古典樂的「技巧」,該如何轉化成爵士樂的「技巧」?

文/ 謝啟彬

(photo by Vincent Bai)

從古典轉學爵士,最容易遇到什麼挫折呢?最常見的其中一種,大概是練了多年的古典技巧,感覺派不上用場,當下也不知道怎麼轉化的挫折過程。我們非常能理解這種感受,因為我們當初也是一模一樣的狀況,甚至更糟,後來才逐漸克服。

所以,我們希望能持續分享從古典樂出身,轉而學習爵士樂、演奏爵士樂,並教授爵士樂的經驗談。原文是以英文寫成,回應的是曾經跟凱雅老師上過課、也是古典科班畢業、目前在海外學習爵士樂的一位爵士鋼琴學生,後面還有另一位同樣也是古典轉爵士的比利時爵士樂老師Bart DeNolf之回應,現在皆將其譯“回”中文,希望對更多人有所幫助!

[啟彬老師]

其實這都跟音符的「方向」與「形狀」有關。在古典音樂的學習中,我們練過的練習曲,幾乎都是為偉大的作曲家們的正式曲目而準備的,這兩者幾乎都來自同樣的時期、同樣的區域,甚至是同樣流派的寫作風格等。所以長久以來,我們已經非常習慣特定的一些音符「方向」與「形狀」,這在不同樂器上都有一樣的情形。

即便學生常會忘記這點,但我仍想提醒一個實用的秘訣:首先請採譜那些知名爵士音樂家的即興,然後,去彈奏這些你自己抓的採譜!正確的做法,包括以下兩種:

1. 練習的速度愈慢愈好,真正花時間去習慣那些音符的「方向」與「形狀」,也就是磨鍊說話的語氣與思考的方式

2. 一定要跟著原來的版本同步演奏!—跟著CD或是音樂播放彈奏,而且是原來的速度,當然這絕對需要時間練習,然而你就是必須要在1與2之間來回練習並進步,這就是磨鍊說話的技巧與思考的速度

以上兩點,絕對是獲得爵士樂演奏技巧的終極答案。



(不信嗎?如果你一直分析與過度思考,你就只是紙上談兵,根本無法鍛鍊精進演奏技巧上的基本功;而更多我見過的,是在1與2上都不夠堅持,一句“好難哦!”就放棄了,然後永遠也沒辦法鍛煉精進,所以在基本功上老是2266,東缺一塊西欠一角)

為什麼我們要做到採譜與練習上的1與2呢?答案很簡單,因為爵士樂的“練習曲”,就是那些爵士樂大師或是你崇拜的音樂家的樂句。會古典鋼琴,並不表示在爵士鋼琴中就毫無障礙,試問如果說光練古典樂曲就夠了,那為何齊瑪曼不會演奏爵士樂?為何馬友友不會演奏爵士樂?這其實與彈奏的速度或技巧的複雜度困難度等沒有絕對的關聯。

所以,你的功課就是要去做一些人在一些過往時空中已經做過的事,在你想要去熟悉的音樂領域中,尤其是爵士樂,於一段和絃進行或曲式中即興,才是遊戲或比賽的重點,所以你不能“依賴”技巧來即興(如此一來你的手還是會陷於原本所習慣的),你需要“運用”技巧來即興,而且是正確的“開外掛”方式。

出發去旅行前,你得先裝點錢在口袋裡頭才能花,不能空手出門啊!但是首先你得換對幣值哦!

希望這個建議有幫助!^^


[Bart老師]

在爵士音樂中,絕不光是只有技巧而已,你絕對需要技巧!甚至我還必須強調你需要很多「Chops」(爵士樂手俚語:意指流暢的爵士語彙運用與高超的技法呈現),然而在爵士樂中比較重要的是,你在和絃進行上的選音、你音符上的動能或搖擺感、你演奏時的感情投入與即興時的故事性。看看偉大的爵士音樂家如口琴手Toots Thielemans吧!(Bart老師是Toots的樂團貝斯手),他五十年前就可以演奏精彩絕倫的Bebop即興旋律線條,而時至今日他仍持續在找尋:如何用更少的音符表達出更多音樂的方法~


[啟彬老師]

Bart老師說得很對,這也就是我們常稱爵士樂中的技巧為「Chops」的緣故,因為它其實比單純的技巧還要多,而你仍然需要技巧去獲得「Chops」。所以我完全不會說學習古典音樂或練習古典曲目是無用的,Bart跟我,還有凱雅及許多學生,都學過古典樂。我所給予的實用建議,是希望你們可以了解到這當中的關聯性與找出解決方案,勝過於抱怨學習古典樂的背景在學習爵士樂時沒有用,相信我,有一天當你回頭去看這一切,你會發現所有的學習都是值得的!


補充:至於學習太多前人的智慧結晶,會不會影響你自己即興的“原創性”這回事,基本上都不用擔心,那是一些小Rocker的杞人憂天想法而已,影響即興過程與好壞的變數是非常多的,我們不可能完全複製另一個人的腦袋或肢體,但是我們可以去學習人家的腦袋是怎麼轉動的?肢體是怎麼運作的?即興,一定是你自己的,所以你得為你自己的即興好壞負責!

可以參考此文:Charlie Parker Omnibook之介紹應用及Bebop概念初探

什麼是爵士樂的基本「方向」與「形狀」?請參閱爵士語彙


From a classical-background student now working on Jazz:

I can't play fast... Classical technique is totally useless here... AW!!!!!

...

Chi-pin Hsieh:

It's all about the "direction" and "shape" of the notes. In classical music study, the Etudes we were practicing were always kinda a preparation for the "Real Pieces" by those great composers, because they were from the same era, same region, maybe even the same school of writing. So we can say that we were so used to the certain "directions" or "shapes" of the notes for long.

One practical tip is (as always but sometimes students forgot to do it): Transcribe the noted Jazz Musicians' solos, then play

1. as slow as possible to get used to the different "directions" & "shapes" - The way to talk & think

2. Play along with them! - play with the CD or Music at the same speed, yes it takes time, but you need to do 1. & 2. back & forth. - The skill to talk & think

That's the ultimate solution to obtain the techniques.

Why? The answer is simple, if practicing all the classical music repertoire is the key, then why Zimmerman can't play jazz? why Yo-yo Ma can't play Jazz? It's not about the speed nor the difficulty.



So, you need to do something that somebody already done before somewhere & sometimes, in the music genre you are trying to familiar with. Especially in Jazz, Improvising on the given Chord Changes or Song Forms is the game, so you can't improvise ON techniques (you will be trapped into the techniques which you could), you should improvise BY techniques, but the "right way".

Fill some bucks into your pocket then you can spend them when you travel, but first of all the right currency!

Hope this helps! ^^


Bart De Nolf:

In jazz it is not only about technique. You need technique, I would say even a lot! Chops. But it is more about the notes, the groove or swing, the feeling and the story. Look at the musician Toots who played fantastic bebop lines 50 years ago. Today he is constantly searching to say more with less notes.


Chi-pin Hsieh:

Bart is right, that's we usually call it Chops, it's more than techniques. And you do need techniques to get your chops. So I wouldn't say that studying classical music is useless, Bart and I all studied it, so did Kai-ya & many students. The tip that I advised is just trying to make you realize it and find a way than blaming the classical training, they will all be worth one day when you look back, trust me! ^^



 


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(註:本文歷久彌新,為十三年歷史經典舊版重新潤飾更新,將從舊棧陸續搬家,也即將集結出版實體書籍!敬請期待!)