How one note matters

How One Note Can Change Your Ears and Spark Your Creativity (Premium)

By

Eric

Chords, Ear Training, How to Practice Jazz, Jazz Advice and Tips, Playing Techniques, Premium Only, Scales

Can one note really change your ears and improve your 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 lesson I looked over my practice …

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critical versus creative thinking

Critical Vs Creative Thinking: How Initial Judgments Can Cripple Your Learning

By

Forrest

Perspectives

That’s really good. And that’s bad. That’s ugly. And that’s pretty. I like that. But I hate that. That sucks. But that’s great. Our first instinct upon experiencing something, whether it’s hearing something, seeing something, or meeting somebody new, tends to be that of judgment. We are creatures of classification, often subconsciously fitting everything around …

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8 jazz improvisation improvement projects

8 Improvisation Improvement Projects That Will Change Your Playing

By

Eric

Ear Training, How to Practice Jazz, Jazz Advice and Tips, Perspectives, Playing Techniques, Transcribing

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 basic types of practice: (1) …

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learning tunes your way

Learning Tunes Your Way

By

Eric

How to Practice Jazz, Inspiration, Jazz Advice and Tips, Jazz Education, Jazz Musicians, Jazz Standards, Perspectives

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 solid repertoire of tunes should …

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5 secrets to learning tunes

5 Secrets to Learning Tunes

By

Forrest

Chords, Jazz Standards

Learning jazz standards is a crucial part of every jazz musician’s practice routine. After all, as a jazz musician, the entire goal is to perform tunes, so it totally makes sense that they should be a central part of your practice… Now, when it comes to learning tunes, it’s how you first learn them that matters …

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