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Step 1
Listen to a lot of jazz flutists. Start with any recording by artists like Herbie Mann, Hubert Laws, Fathead Newman, Rahsaan Kirk and James Moody. "All jazz, all the time," should be your new motto.
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Step 2
Practice your scales. Major scales, minor scales, harmonic and melodic, the ability to improvise jazz flute is based on your familiarity with these basic scales. Knowing your scales inside and out will help you with your improvisational playing which is incredibly important in the genre of jazz. Other scales you will want to learn include diminished, wholetone and pentatonic. These scales will also help you with your live improvisation.
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Step 3
Memorize an easy song and figure our the chord pattern. Play the melody of the song repeatedly. After you have the song down, play a variety of scale patterns starting with those chords. This exercise stresses improvisational skills.
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Step 4
Play along with your recordings. Enjoy playing with the greats of jazz music in your living room. Eventually you will want to find a little jazz band to jam with.
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Step 5
Have fun and continue to experiment with your jazz flute playing.
Comments
giazz said
on 10/23/2008 Being a jazz flutist myself, I would also like to make these tips.
Be warned when playing out in a bar. Make sure you are prepared to ask the guitarist to turn it down a few notches.
Don't just listen to jazz flute music. Listen to classic jazz standards, those you like. Ella Fitzgerald had great phrasing, listent to her.
Listen to the other musicians around you, and listen for the notes to accompany the music you are playing with.
Try to communicate with your instrument, and just jazz on.
G