Inspiration for improvisers
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When I think about what it means to “let go,” detailed scenes from Hollywood hits come to mind. Scenes like Neo in The Matrix learning that “there is no spoon,” and Tom Cruise in the Last Samurai being taught to think “No mind.” There’s a good reason these type of scenes take place in so …
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Time in the practice room doesn’t equal improvement. Hey, wait a second…That’s right, you read that correctly. It’s time spent practicing the right things that leads to improvement. And this isn’t always the case with most players’ routines, especially when it comes to jazz improvisation… There’s a well-loved myth out there that if you practice, …
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Inspiration, Jazz Advice and Tips
Let’s be real. New Year’s Resolutions don’t work. Every year, January 1st comes and people act as if they’re going to entirely reinvent themselves, that this is the year. The year that’s different than all other years. The year of making things happen and achieving goals. But just after a few weeks, the smoke from …
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Inspiration, Jazz Advice and Tips
Ever go to the practice room with a plan of what you want to get done, only to realize that an hour has passed and you’ve just muddled around? Playing your instrument is fun and it is easy to get distracted by the joy you get from simply playing. No reason to totally give up …
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How to practice scales for speed is something every musician wants to know. What scale exercises can you practice to quickly attain a high level of speed and accuracy? Are there certain keys you should start with, or specific approaches you should try? Today we’re going to teach you some valuable tactics to practice all …
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Blues, Jazz Advice and Tips, Premium Only
As an improviser, the blues is central to everything that you do…at once a sound, a form, an expressiveness, and a medium through which you can tell your musical story. And it’s something that you’ll be dealing with as long as you play an instrument. You see, the best players not only understand this song …
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Jazz Advice and Tips, Visualization
One of the most frustrating feelings I have, is to get to the end of the day and realize that I haven’t practiced enough, or even worse, that I haven’t even touched my instrument. Whether it’s because of appointments, travel, school, or work commitments, it seems like there is always something getting in the way …
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How to Practice Jazz, Perspectives
Your mental approach to the things you do can have everything to do with your success or failure. In fact, the way that you think about things like setting goals, learning new skills, or creating routines directly affects how successful you’ll be – and this is especially true when it comes to practicing jazz improvisation. …
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Chords, Jazz Language, Transcribing
The ii V progression makes up the vast majority of chord changes within the jazz standard repertoire. Much of our success or failure as improvisors comes from being able to navigate this deceptively simple progression. Learning how to play over ii Vs is actually much easier than you think. The mistake most people make is …
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Blues, Jazz Musicians, Playing Techniques
Every serious improviser has to deal with the blues. From the players just starting out in school, to the musicians at local jam sessions, to the biggest names performing on international stages. Because the blues goes hand in hand with creating music in the moment. But unlike many players think, it goes beyond the blues …
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Chords, Jazz Language, Premium Only
You’ve heard about the scales. You understand the music theory. And you’ve even played through the patterns in a few exercise books. But when it comes to actually improvising with the diminished sound, something is missing. Well, today we’re going to show you how to bridge that gap… You see, scales, shapes, patterns, and harmonies …
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Ear Training, Jazz Advice and Tips, Perspectives
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 tactile sensations come at us from every angle, vying for a precious scrap of our cognitive awareness. Despite our best …