Improvising With Sequences
We've all heard
Jazz musicians such as Thelonius Monk, Chick Corea or Miles Davis
play a flurry of notes that don't seem to fit, yet still work.
Somehow they tickle your ear into believing that the notes fit. How
do they do that?
Jazz musicians use
a technique called sequencing to move “outside” the chord
changes. A sequence starts with a set of notes that follow a
pattern. Sequencing is repeating this pattern with a different
starting note. For example, C, E, G – up a major third, up a minor
third. For example, Db, F, Ab.
A sequence may
also be loosely defined. For example, up a third, up a third, where
the type of third is not specified. So C, E, G to Db, E, Ab, would
also be acceptable.
A Jazz musician
will generally begin the sequence with notes that belong to the chord
or the scale the chord is derived from. This is referred to as
playing “inside”. At some point along the way, the musician will
start the pattern on a note that doesn't belong to the chord or the
scale the chord is derived from. At this point she is playing
“outside”. She may remain “outside” or return “inside”
at the tail end as if to say, “See, I knew what I was doing”.
Here are some
ideas to get you started:
-
Start with
two note patterns. Obviously these are just intervals. Practice
ascending or descending intervals with the starting notes moving
along the chromatic scale. Then try starting notes that belong to
the Major scale or the Minor scale. Get creative with what scale
you use. Don't forget to practice both defined and loose patterns.
A loose pattern will allow you to stick with notes in the given
scale, while a defined pattern will include “outside” notes.
-
Next, move to
three note patterns. There are the obvious triads discussed in
“Improvising With Triads”. What other three note patterns can
you devise?
-
Lastly, four
note, five note, etc. patterns
It is easy to get
lost in the middle of a pattern and twist up your fingering.
Sometimes it's easier to think of the pattern in terms of what finger
numbers are used (if you are a keyboardist). For example, a basic
triadic pattern is a 1-3-5 pattern (and in reverse is 5-3-1). Other
patterns could be 1-2-4, 5-2-1, or 1-5-4. This also works even if
you aren't a keyboardist as it at least provides reference points for
the notes in relation to one another.
Sequencing
patterns can provide a lot of mileage to the improviser and really
draw the listener in. The listener is able to catch something and in
some sense understand and follow what the improvisor is doing.
Sequencing provides an intellectual connection that is easily lost
between the improviser and the listener.
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