Need help with jazz solo!

[Bonehelm]

Hey guys, I am given a solo in this chart called "I get a kick out of you". My band director told me to use a Fm7 chord in the first bar, then a Bb7 in the next, then a Db9. So do I just follow the rhythm pattern and play any note in the chord for each bar? So for example I start off playing F, C, F, E, F (is that correct btw? for a F minor seventh chord)for the first bar, then move on to the Bb7 chord notes (which can be Bflat, D, F, etc)and just play whatever note I have in mind?

I play basstrombone, btw. Thanks for any help. 

[Bogey]

If you do not get a response to your jazz question you may want to try here:

http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/index.php

Just scroll down to Players.

[johnQpublic]

Hey guys, I am given a solo in this chart called "I get a kick out of you". My band director told me to use a Fm7 chord in the first bar, then a Bb7 in the next, then a Db9. So do I just follow the rhythm pattern and play any note in the chord for each bar? So for example I start off playing F, C, F, E, F (is that correct btw? for a F minor seventh chord)for the first bar, then move on to the Bb7 chord notes (which can be Bflat, D, F, etc)and just play whatever note I have in mind?

I play basstrombone, btw. Thanks for any help. 

Rhythmically use any swing ones that you feel. If you can't make them up, then use a variety you see on your part.

Harmonically, use those chord tones for starting notes, ending notes and any longer tones. But feel free to use other notes of the scale to make your improvised melody more interesting. The bold notes are the chord tones

Fm7 = F, G, A-flat, B-flat, C, D, E-flat
Bb7 = Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab
Db9 = Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb

[Shrunk]

Hey guys, I am given a solo in this chart called "I get a kick out of you". My band director told me to use a Fm7 chord in the first bar, then a Bb7 in the next, then a Db9. So do I just follow the rhythm pattern and play any note in the chord for each bar? So for example I start off playing F, C, F, E, F (is that correct btw? for a F minor seventh chord)for the first bar, then move on to the Bb7 chord notes (which can be Bflat, D, F, etc)and just play whatever note I have in mind?

I play basstrombone, btw. Thanks for any help. 

I would guess that those bars are leading to an Eb major chord.  If so, you can just play a Bb mixolydian mode over the Fm7 and Bb7; the notes are Bb-C-D-Eb-F-G-Ab. Over the Db9, play Db lydian dominant (Db-Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb-B).  Of course, it's not as simple as just playing those notes in any order.  Use your ears and emphasize the notes of chord.  But your method of using just notes from the arpeggio would work, too, it just limits your note choices to quite a degree.  Failing everything else, just come up with a melody that sounds good to you and memorize it. 

As you may have realized, you've opened up a can of worms here.

[Shrunk]

This website is an excellent resource on the basics of jazz improvisation:

http://www.outsideshore.com/primer/primer/

[BachQ]

The foregoing posts offer some good website suggestions.  But please avoid http://www.elgar.org .........

[Shrunk]

I should add that all this advice is overkill if, in your entire life, you're only planning to play jazz for three bars.   

[Greta]

Hey! I play saxophone so this is an area I can help in. 

It's tough to learn improv, at first, but soon by experimenting it will seem easy!

Do use the tone of the chords as your framework - even pencil them in or something by your chord names, because as the music goes by it's hard to keep them in mind.

I always like to key off of the melody, or themes in the piece. Use the notes of the melody in a different order. Invert it. And above all add notes here and there, you can choose from those notes contained in the chords given to you.

Come up with your own melody using notes in the chords, and use that as your "theme". Maybe throw in a little quote from a very well-known piece, to be clever...

You can also use the "blues scale". If you're going to be playing jazz at all, you need to know this. It's easy to learn, and is your best bet for beginning improv. It will help you in regular jazz playing too, as you'll end up seeing the notes in that scale in your music a lot.

http://esvc001419.wic024u.server-web.com/scales/scablu.htm

Also, try humming a tune that sounds good, and figure out what you're singing on your horn. This will help you (eventually!) learn to connect your ear to your fingers, and actually play what your head comes up with when you get in performance. Play along with jazz recordings too, just doodle around 'til you hit on stuff that sounds good. That helps your ear a lot too.

Don't wait until you get in the tune, to try figure out what you're going to play on the spot. Practice it ahead of time, mess around with the chords, get comfortable with them, then performance will be much more fun!

Best of luck to you!

[jochanaan]

And don't be afraid to sit on a note for a measure or two.  A long note among all the shredding does wonders for your style.