Inspiration for improvisers
By
Composition, Jazz Musicians, Playing Techniques
Every musician wants to sound hip and modern…To play complex lines that move outside of the harmony and above the time. Solos that’ll make your fellow musicians shake their heads in disbelief and leave the audience speechless. The only problem is that few players actually get to this point, and even less sound authentic, unique, …
By
Composition, Jazz Language, Scales
Scales can be one of the most overwhelming parts of learning jazz improvisation. Between you and me, it can seem like there’s a scale to learn for every chord, a scale for every progression, and a scale for every day of the week… However, as you’ve probably realized in the practice room, scales are not …
By
Chords, Composition, Ear Training, Jazz Standards
Learning a tune straight from a recording is THE way to learn it. But the most difficult part is always deciphering the chord changes. And it’s certainly not an easy task compared to the alternative of simply grabbing a fake book and looking up the chord changes. But there are huge benefits to learning the …
By
Chords, Composition, How to Practice Jazz, Music Theory, Playing Techniques, Scales
You want to play exciting solos. Ones that will make the audience sit on the edge of their seats, that’ll make you stand out from every other musician in the room. But when you improvise everything ends up sounding exactly the same.. Many musicians share this frustration and for many it goes right back to …
By
Composition, Playing Techniques, Premium Only
If you’ve spent any time practicing jazz improvisation, chances are you’ve heard of the turnaround. Those little two bar chord progressions that pop up at the ends of tunes or in the middle of your solo, leading you back to the top of the form. But what you might not realize is that these turnarounds …
By
Composition, Jazz Musicians, Playing Techniques, Rhythm
John Coltrane is probably best known for Countdown and Giant Steps, or his earth-shattering intensity on A Love Supreme. But often overlooked is the depth and beauty of his phrasing and lyricism… When I first heard the album Kind of Blue, I was blown away. And I still am to this day. There is so …
By
Chords, Composition, Jazz Musicians
What do you play over a minor ii V? Minor ii Vs are notoriously tricky. As compared to their brother, the ii V in major, the ii V in minor adds quite a few more challenges. First off, instead of a minor 7 ii chord, it has a minor 7 b5 ii chord. This causes …
By
Chords, Composition, Jazz Education, Music Theory, Scales
Let me guess…You’re smart. You know your stuff. And you have a sparkle in your eyes when you talk about music. You take lessons and you play in a band, and when you find a few free minutes you’re practicing your instrument. But when you improvise it doesn’t sound like you at all. No matter …
By
Chords, Composition, Jazz Language, Transcribing
You hear it over and over. Just transcribe. You want to get better? Transcribe. You want to have a better sound. Transcribe. Can’t seem to play over Rhythm Changes? Transcribe. And yes, when people tell you this, they’re correct. You can learn pretty much anything you want from transcribing. But, what they don’t tell you …
By
Chords, Composition, Jazz Education, Scales
Have you ever thrown your hands up in frustration trying to understand music theory? Have you ever found yourself lost and panicking in a solo as you search for the right scale or chord to play? Many frustrated musicians run into this wall every time they try to take a solo. From the outside improvising …
By
Composition, Ear Training, Perspectives, Playing Techniques
I have a vivid memory of the first time I tried to play in an early jazz group. I was in school and was asked to play the trumpet part in an ensemble that met each week studying the music of Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, and other significant early players. Cool, building my jazz …
By
Chords, Composition, Jazz Language, Playing Techniques, Scales, Transcribing
What’s the most important chord progression that you need to know as a musician? Well that’s a good question…In the past we’ve explored some common chord relationships that you’ll encounter as an improviser, but there is one chord relationship that sticks out above the rest. Any guesses? It’s the relationship of the five chord to …