Student’s question:
My favorite IFR backing tracks are the jazz style tracks. I love improvising over them, but sometimes I can’t recognize the chords going by. For example, in the jazz tracks for the 2-5-1 chord progression, I’m finding it difficult to hear (or feel) the chord progression except occasionally when the bass and piano are playing it more straight. I experience it as way too busy and improvisational for me to hear or feel what’s going on. What should I do?
How we think about this in IFR:
First of all, keep enjoying those tracks! It’s great that you’re able to enjoy improvising over those tracks, and there is so much to be learned from repeated exposure. Sometimes there’s too much going on for our minds to process consciously. But just by spending lots of time in that sophisticated environment, your brain is slowly learning to feel the patterns of how that environment evolves harmonically. So don’t underestimate the power of simply showing up and gaining experience improvising over that challenging jazz accompaniment.
But if you want to feel more clarity about exactly what’s going on harmonically, it’s important to understand where we gain this ability. Generally speaking, you’ll make your greatest gains by spending more time at the lower levels. Whenever something is too abstract for you to recognize, don’t try to master that level. Always go BELOW that level and strengthen your command of the basics.
As I’ve said many times, always remember this:
We don’t master complexity by studying complexity. We master complexity by studying simplicity.
For example, this jazz backing track might the wrong place for you to learn to feel the 2-5-1 chord progression, because this is already an ABSTRACTION on that progression. What you need is a much simpler backing track like strumming country guitars just playing the chords as straight as can be, so that you can get that progression into your bones. Once that chord progression has sunk deep into your subconscious mind and it feels obvious to you, THEN you’ll be able to hear it clear as day in these more abstract jazz performances.
