thanks for the kind words mark, i do not advise against theory. would love to know how to figure it out, my brain just won't do it. i would like to encourage anyone like me to not give up, that you can play to a fair level without it if your ear is good and you can relate it to and get it out of your horn. i do know and can play any scale, been able for years, just can find anyone to explain chord theory to me. just can't seem to put it together, maybe it's too easy without it for me to sacrifice the time maybe im lazy.

I believe a practical balance is what is required to be a confident improviser. My mehtod of teaching was to treat soloing as part of a conversation between instruments. This would combine scales and patterns as well as ear training. More often than not, in my experience, if you can't sing it, you can't play it. So what I tried to get my students to do was build up a vocabulary of things to say musically. This would eventually lead to them exploring transcription and finding their own voice. What was that old quote? An old jazzer was asked if he could read music and his response was yes, but not enough to interfere with his playing. Can't remember who said that --Stiles

..I replied to the wrong message so im reposting it down here FYI...I'm still saving for a music theory book and a James Aebersold cd, but for now Im doing some research on the internet. After learning what the symbols mean and chords there are I still am confused about a few things. These may sound like stupid questions, but oh well. 1) I understand the ii-V-I thing with the minor, mixolydian and root (correct me if I'm wrong), but is that just the guideline for the different scales and how do you know which note to start on? 2) (i know this one may sound extremely stupid) How exactly do you play the chords? Do you just play the triad and seventh and after playing it, do you just switch to another chord;or, do you go back down so it doesnt sound as awkward from practically leaping almost an octave into another chord? 3) Out of curiosity, how many famous saxophonists are clean and who? ( I dont mean to offend anyone, I'm just curious) thx

Jazzdude, you are doing the right thing with finding out all the theory, thats awesome. I started out using blues scales, which were ok at first, but using those made it so hard to learn how to read chords. Try not to rely on blanket scales when you improvise, learn to read changes as best you can.

well i guess ill have to get off my easy chair and find a teacher who will take on an old fart like me. i guess it's partly a little embarassing to think i need lessons after all this time, but in order to commuicate and gain respect ill need to learn.

improv has alot to do with creativity and knowledge so i would buy the book but i would solo for a few bars and use a lick that i studied in my solo and scales are key in improv the better u have them down the better u play