Inspiration for improvisers
Forrest 
By
For most people, half diminished chords remain a mystery. Also known as minor 7b5 chords, they seem to fall by the wayside, never getting as much attention as major, dominant, or minor chords… The result: nearly everyone sucks at them Think about it. Are you as comfortable on Bb half diminished as Bb major? if …
By
Perspectives, Playing Techniques, Transcribing
Transcribing can be beneficial no matter how you do it. Often when I go to transcribe, I like to have a specific goal in mind of what I am aiming to accomplish, making for rapid improvement in areas that need the most work. It’s essentially a problem/solution approach: Identify what problems you’re having Find the …
By
Inspiration, Jazz Advice and Tips
As a musician or any other creative individual, we get so wrapped up in what we are doing, that we often lose sight of everything else. Consequently, when something within our own little bubble is not going how we would like it to, our positivity plummets and our world comes crashing down. Here are some …
By
Inspiration, Jazz Advice and Tips
If you don’t know who Harold Mabern is, it’s time you did. The legendary pianist has played with everyone and is on the records of Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, and Freddie Hubbard, just to name a few. I had the great honor of studying privately with him for over a year. Not only is he …
By
Jazz Advice and Tips, Playing Techniques
A significant part of practicing jazz improvisation consists of working on scales, chords, and patterns. Practicing them in a thorough manner will enable you to obtain the most benefit in the shortest amount of time. Unfortunately, we often get caught up in practicing this material in the same incomplete way everyday. For instance, we may …
By
Playing Techniques, Visualization
Countless hours in the practice room and rhythm changes or a simple bridge to a tune still giving you a tough time? This is a familiar situation to everyone of all levels. I used to waste hours mindlessly practicing, thinking that there was some secret I was missing, or if I just kept improvising over …
By
Welcome to Jazzadvice! The name says it all. Jazzadvice is a rapidly growing collection of the best advice we’ve picked up along the way on our never-ending path of musical devlopment. Whatever it may be, no matter how seemingly simple or complex, it’s advice based on experience that will make you a better musician, a …