Jazz

So as it turns out, I'm a n00b at jazz. My teacher is the best in the area, and he's teaching me jazz. He talks about how he never wants to play the same thing twice, and being "free" and improvising everything in a set structure. I just have the wrong mindset. I like progressive metal, where you manipulate the structure and play the same thing every time, note for note. You could have a jamming section, of course, but all the harmonies, unison riffs, overlapping time signatures, dense chords, and dynamics are static. Dynamics are static? You play the song pretty much the same way every time. Because when you've got four time signatures and two keys happening at once, you don't decide to play out of time, or go into thumb position, or do tri-tone subs. But with jazz, oh no, you better play the song different every time, just keep spewing out ideas like a never ending fountain that never freezes up from boredom or nervousness. That's where my problem is; sure, give me five minutes and I'll make a sweet walking bass part that doesn't always land on roots and that uses little motifs and that creates a flowing line, but I will play that part every single time I play the song. If I want to get freaky, I'll add additional passing chromatics or muted upbeats. For Frog & Toad, I wrote out the lines where I just had slashes. I played those lines all eight shows, and they were awesome. But today when Ed busted out "My Funny Valentine" and said "Walk to this (n00b)", I definitely was just playing roots and fifths and I was lucky if I hit a chord tone on the beat, let alone make a fluid line. Registration for the spring semester is soon, should I take jazz band? I do not wish to be a n00b. And I will be. I was just utterly defeated my my lack of mastery today. It was pathetic. Jazz is not how I think, I'll find the best way to play a passage, then play it the best way every time until I think of a new best way. Floundering over and over? No, thanks, I'll prefer to sound good then "fresh."