Two Exercises to Imply the Melody of a Tune in your Jazz Improvisation

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Pianist, author, and build-a-bear bear engineer Jeremy Siskind describes how to create improvisations that reference and honor the melody of a tune instead of playing randomly over the chord changes.

[@FlorisV82]

I have been a professional jazz piano player for years and I just LOVE the clarity and quality you put into this channel! Very best on YT!

[@FlorisV82]

(There does seem to be a distortion issue in your rec btw)

[@janevonmaltzahn2667]

A "must see" video. Just to get the steps 1 - 6 in my head helps so much, ... and that's just for starters! THANKS! Went back and listened to some things this a.m, just kind of classifying them in my mind in stages (for fun), just to get myself noticing the different kinds of melodic variations and think about what is different - how close, how far, what's used. Gets you thinking in phrases, ideas, -not just in notes, scales, arpeggios ...

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks, Jane! I'm honored and super glad you found this helpful. Happy practicing...

[@jeffsims5683]

This gives so much structure to soloing over a tune that I never considered, awesome info, thanks

[@JeremySiskind]

Yes! It helps to have some amount of structure! I'm glad you feel that way!

[@twangbarfly]

I'm a guitarist and to see these ideas that sit so nicely on piano explained like this so that I can see what's going on and transfer them to my instrument has just brought about a huge shift in my outlook. I don't know how I got there, but I watched your comparison of the styles of Keith Jarrett and Brad Mehldau and was mesmerised - tons of lights came on in my head. THANK YOU SO MUCH for this invaluable material. Priceless! Thank you not just for your ideas but for your enthusiasm coupled with crystal clear explanations.

[@JeremySiskind]

That’s so nice! I’m so glad! Thanks for the comment!

[@joshuaking4139]

Wonderful tutorial!

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks so much, Joshua! Happy practicing!

[@humblemai2211]

More exercises like this... thanks

[@JeremySiskind]

Sounds good. Thanks for the comment!

[@747seanmichael]

I was going to ask about this in class, you read my mind! thank you Jeremy this is a gem of a lesson!

[@JeremySiskind]

Perfect! Those mind-reading classes I've been taking are starting to pay off!

[@skousend]

Very enjoyable lesson that will change the way I listen to Jazz. Now I want to pull out an Oscar Peterson solo and listen to him step away from the melody. Looking forward to coming back to this lesson after I've watched more videos here.

[@skousend]

OK, that wasn't hard. First click, landed here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p53Jkounh8esjMk and while not one of Oscar's most famous performances, here is clearly a melody head of "Here's That Rainy Day" at level 1.5, followed by a version at level 3, followed by a version at level 4 or 5. Etc. In particular, I can now see the improvisation comes back towards the melody, especially towards the end of a solo with the last few bars below level 3. Very cool, now I'm listening to great jazz in a more engaged way with this simple framework. Thanks!

[@JeremySiskind]

@@skousend Interesting! I think soloists use these techniques to varying degrees. Not all solos necessarily have a lot to do with the melody, but some strongly do!

[@billguitarvin]

Your command of the keyboards is incredible! To do these 6 levels of improvised solos off the top of your head is truly inspiring. Been watching some of your other videos as well over the last few weeks, so I just subscribed. Lots of great concepts to think about. Keep up the great work and take care!

[@JeremySiskind]

That's very kind, Bill! I've been working on it for awhile...and I'm still working!

[@donschneider7953]

Very useful. Thank you.

[@JeremySiskind]

My pleasure, Don. Thanks for watching!

[@DojoOfCool]

Good stuff sounds more like the roots of Jazz where solos where more about embellishing/reinterpreting the melody. Thanks for the video.

[@JeremySiskind]

Nice - thanks for the comment, Steve!

[@javilalima]

Another great lesson! Thank you. Who cares about production? Content is what matters. Quick question: what app do you use to write music on the staff in your lessons? I am an iPad user.

[@JeremySiskind]

I use the Forscore app. It's great - highly recommend! (I just upload PDFs of manuscript paper)

[@chrisjazzhands5373]

Greatly enjoyed this! So needed. I’d love a lesson w greater detail on how you to do this within comping alone. I haven’t seen anywhere else.

[@JeremySiskind]

Hmm, interesting. Let me think about that, Chris. Thanks!

[@chrisjazzhands5373]

@@JeremySiskind it may be real clear to you, for example if often melody notes are 3rds and 7ths, what we’re taught is the three and seven should be in the left hand at the bottom of the voicing. How might we set up the voicing to make a 3 or 7 work well at the top?

[@michaelbates625]

Thanks a lot for this Jeremy, really useful! Looking forward to you getting 10k subs, you deserve it. And many more.

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks, Michael! I'm grateful - I'll start being rich at 10k, right? 😂 😂 😂

[@stuartheadey5240]

Great stuff, Jeremy. Some useful strategies there. Thank you.

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks much, Stuart! Enjoy!

[@MrFedemoral]

Jeremy!, dope as allways. Question, have you ever considered to cover some mike bereal gospel moves breakdowns? maybe too specific haha, but i would be hyped! it seems a different direction/idea for a new vid!

[@JeremySiskind]

Sorry! I have no idea who/what that is. You’ll have to go elsewhere for that.

[@ivettamelkumyan5261]

Enjoyed a lot👏will work on it, but at a slower playback speed😩...and hope to get to a fourth line🤭. Thanks for posting!

[@JeremySiskind]

Sounds good. enjoy your practicing, ivetta!

[@precisionhoops365]

Cool

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks precision hoops!

[@walkercatenaccio]

Perfect!

[@JeremySiskind]

Thanks much, Walker! Happy practicing!

[@ant_adlibs]

man I love these but the chord app is out of sync with your playing ; I do appreciate this content really fun to watch you work

[@JeremySiskind]

Yeah, I know! It's being picked up from an acoustic piano, so it's pretty much a miracle it works at all. I figure, if someone really wants to figure out what I'm playing, they could pause the video to find out...but it's certainly very imperfect to watch in real time.

[@flober1970]

Nice, an other way is to alternate phrases or parts of phrases and improv responding.