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
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
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
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
Let's face it. As improvising musicians, we've become obsessed with notes. Obsessed with harmony, chords, and scales. Which scales to use over which chord progressions, which diminished scales to play over dominant chords, how to...Read More
Let's face it. As improvising musicians, we've become obsessed with notes. Obsessed with harmony, chords, and scales. Which scales to use over which chord progressions, which diminished scales to play...Read More
As the article last Wednesday discussed, learning to apply language to tunes is crucial because it puts the language into context, allowing your ears and fingers to gain an understanding of how to integrate the...Read More
As the article last Wednesday discussed, learning to apply language to tunes is crucial because it puts the language into context, allowing your ears and fingers to gain an understanding...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
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
One thing we're all accustomed to in this day and age is results with a limited amount of work. From daily tasks to larger life goals, this mentality has been ingrained into our collective mindset....Read More
One thing we're all accustomed to in this day and age is results with a limited amount of work. From daily tasks to larger life goals, this mentality has been...Read More
Recently we received a question about non-standard progressions, specifically the type of progressions you see in Wayne Shorter and Joe Henderson tunes... These types of tunes are notoriously difficult, as they don't seem to use...Read More
Recently we received a question about non-standard progressions, specifically the type of progressions you see in Wayne Shorter and Joe Henderson tunes... These types of tunes are notoriously difficult, as...Read More
Hey, did you just hear that? Look, did you just see that? Wait, can you feel that? What's that smell? Wait...what?! On a daily basis our senses are bombarded with information. Sights, sounds, smells, and...Read More
Hey, did you just hear that? Look, did you just see that? Wait, can you feel that? What's that smell? Wait...what?! On a daily basis our senses are bombarded with...Read More
The old maxim "A is for effort" does not apply when it comes to jazz improvisation or playing any style of music. Effort is the last thing you want. In fact, we seek effortlessness. When...Read More
The old maxim "A is for effort" does not apply when it comes to jazz improvisation or playing any style of music. Effort is the last thing you want. In...Read More
In learning most anything, there's an accepted and standard way of approaching the material. There exists a typical method that emerged over the course of many years. In many disciplines, this method came about through...Read More
In learning most anything, there's an accepted and standard way of approaching the material. There exists a typical method that emerged over the course of many years. In many disciplines,...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