The Lesson Library
Bird Blues: A Player’s Guide
Charlie Parker’s iconic take on the Blues form, commonly referred to as the “Bird Blues,” is a staple of the modern jazz repertoire and a rite of passage for every serious improviser… However, this particular tune can pose a challenge for even the best players, and oftentimes it’s reduced to predictable theory devices. That’s why ...
Use the Power of Imitation to Unlock Jazz Improvisation
As players today, we have a ton of resources to draw from in the practice room. But when it comes to the more musical areas of improvisation, something is missing. And for many of us, that x-factor is imitation… You see, relying solely on a theory approach can make the process of improvising and playing ...
Coltrane Concepts to Dominate Half Diminished Chords
Half Diminished chords are one of the trickiest chord qualities for developing jazz musicians. Also known as Minor7b5 chords, their structure, sound, and very nature are tough to grasp for just about everyone, so they tend to present more of a challenge than major, minor, or dominant chords. So what makes half diminished chords more ...
10 Charlie Parker Blues Heads Everyone Should Know
We all know about Charlie Parker the revolutionary soloist, but we often overlook Charlie Parker “the composer.” Bird wrote a number of songs over popular song forms that quickly became jazz standards, especially these 10 heads he wrote over the Blues… And like his many mind-blowing solos, Charlie Parker’s compositions can give us a unique ...
The Jazz Trumpet Collection: 16 Transcribed Solos (PDF)
In the jazz lineage, there are certain solos on every instrument that stick out and withstand the test of time. Landmark moments of improvisation that serve as a guiding light for any musician striving to learn the language and find their musical voice… And the world of jazz trumpet is no exception – from the ...
Jazz Trumpet Players You Should Know
Developing as an improviser means knowing the history of the important players and recordings that came before you – and a crucial part of this musical history centers around jazz trumpet players… Today we’re going to dive into the world of jazz trumpet, giving you a stream-lined guide so you can quickly find the players ...
10 Must-Know Jazz Chord Progressions
Getting to the next level as an improviser means moving beyond the basics of chords and scales. Specifically, it’s all about focusing on the harmonic relationships in the jazz repertoire – what we call jazz chord progressions. You see, there are a finite set of harmonic relationships that pop up in the majority of popular ...
Miles Davis Chromatic Tactics: 3 Key Phrases To Know
When you think of intricate and flowing chromatic lines, you probably think of Miles Davis. In particular, those amazing musical phrases he often played with his second great quintet in the mid to late 1960s… This clip of “Agitation” is a perfect example of this magic with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams, and Ron ...
Herbie Hancock Plays You’re My Everything
As a listener, it’s thrilling to hear world-class musicians improvise flawless solos over crazy tempos & impossible progressions. But one of my favorite things, is listening to my musical heroes play simple tunes… I’m talking about the regular old jazz standards that we practice all the time. It’s all about those times in the club ...
8 Rhythmic Ideas That’ll Spark Your Creativity
One of the hardest parts of improvising is the expectation that you need to be creative all the time. The pressure to continually come up with new and interesting ideas in every solo… And as hard as you might try, the reality is that you’ll end up at a creative wall at some point or ...
Are You Stuck in The Beginner Cycle? Take the Quiz
Do you feel like you’re always trying to catch up? Like everyone else pursuing music started fifty steps ahead of you and the only way you’ll reach them is by moving as fast through the material as humanely possible? This is how most beginner to intermediate jazz improvisers feel and unfortunately, without addressing it, this ...
The Most Tricky Chord in Rhythm Changes: The Flat VII7 Chord
In every tune, there’s always a measure or two that’s tricker than the rest of it, and Rhythm Changes is no different. Of course, if you’re unfamiliar with the form, most of tune is tricky, however as you get deeper into it, there’s one measure in particular that gives everyone a tough time. The specific ...