What WandaVision Can Teach Us About Developing a Personal Sound

I finally got around to watching WandaVision. (Don’t worry – no spoilers. I’m only on episode three!)

Anyway, I’m loving how each episode blends the style of classic sitcoms with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and it got me thinking about how I learned to improvise.

Growing up, my teachers encouraged me to study different eras of jazz and classical music. Truth be told, sometimes it was more coercion than encouragement, but I’m grateful, nonetheless.

By imitating and assimilating the music of a whole range of musical geniuses, including Armstrong, Bach, Ellington, Stravinsky, Glasper, and Getz, I’ve been able to develop a unique, personal sound that continues to evolve.

Unfortunately, there is no shortage of wannabe Coltranes and Mehldaus out there, and none of them sounds as good as the “real thing.”

That’s why I’m a proponent of checking out multiple artists, multiple eras – even multiple genres. And by “checking out,” I don’t just mean listening. I mean studying – transcribing, analyzing, imitating, assimilating, and innovating.

You can “live” with a record for a long time. Eventually, you’ll begin to internalize the sound, both consciously and subconsciously. It’s like musical osmosis.

And don’t worry if you start to sound like a copycat because you’re going to do it all over again with a different artist and a different record. Over time, all of the different influences mush together, and your personal sound begins to take shape.

Be patient. Stay openminded. And study hard.

If you’d like to kickstart your exposure to a variety of musical styles, Sick Licks is a great resource, which includes 600 ii V I lines organized by chord progression, skill level, and style. That means you can dig into bluesy material for a while and then switch over to a modern sound followed by a more classic vibe.

Click here to learn more about Sick Licks and hear some demos, too!

Happy Shedding!

Jeff