konzultace saxofon – Dušan Čech

stupeň obtížnosti článku

Improvisation – Composition in Real Time

When a soloist approaches a chorus, the first things processed in the mind are harmony and rhythm — the task is to create an ideal melody within the rhythmic framework using appropriate tones. Let us assume we are not dealing with a genius who spontaneously produces several brilliant solos without knowing how it happened or how he did it. Let us also assume we are not dealing with a player who merely owns an instrument and decides to contribute a random solo without any understanding of music theory, chord construction, or modes, yet calls the result “improvisation.” Instead, let us consider a player who understands chord symbols, has a solid command of modes for major and minor chords, and knows the various forms of dominant harmony.

Thanks to this knowledge of chords and chord–scale relationships, the soloist already knows WHAT to play and which tones are available. What remains is the question of HOW to play them. Even though the player works with rhythm, it is common to fall into repeating the same phrases in the same places — as if thinking along the rails of a familiar stereotype.

Call and Response

Because many compositions use the principle of Call & Response, most tunes consist of two or four bar phrases, again repeated in two or four cycles. We play an even number of bars and an even number of phrases over an even number of beats — typically eight or sixteen bars. This structure also comes from lyrics, which follow a regular rhythmic pattern with the same number of syllables and rhyme at the end of each line, creating a sense of symmetry:

Včera v noci ukradli mi kolo,
viděl jsem je – nebylo jich mnoho.
mé vzpomínky na včera jsou matné
bez kola to bude sakra špatné

Odd Groupings – Over the Barline

The following exercise forces the player out of the comfort zone of predictable even phrasing. It breaks regularity and expectation. This method opens enormous possibilities for fresh rhythmic and harmonic ideas that would not normally occur, because the harmonic flow of the phrases shifts. Stepping outside the even phrase cliché requires real mental effort and concentration, but the results are surprising.

Three Against Two

Important:: This is not about odd time signatures. Even pieces in odd meters (such as Take Five) still maintain even phrase symmetry. Here, the focus is on perceiving phrases and rests in odd length groupings.

The first example shows a solo over a medium difficulty blues form discussed in the previous report on this web:

What is remarkable is that, over several repeated choruses, the odd length phrases and rests land in different places within the chord progression each time. They fall on spots where we would normally end a phrase or insert a natural pause. This shift generates new ideas, unexpected melodies, and fresh rhythmic motifs.

Simplifying the Process

At first, it helps greatly to write out the chords of the entire form and mark directly in the notation where the phrase will occur and where the rest will be. A second simplification is to work with a very limited number of tones — two or three are enough — and focus solely on rhythm. With time, thinking about phrase length and counting bars to the correct barline becomes easier, and the player naturally begins to think in three bar phrases even as they cross the original even structure.

This exercise is highly enjoyable. It prevents the player from relying on the “inner autopilot of certainty” and truly tests the improviser’s creativity as well as detailed harmonic knowledge. If you feel your improvisation is stuck in predictable patterns without new ideas or variations, this exercise can bring fresh motifs and a new perspective on phrasing and harmonic progression.

Savor this challenge and let your mind and imagination wander freely — only then will your phrases find their natural, effortless flow.