How Improvisers Improvise

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The Five(5) Levels of Jazz Improvisation
Contents
0:00 - The Basics
1:36 - Level One: Use Your Ears
4:02 - Level Two: Use a Scale/Key
6:24 - Level Three: Chord Theory
9:11 - Level Four: Substitutions
10:56 - Level Five: Tension and Release
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[@jamesmachado8874]

High school band teachers need that to understand that being a marching band robot is not the same thing as being a musician. This is the main reason students stop playing after 4 years. They never got to even listen to Miles or Coltrane. When I hear a talented student with swing and tone I go and buy them a Kind of Blue CD. I'm a physics and chemistry teacher.

[@BradHarrison]

You're doing good work. At the school I used to work at, one of the math teachers is a great guitarist and has a great relationship with the music department and music students.

[@GizzyDillespee]

Best buy them a CD player, too, while you're at it.

[@robdude4250]

As a Jazz Band Student, I resonate with this comment 😌 Also, I recommend researching “Giant Steps” (John Coltrane) after breaking it down, that piece is wild.

[@happilyferociously7403]

Band kids quit because they don't have any meaningful way to interact with music with their given instrument and knowledge thereof. The avenues that your average band kid has available to them to actually play their instrument in a meaningful way are far fewer number than someone who plays something like piano or guitar which lend themselves to pop music, accompanying, playing out in environments and scenarios that don't traditionally include a conductor or sheet music. Furthermore, both piano and guitar have the benefit of functioning as a solo instrument as well as a rhythm instrument. Additionally, piano and guitar are extremely simple when it comes to changing keys, scales, or playing a chord of a certain quality with a different root. Music theory also tends to display itself almost visually, the geometry of intervals and how they nest to create chords and scales becoming something a pianist or guitarist can sea projected on their instrument. Band kids, once they no longer have a teacher directing them towards specific pieces that they are going to play, have more obstacles in their way when it comes to acquiring additional musical vocabulary. Someone who has been instructed to play off of sheet music, has not been selecting the music they're playing, and the music theory they have encountered undoubtedly suffers from extreme Euro classical bias? These are all handicaps. How are you going to decide what to learn or play when the music written for your instrument isn't really your favorite and your education has focused on staying in your lane? Also, the sheet music itself is an intermediary between you and your instrument that can act as an impediment to making actual musical choices, the stuff that comes from internalizing vocab and not just memorizing it. To reiterate? People fall off because they don't like it that much...or they lack ways to engage with music once they're let free. Focusing on jazz improvisation via Coltrane or Davis isnt going to help. Music students need to learn how to "speak" along with common progressions and music forms and genres, not just how to meander along the musical forms of genres and artists that are long since past the point of relevance. A kid who can kill it on So What? is talented, but a kid who can casually jam along any given hip-hop track that comes on the radio *understands* how to converse, not just recite. Recitation is not motivating once you don't have reason to recite. Being able to converse with any given song, though? Always be relevant.

[@robdude4250]

@@happilyferociously7403 dang… I’m a high school student in band rn, and that’s so real for all of us…

[@mtaur4113]

Here I was expecting the fish emoji to stand for bass...

[@BradHarrison]

You’re the first to mention the fish! I kinda liked the visual.

[@drtimsparks]

scale(s) I assume?

[@BradHarrison]

You bet!

[@markokalcic3113]

Rhythm IS the big deal!!!!

[@BradHarrison]

It’s huge! But it’s rarely a stumbling block for beginner improvisers, in my experience anyway. They can call and answer and pick up and execute simple rhythmic ideas really easily, but they totally freeze on what notes to play without a bit of guidance.

[@bassomatic6055]

​@@BradHarrisonif you've ever listened to kids learn to improvise over time it's clear it's less about the notes than the phrasing which comes down to rhythm.

[@BradHarrison]

Oh yes, plenty of experience here! Obviously teaching is about dealing with the problem that’s presented to you. Every student and group has different needs and you need to adapt to that. But rhythm just hasn’t tended to be a big issue with my students. Not by the time I get them improvising anyway. I start them off with simple ideas, lots of call and response, trading, etc, and it mostly just works itself out as they build their technique and understanding of theory and ear training.

[@zugrath16]

@@BradHarrison I guess it depends on what you mean by "rhythm"... I'm not a teacher but have played in many different jazz bands. From my experience, most people don't have a problem with playing things "in tempo" or mimicking rhythms from others (like you said). But I've heard so many beginners and intermediates (myself included) struggling with rhythmic **phrasing**. Like, being able to play a phrase that rhythmically builds on what you previously played. And being conscious of every rhythm that you use. I really think this is what matters the most in a solo, and that should be practiced right from the start. As a player you should not only build a vocabulary of "notes", but also a vocabulary of rhythmic ideas. And that requires deliberate practice. Like Dizzy Gillespie said, when asked what he thinks about when he improvises - "I think of rhythms and put notes to them". Sidenote - I really liked this video and I think the 5 levels you made were spot on. Just wanted to give my perspective on rhythm :)

[@m00nbeams42]

@@BradHarrison as a bassist thats real and true

[@jselengut]

This is great. Thanks so much. I run a jazz band in Turkey and occasionally there are horn players that have professional classical training and have really good ears but they don't know harmony at all. Their solos sound like creative guessing but still kinda not great because they don't understand the harmonic context of their choices and often tensions show up in very strange places. These same players are occasionally very reluctant to learn about chords and scales because they want to jump right to your stage 5 and just play without worrying about that stuff. This video shares quite well all the things that I am trying to impart to them.

[@maksimivanov5417]

Just curious - how's that possible to accomplish a pro classical training without studying harmony? Did they skip lessons or are horn players not taught this?

[@jselengut]

@@maksimivanov5417 I really don't know. I find it amazing what gaps there are. I mean, they now basic stuff like major and minor arpeggios but as soon as you get into 7th chords it's a crap shoot! In one of our tune, there was a diminished chord and I asked him to spell it and he had no idea. Same with Augmented triads. It's astonishing. Then there's the idea of improvising as spontaneous composition. How is that possible without the backdrop knowledge of harmonic context. It's a mystery. And even in the conservatories here for jazz music, there are shocking gaps. Many people don't know who Fats Waller is!! Or Art Tatum or Bix Beiderbecke. These are pioneers of their chosen art form but ignorance prevails. I feel like an ambassador bringing them this information.

[@Singer7771]

As someone who’s become pretty free with improvising on the piano, the best thing I’ve learned isn’t a bunch of licks or whatever. The best thing you can do is learn to hear music in your head, then learn to play it with your fingers. Sit down, play a note, listen in your head for where it goes. Just sit even without the piano and improvise in your head. If you’re only learning how to improvise with a few different licks and chord progressions, you’re limited. If you become very advanced at playing what your mind hears, then you can achieve freedom with improvising. And this applies to any instrument not just piano.

[@drtimsparks]

I feel like in most pop and rock music you never need to leave level 2 (with a tiny bit of level 3). The next levels stray mostly into the jazz world and the niche folk world - but most amateur musicians I know stick in level 2 and are proud to get level 3 on the 'weird' chord in a song.

[@terrycox1639]

Don't always begin or end on standard notes. Don't always do the obvious. Miles Davis might say... "show that you're working on something". After all, we are talking about Jazz. To what extent is a matter of preference.

[@BradHarrison]

All good ideas!

[@NoVaOnYT01]

2:24 thanks for the lick

[@BradHarrison]

Lmao. Not quite, but I hear what you’re going for.

[@aIewishus]

where?? lol

[@ahmedcaballero3383]

Which lick 💀

[@enhancedlemons484]

I'm lucky enough to be the "natural improvisor" type. And I know from experience that once you listen to people like charlie parker, you get humbled really fast.

[@soldtoscience]

trained jazz piano player and bass player here. Love the organization of this lesson. For all the folks saying rhythm matters too... of course it does, though my experience with a melodic instrument, gotta dig into that harmony first. Can't play in time with intention until you know what notes you want to explore and why. Trying to play in time (even very slow) before I understand a concept feels like giving a speech while learning what you are talking about live.. its just not the most productive way for most to improve. I don't know many people who can learn, while already playing what their learning haha. It's funny though, when teaching I usually bring up the idea of building energy and tension/release very early. As your target note gets higher in pitch and your rhythmic subdivisions get faster, energy goes up. Opposite to bring energy down. Then Levels 2-4 are all about harmony.. gotta hot the books... then level 5 would be where you bring back rhythm and dive deep using all that harmony you've learned as a vehicle for rhythm. Playing behind or ahead of beat, poly rhythms... etc... along with subdivisions and higher pitches building energy... that's how I'd define what's being worked on in level 5. At that point, the goal is pretty much to learn an advanced technique in practice and quickly convert it to an intuitive subconscious way to build or release tension/energy performing. When performing you are controlling emotion and energy with your band almost unconsciously because you've added progressively more advanced concepts in practice and cataloged how they make you feel. Eventually I don't even remember the name of what I'm doing or when I learned it. It's just there for when I want to make the music do... this! At level 5, these expand into your band. Like the keys and bass player can hear each other hinting at that upper structure triad together and drag the rhythm together to sound naaaasty.. and the drummer keeps the time straight so there is a reference to hear the time drag..... then pop back to the song almost telepathically, leaving most listeners not knowing what just happened, but it makes em wanna wiggle.. Sorry that replay got long, I got excited haha. Great video. Cheers!

[@josephmontz3404]

This is a great intro vid. I have been teaching myself improv over the past couple months and are around your Stage 3. Thanks for the video.

[@charliegordan6354]

I never get tired of your videos. I'm currently student teaching to get my certification. Once I have my own class I'm going to link your videos as supplemental materials for my curriculum

[@AnthonyCollierMusic]

This is so good Brad! You packaged this information in such a receivable way. Keep up the great work!

[@afhoj]

Brilliant video, a fascinating glimpse into an esoteric subject. Great work!

[@skymooseft]

This was an awesome primer. I play bass and want to expand my knowledge. You look like a great resource.

[@unishea1649]

You are quite a good teacher. I will really really love a music theory course by you.

[@AndresCastroGuitar]

I can't thank you enough for all this insane info, all around this channel is beyond amazing!

[@BradHarrison]

So glad you’re enjoying!

[@SandyWeltman]

Really great, clear and concise explanation!

[@nikigba]

what a great video man!

[@stevenabra5397]

Awesome video, Brad!

[@huguerah]

Good stuff. I'm a guitarrist and struggle with improvisation a lot. I played today with some mates from repertoire class and felt like I f*cked up every solo lol. But I'll get there. Tks for the content!

[@aeea3306]

Absolute gem of a video

[@SoyMan.The.Great.Musician]

Great video. I’m in the 3rd stage, it’s fun to improvise with my buddies

[@makaroshki_po_aktsii]

very in time, thank you!

[@curtpiazza1688]

Wow! Great lesson! Thanx! 😊

[@johnconroy3180]

Great explanation. Thanks.

[@nabDoesYoutube]

I'm currently just venturing into the beginning of level 3, I've had a lot of questions this past year from fellow musicians because my improv has come on a lot. I think ear, rhythm and key centres is a great starting point for classical musicians with technical ability venturing into jazz. It can be very frustrating coming to a piece where the key centre doesn't always fit the whole progression and choosing notes can be really difficult. Seeing how many different scales fit all chords in this video has been immensely intimidating but also quite therapeutic in that, my frustrations are genuine, I have so much to learn and it's going to be hard. Going from level 1 sometimes ripping an amazing solo to then feeling like I've learnt nothing and fumbling around a standard I haven't heard before can be disheartening, but this video has taught me that it's patience and learning and I'll get there.

[@derkjanvangennep4830]

Nice vid and explanation! Music is about strong rhythm, therefore great improvisation is always rhythmically clear. When your fancy licks aren't played with a strong sense of time, they won't come across to the listener. I rather hear simple music played well, than a musician trying to convey a message that he/she/x doesn't fully understand or masters. Therefore listen to the greats, what you want to play is probably already there. Great improvisers have left us with an abundance of knowledge we can study in 12 keys. Have a great practice session!

[@MagnusTimbre]

This is a great explanation.

[@samslaby4882]

a really impressive articulation of a subject that i've found fascinating and often baffling. I'm a drummer but recently started learning piano. When I see live jazz and the pianist plays at lightning speed it can feel really mystifying how they could possibly do whatever the hell it is they're doing!! But this video helps me grasp it a bit more

[@kilianbeyly3934]

"funkus naturalis" : you killed me with that one 😂 It reminded me of that fun story about archeologists who named some fossiles after the band Gojira ! And amazing cotent as always 👌😎

[@joeblakeukeman]

Thank you! Your video is well presented and full of good advice. Much appreciated. There is one significant aspect to improvisation that could be investigated: being 'in the zone', also called being in the moment, in the Now, entering the Timeless, being a 'conduit' or 'channelling' - some mysteries sort of thing where the music happens by itself, where you, as a musician, are the instrument. Hard to describe. But it happens. 🙏

[@BradHarrison]

Great point! I like to use the term “flow state”. Magic happens there. It can happen at any level. And it can also remain irritatingly elusive too. Magic can be uncooperative.

[@MikeYousman]

very nice analysis

[@tyler361t2]

6:56 this part is probably confusing folks. the reason hes using the mixolydian is because thats the fifth mode of the major scale and the 7th extension is often added to the fifth chord of a key. hes also essentially saying to treat each chord C, F, G as their own keys, despite being in the same chord progression, and to use each mixolydian scale on top of them rather than just the C one, as C is the first chord and F is the 4th and G is the 5th

[@alpesta]

It was an informative video, thx!

[@Matt_Johnson_Music]

Very clearly explained…wonderful job, Brad…;-)

[@BradHarrison]

Thanks!

[@theclancyjack]

Love this video, learns a lot and surely helped me pinned down where am I and where to go. thanks

[@nicolasmecaj]

So apparently Imma already at level 4 xD (**C major/A nat/mel/harm only) Thank you bro! Confidence boost

[@khalilboutira1177]

Great video

[@aurimaslazickas5241]

Thank you for the scales and an overview, i feel like I I am kinda a beginner even though I really enjoy free-improvisation playing. Sheets of music give me jibbies :D, although reading notes and playing from em prob would allow me to just "perform" knowing what to play. I still love improvisation, thanks for the video and effort!

[@jordipeiro5265]

Felicitats! Quina claredat! Moltes gràcies.

[@kloa4219]

yooo! I needed this, thank you for this

[@kevincoltri2310]

Hey man, as a 40 y/o professional musician who's been improvising since age 12 (level 1 back then :p), I can say that this might be the most accurate representation of the journey to becoming a great improviser that I've seen. Kudos brother! 🎷🎶

[@BradHarrison]

Thanks! Cheers!

[@DarylYoung-uh7vo]

Good job 😮.

[@BillHilton]

Waiter get me a BEE SANDWICH (excellent vid btw, Brad)

[@drawingwithsound8022]

Thats me! At the lv1. Rock bottom though, only leveling up from here 😅 I’ve been playing for a long time, at the early stage of my progression I didn’t know much of the theory. So I forced myself to learn by ears. I don’t think I have the “perfect pitch”, but I feel like I understand the relationship between a whole step and a half step. Listening to different genre of music helps too, as I would take licks/phrases from them and play them on the different keys and tempos over a different backing track. Now, I am working on applying theory onto what I’m doing. Such as learning the terms so that I can do more research on certain topic, I missed out a lot by not learning theory from the beginning. Wouldn’t be able to comprehended it anyway, too complicated at the time(even now).

[@BradHarrison]

Haha. To be fair, I’d never meant to put a value judgment on the “levels”. It’s just how I define the tools put into use while improvising. And, there is so much to be said for playing by ear! I think theory gets a bad rap for a lot of reasons. It can be an overwhelming topic to be sure, but people also think the term is synonymous with the term “rules”. But I just think of them as definitions, and they can be really helpful to think about concepts and communicate with other musicians. Start with major scales and build from there. They’re the heart of most music theory.

[@drawingwithsound8022]

@@BradHarrison Definitely. It is a whole new language, without it I can’t communicate with others. Verbally anyway. But musically? I can be the extra sauce that no body is asking for..! You are right, I find it overwhelming and got intimidated when I hear people talking “major” “B#” “flat5th” ”augment diminished”. But I am getting to know them slowly. And interesting point you mentioned there “rules” as someone that is learning by ear. It is lawless where I’m from, only high and low around these part of hierarchy hahah! Please don’t take my humour as a flex. I am useless on my own. That is why I’m learning theory now😅. My point was it is interesting for the people that are learning by rules as eventually you’ll learn to break them. I guess it is a different path to take but we would still be landing on the same note. Music theory is universal and not a waste of time for musician. Thanks for replying and great content, I am a learner. Count me in as your cheap student roaming around in the comment section!🫡

[@BennettYancey]

This is an area I wanna improve in as I’m not really an improviser in my playing.

[@BradHarrison]

It can be a super useful skill. Fun too!

[@Datskrazy22]

In school Jazz bands, they always talk about pitch and key and rhythm but they never talk about context of notes there are no wrong notes, you just have to use them in a proper context

[@tabor503]

Feels great to be at level 5

[@alittleroomforthestars]

Stuck at level 2 for decades, specially if you play a lot in rock/pop environment. Level 3 is a different world for real, but I know it was a colorful one back then, as I read about "chord tones"

[@BradHarrison]

Level 2 can be powerful! If you’ve got good ears, you’re probably basically executing level 3 intuitively. But opening the door to level 4 can be real cool. There’s some really interesting sounds there.

[@m00nbeams42]

5:08 (not important) but im shitting myself over the h2g2 reference in the wild

[@BradHarrison]

Love hitchhikers! I’ve put a few references similar to this in different vids.

[@coloaten6682]

I think with improvising it's the subject where players are suddenly expected to let go of a scale-centric way of thinking in order to say something melodic. Improvisers on guitar/piano might use 9 of the 12 tones available and control dissonance with rhythm, by playing the most dissonant notes on off beats, for example. The beginner improviser might stick to the scale or a combination of scales. A seasoned improviser will consider all 12 tones perhaps minus 2 or 3, and with Jazz this is expected.

[@cellbiol7298]

would be cool to have a "45 levels of improvisation beyond level 5" to understand what sets off a good improvisor from the giants of jazz

[@BradHarrison]

I think it’s difficult to quantify art like that. I don’t think you can say that Moles Davis is X value and Wynton Marsalis is Y value. They’re both clearly amazing, advanced, successful, admired musicians who are level 5 improvisers. You can analyze and observe the differences in their choices and styles but the “levels” metaphor really breaks down in these cases.

[@ducdemontroud9205]

When i improvise, i start with a simple pentatonic blues scale and i focus to use parts of this scale corresponding the most to the playing chord. Once i feel comfortable, i add more notes from outside the tonality to target some notes inside the tonality and i see if that makes good sound or not. When it makes good sound, i keep using it in that situation. Doing a wrong notes is not bad (especially on upbeats) because a wrong note is quickly forgotten. Doing a rythm mistake is more a problem...

[@BradHarrison]

Sounds like you’ve got some good stuff going on. Agreed that poor rhythm can really throw things off and is really uncomfortable for listening and fellow musicians.

[@ducdemontroud9205]

When you make a rhythm mistake, you can see the drummer, bassist and dancers frowning at you 😅

[@BradHarrison]

Just tell them you’re working on nested polyrhythm tuplets and it’s not your problem if they’re not hip to those yet. ;-)

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

Merci

[@LorenzHargassner]

Yeah, man, great video! Using it for my students on saxophone. Thanks a lot for the good work! 👍What software were you using for these animations?

[@BradHarrison]

Glad you enjoyed! Keynote is a surprisingly powerful tool.

[@NestorVass]

Chet Baker is the level 1 goat

[@BradHarrison]

I think he may have known a bit more than he let on, but he was also exactly who I was thinking of when I wrote that section.

[@NestorVass]

@@BradHarrison one of my teachers in guildhall worked with him for abit. He was playing a solo on a big band and the director told him to play some whole tone scale passages, he later went up to my teacher and asked him what a whole tone scale was. Pretty funny but goes to show how good his ears where

[@einsam_aber_frei]

Level 5 is when you’ve mastered all the skills, now you don’t follow any rules and go back to rely on your ears!

[@BradHarrison]

Exactly! The levels are kind of a circle in that way.

[@Metalud0]

Level 6 > Jacob Collier

[@BradHarrison]

I can live with that.

[@yzimsx]

Anyone who's watching this or searching for help and tips, already passed the biggest and often the only obstacle: having the courage and confidence to _try_. Out of interest, I've been trying to get various people to improvise, and quite often they absolutely refuse to try and sometimes even get hostile and angry at the suggestion of trying to improvise. But if they do try, I can get them to proceed surprisingly nicely.

[@BradHarrison]

It can be scary for people. The options are overwhelming! I can play anything? But what? I usually start them off with one note and let them play with rhythm, then two notes, then build a whole scale. Limiting their options is actually quite freeing.

[@yzimsx]

@@BradHarrison Some tricks I've used are: limiting the set of notes to e.g. 3 pitches on the instrument, giving a very specific rhythm of at most four notes, giving a certain word or short sentence for a rhythm, giving a maximum allowance of two notes per bar or two notes per chord (if the player knows about bars and chords). Playing as if playing comping chords on piano or guitar, but selecting only one note from the chord instead of the full chord. "Repeat the rhythm after me", trading one-bar rhythms where I play something first and then the student repeats that by ear, focusing on rhythm only. One nice method has been, playing over a song with sung lyrics, but so that the improviser is only allowed to play during empty spaces between lyric lines. Or, play a few notes and then stop playing and listen for at least two seconds. All sorts of tricks can be done, depending on what the student can already do, always building on top of an existing skill. I'm not an actual teacher by any means, I just coach a group of young players at the church. It's very encouraging to see their progress. Too bad music can't really compete with video games and smartphone entertainment.

[@yzimsx]

@@BradHarrison Once in a "bring your hobby to the office" kind of situation I was able to get a bunch of complete non-musicians to play melodic snippets by ear on a keyboard by promising that the lines will only use three different keys on the keyboard. It was fascinating to see grown-up people try to actually identify pitches they hear for the first time in their lives. And nobody had even been drinking. I could sense a considerable fear of "what if I get it wrong and make a fool of myself".

[@BradHarrison]

Love it! All excellent exercises. Very cool to bring that to your coworkers too! That must have been really fun for you all. You sound like you’ve got education in your blood.

[@gobuns2]

I can detect which key a song is in, but I've never seriously tried to play through a song's changes with one scale. you never get the sound you want. I think I have to learn how to outline the changes. randomly adding passing notes or reminiscing other melodies is easy but it never comes to that point because when learning a chord progression, I go through the individual chords playing their 1st inversion arpeggios. so the same 1-3-7 up and down the guitar neck. but no song has that mechanic sound, they all have the proper voicings and inversions that create beatiful chord melody.

[@gib321]

My ears are not very well developed and that's down to me for not putting more emphasis on that aspect. I try to learn melodies by ear but do not have the confidence to leave the sheet music at home when playing with the band for fear of making mistakes and I find it hard to recall the changes except on very simple tunes. I know sheet music is a barrier because on those tunes where I do not refer to the sheet there is a huge sense of freedom. Part of it I think is fear of having a meltdown on the band stand. I might know a tune but I don't know it well enough. Any tips?

[@mustafa1name]

Once you have learned with the music, practice without it at home. Accept the challenge, break it down, and enjoy the work of slowly but surely nailing it. THEN try it with the band. If you make mistakes at first, it's normal, but if you can do it at home then the problem is nerves, not memory. Get over nerves with a "so what" attitude. You have to play with confidence, and if mistakes happen, shrug and carry on. Learn to ignore the nagging, but essentially illogical, fear of mistakes and focus more positively on other things, like tuning in to the overall band sound and vibe

[@gib321]

@mustafa1name Thank you for this helpful advice and I will put in practice what you advise.

[@neilbrowning7089]

Brilliant! But what does the "transposes into 15 keys" at 7'15" mean?? Where does the 15 come from?

[@BradHarrison]

Enharmonic equivalents. More information here kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGWXf4xqm96rfqM.

[@neilbrowning7089]

@@BradHarrison Ah, the enharmonic overlap between Db/C#, Gb/F#, Cb/B. In my head, they're the same scale... so to me it's 12. I have another music teacher friend who would say "what about G# major? And Fb? And..."! Double sharps are notes too, he would opine! 😀 If you're in C# and modulate to the dominant, you're in G#, not Ab.... but that way lies madness!

[@BradHarrison]

It’s 12 for your ear and fingers but 15 for your eyes. If I’m reading chord changes, I dont want to waste time transposing even a diminished unison if I can avoid it. I need to recognize and execute the the chord immediately without hesitation. That’s why I say you need to learn 15, but the last three should really easy! C# is used so rarely that you’re unlikely to modulate to it’s dominant. But I don’t think anyone is going to be mad at you for flipping to Ab over G# major. It’s way easier to read and increases the chances of the musicians performing well, so that keeps everyone happy.

[@neilbrowning7089]

@@BradHarrison This is really interesting! It's got me thinking again about the different kinds of visualisations that happen when you're improvising. I don't really call myself a jazzer, but the genre where I do some pro guitar gigs is Gypsy Jazz, which doesn't tend to go near the dusty end of the circle of 5ths anyway. But I do play trumpet with a fun Afro-Latin band, and I realise that I am thinking much more "what the notes actually are" (i.e. names) when I solo there. Guitar and piano accordion are primarily visual physical patterns, although I still know what the notes are there of course.

[@TylerAStinson]

6:32 This is where I’m at for Jazz Improv

[@lobstotsbol]

I love your pfp

[@JakinBoaz-u8u]

What if rythm is something you struggle with during imrpov? How do you practise that?

[@BradHarrison]

My first question would be, in what way do you struggle with it? Are you able to play in time normally? Can you play with a metronome and not drift off the beat? If not, that’s the first place to start. If you’ve got the basics under control and just find yourself freezing, try limiting yourself. Start with improvising using only whole notes, then half notes, then quarters, then simple combinations. Quarter, quarter, half, etc. And listen to other improvisers and emulate! It’s a language, so you learn by listening and experimenting. Also, if you’re interested, I’d love to get into this with you in a lesson. Get in touch at www.bradharrison.ca/lessons

[@taquitoburrito6335]

yumm, the famous bananaburger

[@rinopape9040]

7:15 what you mean with every chord type transposes into 15 keys?

[@BradHarrison]

There are 15 major scales, chords are based on major scales, every chord type transposes into 15 keys! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGWXf4xqm96rfqM

[@rinopape9040]

@@BradHarrison oh you counting enharmonic scales , my bad. I always think about 12 scales but now I got it

[@whatilearnttoday5295]

Level 6: Use your Ears!

[@BradHarrison]

Ears is basically level 5 again. It’s all sort of cyclical.

[@bentertainment6932]

I love putting bees on my sandwich!

[@seheyt]

Lol "footage not found". Aw.

[@BradHarrison]

Haha. Yeah... I’m not saying I don’t have my moments! But it’s hard to capture that sort of thing for us mere mortals, and I didn’t want to tempt the internet’s wrath. “Look at me! I’m the height of jazz perfection!”

[@seheyt]

@@BradHarrison I feel you :)

[@giusgius9299]

Incomprehensible

[@BradHarrison]

Where did you get lost?

[@giusgius9299]

I would say everywhere. But maybe is my level not adequate at your explanation even if you write for beginners, and I am not

[@BradHarrison]

Everyone has got to start somewhere! Usually if you have any musical skills at all, most people can handle messing around with one scale, ie level 2. If you want to learn some theory check this out! kzbin.info/aero/PLDaNGknQ_wTh3eXyjB0smdEYSvqa-wJ1_

[@patriciabristow-johnson5951]

@9:39 not in concert pitch 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅 (Signed, a distressed perfect-pitch-haver)

[@patriciabristow-johnson5951]

Good video though!

[@BradHarrison]

Yeaaaah….about that. I usually do all these videos in concert pitch, but I live my life in Bb as a trumpet player and it just slipped through. By the time I finished the video and realized I wrote it in Bb, I just needed to get it out there. But congratulations on being the first person to notice and call me out! ;-)

[@DanielHuman1996]

To speak requires memorizing words and phrases, and listening and responding to the situation. The notes are the musical alphabet. Improvising requires memorizing musical words and phrases, and listening and responding to the musical situation.

[@BradHarrison]

Couldn’t agree more! Great way to continue the metaphor.

[@anidiot4702]

so, uh- this is going to be a weird request. I am a musician, it is my special interest and i have been inseparable from it for as long as i can remember. I love composition and playing basically anything as a way of expressing that, but I have a problem: I can’t read notation (specifically notes on the staff). I’ve tried and tried for two years with only some improvements, but mostly just suffering in my classes due to my lack of efficiency when reading. i was curious if you, as an intuitive musician and general teacher, could possibly give people like me an effective alternative to those main methods? I’m sure it’s a bit niche but i hope you consider it ^^

[@BradHarrison]

The basics of music notation are pretty simple. But putting it into practice with any sort of flow takes a long time and a lot of practice. And even most theory concepts aren’t so bad, the trouble is understanding them in all the different keys. And advanced musicians who play great but don’t read well rarely want to spend time on simple nursery rhymes and exercises to build that skill. It’s a lot like learning a new language. You speak your mother tongue great, but try a new language, sweat through learning 100 words and you still can’t do very much to understand or communicate. But if you work at it, it gets better. A good way to do it might be learning a new instrument while you learn notation. That way you’ll be remapping your brain and gaining multiple skills simultaneously. It could be more motivating than just suffering on your main instrument with difficult notation.

[@Yubeyo4678]

This used to be a big problem for me.I solved it by learning another instrument and learning reading at the same time. I took paino classes so I could learn to read well, but didn't have to do it on my main instrument so It didn't feel like nursery rhymes as I was learning anew instrument with the music

[@derkjanvangennep4830]

Reading music is like playing, it needs constant practice and maintenance. You'll never forget how to read a book, because this type of communication we use everyday. Reading music will get worse if you don't do it regularly.

[@drtimsparks]

🙂"Footage not found"

[@maxonmendel5757]

grilled PB&cheese is great

[@BradHarrison]

Honestly, I didn’t even know it was a thing until right now. Googled it and there seems to be plenty of precedent. I don’t think it’s a common thing in my neck of the woods though.

[@maxonmendel5757]

@@BradHarrison id never had it til i made it at home. had no meat but I had PB. its all protein. and id had pb cheeseburgers before. 🍔 it taste like those cheddar crackers with peanut butter.

[@tyler361t2]

9:35 what is a "substitution"? im very confused. a different scale that fits? youre implying theres a default scale im substituting in the first place

[@BradHarrison]

Exactly. In common practice, there are standard scale and chord pairings. I covered some of them in level 3. Level 4 would be using non-standard scale and chord pairings. Mixolydian is the most common and most “standard” choice on an unaltered dominant chord but using altered, diminished, whole tone, or a tritone sub would be a much spicier and interesting choice. And none of them would be your default scale choice. Therefore, I call them substitutions.

[@tyler361t2]

@@BradHarrison > there are standard scale and chord pairings. is there a list anywhere? what is this based off of?

[@BradHarrison]

“What is this based on?” is one of those deceptively simple questions. Short answer, it’s based on functional harmony and common practice. These are the scales that fit the key/chord most obviously and functionally and that are commonly used by other improvising musicians. The long answer will come when I tackle all these topics in later videos. Too much to summarize here but maybe start with googling chord scale lists(what do I play over ___ chord) and learning about ii-V’s(“two-fives”). They’re the heart of jazz theory.

[@tyler361t2]

@@BradHarrison when do you plan on making a new video? i cant find anything covering chord scale lists

[@BradHarrison]

They should be coming this fall. I googled Chord scale list and found tons of resources. Check this out but there’s lots more presented slightly differently. musictheory.pugetsound.edu/mt21c/HowToDetermineChord-ScaleRelationships.html

[@hzm99401]

blue scale ewww, chord scale nice, blue scale goated

[@AyyyyUhhhh]

Bananaburger

[@kirjian]

Man... improvising on drums really is a mystery isn't it

[@desmond3828]

Do you teach all ages?

[@BradHarrison]

Sure! Most of my students have been in middle or high school but I’ve also worked with quite a few adults and seniors.

[@desmond3828]

@@BradHarrison Do you teach piano?

[@desmond3828]

@@BradHarrison also what province and Canadian county are you located in?

[@BradHarrison]

I’m in Toronto. I don’t teach piano specifically, so I wouldn’t be much help for technique, but I have worked with all kinds of instrumentalists. So if you want slightly more general musical coaching about practice, notes and rhythms, improv, theory, etc, I can definitely help out with that. Reach out at www.bradharrison.ca/lessons if you want to set something up!

[@desmond3828]

@@BradHarrison Durham county Canada?

[@MathieuPrevot]

What if I improvise not a song but something else ?

[@BradHarrison]

What did you have in mind?

[@MathieuPrevot]

@@BradHarrison sonata, etude, prelude, theme and variation, fantaisie, waltz, poem ...

[@BradHarrison]

I’ve improvised over other types of pieces before! It can be done. Some will have simpler harmony, others more complex. It depends on the piece.

[@MathieuPrevot]

@@BradHarrison I just think reducing impro to only songs is too reductive. Many impro are done outside the song structure, and without any predefined harmony or structure or theme.

[@BradHarrison]

Sure! This is just one lens to view this stuff. Free/total improvisation is a thing. Call it level 1 or level 5 or something completely different. I have no intention of limiting anyone’s creativity or gatekeeping music.

[@tanxbro113]

0:32 are you swallowing?

[@BradHarrison]

must have missed the in the edit! I usually try to cut out most of the breaths and y'know... mouth sounds.

[@tyler361t2]

7:40 dodgy definition of voice leading. it's more about ensuring chord notes move as little as possible to get to the next chord's notes, rather than how the harmony and melody interact

[@BradHarrison]

You’re not wrong but my definition is just a bit more abstract and open for the purposes of soloing over changes. Im thinking of things like moving from a C major chord to C minor, and the line I’m playing goes C D E, then repeats similarly but goes C D Eb as the chord changes. The E changed to Eb not because it’s the smallest movement between chord tones but because the melodic line was modified to match the harmony.

[@CatrinaDaimonLee]

But, no.

[@BradHarrison]

What no?

[@tyler361t2]

7:16 not following. what do you mean 15 keys? 4:56 says theres only 12 keys. why would each chord type have its own 'key'? i feel like youre using a very liberal version of the word "key" and conflating it to just mean "scale that it fits into nicely"???

[@ElieElKhoury19]

I’m also confused about 7:16

[@tyler361t2]

@@ElieElKhoury19 Brian Kelly made a good video called There are NOT 24 Keys (and there are NOT 30 keys either)....here's why!

[@BradHarrison]

There are 12 distinct pitch classes but 15 major keys. Depending on the context one or the router number is more correct. Your ear will only hear 12 different notes but both C# and Db major can show up on the page, so you have to know and recognize them both. The same is true for minor scales, chords, etc. Every chord type(maj7, min7, dim7, m7b5, etc) can be expressed in 15 keys.

[@ElieElKhoury19]

@@BradHarrison thanks for the clarification!

[@jacobsenjim96]

Casually lookin over rhythm is crazy…. Also he says all chords can be transposed into 15keys? Where do the extra 3 come from lol?

[@BradHarrison]

If you can play simple rhythms, you can get started improvising. My students rarely struggle with this by the time I get them improvising. As for the “extra three”, look up enharmonic equivalents. Check out kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGWXf4xqm96rfqM for more info.

[@Fire_Axus]

your feelings are irrational

[@BradHarrison]

Which ones?

[@Fire_Axus]

@@BradHarrison i forgor

[@barryo5158]

Not really.

[@BradHarrison]

Which part?

[@AlGO.4]

Translate this video into portuguese,and then i give you credits?

[@BradHarrison]

If you’d like to create a separate audio track in Portuguese, and be sure to nail the timing because I feel like it really matters how things sync with the audio/video, I’d consider uploading it to this video. But I’m not okay with people reuploading my work. You can reach out at my website if you’d like to explore this further. www.bradharrison.ca

[@AlGO.4]

@@BradHarrison nice,i'll take a view

[@geckoram6286]

Wait rythm is supposed to be intuitive? Fuck

[@BradHarrison]

Can you play in time basic stuff? Songs, scales, etudes? Get that under control first. If that’s all okay, start with simple patterns and ideas. Don’t over complicate things. Also, happy to jump on a lesson with you if you’re interested!

[@rafatuto02]

First comment

[@MabookaMabooka]

There are 5 levels of bullshit: 1)b 2)bu 3)bul 4)bull 5) I am not going to demonstrate the 5th level of profanity.

[@BradHarrison]

I’d love to see your video on the subject!

[@FloydMaxwell]

You lost me at Level Four. That's where it stop being music (to me).

[@BradHarrison]

Why do you say that? If you listen to jazz or improvised music, you’ve heard these types of sounds tons of times. There’s plenty of scale options and experienced musicians use them all the time.

[@FloydMaxwell]

@@BradHarrison Thanks for the reply. I don't mean any disrespect to you or your video. I just "don't get it" with jazz. Never have. Cheers.

[@BradHarrison]

Yeah, jazz is not for everybody. I wish it was more popular, but c’est la vie. I do find approaching improvisation through the jazz education lens to be very useful though. I’ve used these techniques to make sense of all kinds of music and lots of genres. Theory can also be anathema to many, but for me they’re just tools and definitions. All the best!

[@anzeerjavec297]

No. Do not learn from this.

[@BradHarrison]

What part do you disagree with?

[@gregorfussenegger]

Dear Brad, Thank you for the informative and very well executed video! I really enjoyed watching it and immediately subscribed :) May i ask what video software you were using to make this video? how did you incorporate the Note Examples with a transparent background? I'm trying to get my head around this since i also want to make educational videos of a similar kind targeted towards string players. Thanks in advance!