 of a 1/2 step out of tune with my 'modernly' tuned
piano. Now they have electronic keybaords which can be similarly tuned, so you
can play with older recordings in pitch.

Now I have a more interval-based way or looking at improvising, but I still rel
y on my old theory training as a carpenter might go to his tool box, and using
familiar tools, maybe create the first geodesic dome he'd ever seen, or somethi
ng like that. I'm not quite as adept as Sonia in describibg my ideas, and BTW
Sonia I love the way you speak of music and what it means to you. I am very em-
otionally tied to my music, and I can get very trancelike. When I do I very
often have no idea how I made up what I did, but again I think it's the interna
lization of all those years of playing - you have to play with your eyes closed
 if you're gonna get anywhere new sometimes.

Sonia - I like your Bach and J. Winter comparisons - I can dig how Johnny inver
ts his licks and revoves around, in/out of patterns a la Bach.

Drugs - varies with personal chemistry - I usually drink alcohol to a moderate
degree when I play live. Pot makes me too spacy these days. Coke lights me up
and energizes my brain , but it also makes me hyper and jittery - hard to contr
ol those fingers then.

Sorry to be rambling so long, but I haven't posted in awhile and I felt like
adding my own to a long list of what I consider very insightful thoughts on
the basics of making music. Better than the Billy Rae/B. Raitt stuff, huh??

                                                         ... walt ...
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