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by Maximilian Severn
Jazz Trombone / Jazz Improvisation and Educational Info
Jazz Trombone / Jazz Improvisation and Educational Info
(artwork by Debra Hurd)
Hello!
After going to college and teaching in public education I realize jazz trombone still has along way to go! I made this website because I wanted to share the information I researched while in college, and if it helps anybody in the slightest way I will be glad!
I was inspired from the great book by Austin Kleon Show Your Work! and wanted to share my findings with anybody who could use it.
Quote from Thomas Owen's book Bebop:The Music and It's Players, page 30, paragraph 2
"Parker, like all important improvisers, developed a personal repertory of melodic formulas that he used in the course of improvising. He found many ways to reshape, combine, and phrase these formulas, so no two choruses were alike. But his "spontaneous" performances were actually pre-composed in part. This preparation was absolutely neccessary, for no one can create fluent, coherent melodies in real time without having a well-rehearsed bag of melodic tricks ready. His well-practiced melodic patterns are essential identifiers of his style."
Song form/Chord Progressions
Song form/Chord Progressions
When you take a solo you are playing solo melodies over the song form (ex.blues 12 bars, rhtym changes 32 bars, etc)
Jamey Aebersolds, Real Books, iReal Pro App
are go-to sources to find chord progressions.
Ok, found the right song progression. Now find how a professional jazz improvisor plays over it!
Then write it down(transcribe it)/(memorize on your instrument) to study and analyze what works over the harmonies. 4 bar phrases? Arpeggios with some chromaticism in it? ADD THIS to how YOU approach chord changes when YOU solo. There is a reason jazz improvisors are great composers/arrangers, it's all the same material!
I see jazz improvising as using a jazz language, or really just like computer code or like english language. You wouldn't make up computer code writing software or made-up english words when giving a speech would you? It's the same with taking a jazz solo if it you want it to sound nice to the audience (and yourself lol).
There is a jazz poster tree, and it shows how all the musicians have influenced and developed their own musical styles. Learn from past success and keep the tradition going!
Doodle Tonguing (fast legato lines like saxophone, trumpet, piano, guitar, etc for Trombone)
Doodle Tonguing (fast legato lines like saxophone, trumpet, piano, guitar, etc for Trombone)
Bob McChesney "Doodle Studies and Etudes"
Opened so many doors, thanks Bob McChesney!
I write in doodle articulations (like the book says on page 111, song 124) to transcribed solos, and circle where the next Da phrase begins, so I know where my doodle pattern must break for the line to sound right. Basically, whenever you have to say Da start a new circle of articulations. I'll have to post a picture it'll make more sense =)
Bill Watrous & Alan Raph "Trombonisms"
page 23, picture of what the air does, goes around the tongue
Art of Doodul Tonguing by Curtis Fox
page 2 (out of print)
quoting from page 2,"the tip of the tongue must remain in contact with the gum behind the upper front teeth."
Once I realized you have to keep your tongue in place and let the air go around it for the UL syllable, it allowed me to be able to doodle tongue! Legato just means the sound is connected, well since the air doesn't stop the SOUND doesn't stop either, even with an articulation. Yeee!
Trombone Sound
Trombone Sound
A lot of the trombone players I like listening to on recordings really don't have an edge to their sound, and can play very long and smooth musical phrases. Using a close microphone and playing at a low/soft volume, I can record a nice tone without having to play super loud and play lines that sound nice to me. My range and flexibility is much higher too since I'm not worrying about volume swelling my lips up from loud playing. You can forget this if you don't have a good mic and have to play over a rhythm section/big band! Let the microphone and speaker system do the heavy lifting, not your face lol
Check out this great article from Antonio Garcia, ITA Journal
Jazz Trombone and the Microphone
-Finding Professional Artists to model from-
Page 8 of the Jamey Aebersold Free Jazz Handbook is awesome, find recordings of your artist/instrument and start studying the recordings on songs/chord progressions you like!
Michael Lake - Trombone Recording from his 'Alto Bone' youtube channel
Great video on how AUDIO RECORDINGS AFFECTS ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENT SOUNDS, Check this video out if you want a more in-depth idea of the different recording studio effects have on trombone sound. EQ settings, Reverb, etc.
-Making it "your own" jazz sound-
This one took me a long time, to make what you like about your music idols and break it down. You prefer certain ii V resolutions? You like this certain sound? When you customize sound and music material to your liking, it becomes "your own". Also so many great jazz artists have passed away, there is no shame in promoting a past musicians style, especially if it was good!
Memorization
Memorization
Almost all jazz musicians solo memorized material/improv on the spot, even reading chord changes in a real book. Sometimes their eyes are closed! Unless you can compose solo melodies in a jazz style in real time, work up some material to play (from proven recorded jazz artists)!
Practice Techniques- SOUNDING like a Jazz Musician!!!! These are the tools
Practice Techniques- SOUNDING like a Jazz Musician!!!! These are the tools
Computer- headphones/speakers
Software - Transcribe! (tempo manipulation, write the song form out) Extremely helpful.
(Seriously check out the reviews)
In Apartment/House/Dorm - Silent Brass, Microphone (high input) yourself onto computer
Playing with recording - pick a phrase, them, you, them, you, then together until you SOUND just like them
(go slow at first via Transcribe!)
Speed Development - Daily/by practice session will go up, do it by playing with recording/percentage of 100%
ex. Day 1, measure 1, 35%
ex. Day 2, measure 1, 36%
ex. Day 3, measure 1, 40%
Success at a phrase - 3x no mistakes (see Jazz-Conception-Trombone-Jim-Snidero' practice ideas page 6 "If you feel tense or confused, you are going too fast")
Slur particular phrase, add articulation to note/partial changes, repeat until comfortable (so no glisses)
Brass - practice too loud/much and your lips will swell up and range will go away
Record Yourself
Record Yourself
If you want to know if you are making any progress, record yourself playing that phrase and listen to it. What product are you delivering to the audience??? Be your own teacher! Once you start liking what you sound like you can gain real confidence in your playing
Great Jazz Books/Research
Great Jazz Books/Research
Bebop: The Music and its Players by Thomas Owens
Must have, must have, must have! Details some of the biggest names in jazz history, and specific recordings and solos of how they used jazz influences and inspiration, and where those influences came from! How players incorporated Parker's solo material, and many other cool things.
Jazz Bones : The World of Jazz Trombone by Kurt Dietrich
This book is awesome, it has nearly all of the most recognized jazz trombonists and their recordings, and their careers!!! Excellent book, before this there wasn't really anything like this for Trombone players.
The Jazz Standards - A Guide to the Repertoire
This book recently came out, man it is great! Where did all the jazz standards originate? Influential recordings of that standard? GET THIS BOOK if you are a jazz player of any instrument
"Teaching and learning jazz trombone" by Julia M. Gendrich Ohio State University, 2003
Can't be more direct than this! I found the whole thing great to read, and highlighted several passages. page ii, page 23,24, 56.
"Charlie Parker: Techniques of Improvisation" volumes 1 and 2, Thomas Owens, University of California Los Angeles, 1974
Shows all of Parker's musical vocabulary when he solos, and much more. it's quite extensive!
Elsey Jr., Eddie Lee, "A comparison of two distinctive jazz trombone artists, David Steinmeyer and Curtis Fuller" (2008). Dissertation Archive. Paper 250.
http://aquila.usm.edu/theses_dissertations/250
On regarding range with David Steinmeyer and Bill Watrous, page 86 really stood out when playing trombone in the upper registers in performance
Thinking in Jazz: The Infinite Art of Jazz Improvisation by Paul Berliner
This book goes into INSANE detail of a jazz musician, definitely reread sections of this book plenty of times
Recently found this on the internet, great work and interview. I like the interviews on pdf page 62 (page 51) and page 68 (page 57)
Antonio Garcia - Jazz Trombone Articles - Great resource
Antonio Garcia's website is an awesome resource of articles to browse through, especially ‘jazz trombone and the microphone’ ITA Journal, International Trombone Association, Vol. 36, No. 1, January 2008
Conrad Herwig - Thoughts of an improvisor
Mind/Thought Process of an improvisor - Conrad Herwig
About the Author
About the Author
Maximilian Severn is in 7th year of band directing in the state of Texas. Born in Houston, TX he was raised in England until he was 9 then eventually settled in Chappell Hill,TX and grew up primarily in Brenham, TX. He received his high school diploma from H.S.P.V.A. in Houston, TX in 2003. Mr. Severn graduated from the University of North Texas in Denton, TX in 2007 while playing Euphonium (teachers Brian Meixner, Mitsuru Saito and Danny Vinson). After receiving his bachelors in music education, Mr. Severn then also did several years of graduate work in jazz pedagogy/education on Trombone (teachers Sean Nelson and Tony Baker) from 2008-2011. He has worked for Presidio and Columbia-Brazoria school districts as a band director and enjoys being around music and teaching music. He has had an interest in jazz trombone ever since hearing a trombone soloist play the tune Wichita Lineman, arr. by Frank Mantooth.
Any comments email me - maximiliansevern@my.unt.edu
Thanks!
Pictures with jazz trombone heroes! (and Allan Holdsworth - electric guitar)
w/ Bill Watrous, Wycliffe Gordon, Conrad Herwig ,John Fedchock, Delfeayo Marsalis, Michael Davis,
and with Slide Hampton, young picture of me!
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