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I am using this piece to transition from “memorizing” to “improvising”. I have worked hard to get to this place and I’m loving it. My issue is getting synchronized with the backing track chord changes. I am able to almost do it on simpler pieces, but when I am improvising on this one, I cannot stay in sync for very long. I am trying to “hear” the beat and anticipate the next chord change, but all is lost when my brain turns to decide what licks I am going to play. Are there lessons on AM that help work through this? Or, Brian, can you do a lesson on how to walk and chew at the same time? Thank you in advance!
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Hi Steve,
Harmonically, this lesson is as simple as it gets. There are only three chords (Am, Dm and Em) in a twelve-bar blues setup.But the tempo is veeeery slow, and that’s paradoxically very challenging from a rhythm perspective. It is actually much harder to remain in sync with slow tempos than with faster ones.
I would recommend trying to internalise the tempo with specific metronome exercices (you will find plenty of them on the internet). You may have to buy a function rich metronome, but they are very cheap these days.Another aspect is the fact that you may be too focused on the licks and not enough on the backing track. I would recommend playing short(er) phrases while focusing on the background harmony. Also, don’t start playing on the first beat; this will give you some extra time to hear the chord change.
So, there is no silver bullet but practice makes good!
Good luck! -
Hi Steve,
I would listen to the backing track many times. Hear the hi-hat triplet feel on each beat and the kick on 1 and 3 with the snare on 2 and 4. The organ gives a hint of the chord change on 4 or “4 and”.
Once you really have the feel and can hear the changes, a trick that Brian has taught is to limit where you want to solo. Stick completely to the upper 4 strings of box 1 minor pentatonic, maybe venture occasionally into box 2. Locate the roots, 4th’s and 5ths and try to tie them meaningfully into the changes, ie maybe end a phrase on the 4th during the IV chord and end on a 5th on the V chord.
J-M’s suggestion to avoid starting phrases on beat 1 is typical in the blues. Study Brian’s tab. He is starting most phrases after beat 2. Some may flow over beat 1 of the next bar and the new phrase starts after beat 2 again. Occasionally he starts a short phrase on or within beat 4 over to beat 1. I think the only time he started on beat 1 was the final phrase.
For me, whatever sense of phrasing I have and hearing the changes gradually came with time and working on more and more of Brian’s lessons and backing tracks. Hope that helps.
John -
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