Material to build lick vocabulary
One of the biggest problems I have at the jam session is improvising good licks to fit with the songs. Sometimes the creativity well runs dry. I have learned many licks from songs that I have picked up, but still grasp at coming up with ideas. Does anybody have any recommended material (books, CDs, downloads, etc) on basic/common licks to help build a vocabulary? Preferably with audio so I can hear the beat, groove, phrasing, etc. Would like to build up my repertoire to have more to pull from at the jam session.
Thanks
Brian
Thanks Rob
I had found David tip post as well shortly after I had posted mine. Apparently he posted it not too long after mine. What great timing (coincidence?). I'll need to work on building my song repertoire and picking apart the songs looking at chorus forms used and the type of licks used for each chord respectively. Certainly things to observe as I work through new songs.
Thanks
Brian
The improvement lesson on V-IV-I Transitions is great. I memorized 10 of them & people thought I was a genious.
The more I play at the jams, rather than just attending, the more I find the same issue where I'm repeating myself. I've taken to listening and repeating more licks in the chorus form approach Lately. Seems to be helping albeit slowly. Great suggestion with the V,IV,I study. David's suggestion of starting on a different note than the previous lick also helps me to go somewhere new. It's a tough journey but fun. Hope I'm helping With the question.
I also learn from a Little Walter play along series with CD and score. The more I do that the more it helps. Not there yet either though.
John
Oops
Thanks for bringing this back up. After completing level 6 I want to take a step back and work on my jam skills, particularly improvising. I found baselines are great for comping. Level 7 has some good standard baselines. Need to work more on solid solos though. It's been almost a year since I have been on stage. Work and family commitments have taken priority. I was booked as the closing act for a show back in July but it got cancelled. So trying to get back at the jam scene again. Got some vacation time, so see if I can sneak in a jam or two. Looking for any study plan ideas to get back in shape and jam ready.
Thanks
BC
congrats on level 6. Quite an accomplishment to be proud of. I will take that as encouragement as I've done the work for level 5 but yet to record and submit to move forward. To get in shape for jams I'd suggest 2 things. Play some everyday going back over previous studies, and going over improvising lessons again. I have taken the other approach over the last 6 months and concentrated on attending the jams. The more I do, the more I play, the more my confidence goes up. I am just barely past the initial fear of bdimg on stage and moving to the fun part. The best part of attendance I find is the other super supportive musicians who are all better than I and whom have all become friends And help show me the "ropes". So practice practice practice. !!!!!!
John
Find a player or two you absolutely love. Copy their licks and work them into your playing using the chorus forms. The more you work with material you genuinely love the more you will absorb it and, hopefully, make it your own.
David's latest tip of the day addresses the issue of vocabulary. Study songs and instrumentals are the things to focus on. I find that the licks that come out when I'm improvising can feel like my own but quite often have a definite source, be it an audio track I've been practising and imitating lines from or a study song from bluesharmonica.com. Get yerself in the woodshed with your amazing slow downer and a few choice classic instrumentals my friend!