Learning improvisation can be a curious process. Every now and then as we endeavor to educate ourselves musically, we hear bits of advice and pick up words of wisdom from master classes, videos, books, and...Read More
Learning improvisation can be a curious process. Every now and then as we endeavor to educate ourselves musically, we hear bits of advice and pick up words of wisdom from...Read More
There are certain components to playing jazz that must be happening for any line to sound good. These overlooked skills are what make a line shine. If you get these things together, suddenly you'll realize...Read More
There are certain components to playing jazz that must be happening for any line to sound good. These overlooked skills are what make a line shine. If you get these...Read More
In my article on Monday I talked about why you're not getting the results you want from transcribing whole solos. For the most part, that article was written with respect to language: how to make...Read More
In my article on Monday I talked about why you're not getting the results you want from transcribing whole solos. For the most part, that article was written with respect...Read More
Jazz musicians and educators constantly discuss the topic of jazz licks. It's always up for debate...Should you learn them? Is it okay to play them over and over in your jazz solos? Does it matter...Read More
Jazz musicians and educators constantly discuss the topic of jazz licks. It's always up for debate...Should you learn them? Is it okay to play them over and over in your...Read More
Welcome to Jazzadvice! The name says it all. Jazzadvice is a rapidly growing collection of the best advice we’ve picked up along the way on our never-ending path of musical devlopment. Whatever it may be,...Read More
Welcome to Jazzadvice! The name says it all. Jazzadvice is a rapidly growing collection of the best advice we’ve picked up along the way on our never-ending path of musical...Read More
Transcribe, transcribe , transcribe. It is what you've been hearing since you started to learn how to improvise...and for a good reason. Transcribing is one of the best ways to learn the stylistic language of...Read More
Transcribe, transcribe , transcribe. It is what you've been hearing since you started to learn how to improvise...and for a good reason. Transcribing is one of the best ways to...Read More
As a musician or any other creative individual, we get so wrapped up in what we are doing, that we often lose sight of everything else. Consequently, when something within our own little bubble is...Read More
As a musician or any other creative individual, we get so wrapped up in what we are doing, that we often lose sight of everything else. Consequently, when something within...Read More
People are always spouting out the phrase, "Hey man, you should know this tune," and they are probably right. But the attitude of knowing a tune just to know it, simply doesn't make sense to...Read More
People are always spouting out the phrase, "Hey man, you should know this tune," and they are probably right. But the attitude of knowing a tune just to know it,...Read More
Transcribing can be beneficial no matter how you do it. Often when I go to transcribe, I like to have a specific goal in mind of what I am aiming to accomplish, making for rapid...Read More
Transcribing can be beneficial no matter how you do it. Often when I go to transcribe, I like to have a specific goal in mind of what I am aiming...Read More
As improvisers we are always looking to create new harmonic concepts or to find new ways of soloing over traditional changes that are innovative and creative. Actually, for the past sixty years jazz musicians have...Read More
As improvisers we are always looking to create new harmonic concepts or to find new ways of soloing over traditional changes that are innovative and creative. Actually, for the past...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
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
In a recent post: A Blueprint for Building Your Repertoire, I outlined some ideas to ponder while creating a repertoire of tunes. Concepts like how to learn, listen to, and how to approach the Great...Read More
In a recent post: A Blueprint for Building Your Repertoire, I outlined some ideas to ponder while creating a repertoire of tunes. Concepts like how to learn, listen to, and...Read More
Amateurs phrase in a way that sounds boring and boxy. In contrast, professionals phrase in a way that gives excitement and forward motion to their playing. In this article I'll explore some tendencies that I've...Read More
Amateurs phrase in a way that sounds boring and boxy. In contrast, professionals phrase in a way that gives excitement and forward motion to their playing. In this article I'll...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
Every chord tone has its own unique sound, its own unique color. Learning to hear these colors brings these sounds to life. This crucial ear training is often overlooked or even talked about. Take your...Read More
Every chord tone has its own unique sound, its own unique color. Learning to hear these colors brings these sounds to life. This crucial ear training is often overlooked or...Read More