Six Blues Improvisation Lessons for Beginners

13 Feb 2025 @ 18:00 GMT

Blues improvisation is one of the most natural entry points into jazz, and in this workshop Jeremy Siskind shows classically trained pianists how to improvise with clarity, expression and an authentic blues style from the very start.

What you’ll explore in this session

• Call & Response: Building Musical Conversation
  Discover how imitation and musical dialogue build authentic phrasing, articulation, and rhythm.
• Four-Measure Phrasing: Giving Improvisation a Shape
  Learn to shape ideas over four bars so your improvisation feels intentional, structured, and connected to the blues form.
• The AAB Blues Form: Structure Through Repetition
  Use repetition and contrast to turn simple ideas into solos that sound coherent and memorable.
• Ornamentation: Expressivity Through Nuance
  Explore scoops, grace notes, and inflections that give blues phrases their vocal character.
• Intensifying Repetition: Building Energy and Urgency
  Harness the power of repetition to build energy, urgency, and conviction in your playing.
• Integrating Chord Tones: Expanding the Palette
  Go beyond the blues scale by integrating chord tones for solos that sound more harmonically grounded.

What you’ll take away

• Practical blues improvisation tools you can use immediately, even if you’ve never improvised before.
• A clear framework for shaping solos, using phrasing, repetition, and rhythm.
• Greater rhythmic confidence and expressive freedom without needing advanced jazz theory.
• A strong foundation for exploring jazz further, built on listening, imitation, and interaction.

Whether you’re curious about jazz, looking to add improvisation to your playing or teaching, or simply want a fresh way to think about musical expression, this workshop offers an inviting, hands-on starting point. Join us and take your first confident steps into the language of jazz!

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