Jimmy Page--How To Improvise Like Jimmy Whether It's Live Or In The Studio

Jimmy Page--How To Improvise Like Jimmy Whether It's Live Or In The Studio

Jimmy Page. If you're a musician who truly wants to learn from one of the masters of music ,Jimmy is it. I'm still taking tips from Jimmy's book "Light And Shade" by Guitar World head Brad Tolinski.

Brad has had the incredible opportunity to interview Jimmy at length many time over the last 20 years or so. Some great articles in GW and the book can help you the musician.

Like I keep telling you,if you could take just a handful of Jimmy's acumen axe and producing wise;you'll become a better player and studio technician. As well,grab some tips you can use if you do session work with other bands besides your own.

This particular tip stems from Jimmy's live playing--but like I said you could even use it in the studio as well. Depending on what you want music wise. 

This is an easy tip to do and I don't know why more bands don't do it.

But that's up to you guys.

To keep the music interesting  include small snippets of new riffs of material you play live. You'll have to actually sit down and come up with new riffs,either on the fly or write them out.

But if you write them out and try them out at practice,see if your band members clue in on the subtle difference in phrasing and chording. If they don't pick up on those cues,you'll want to work on it with your boys. And no you don't have to make signals like a baseball coach to get them to clue in on the slightly altered material. There's no need to totally alter your songs.

Just basic changes in the parts where you can up the chording tempo,or even have more space between phrases. Your real rabid fans will take notice of the slight changes.

Certain fans will always ask for the same material played like your album. But if you do make changes don't go overboard. Real fans of your music will like the changes. Not in the production so much,but the actual playing. And don't include more effects thinking it will change things.

Like I tell musicians,if you do include more distortion,overdrive,chorus or fuzz--do it to complement 

the music and give your tone more drive or better feel emotionally and chord wise. Don't color your music and obliterate it with effects. 

But be willing to make mistakes if you change up and improvise more. Mistakes will tell you what works and what doesn't. Even if you make an improvisation mistake on stage,play through it and get back to playing your material with more vigor and feel.

Sometime it works,and sometime it doesn't. Even if you only play covers,improvise it well and better players will take notice.

Take action on this Jimmy Page improvisation tip for your band today.

Mind you some of this tip is from my experience's watching bands and learning from blues guru Dee Curtis.

This improv tip is easier than you think. Think about actors,comedians and 2nd City type artists. They improvise all the time and punch up their dialog at just the right spot in the script. 

Musicians,you can do the same with your band.

So,get your ass in gear,and your band's and improvise like Jimmy.