"What To Practice"

    Why These 8 Jazz Standards Should Be Your New Practice Etudes

    Every musician has spent time in the practice room working on etudes. Diligently running through exercises that cover various techniques like articulation, the altissimo range, or diminished arpeggios. This is a good start for most...Read More

    Every musician has spent time in the practice room working on etudes. Diligently running through exercises that cover various techniques like articulation, the altissimo range, or diminished arpeggios. This is...Read More

    The Hidden Trap on the Road to Improvement

    In talking, practicing, and performing with many musicians over the years, it seems that a number of players are having trouble getting started with improvisation. Even more have a hard time moving forward, but can't...Read More

    In talking, practicing, and performing with many musicians over the years, it seems that a number of players are having trouble getting started with improvisation. Even more have a hard...Read More

    Reality Check: Motivating Yourself to Better Musicianship

    It's been a few weeks since the new year when we posted articles on setting goals and making musical resolutions. Did you make some resolutions this year? If so, how are they holding up? Maybe...Read More

    It's been a few weeks since the new year when we posted articles on setting goals and making musical resolutions. Did you make some resolutions this year? If so, how...Read More

    Following the Path of Least Resistance

    The path of least resistance. You don't have to be an enlightened Buddhist to appreciate this idea. Simply look around you. The elements of the natural world intrinsically follow this concept. The water flowing in...Read More

    The path of least resistance. You don't have to be an enlightened Buddhist to appreciate this idea. Simply look around you. The elements of the natural world intrinsically follow this...Read More

    Overcoming Mental Limitations in Music

    I can’t. We’ve all said these fateful words at one point or another. Fill in the blank for your own situation. “I can’t (____)”...draw, run long distances, wake up early, stop eating cheesecake. Every day...Read More

    I can’t. We’ve all said these fateful words at one point or another. Fill in the blank for your own situation. “I can’t (____)”...draw, run long distances, wake up early,...Read More

    How to Fight Bad Habits When Practicing Improvisation

    There's one important idea that we must remember as musicians: When you practice, you create habits. Think about it, this is essentially the reason that we set out to practice in the first place. By...Read More

    There's one important idea that we must remember as musicians: When you practice, you create habits. Think about it, this is essentially the reason that we set out to practice...Read More

    How to Transform Your Improvisation Over Your Summer Vacation

    It's already May and before you know it those lazy months of summer are going to sneak up on you. And just as quickly they'll be gone, leaving you wishing you had more hours in...Read More

    It's already May and before you know it those lazy months of summer are going to sneak up on you. And just as quickly they'll be gone, leaving you wishing...Read More

    How One Note Can Change Your Ears and Spark Your Creativity

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    Can one note really change your ears and improve your musical creativity? Surprisingly, the answer is yes. But let me explain...A few years ago I took a lesson with the great trumpet player, improviser and...Read More

    Can one note really change your ears and improve your musical creativity? Surprisingly, the answer is yes. But let me explain...A few years ago I took a lesson with the...Read More

    Happy New Year! 8 Musical Resolutions That Will Change Your Playing

    A new year is the perfect time to look back at what you've accomplished in the practice room and to look forward  to what you still wish to achieve as a musician. It's also a...Read More

    A new year is the perfect time to look back at what you've accomplished in the practice room and to look forward  to what you still wish to achieve as...Read More

    Planting the Seeds of a Great Solo

    Great solos don't come from nowhere. The ability to apply innovative harmonic concepts, flawless instrumental technique, and appropriate musical language doesn't just materialize out of thin air. These prized aspects of excellent musicianship have to...Read More

    Great solos don't come from nowhere. The ability to apply innovative harmonic concepts, flawless instrumental technique, and appropriate musical language doesn't just materialize out of thin air. These prized aspects...Read More

    Intermediate jazz improvisation5 Exercises to boost your jazz language

    So you’ve finally realized the importance of jazz language and you’re starting to learn lines in all keys…it’s like a whole new world has opened up. More creativity. More possibility. More options...Done are the days...Read More

    So you’ve finally realized the importance of jazz language and you’re starting to learn lines in all keys…it’s like a whole new world has opened up. More creativity. More possibility....Read More

    Four Ways to Reinvigorate the Practice of Technique

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    We often get stuck in a rut when it comes to practicing technique. In the practice room we cover the same bases in our efforts to improve our overall technique. We run our major and...Read More

    We often get stuck in a rut when it comes to practicing technique. In the practice room we cover the same bases in our efforts to improve our overall technique....Read More

    What to do when You Crash and Burn on a Tune

    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

    Eager to Improve? Don’t Make This Common Mistake in the Practice Room…

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    In case you were starting to mistake jazz musicians for super-humans...Or highly talented individuals that know thousands of tunes, have perfect pitch, and transcribe solos in mere minutes, I thought I’d write a post to...Read More

    In case you were starting to mistake jazz musicians for super-humans...Or highly talented individuals that know thousands of tunes, have perfect pitch, and transcribe solos in mere minutes, I thought...Read More

    Putting on the Pressure: How to Motivate Yourself in the Practice Room

    Remember those times in school, where you were assigned a huge project and given a deadline to finish it by? You know, the ones where the teacher threw an enormous assignment at you as soon...Read More

    Remember those times in school, where you were assigned a huge project and given a deadline to finish it by? You know, the ones where the teacher threw an enormous...Read More

    5 Secrets for Mastering the Altered Scale

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    The dominant chord is one of the most versatile chords in the jazz repertoire, and it's your best bet for adding harmonic tension and melodic interest to your lines. The only problem is that many...Read More

    The dominant chord is one of the most versatile chords in the jazz repertoire, and it's your best bet for adding harmonic tension and melodic interest to your lines. The...Read More