Inspiration for improvisers
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In practicing improvisation, one common pitfall that we run into is expecting to find the secrets of jazz all by ourselves. We gather our books and recordings and head into the practice room determined to overcome the difficulties of improvisation with an army of one. What’s the big deal, you taught yourself Spanish, so how …
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Jazz Advice and Tips, Jazz Education
If you’ve read through Should I Go To Music School, and after some serious thought have arrived at the notion that you’d like to go to music school, the next step is finding one that’s right for you. Depending on your level of commitment, current level of musicianship, other areas of interest, personal goals, and …
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Jazz Education, Perspectives, Playing Techniques
We receive countless emails expressing gratitude for Jazzadvice.com and we greatly appreciate the thousands of people that visit each and every week. It’s because of you (our awesome readers) that we continue to write and find new ways to communicate things, striving to be clearer and clearer. To our readers, a sincere thank you. But …
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How to Practice Jazz, Jazz Advice and Tips
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 practice everyday? I want to practice more, but I don’t have time to.” If you haven’t already, at some point …
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Jazz Advice and Tips, Perspectives
Do you 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… How do we break out of this rigid playing style and feel free when we play? Here are …
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How to Practice Jazz, Jazz Advice and Tips
When you think about the things that’ll make you a better improviser, your mind probably goes right to music theory…The scales, the chords, the diminished patterns & the ii-V licks. If only you knew more of this stuff you’d finally sound great. You’re not alone in thinking this. Take a peek inside any modern jazz method …
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While we typically focus on ways to improve, this article is all about how to be mediocre. Now, chances are you don’t want to be mediocre, so while many of these listed points are tongue-in-cheek, they will provide you with insight into what not to do, if you wish to be better than mediocre. So, …
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It’s as easy as getting from point A to point B, right? Of course it is. But what they fail to mention is that the distance between the two points is not a straight line! In terms of large goals, like learning how to improvise, the path is not linear. In terms of small goals …
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How to Practice Jazz, Inspiration
It’s the time of year again when we make ambitious lists of resolutions and let me tell you, this year is shaping up to be different. Seriously…all those other years were just practice runs, this year we’re actually going to follow through on our resolutions. It’s very easy to make hopeful resolutions, and music is …
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You’ve probably heard of the popular theory that when it comes to thinking, people are either left brained or right brained; they’re either analytically predisposed or intuitively creative. The rationale is that artistic proclivity originates from the right hemisphere, whereas logic and reasoning skills arise from the left hemisphere. This philosophy has influenced educational methods, …
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The dominant chord is one of the most versatile chords in the jazz repertoire, and it’s your best bet for adding harmonic tension and melodic interest to your lines. The only problem is that many players approach this sound with the same old scales and licks every time. And this can get pretty boring… That’s …
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Practicing is the most important thing you can do as a musician. Or so everyone says…But let’s be honest, practicing can be a real drag sometimes. It can feel like the daily chore that you can never escape. Hours of tedious warm-up routines, endless technical exercises, and slogging through every key while staring at the …