"Jazz Language"

    The “Idea” vs. the “Technique” in the Mind of the Artist

    Imagine that you're strolling through an art museum on a lazy afternoon. Leisurely, you walk past magnificent paintings, weave between rows of sculpture, and meander through various galleries, each showcasing a bygone era of human...Read More

    Imagine that you're strolling through an art museum on a lazy afternoon. Leisurely, you walk past magnificent paintings, weave between rows of sculpture, and meander through various galleries, each showcasing...Read More

    Visualizing Musical Progress

    Visualization can be a very powerful tool when it comes to achieving your goals. Everyone from professional athletes to ballet dancers have used this simple, but effective technique throughout training and competition to reach their...Read More

    Visualization can be a very powerful tool when it comes to achieving your goals. Everyone from professional athletes to ballet dancers have used this simple, but effective technique throughout training...Read More

    4 Ways to Use the Melodic Minor Scale

    The melodic minor scale is a scale that you've probably learned early on in your musical development, but it can take on a whole new life when applied to jazz. This scale is a very...Read More

    The melodic minor scale is a scale that you've probably learned early on in your musical development, but it can take on a whole new life when applied to jazz....Read More

    How to Learn Chord Changes Straight Off a Recording: A Handbook [Free Download]

    Learning a tune straight from a recording is THE way to learn it. But the most difficult part is always deciphering the chord changes. And it's certainly not an easy task compared to the alternative...Read More

    Learning a tune straight from a recording is THE way to learn it. But the most difficult part is always deciphering the chord changes. And it's certainly not an easy...Read More

    Why You Hate Practicing: 3 Simple Ways to Love Your Instrument Again

    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...Read More

    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...Read More

    Miles Davis: The Power of the Triad

    Perhaps the most impressive thing about the musical masters that we look up to isn’t their ability to create incredibly fast and complex lines or even their vast library of harmonic knowledge… It lies in...Read More

    Perhaps the most impressive thing about the musical masters that we look up to isn’t their ability to create incredibly fast and complex lines or even their vast library of...Read More

    How to Not Suck at Half-Diminished Chords

    Half diminished chords are generally overlooked. They are the neglected partner of a V7 chord in a minor two-five, that never gets the attention it deserves. The result: we suck at them. Think about...Read More

    Half diminished chords are generally overlooked. They are the neglected partner of a V7 chord in a minor two-five, that never gets the attention it deserves. The result: we...Read More

    3 Gems Harold Mabern Told Me

    If you don't know who Harold Mabern is, it's time you did. The legendary pianist has played with everyone and is on the records of Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, and Freddie Hubbard, just to name...Read More

    If you don't know who Harold Mabern is, it's time you did. The legendary pianist has played with everyone and is on the records of Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, and...Read More

    How To Stay Sane While Pursuing Your Art

    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

    Don’t Forget the Basics

    For a lot of musicians that are working to improve, it is easy to spend most of our practice time working on really complex harmonic and rhythmic concepts while fundamental skills, that we all basically...Read More

    For a lot of musicians that are working to improve, it is easy to spend most of our practice time working on really complex harmonic and rhythmic concepts while fundamental...Read More

    A Word From Investor’s Business Daily

    When I was younger, my father constantly cut out articles from Investor's Business Daily that he found interesting or inspiring, and casually placed them throughout the house where I would stumble upon them. Not wanting...Read More

    When I was younger, my father constantly cut out articles from Investor's Business Daily that he found interesting or inspiring, and casually placed them throughout the house where I would...Read More

    Transposition Made Easy

    Transposition is a skill that all musicians will need at some point in their careers. Whether you play a transposing instrument or an instrument in concert pitch, there are inevitably going to be times that...Read More

    Transposition is a skill that all musicians will need at some point in their careers. Whether you play a transposing instrument or an instrument in concert pitch, there are inevitably...Read More

    Time to Overhaul Your Practice Routine

    One of the biggest obstacles for musicians working to improve as improvisers lies in the development of a solid daily practice routine. We all know we should get into the practice room and diligently spend...Read More

    One of the biggest obstacles for musicians working to improve as improvisers lies in the development of a solid daily practice routine. We all know we should get into the...Read More

    A Simple Way To Hear Difficult Intervals: The 2-step method

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    Hearing larger intervals is difficult for most people. After a couple weeks of practicing your intervals, half-steps, whole steps, major and minor thirds, perfect fourths, perfect fifths, and major sixths fall into place, but the...Read More

    Hearing larger intervals is difficult for most people. After a couple weeks of practicing your intervals, half-steps, whole steps, major and minor thirds, perfect fourths, perfect fifths, and major sixths...Read More

    5 Steps to Mastering Sight-Reading

    Areader recently asked: At my college, to get into the lab bands you have to be a really great sight-reader. What are some ways to become a great reader besides just saying "read whatever you...Read More

    Areader recently asked: At my college, to get into the lab bands you have to be a really great sight-reader. What are some ways to become a great reader besides...Read More

    3 Highly Effective Ear Training Exercises You Can Do All By Yourself

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    We've presented tons of exercises on how to practice ear training, but many require that you have someone to train with. So what do you do when you don't have a partner? When you have...Read More

    We've presented tons of exercises on how to practice ear training, but many require that you have someone to train with. So what do you do when you don't have...Read More