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Improvising without chord progressions, how


johnkline

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Posted

I just bought a G-Dec fender amp to help with soloing,etc. You can adjust what key your in and it has a nice bass line, drum beat, etc, but there's no actual chord progression.

Most info I've read so far deal with soloing to flow with the chord progression your on top of so how do you handle improving just in the key of G for instance?

I have to say this little amp is really good for keeping your rhythm and timing, but I still sound too scaley with my bull{censored} soloing in a boxm somtimes I can link them and run up the neck but it's up and then down, etc.

 

john

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Posted

I think this would be called modal improvising. You're just staying on a G, so you can do whatever you want with that G. You have to figure out ways to create tension and release it to keep the solo'ing interesting. You're in the key of G, but you could still imply a D chord with your single note lines. That could build tension because D is your dominant chord in the key of G, and it will resolve nicely back to the G. There are multiple ways to build up tension and release it though.

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you could actually use it as a good way to practice each mode and really get the sound of them into your head. just stick to one at a time and really explore them. also try playing through all the chords in the mode as well - it should sound ok over a pedal bass

also try breaking the scales down like this...

2 notes - play intervals - 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths etc
3 notes - play triads from the scale
4 notes - play 7th arpeggios from the scale
5 notes - explore the three pentatonics from the scale

single strings - try playing on one string only for ages - really explore it (you're a saxophone!)

double strings - try playing on two adjacent strings only and then try playing on two non-adjacent strings only

play entirely in one position (get your fingerings correct) - when you get bored - move up one position

try playing four notes per string

try playing no more than 3 notes in the same direction

work out a four note pattern and move it up and down through the scale (keeping the shape the same, but adjusting the notes as neccessary to keep them all "in")

do this with all 7 modes in all 12 keys from the lowest note on your instrument to the highest

that should keep you busy for a few years...

:)

sim

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Posted
2 notes - play intervals - 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths etc

3 notes - play triads from the scale

4 notes - play 7th arpeggios from the scale

5 notes - explore the three pentatonics from the scale


single strings - try playing on one string only for ages - really explore it (you're a saxophone!)


double strings - try playing on two adjacent strings only and then try playing on two non-adjacent strings only


play entirely in one position (get your fingerings correct) - when you get bored - move up one position


try playing four notes per string


try playing no more than 3 notes in the same direction


work out a four note pattern and move it up and down through the scale (keeping the shape the same, but adjusting the notes as neccessary to keep them all "in")


do this with all 7 modes in all 12 keys from the lowest note on your instrument to the highest


that should keep you busy for a few years...



:freak:

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