h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

very good, positive, advice. The only thing I think I disagree with is 'It cannot be perfect if it is self-indulgent' I can understand this if you are playing with other people and need to work together. But in practise I don't see why you shouldn't be self indulgent. Am I mis-understanding this?

Yes hhg this is a hard one. I do agree with you that your practice should always be fun! What I mean by self-indulgent is non-critical. You've got to be observing yourself all the time; otherwise your mistakes will sound just as good as your improvements, and will get varnished in.

Does "non-critical" still sound too harsh? Perhaps "unobservant" or "careless" is what I want. I'll try one of those.

You tell that to Jazz improviser.

No, I used something else in the last revision of the Entry . . . so long ago now that I've forgotten what it is . . . ho hum

Thanks for reawakening the thread. I was going to post that "even if no-one else wants to read this, I have found my practice going much better since re-reading it several dozen times in the course of writing it, so at least it's done somebody some good.

About the happy-go-lucky free improvisation in jazz . . . I believed Clapton when he said he literally had no idea what he was about to play when he started a solo on stage; but on the other hand someone once did some research into tapes discarded on the studio floor in the sixties (that's literally the way they did it then) at a jazz recording session; comparing different takes of different solos, they were virtually note-for-note the same as the final versions. Polished insouciance?

I think different people have their own ways of improvising. Usually down to their ability. My husband is a jazz trumpeter and improvises rather a lot of the time, but yes, I can often hear similarities in his solos. But solos aren't necessarily improvisation. You can play the same solo all the time, but as soon as you slip off into a variation of it then its improvising, unless of course you have learn't many variations of the solo. Its a sticky area.
Nevertheless, a good entry I must say (probably because I was quite involved in the process!!)
I like any discussion on music regardless. Lets do more. More I say!!

Lesson for today:
I must remember to click on the 'click here to be notified about this guide entry' thingy.

Happy

Yep. I think it's been picked and in the tube now! Thanks for your input; I'm very happy with this entry.