Guitar Improvisation Tip 3 – Concert Preparation – Cinema Paradiso

In this video I am playing Cinema Paradiso by Ennio Morricone. This is one of the songs I will perform live with upright bass at my upcoming guitar concerts.

I never play the same song twice in the same way. I like to express how I feel at the moment and use the song as my vehicle for expression

Guitar Improvisation Tip 3 : I play one bar melody then one bar improvise or change the order.

When you practice guitar for your concert, think about what you want your audience to experience in your song. Above all you want them to have a good time.

Please consider that they will have a good time only,  if you are able to share your enjoyment and emotions. The music, the song, is only a vehicle, a carrier wave for your expression through your spanish, electric or acoustic guitar.

So it really is not about the composition but about you as an interpreter.

Please think about the word interpreter. When we perform we interpret.

The role of an interpreter is to  present in understandable terms the object. In Greek times the interpreter would be the salesperson in the market, who would present the value of the let´ s say chicken, to the buyer, explain and help produce the sale.

As a musician we must present the music in an understandable manner. So it really is not about just simply screaming out an emotion but explaining it and sharing it.

As guitar and jazz improvisers we might consider that we have to be able to do the fancy stuff to make an impression. Wrong! A live concert is not a 30 second Tik Tok.

Play all the fancy, quick, impressive visual stuff for an hour, non stop and you will see how the bored audience hopefully starts throwing things at you.

As a musician we must present the music in an understandable manner. So it really is not about just simply screaming out an emotion but explaining it and sharing it.

This is one of my main goals as music producer where I also achieve together with the songwriter a careful delivery of the songs message to the audience.

When we play the guitar we tell a story, we interpret, we explain an emotion with clarity and here comes the good part. We all know and experience this in everyday life.

When you are talking to someone and your message does not get across, you instantly feel it and change your approach to get the message across. In music it is the same.You will feel that the emotion is not getting across to the audience.

You need to have a variety of musical resources to allow you to connect as I show in this guitar improvisation tip.  The tips I present in this concert preparation series are tools I use to help me achieve that desired interpretation of the emotion at the moment.

Please remember, as this is a subtle difference, it is not about playing an emotion it is about sharing it.

The interpreter creates the emotion because they are in the zone and the audience is now able to connect to this song thanks to the emotion the interpreter has unveiled for us.

This is absolutely real. We all know how good love feels when we are in sync with the right person. Music is the same and it reflects upon universal love.

This guitar improvisation tip is one of many I will be sharing with you in this guitar concert preparation series.This is one of many I practice everyday.

In particular, this technique will help you have a better understanding of the relationship between the melody and the chord. When we improvise we are actually defining the chord and the melody and this guitar improvisation tip forces you to relate to the melody and chords at the same time.

Most melodies are based upon one or two bar motifs. This technique also allows you to respond and vary the original motif without losing track of where you are.

Above all,  the audience will have a clear understanding of the song as all your melodic variations are relating to the original structure.

All students that study guitar at our Sydney Guitar Lessons School are constantly reminded of all these guitar tips as it is our goal to have students play in live ensembles, concerts and be creative in all outcomes.

Yes, when we improvise we create variations and flow freely but this can only occur if there is a structure. So contrary to general belief, we practice with structure to be able to play freely within it

It does sound like a contradiction but that is the best way to achieve freedom in our limited mindframe, that is to play within structure and practice the variables with discipline.

When I practice any song in this manner, in any style as jazz, blues, funk, pop, reggae or flamenco, afterwards when I play it live  I have no time to worry about anything else  but keeping in sync with all those ideas that come through my mind

Above all, my most negative enemy is judgment and thanks to techniques like this one I have no time to value but only to express.

These improvisation tips are really a mindframe to allow us as guitarist to perform live with ease reducing anxiety and delivering the best performance possible of your beautiful inner self.

For those interested in Online Guitar learning pleaser refer to my Creative Guitar Academy