Inspiration for improvisers
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What exactly is ear training? You’ve heard musicians talk about it. Your teachers have recommended it. And if you’re a regular here you’ve seen it pop up in more than a few lessons…But I’m guessing the thing that’s made the biggest impression on you was being in the presence of a musician with truly amazing …
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How to Practice Jazz, Jazz Advice and Tips
Trust the process. Keep going and you’ll get there. Anything worth doing takes time. We hear these things over and over when we’re learning and it’s all good advice. But what they don’t tell you is that there’s one key thing that separates those who learn jazz fast, from those who get mildly better at …
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Composition, Jazz Musicians, Playing Techniques
Every musician wants to sound hip and modern…To play complex lines that move outside of the harmony and above the time. Solos that’ll make your fellow musicians shake their heads in disbelief and leave the audience speechless. The only problem is that few players actually get to this point, and even less sound authentic, unique, …
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Chords, Composition, Jazz Advice and Tips, Jazz Standards, Music Theory, Premium Only
When it comes to learning tunes, expanding your repertoire, and improving the way you improvise over jazz standards, most players are taking the wrong approach… You see, the secret to improving with standards doesn’t lie in making long lists, spending hours memorizing chord progressions, and then trying your best to conjure up melodic lines. …because …
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Jazz Advice and Tips, Jazz Language, Jazz Standards
After countless hours in the practice room, you’ve finally managed to transcribe one of your favorite players. You figured out a particular line that caught your ear, and now you’re learning it in all keys. You’re making great progress! But even after all this work, when you go to improvise you’re still playing the same …
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Jazz Musicians, Jazz Standards, Rhythm, Transcribing
Recorda Me is one of Joe Henderson’s most famous compositions. Recorded on his epic album Page One from 1963, he actually composed the popular jazz standard when he was only 15. And over the years, it’s become a mainstay in jazz education and jam sessions alike, making it a need-to-know tune to add to your …
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Music Theory, Playing Techniques, Scales
When you first began learning how to improvise, chances are the first thing you encountered were scales. Memorizing lists of scales from Major and minor to diminished and octatonic. Knowing which scales work with which chords. It can seem like the practice of scales never ends. This philosophy has become so entrenched within the art …
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How to Practice Jazz, Jazz Advice and Tips, Jazz Standards
Have you ever thought about why you’re practicing every single day for hours and what you’re actually trying to achieve with all your hard work? To play better over a G7 chord? To master that tricky ii V I? To get a better sound? To improve your technique? To play fast and loud? Of course …
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Ever feel like something is missing from your solos? You spend hours learning tunes and transcribing solos from your favorite recordings, you’ve memorized the chord progressions and diligently practiced the tricky fingerings, but when you listen back something is off. And it’s frustrating because you can’t quite place your finger on the problem… You’re playing …
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Jazz Advice and Tips, Premium Only
Have you ever felt like you’re missing a piece of the puzzle when it comes to improvisation? As if you’re following all the rules, yet still not playing the music you want to… Every musician has felt the sting of this frustration, especially when listening to all those important records and amazing players. It seems …
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Learning the hard way? You thought you came here to find an easier way to learn improvisation, right? Well to be honest, the easier way is not always the best way and if you’re in something for the long run, getting things right from the start can save you a lot of time and years …
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People have been writing in a lot lately asking us what’s okay and what’s not okay to transcribe. With all the different styles of jazz and genres of music, people are entirely confused as to what’s acceptable to transcribe. I have to admit, upon receiving these questions, I was a bit confused. I thought to …