Free is the sound we make and judge is what minds do. I have been learning how to improvise on my guitar for almost a year now through the methodologies of jazz music, in which improvisation plays an integral role. Being able to express our thoughts through music is wonderful, and though all musicians express them through the compositions they make and the music they play, there is a particular joy in being able to convey your thoughts into sound with immediacy that attracted me to this particular genre.
The process of musical expression begins in the mind, then through the appendages and instrument before released into the air. In an improvisation class conducted by maestro vibraphonist Gary Burton, he equates playing an instrument to speaking. …show more content…
People will generally say that major chords sound “happy,” while minor chords sound “sad.” A slight amendment of the notes can adjust the mood, so one can imagine how rich one’s musical vocabulary can be. Let’s say we take that ‘happy’ major chord and turn it into a major 7, the addition of the 7th note makes the chord sound more open and reflective. That ‘happy’ feeling is still there, but since the comprising notes are amended so is the mood associated with …show more content…
An all star group consisting of Miles Davis, pianist Bill Evans, saxophonist John Coltrane and Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, drummer Jimmy Cobb, and bassist Paul Chambers, “So What” presents not only a great single composition, but also individual qualities of the musicians, presenting varied moods that tie in together into one song. “So What” begins with Bill Evans alone playing a brooding part where you don’t know quite where the song will go. Then Paul Chambers bass play a cool bass line draws our attention to a certain direction. Jimmy Cobbs strong cymbal hit, like a gong, signals the beginning of the main theme, and then Miles Davis’ cool, smooth solo begins. Miles Davis ends his solo and John Coltrane’s saxophone solo enters, playing lines that sound thoughtful, sometimes somber. After Coltrane is Cannonball Adderley, and his playing is lively, with occasional stylish licks sprinkled throughout. Bill Evan plays the last solo, and his chord playing sounds immersive and “deep” (lack of a better term). The group then returns to the main theme before ending “So What” with the bassline that lead us into the music in the first
The process of musical expression begins in the mind, then through the appendages and instrument before released into the air. In an improvisation class conducted by maestro vibraphonist Gary Burton, he equates playing an instrument to speaking. …show more content…
People will generally say that major chords sound “happy,” while minor chords sound “sad.” A slight amendment of the notes can adjust the mood, so one can imagine how rich one’s musical vocabulary can be. Let’s say we take that ‘happy’ major chord and turn it into a major 7, the addition of the 7th note makes the chord sound more open and reflective. That ‘happy’ feeling is still there, but since the comprising notes are amended so is the mood associated with …show more content…
An all star group consisting of Miles Davis, pianist Bill Evans, saxophonist John Coltrane and Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, drummer Jimmy Cobb, and bassist Paul Chambers, “So What” presents not only a great single composition, but also individual qualities of the musicians, presenting varied moods that tie in together into one song. “So What” begins with Bill Evans alone playing a brooding part where you don’t know quite where the song will go. Then Paul Chambers bass play a cool bass line draws our attention to a certain direction. Jimmy Cobbs strong cymbal hit, like a gong, signals the beginning of the main theme, and then Miles Davis’ cool, smooth solo begins. Miles Davis ends his solo and John Coltrane’s saxophone solo enters, playing lines that sound thoughtful, sometimes somber. After Coltrane is Cannonball Adderley, and his playing is lively, with occasional stylish licks sprinkled throughout. Bill Evan plays the last solo, and his chord playing sounds immersive and “deep” (lack of a better term). The group then returns to the main theme before ending “So What” with the bassline that lead us into the music in the first