Improvisation in Jazz and Fiddle Styles
with jeremy kittel
Mondays in April:
March 28, Apr 4, 11, and 18
LIVE via Zoom, 4p-5:30p ET (New York City)
Schedule: Each daily session will feature 60 minutes of guided practice, followed by 30 minutes of Q&A and follow up.
Click the button below to join at the scheduled time:
supplementary materials and video recordings
Supplementary materials, as well as video recordings of each session will be added below when available.
Good backing track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFoKMeL1uHY&t=29s
Topics / Exercises:
Jazz - a language of syncopations
Implementing swing rhythms
How/Why to “Transcribe”
G major pentatonic / G major blues
Conscious vs sub-conscious improvising
Understanding harmony function
Arpeggiate each chord in root position
Improvise arpeggiations in half notes throughout the form
Practice modes (major, lydian, dorian, mixolydian)
Play 3rd, 5th, 7th, ninth of each, etc.
Simplifying note choices through use of major scales
CLICK HERE TO WATCH WEEK 1 SESSION
CLICK HERE TO WATCH WEEK 2 SESSION
WEEK 2 ACTIVITIES:
St. Anne’s Reel (bluegrass version)
Check out Stuart Duncan transcription
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQFv-v8L7ws
St Anne’s Reel (backing track) 80 BPM:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4Mg21hHFNk
St Anne’s Reel (backing track) 100 BPM:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mSERKoXIDo&t=125s
Improv with D pentatonic (D E F# A B)
Adding blue note (D E F F# A B)
Bowings:
Georgia Shuffle
Georgia Shuffle alternate
Shuffle / Potatoes
Accents on offbeats
(Improv with all the above)
Chord voicings
Pivoting between tune / improv / backup
Pivoting between set melody and improv (4 measures of one, 4 measure of the other)
Inflection (slides and vibrato in bluegrass)
“Transcribing”
Improv Triplets or even “double time”
CLICK HERE TO WATCH WEEK 3 SESSION
WEEK 3 ACTIVITIES:
Take Five
Db major (with Db drone)
Eb dorian (with Eb drone)
Thoughts on playing in flat keys
Eb minor pentatonic
Eb minor blues (aka Eb blues scale)
Playing through multiple positions (like a guitar player)
Accenting different quarter notes / eighth notes in the grid
Half note throughout
Hemiola throughout
Starting phrases on different beats
Playing over the chords on the bridge
Vibrato & attack - creating tension / energy
TAKE THE A TRAIN
C major blues scale
C blues licks
Call & Response
Swing rhythms
Swing bowings review
D Lydian dominant scale
Exercise playing each scale on chords
Use of flat nine on dominant chords
More options on dominant chords
Improvising over the form
Q&A
CLICK HERE TO WATCH WEEK 4 SESSION
DETAIL, VARIATIONS, AND “IMPROV” IN CELTIC FIDDLE MUSIC
We did two tunes:
The Kesh Jig (Irish trad)
The Boxing Reel (Kittel)
Accents & Syncopation
Swinging the notes
Celtic ornaments:
Flicks
Rolls
Triplets / Cuts
Inverted Grace Notes
Slides
Bowings
Variations
Double Stops
How to Start with Variations in Celtic music
PRACTICING TRANSCRIBING
“Compared to What” by Eddie Harris & Les McCann
Going deep with transcribing
Transcribing method / aural focus
Paying attention to detail
PRACTICING BLUEGRASS
“Whiskey Before Breakfast”
Switching roles between rhythm and soloing
Chords
Shuffle Bowings and variations
Getting started with solos