Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner - Non Classical any JOY of Improvisation students?

I'm trying to find a book that introduces you to improv. Is JOI a good place to start?

I was considering the Ligon books but maybe think that they'll be a bit too intensive for now. I have just been learning standard arrangements lately but want to start improvising, but it's knowing where to start!!

Thanks

Hi b13 #11
You just can’t go wrong with JOI. I’m on Lesson 11. It will help you think melodically which is fundamental for composition/ improvisation. You will increase your jazz vocab through singing the JOI tunes composed by Dave Frank, Lester Young tunes, John Coltrane tunes etc.
You will learn cool jazz voicings in a fun way – in the context of songs. And develop the chops to execute by doing jazz Hanons.
Needless to say all the rhythm has swing !
If you look at the you-tube web-site for Knotty who has just finished the JOI course, he does all this awesome Charlie Parker stuff.

Further to the previous comments of jazzwee and Knotty, a great performer has articulated a technique and made it very “accessible”.

Let me know if you have any more questions

Hey b13,

JOI is a method that is intended to give you the foundations needed to improvise. I am not aware of any other method like this, with exercises given to you daily. I have completed both volumes in about 2 years.

It is best supplemented by lessons from Dave himself, who teaches around the world via Skype. If you're interested, send him an email. Dave's not only one of the best pianists today, he is a master jazz educator.
With his help, you will dig into improvisation at the pace that's right for you. The 2 books do not have any particular improvisation exercises, but we use them to create exercises. For example, we compose solos, which is very helpful in improvisation.
The path to improvising on any tune is well defined, the secret is in building blocks one at a time.

If you were a complete beginner in improvisation, you may just start with a Major 2-5-1 for a week, then a minor 2-5-1 for a week.
Then improvise over other short progressions, until you finally start improvising on Autumn leaves for example, and then other simple tunes.
Every time, you'd get feedback on what you need to correct.
At first, scales and chords are chosen for you, so you need only focus on the foundation. You play slow to ensure you are in control. Once that is master, you add more ingredients to the recipe.

Custard apple started a thread on JOI :
http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1421126/1.html

you can take a quick look. The method in meant to be a balance of technique, theory and ear development. But even the technique exercises are fun.

Take care

(cus, thanks for the mention )

Hello, I posted my question in the beginner forum, but maybe more chances to have someone bale to answer me here

I just received my copy of Joy of Improv today from Amazon (volume 2, volume 1 should arrive on Monday) and I was surprised to see it arrive without CD (the box was perfect, no way it went missing during the travel) so I was wondering if it has to be purchased separately ? And if so, where ? (I live in Europe, and for me, Amazon was more or less the only option possible.
I will work alone (my teacher is REALLY not a jazz person (I live in a very small town, so no other option), so, the CD is kind of important :((
Thank you in advance for any information

Coucou Jean-Luc
My understanding is that the book should come with the CD attached on the back page.
It's a pity your book did not include the CD. The CD will be your best friend in getting you used to the swing feel of jazz.

Hallo Custard Apple,

I sent a message to Dave to see if he can help, maybe provide me with a link to download the CD if I provide him with the proof I actually bought the books. It is a brand new copy purchased from Amazon at a regular price so I do not understand why there was no CD. Amazon offered me to send back the books and get a refund, but that's not what I want, it took quiet a while for them to arrive and now I just want to use them It's not the first time I have this kind of issue with Amazon, but usually it's because you have a version with and without CD, here, according to Hal Leonard site, there is only a "with CD" version. It's most certainly not to be an annoying person, but I will be working without teacher (my teacher is not a Jazz person at all and I have no other choice in my tiny little place), so, as you said, the CD will be a must. I just felt very bad bugging Dave, he is already very generous of his time with the free videos he posts, it didn't feel right to annoy him with that kind of problems
(I just checked the cover of the book and no trace of glue at all, so I guess, at least on this one no CD, I should get book one tomorrow, I hope at least this one will have the CD, maybe they just remove them from the copy they send to Europe, don't know :()

Hey Jean Luc
So you're keen to start but amazon US takes a long time to ship to far flung destinations.
Did you see this Lesson 1 on Dave's web-site ?
Today you can start on Exercise 3 the voicings, you don't need the CD for that.

http://www.davefrankjazz.com/books_vid/binder.pdf

I've found Amazon to be pretty good when dealing with problems of any sort.

I mostly deal with Amazon.co.uk (because Amazon.it doesn't have most of the stuff that interests me!) and given the identical format of all the Amazon sites I've even been comfortable with using the French or German sites.

I try to avoid shipping costs and almost never order from Amazon.com for shipments overseas.

It is also interesting to note that the prices vary quite a bit from site to site (even taking into consideration any currency exchange rates, Italy is ALWAYS a lot more expensive..hence my ordering from the UK... I just make sure I am ordering enough to qualify for free shipping!)

Thank you Custard Apple Book one should arrive tomorrow (according to the tracking information) and maybe this one will have a CD. Anyway, I know it will be a very long journey (I started with the Piano last September, so each lesson - if I am able to do them - will take me probably more than two weeks). But luckily for me, I really like the music theory side of things so I hope it will help a bit, at least with the understanding. Jazz (and Bach) is the reason why I learn piano and even if I realize it's probably not an accessible one (especially without a good teacher), I will try

You're welcome Jean-Luc.
More than 2 weeks per lesson is fine.
Bach is awesome, I hope you will keep up Bach.

Yes I agree that JOI is best done with a jazz teacher.
If you like, you can post your recordings. I recorded everything so that Knotty could guide me through JOI.

The good news for me, is the fact that today I received book one of Joy of Improv and this one came with the CD attached to the cover :):):). So I will be able to start and maybe next time Dave visit the forum he will see my message and be able to help me (or give the green light to the nice member who offered me to help).
In the mean time, I started following Dave's "Beginning Improvisation using Modal Vamps w/Dave Frank" and I really, but I mean REALLY enjoy it :), it is very simple, but it's a first step, and it's really enjoyable.
@ casinitaly : In fact, Amazon offered me to return the book and refund me, which is not exactly what I want, I definitively want to keep it
@ Custard Apple : I think, it might probably be more than two weeks for each lesson, at least at the beginning. I will also keep up Bach, in fact, I can't remain a day without listening at least a few minutes to something by him, so I guess I have no choice .
This is a nice about the recordings, I will try to post when I get going, and if it's not too much bother I will surely appreciate the feedback.

Hey Jean-Luc
I'm pleased Book 1 has arrived with the CD.
Enjoy ! And that means not rushing through the lessons, some people take one month per lesson which is fine.

Another thing is that Dave plays at 120 bpm. Don't feel you have to play anywhere near that speed. JOI is to get your ears used to the jazz vocabulary, if that means playing at 72 bpm, that is fine too.

Hi Jean-luc good luck with starting joy of improv. I'm almost through the second book. Unfortunately I still have a long way to go to learning now to improvise but you making a good start...

@custard it's so awesome to see how you have progresses. Very inspiring to me. I have a lot to catch up

Hey saiman
Very nice to hear from you and congrats for nearly finishing. Yup it is a long course.