Originally Posted By: Bob Calver
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I once played with a keyboard player who read the dots and played well but when told to vamp on an F chord had no idea what to do.<...>

That's not uncommon.

Improvising is a skill like songwriting that not every musician can do.

I'm a very good improviser, but a lousy songwriter. I can read music well and play in an ensemble too, but every song I try to write just sounds trite, especially the lyrics.

I remember watching a music documentary, and Itzhak Perlman was talking with with Andre Previn and wanted to play some jazz.

Itzhak is one of the world's great classical violinists, and besides being a famous jazz musician, Andre was conducting the London Symphony at the time.

Andre tried to teach Itzhak how to do a jazz solo, but Itzhak had no idea and couldn't be taught quickly. So Andre ended up writing a jazz solo for Itzhak and Itzhak read the music and played a 'jazz' solo.

You can be a great player and not know how to improvise, and you can be a great ad-lib player and never feel totally accomplished on your instrument. It works both ways.

We all bring a set of skills to our music. Lean on the things you are good at, and do them well. Practice the things you aren't so good at, and eventually they might join the things you do well.

And if you are a good player and can't jam or write a song, don't worry about it.

Insights and incites by Notes ♫

Last edited by Notes Norton; 03/31/23 04:25 AM. Reason: Typo, I'm TYPOMAN, writing all wrongs. :)
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