Do you ever feel like you’re stuck in a routine? Going through the motions day in and day out. Performing the same tasks at the same time, no matter what. You can almost predict it like clockwork…
The truth is everyone knows this feeling because we’re creatures of habit. We find the path of least resistance, get locked into a routine, and go on autopilot without even realizing it.
The problem is that the same thing happens with music – especially improvisation…
We play solos and unconsciously use the same rhythms. We rely on the same harmonic devices and get locked into the same mental approach to chord progressions. It doesn’t matter if it’s a standard like Autumn Leaves or a tune like Giant Steps.
After a while, every solo starts to sound the same – a few predictable scales, a dozen tired licks played in the exact same spots in every tune.
Does this even count as improvising anymore??
It’s time to start getting creative…
If you’re not careful, improvisation can become painfully predictable and routine. This is exactly why you need to make a conscious effort to be creative every day.
Creativity begins before you even touch your instrument. It actually starts with the way you think about improvisation and the way you hear the music.
If you want to sound different, develop your inherent creativity, or break the routine, you need to change the way you’re thinking about the process of improvisation.
…you can’t just leave it up to chance or rely on the stuff you’re comfortable with, hoping that one day something clicks.
Music, especially improvised music, has unlimited posibilities. It’s not just a set number of scales or techniques or even licks. And if you approach every chord or tune the same way you’re taking away this possibility.
So how do you unlock the creative aspects of improvisation, how do you find the musical potential you know you’re capable of?
In today’s PRO Lesson we’re going to show you how to break through the barriers of predictability & routine and become creative in every solo you play…
Less options = more creativity
One of the biggest obstacles facing musicians learning to improvise is the sheer amount of information out there.
Hundreds of solos to listen to, dozens of tunes to learn, numerous chord progressions, different types of chords, alterations, scales, triads, chord tones…
Improvising can feel like walking into an ice cream shop and trying to choose a single flavor from a list of 500. You’re immediately overwhelmed and paralyzed with all the options that you just end up picking something familiar. (Vanilla??)
As musicians we all suffer from this same type of information overload. We feel it in the practice room trying to figure out what to practice and when we try improvise over a tune.
Having more options doesn’t necessarily make improvisation easier or allow you to be more creative. In fact with so much to contend with, you’re more likely to go back to the same old routine that works.
If you want to discover your natural musical creativity, you need to cut through all of the noise and pick one simple musical device and make music with it.
At the end of the day, your goal should be to create a musical phrase based on one idea rather than inputting information at random. To start with musical intent and direction, rather than guessing or even going on autopilot.
This is where you’ll find your creative potential and actually start improvising. Below, we’ll show you 3 techniques for developing a creative approach in any solo you take…
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