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Approaches To Improvisation
Basic Elements of Music

So there are four basic elements of music:

Melody (pitch, dynamics, intervals)

Harmony (texture – homophonic, polyphonic, monophonic)
Rhythm (beat, tempo, meter, duration, form)
Timbre

Approaches to Improvisation

It’s possible to structure your improvisation around one of these elements. Doing so presents
di erent ‘approaches’ to improvisation. These are listed below:

Element Approach Example

Melody Melody + Embellishment New Orleans Jazz

Keys/Scales Modal Jazz

Motivic Development Melody based: Sonny Rollins

Non-melody based: Cecil Taylor

Harmony Chords with alterations and substitutions Coleman Hawkins

Bebop

Rhythm Rhythmic Groove Latin Jazz (clave rhythm)

Timbre Noise, Microtones, etc. Free Jazz (John Coltrane)

External Mood (Expressionism) ‘Peace’ ~ Ornette Coleman

Scene (Impressionism) ‘Lonely Woman’ ~ Ornette Coleman

Culture/Political ‘Riot’ ~ Herbie Hancock

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Historical Development of Improvisation

Since the beginning of Jazz, the preferred approach to improvisation has evolved.

When Jazz rst started in the early decades of the 1900’s (New Orleans and Dixieland
Jazz) improvisation was just playing the melody with embellishments. Have a listen to
King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, and Jelly Roll Morton.
During the Swing Era, Coleman Hawkins (sax player with Count Basie’s Band) changed Jazz
improvisation from melody based to harmony based. Instead of just embellishing the
existing melody he created new melodies based on the song’s harmonic progression – by
arpeggiating the chords with relevant extensions (http://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-
piano-lessons/jazz-chords/extensions-alterations/), alterations and substitutions
(http://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-lessons/jazz-chords/chord-substitution/).
Bebop took this harmonic approach to improvisation and expanded it further – using
more and more complex substitutions.
The arrival of Modal Jazz (http://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-lessons/modern-
jazz-theory/modal-jazz/) caused a shift from this ‘vertical’ chord based improvisation
approach, to a ‘horizontal’ scale based improvisation approach.
At the same time, Jazz musicians began placing greater emphasis on Motivic
Development in improvisation.
Sonny Rollins returned to using the melody within this improvisation. But instead of
just embellishing the melody, he took fragments of the melody as motifs and then
developed them gradually through this solo, but constantly referred back to the
motif.
John Coltrane’s used the ‘Love Supreme’ motif in all 12 keys in the song
Acknowledgement (on the album A Love Supreme). (Aside: The album ‘A Love Supreme’ is
a deeply religious one for Coltrane. The use of the Love Supreme motif in all 12 keys is
metaphorical. It signi es that God (the motif) is everywhere (in every key).)
In Free Jazz (http://www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-lessons/modern-
jazz-theory/free-jazz/), melodic motifs became increasingly important
precisely because Free Jazz had largely rejected harmony. As such, it makes sense
that Free Jazz songs are structure melodically (through the use of motivic
development) rather than harmony (like most tonal songs).
 Miles Davis’ groups used a technique (let’s call it ‘Motivic Transfer‘) whereby the
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last phrase a soloist plays becomes the opening phrase and motif for the next
soloist.

In some genres of Jazz, rhythm or groove is more important than any other element.
Afro-Cuban Jazz requires everyone (including the soloist) to adhere to the clave
rhythm. (with the piano playing montunos) The actual notes you play are less
important than the rhythm of the notes.
Jazz generally swings, so should the soloist.
Free Jazz also cause musicians (notably Coltrane) to experiment with the timbre of their
instrument. Coltrane would use things like false ngerings, multiphonics, harmonics,
microtones, and creating noise in his solos. Timbre became more important than any
other element of music.
Improvisations can be based on some external, non-musical factor.
Peace ~ by Ornette Coleman is about peace
Lonely Woman ~ by Ornette Coleman is about a lonely woman
Riot ~ by Herbie Hancock is about the riots during the Civil Rights movement.
Indeed, it was recorded two days after the 1967 Newark riots.

Over the history of Jazz the way musicians thought about improvisation has changed. this has given
rise to a number of di erent improvisational approaches, all of which you can employ in your own
improvisation. But do keep in mind that you may not be able to hear what approach the soloist is
taking as a listener. These ‘approaches’ are just a way the soloist ‘thinks’ about his or her
improvisation, nothing more.

Pentatonic Practice Session - Improve your solo playing

Get the pentatonic scale into your muscle memory and you have a great tool for OPEN
soloing. reiff.dk
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Jazz Improvisation - Approaches to Improvisation

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