How to improvise in jazz style?

[Bob]

How do you do this?  How did you learn?  Is there a "path" that is generally followed?

[sznitzeln]

You should search the forum for this.

Some general lines:
1) Use your ear to copy stuff from CD:s.
2) Learn some stuff in a tonality or two to begin with. Stuff like scales, seventh chords in different positions, simple motives.

You can also get some play along books. I started reading a book (not play along) by Jerry Coker - Improvising Jazz. That seems really good.
It explains how to build an improvisation from motives that build up phrases. He has divided up the proces into several parts, so that by doing the exercises you will compose a jazz piece and learn to improvise.

Aebersold has many books, Vol 1, seems good also. I havent got any time to work with jazz yet

GL

[goose]

Did I ever mention Randy Halberstadt's 'Metaphors for the Musician'. You should check that out, it's pretty good. 

[lostinidlewonder]

I get students of mine who want to learn improv to take a walking bass line in the LH, something simple, maybe 4 crotchets per bar, or 8 quavers, nothing too complex. Then they should choose a scale, perhaps the blues scale to improve notes upon. You can't really hit the wrong notes there.

That is for runs though. You can also play with the chords that are marked for the RH on the sheet. They do not have to be played constantly on the 1st beat of the bar, they can come in whenever they want, together with the Lh or syncopated, and themselves can created a rhythm.

The Rh chords can shift inbetween minor/major major/minor resolving to whatever is written as well. For instance, if it is written F7 you strike the chord Fm7 (Ab struck)and then instantly slide the finger to the A to make it major or make the resolution whenever you want, or even create a rhythm between it.

You should at least have 2 tools for chord changing. I think a big movment, like if RH plays F7 and shifts to Bb7, if the thumb plays F then shifts down to Bb, that is the greatest movement between the chords.

That is fine, but i think it is also better to understand how they can have minimal movement, in that case we have to look at what are the similar notes of the two chords (in this case it is F. F7(FACEb) to Bb7(FAbBbD) with the stationary point at the bottom of the hand is one choice, you can also have the stationary point in the middle or at the top of the hand), determine the stationary point of that common note and shift the other notes around that. When you have minimal movement in chord changes then it is often easier to make up your music without hitting wrong or strange notes. You could also neglect a few notes of the chords and resolve them with a rhythm in the RH moving towards that note for instance.

That is not even the tip of the iceberg, improvisation is such a big topic, and is learn through observation and trial and error much more than from books as with any musical feat. I think it also as sznitzeln says a lot to do with listening and exposing yourself to the complex Rhythmic nature of Jazz. It is helpful to know the choices you can make as to the many ways you can play the same chord, and how you resolve sounds and create musical rhythms all with the "jazz" feel to it.