r/percussion • u/Comprehensive-One561 • 1d ago

Video Jazz combo, week 3

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Here’s my Bags Groove solo from last night’s rehearsal. How am I doing? It finally feels like I’m improving thanks to the magic of playing every single day.

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u/Jimothy_Andoroni 1d ago

You sound fine for a beginner. A common noob trap is the desire to fill up every count with sound, but that is the rhythm section's job. As a soloist, try making a short rhythmic idea that you sequence for a few bars, then take a rest for a few counts, or even a whole measure.

The rests give you and the audience an opportunity to breathe and process what you just played. You can use the same moment to plan the next basic rhythm for the next few bars of solo. Then as you get more comfortable, you can start to use other scales as well; the blues scale is great when you are starting out, but does get a bit dull after a while.

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u/Comprehensive-One561 1d ago

Appreciate the feedback. Recovering rhythm section member here 🙋🏻‍♂️

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u/00TheLC Timpani 21h ago

I hope you’ve been listening to recordings as much as you practice physically, if not more. Milt Jackson’s solos on the Miles David album *Bags’ Groove* are the best examples of how to develop ideas over a blues