Making Improvisation Less Overwhelming

What is improvising?

How do you define improvisation?

Answering these questions can help make soloing feel more manageable, especially in the moments when you feel totally overwhelmed by the thought of coming up with a new and interesting solo on the spot.

Here’s a frame that can keep you grounded:

Improvising is simply making choices. And the amount of choice you have is a spectrum.

The more aware you are of that choice spectrum will help guide you on your journey to becoming a better improviser.

So, on one end of the spectrum, we have very little choice. This is akin to playing a piece of sheet music with all the tempo, dynamics, and phrasing markings written in ink. In other words, there’s very little room to improvise.

On the other end of the spectrum is something like free jazz – everything is made up in the moment, including the chord progression (or lack thereof), the melodic content, the rhythm, the form, etc.

Now, when most people think of improvising, they land on a spot on the spectrum where the chords, time, and form are spelled out and the rest is up to the soloist. But this can be overwhelming for many musicians, especially those who are beginners.

I highly recommend inching toward the “less choice” end of the spectrum such that there is still room to “play” but not so much that you get discombobulated.

Ever see the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer? It’s about a chess prodigy who learns to play with only a handful of pieces on the board at a time. The limitation not only makes playing (chess and music) easier, but it also fosters more effective and efficient growth.

So, remember that even if you limit your options, you’re still improvising. Even soloing with just the roots of the chords should be considered improvisation; you’re still able to make choices about rhythm, phrasing, sound, etc.

One of the most effective ways to become a better improviser is to solo with only chord tones. I’m not just talking about arpeggiating chords up and down like an exercise book. Instead, get creative and discover how to arrange the chord tones in interesting and melodic ways.

In other words: don’t be boring!

I know a lot of you may have tried to improvise with chord tones in the past and wrote it off as an annoying exercise, but trust me: it’s possible to come up with pro-level solos with just four notes per chord.

If you’d like further guidance and inspiration on chord tone solos, be sure to check out Chord Tone Magic, which includes chord tone etudes on popular progressions like “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Blue Bossa.”

I don’t want you feeling overwhelmed by soloing anymore. Chord Tone Magic will help show you how to keep from spinning out of control due to an excess of note choices.

Keep it simple. Stick with the chord tones.

Click here to learn more about Chord Tone Magic.

Happy Shedding,

Jeff