Sequencing
If you include lots of great sequences in your playing, you’re destined for great things
All great jazz players have been masters of sequencing, the simple reason being that sequences are an integral part of great melodic lines. In case you don’t know what a sequence is, it’s simply where a melodic/rhythmic phrase or idea gets repeated using higher or lower notes than the original; a good example is the melody of the famous jazz standard ‘Autumn Leaves’, where the same 4 note theme repeats itself as it moves down a note each time.
So, if you include lots of great sequences in your playing, you’re destined for great things. It encourages you to think extremely musically, and makes a lot of sense to the listener (part of the way the mind appreciates music is judging how notes sounds in relation to those that have gone before it, as well as those sounding at the same time).
Like all worthwhile things, it takes a little application to become truly exquisite at using sequences. The drill we’d recommend for most rapid learning of this ability is similar to the ‘sing and swing’ drill described earlier:
Sit at your instrument and play a line.
Then play that same line a note higher, and a note lower, in all keys if you want.
That’s it. True learning comes by doing. Amplify your progress by recording these practise sessions. If you play piano/keyboard/guitar you can set down some chords to give the lines more context. Again, you’ll be surprised at how much better you get at this-stick with it.
To make progress, you’ll probably have to start with very short sequences of just a few notes, and increase their length when you feel confident in your new abilities. Incidentally, short sequences often work just as well as longer ones so there’s no need to feel you have to push for longer and longer lines!
Photo by Daniele Levis Pelusi on Unsplash