Ever feel like you sound mechanical, predictable, and boring, like a robot? Nobody wants to sound like a robot. We're human. We have thoughts, ideas, emotions...and we want to express these things in our music... ...Read More
Ever feel like you sound mechanical, predictable, and boring, like a robot? Nobody wants to sound like a robot. We're human. We have thoughts, ideas, emotions...and we want to express...Read More
Areader recently asked: "I was wondering about how to play over altered dominant chords. What are some strategies for playing over Dominant 7 #9 chords, specifically." This question comes up frequently for many improvisers. It...Read More
Areader recently asked: "I was wondering about how to play over altered dominant chords. What are some strategies for playing over Dominant 7 #9 chords, specifically." This question comes up...Read More
We've all seen concerts that have affected us greatly and left a lasting impression on our musical perception and even our lives. Performances that seem to transcend the stage into another form of communication and...Read More
We've all seen concerts that have affected us greatly and left a lasting impression on our musical perception and even our lives. Performances that seem to transcend the stage into...Read More
Learning how to improvise is not nearly as clear as people think. And what makes it worse is that there are quite a few myths about it. Today, in no particular order, we're going to...Read More
Learning how to improvise is not nearly as clear as people think. And what makes it worse is that there are quite a few myths about it. Today, in no...Read More
The extent to which your aural imagination is developed, largely determines: the quality of lines you play, how you play those lines (articulation, swing feel, inflection), and the sound you play with. Nothing has such...Read More
The extent to which your aural imagination is developed, largely determines: the quality of lines you play, how you play those lines (articulation, swing feel, inflection), and the sound you...Read More
One of the most frustrating feelings I have, is to get to the end of the day and realize that I haven't practiced enough, or even worse, that I haven't even touched my instrument. Whether...Read More
One of the most frustrating feelings I have, is to get to the end of the day and realize that I haven't practiced enough, or even worse, that I haven't...Read More
The altered scale allows access to the beautiful tensions of a dominant chord in a flash. The effective use of this scale, however, is not easy. In this article, I've assembled what I have found...Read More
The altered scale allows access to the beautiful tensions of a dominant chord in a flash. The effective use of this scale, however, is not easy. In this article, I've...Read More
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...Read More
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,...Read More
One of the most frequently asked questions that we get concerns finding time to practice or improving with a limited amount of practice time. "What should I do if I don't have enough time to...Read More
One of the most frequently asked questions that we get concerns finding time to practice or improving with a limited amount of practice time. "What should I do if I...Read More
One thing you always want to be doing is learning new material. New lines, new tunes, new concepts...there's always something new to learn. We preach the mantra "Quality Over Quantity" in practically everything we write....Read More
One thing you always want to be doing is learning new material. New lines, new tunes, new concepts...there's always something new to learn. We preach the mantra "Quality Over Quantity"...Read More
In 6 Disastrous Mistakes You're Making In Learning To Improvise, we detailed some pitfalls that cause people to waste tons of time and cause years of frustration. Let's get right into it...here are six more...Read More
In 6 Disastrous Mistakes You're Making In Learning To Improvise, we detailed some pitfalls that cause people to waste tons of time and cause years of frustration. Let's get right...Read More
Being successful as a jazz musician isn't all about practice routines, ii-V licks, or memorizing tunes. Sometimes getting to the next level as a player is all about having the right perspective. Here are 20...Read More
Being successful as a jazz musician isn't all about practice routines, ii-V licks, or memorizing tunes. Sometimes getting to the next level as a player is all about having the...Read More
Ican't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones - John Cage. At some point as an improviser, whether you welcome it with open arms or avoid it like...Read More
Ican't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones - John Cage. At some point as an improviser, whether you welcome it with open...Read More
The process of learning to improvise is a journey. A long and rewarding journey and one that is punctuated by a series of milestones. This can be hard to see from that comfy seat inside...Read More
The process of learning to improvise is a journey. A long and rewarding journey and one that is punctuated by a series of milestones. This can be hard to see...Read More
Recently I've been checking out a book called "You are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Execises." The author, Mark Lauren, is a former instructor and trainer for elite special forces soldiers. The central...Read More
Recently I've been checking out a book called "You are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Execises." The author, Mark Lauren, is a former instructor and trainer for elite...Read More
In jazz education, one thing that you encounter right off the bat are rules. There seem to be rules for every aspect of the music: Which scales you're allowed to use over certain chords, which...Read More
In jazz education, one thing that you encounter right off the bat are rules. There seem to be rules for every aspect of the music: Which scales you're allowed to...Read More