If you feel like you are playing the same kinds of things each time you improvise, try expanding your focus when you listen to music beyond your own particular instrument. As a guitarist, try to emulate the phrasing of a saxaphone or a particular vocalist. Try playing a lick you heard on the fiddle in a bluegrass tune. You'll be amazed at how this will expand your sound to new horizons.
On Timing & Groove:
The most important part of music to me is groove. Aside from a few styles, the most important part of any playing anything is getting into the pocket and grooving. Practicing with a recording or metronome will help you to achieve better time, though playing with other solid musicians is the best form of practice for this. ne great excersice I learned from Victor Wooten for this is to take a drum machine, (or a drum loop on garage band). Play with the loop for awhile, make it 16 bars. After you get a feel for it, cut the loop out for the last 4 bars, and see if you are still landing on the downbeat. If you can do that, cut out 4 more, so you have the loop in for half the time, and out for the half the time. Keep cutting it down as you are still hitting 1 right one time. If you get good enough try just having the downbeat of 1 play, and have silence for the rest of the 16 bars. If you can nail this then you are really in business!
Influences:
Jimi Hendrix, Soulive, Lettuce, Bob Marley, James Brown, Sublime, The Meters, Stevie Ray Vaughn,Grant Green, Ben Harper, Radiohead
Top 5 Albums:
Band of Gypsys- Jimi Hendrix OK Computer -Radiohead
Dark Side of the Moon -Pink Floyd 40 oz to Freedom - Sublime
Turn it Out - Soulive
To hear clips of Tom's guitar playing, click on the link to the right!
Bosse School of Music • 998 Middle Street • Weymouth, Ma. 02188 President: Ron Bosse • Vice President: Trina Aitken e-mail: bosseschoolofmusic@verizon.net
