How One Note Can Change Your Ears and Spark Your Creativity

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Can one note really change your ears and improve your musical creativity? Surprisingly, the answer is yes. But let me explain...A few years ago I took a lesson with the great trumpet player, improviser and composer Ingrid Jensen. As I hopped on the the N train and headed to the ...Read More

Can one note really change your ears and improve your musical creativity? Surprisingly, the answer is yes. But let me explain...A few years ago I took a lesson with the ...Read More

The Improviser’s Tipping Point

When exactly do I become good at improvising? Is there a single point that occurs where I can finally play like I want to? These are questions that inevitably pop up and hover at the back of your mind as you begin learning to improvise. Is all the work you’re ...Read More

When exactly do I become good at improvising? Is there a single point that occurs where I can finally play like I want to? These are questions that inevitably pop ...Read More

8 Improvisation Improvement Projects That Will Change Your Playing

Practice is an essential part of your journey as a musician. We all do it every day…or at least we try our best to, however daily practice doesn't always guarantee improvement. Why? Simply because not all practice is created equal. If you look at the big picture there are two ...Read More

Practice is an essential part of your journey as a musician. We all do it every day…or at least we try our best to, however daily practice doesn't always guarantee ...Read More

Learning Tunes Your Way

On this site we’ve frequently written about learning tunes. This is no coincidence - learning tunes goes hand in hand with improving as an improviser. Whether you're practicing, performing, or simply listening to a few records with some friends you're dealing directly with tunes. Keeping this in mind, building a ...Read More

One Brick at a Time: That’s how you build a wall

It's a new year. I guess that means we should be making some resolutions right about now. New beginnings, a fresh start and all that other good stuff. For most people making "resolutions" translates into sitting down and writing out a list of goals. It's not a bad exercise to ...Read More

It's a new year. I guess that means we should be making some resolutions right about now. New beginnings, a fresh start and all that other good stuff. For most ...Read More

The Forgotten Skill

There is one important part of practicing and learning any musical instrument or musical style that many players are unintentionally missing. A necessary skill that's so obvious it often remains hidden in plain sight. It seems to be the same across the board from absolute beginners to college music majors. ...Read More

Overcoming Creative Blocks as an Improviser

Despite what everyone thinks, being creative isn't easy. You don't just suddenly find yourself with talent one day and immediately start creating great works of art. It takes years of hard work to develop artistic skills and once you have these skills, it's no guarantee that your artistic vision will ...Read More

Despite what everyone thinks, being creative isn't easy. You don't just suddenly find yourself with talent one day and immediately start creating great works of art. It takes years of ...Read More

Another Look at Slow Practice for Jazz Improvisation

Play it slow. Feel every beat. Subdvide. Hear every note. Concentrate on every single detail. There are dozens of different ways to describe the process of slow practice, yet it seems that the majority of successful musicians in any genre are saying "practice slowly!" Every teacher that I've ever had, ...Read More

Play it slow. Feel every beat. Subdvide. Hear every note. Concentrate on every single detail. There are dozens of different ways to describe the process of slow practice, yet it ...Read More

Developing Aural Knowledge: How to Turn Music Theory into Music

Jazz is smart people music! I first heard these words from the great pianist Harold Mabern. Walking through the practice rooms at school one day, as was usually the case, a group of eager students was huddled around him as he told a story. An impromptu musical lesson that didn't ...Read More

Jazz is smart people music! I first heard these words from the great pianist Harold Mabern. Walking through the practice rooms at school one day, as was usually the case, ...Read More

How to Transform Your Improvisation Over Your Summer Vacation

It's already May and before you know it those lazy months of summer are going to sneak up on you. And just as quickly they'll be gone, leaving you wishing you had more hours in the day to devote to your music. Before you find yourself in this all too ...Read More

It's already May and before you know it those lazy months of summer are going to sneak up on you. And just as quickly they'll be gone, leaving you wishing ...Read More

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