Tell me if this scenario sounds familiar:You walk into a jam session ready to play a tune that you've been sounding great on. As the band finishes up a set you gather up your courage,...Read More
Tell me if this scenario sounds familiar:You walk into a jam session ready to play a tune that you've been sounding great on. As the band finishes up a set...Read More
After you’ve been improvising jazz for a while, most chords are pretty familiar. You're used to major, minor, dominant, and half diminished…but just as you thought you were getting a handle on things, a chord...Read More
After you’ve been improvising jazz for a while, most chords are pretty familiar. You're used to major, minor, dominant, and half diminished…but just as you thought you were getting a...Read More
Practicing lines in all keys is a must, but it’s not that easy or even clear why it’s so important in the first place. Many years ago, I remember trying to take a ii V...Read More
Practicing lines in all keys is a must, but it’s not that easy or even clear why it’s so important in the first place. Many years ago, I remember trying...Read More
Ever spend a lot of time learning a tune, only to realize that you've completely forgotten it a few weeks later? When you're not achieving your desired results in pretty much anything, check your methods....Read More
Ever spend a lot of time learning a tune, only to realize that you've completely forgotten it a few weeks later? When you're not achieving your desired results in pretty...Read More
There are really two areas of musicianship, aside from technique on an instrument, that a jazz musician requires to be a complete improviser. One is developing great ears and the other is an intellectual understanding...Read More
There are really two areas of musicianship, aside from technique on an instrument, that a jazz musician requires to be a complete improviser. One is developing great ears and the...Read More
We practice long tones. We work on two-five progressions until our fingers bleed. We work on new ideas and concepts. The work is mostly enjoyable, sometimes frustrating, and hopefully productive... But what is all this...Read More
We practice long tones. We work on two-five progressions until our fingers bleed. We work on new ideas and concepts. The work is mostly enjoyable, sometimes frustrating, and hopefully productive... ...Read More
What do you play over a minor ii V? Minor ii Vs are notoriously tricky. As compared to their brother, the ii V in major, the ii V in minor adds quite a few more...Read More
What do you play over a minor ii V? Minor ii Vs are notoriously tricky. As compared to their brother, the ii V in major, the ii V in minor...Read More
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...Read More
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...Read More
Articulation...tonguing notes, it seems like a pretty simple concept, right? Well, not exactly. It has taken me quite a while and a ton of practice to figure out how to articulate my lines correctly when...Read More
Articulation...tonguing notes, it seems like a pretty simple concept, right? Well, not exactly. It has taken me quite a while and a ton of practice to figure out how to...Read More
Daily practice is the key to growing into the player you wish to become. Everyday, building upon the knowledge you learned the previous day, moving forward, getting closer and closer...that's the goal. But what if...Read More
Daily practice is the key to growing into the player you wish to become. Everyday, building upon the knowledge you learned the previous day, moving forward, getting closer and closer...that's...Read More
Wow! You’re sitting in the audience at a sold out concert and your favorite musician has just taken the stage. Flawless technique, impeccable sound, and endless creative musical lines flow from the stage and fill...Read More
Wow! You’re sitting in the audience at a sold out concert and your favorite musician has just taken the stage. Flawless technique, impeccable sound, and endless creative musical lines flow...Read More
A reader from Colorado writes: "I would love it if you wrote an article on what to play over a sus chord. I played at a jam last night and played Maiden Voyage and would...Read More
A reader from Colorado writes: "I would love it if you wrote an article on what to play over a sus chord. I played at a jam last night and...Read More
If you took a quick survey and asked a few people to describe the components of bebop, you might come up with some answers like: "fast tempos, lots of notes, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, b9's,...Read More
If you took a quick survey and asked a few people to describe the components of bebop, you might come up with some answers like: "fast tempos, lots of notes,...Read More
We all have those days in the practice room…days where you can't seem to get anything right. Where you're fighting your instrument and you want to scream... I'm sure you know the feeling of a...Read More
We all have those days in the practice room…days where you can't seem to get anything right. Where you're fighting your instrument and you want to scream... I'm sure you...Read More
With all the play-along sets and backing tracks available everywhere today, it’s becoming less and less common for people to learn tunes directly from recordings. I mean, why waste your time figuring out the changes...Read More
With all the play-along sets and backing tracks available everywhere today, it’s becoming less and less common for people to learn tunes directly from recordings. I mean, why waste your...Read More
The funny thing about learning a new skill is that we often carry our first experiences around with us for years. You might try drawing or you may try learning a new language and without...Read More
The funny thing about learning a new skill is that we often carry our first experiences around with us for years. You might try drawing or you may try learning...Read More