Inspiration for improvisers
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Jazz Language, Jazz Musicians, Jazz Standards, Premium Only, Transcribing
Kenny Garrett is an incredible musician. He’s arguably had one of the largest impacts on alto saxophone since Charlie Parker. In fact, when he started to gain popularity, most every alto player in the world had to rethink their concept. All of a sudden, copying Charlie Parker didn’t seem that cool anymore. But the thing …
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Jazz Advice and Tips, Perspectives
Sometimes a change in perspective is all you need. Jazz improvisation is a demanding pursuit, one that combines intellect, feeling and expression. It’s easy to grasp the music theory side of things, but it’s much more difficult to grok the more dubious concepts…things like strong phrasing, connecting ideas, having a unique musical perspective, or the …
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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 …
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How to Practice Jazz, Jazz Language
Have you ever felt like you’re stuck with the same old licks when it comes to improvising? Or that you’re trying to create a solo from a strict set of scales. The truth is many players share this frustration and it all goes back to the practice room. You see when it comes to tackling …
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How to Practice Jazz, Jazz Advice and Tips
There seems like there’s so much to practice, but it’s actually an illusion. In today’s day and age, we’re bombarded by information. In approaching or learning literally anything, there’s a million resources for how to achieve it. Looking for the perfect way to slice an apple, or the best diet to get a six-pack? A …
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Jazz Musicians, Playing Techniques, Scales
No pianist has influenced the modern approach to jazz piano more than McCoy Tyner. From players like Chick Corea and Mulgrew Miller to non-pianists like Woody Shaw and Michael Brecker, McCoy has left his mark on generations of serious improvisers. And one distinctive element of his approach to improvising is his creative use of the …
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Jazz Advice and Tips, Jazz Musicians, Playing Techniques, Premium Only, Transcribing, Visualization
It sounds so complex. So difficult. So advanced. Great jazz musicians sound as though they’re implementing highly complex and difficult concepts that mere mortals could never hope to access, but in reality, professionals think simpler than you’d ever imagine. It’s the beginners and intermediates who study the pros and abstract what they think is going …
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How to Practice Jazz, Jazz Standards
Every musician has spent time in the practice room working on etudes. Diligently running through exercises that cover various techniques like articulation, the altissimo range, or diminished arpeggios. This is a good start for most players, but where does the jazz musician turn to develop the techniques that are essential for improvisation? After all jazz …
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Transcribing is the single most effective method of learning how to improvise…or so everyone says. The only problem is it can be a mystery figuring out what the transcription process actually entails. You have your instrument and a collection of your favorite recordings – now what? The standard jazz resources are good at teaching the …
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Blues, Jazz Musicians, Jazz Standards, Premium Only
If you’ve ever listened to Mark Turner you’ve probably wondered the same thing as me…What the hell is he playing? Rather than coming from the mind of an improviser, his solos sound like the work of an ambitious architect. Complex structures reaching into the stratosphere, lines with impossibly wide leaps, columns of arpeggios, and winding …
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How to Practice Jazz, Inspiration, Jazz Advice and Tips
Time is the only thing we really have in life and there never seems to be enough of it. But whether your goals are to just play for fun or to become a professional musician, there are techniques you can start using today to make use of your time more effectively to become the musician …
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How to Practice Jazz, Playing Techniques
You’ve been thinking about it all day. As you ate breakfast. On your commute to work. And while you were sitting at your desk watching the seconds tick by. You need to practice. You need to start making progress and achieving your musical goals. And you need to do it right now! But before you …