Singing Your Solos

This might sound a little
different to some of you
but I want to promote
the idea of singing your
solos, as you solo.

Over the past 6 months,
I have really gone hog-
wild trying to swing more,
while playing softer and
I have really made some
progress and I have seen
that singing my solos, as
I solo, has greatly helped.

It is almost like the voice
commands the body and
I find my placement so
much more accurate and
what's more, the SPACE
between notes is increas-
ing and this is another
goal that I have always
had. I am not kidding.

Please give this idea a
try and especially for your
swing. It has proven very
helpful to me.

I will not be surprised if
Boomer chimes in on this.

Regards,

Pete,

I think this is a great Idea!

I really like what you said here:

what's more, the SPACE
between notes is increas-
ing and this is another
goal that I have always
had.

Being aware of the spaces has REALLY allowed my playing to Lock with much greater feel.

I'll have to try singing along with my solos.......... Whenever I can get one!

This has been at home that I
have been doing it. You are
just singing everything you
play. The more I think about
it, the more it makes sense.

I mean it's not like we can rattle
off any series of sounds a mile
a minute. We just say what we
want to say and really, that is
what it is all about. I play too
much and now, I want to shut
up and say something.



Regards,

Yes, I feel you, Pete.

Alan Dawson was a big advocate of singing along with your playing.

It certainly sounds like Elvin did that. I've seen and heard other musicians do it. I've done it internally. I don't know as I've done it purposefully externally. I'll have to try that.

I find my placement so
much more accurate and
what's more, the SPACE
between notes is increas-
ing and this is another
goal that I have always
had. I am not kidding.
Pete
_________________________________________


Yes, Pete I believe you are on to something here. We tend to naturally focus on the patterns but rarely if any, become aware of the spaces between notes that are constructive to those very patterns. I see spaces as the connecting threads for whats actually played. If i got this right, by being aware of whats played 'between' the notes, we can actually set up the next note more effectively and possibly play more lyrical and dynamically. This is what I'm getting here.? I may be hearing this theory in Lenny's playing currently that I have not heard in his earlier, more flashy days. He utilizes spaces which creates an interesting tension and follows through with some very intricate/dynamic foot-to-hand patterns.

Thanks Pete,
rac

The mind gets "trained" to hearing patterns continue, when it stops, when space is employed, the brain keeps hearing the pattern and is jolted to refocus, creating interest.

I remember reading somewhere a statement by Chuck Mangione where he referred to one of his drummers as being very intelligent, a thinking-man's drummer. Joe LaBarbera.

Drums in general are pretty organic and primal. Drum set can be, but it also takes on the cerebral, you know what I mean? The frontal lobes really get involved. Four things to play/listen to. Playing things with spaces can be a lot more "musical" than speed and flurries, just by mental default. It's one of the things that always appealed to me in Ginger Baker's playing when I was young, and still appreciate. Toad holds up as well today as forty years ago.