"What To Practice"

    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

    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

    Learning to Let Go: Achieving your optimum performance mindset

    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...Read More

    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,"...Read More

    Scales Are Not the Secret Short-Cut to Jazz Improvisation

    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...Read More

    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...Read More

    The most powerful tactic to integrate & amass jazz vocabulary

    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....Read More

    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...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

    Why This Two-Step Approach to Jazz Language Will Take Your Improvising from Good to G …

    Have you ever felt like you're stuck with the same old licks when it comes to improvising? Or that you're trying to create a solo from a strict set of scales. The truth is many...Read More

    Have you ever felt like you're stuck with the same old licks when it comes to improvising? Or that you're trying to create a solo from a strict set of...Read More

    The Secret to Unlocking the Lydian Sound: From Boring Modes to Killing Solos

    Open up any music theory book and you'll find the term "lydian." A funny sounding word that refers to the fourth mode of the major scale. You’ve, no doubt, played this scale. You've probably even...Read More

    Open up any music theory book and you'll find the term "lydian." A funny sounding word that refers to the fourth mode of the major scale. You’ve, no doubt, played...Read More

    How To Practice Scales For Speed

    Several readers have written us lately asking how to practice scales. Simply practicing them is not difficult, but attaining a high level of speed and accuracy, while keeping your sound consistent throughout all registers is...Read More

    Several readers have written us lately asking how to practice scales. Simply practicing them is not difficult, but attaining a high level of speed and accuracy, while keeping your sound...Read More

    All Keys Made Easy4 Tricks To Play in Any Key

    Practicing lines in all keys is a must, but it’s not that easy or even clear why it’s so important in the first place. Many years ago, I remember trying to take a ii V...Read More

    Practicing lines in all keys is a must, but it’s not that easy or even clear why it’s so important in the first place. Many years ago, I remember trying...Read More

    4 Things To Practice This Summer That’ll ACTUALLY Improve Your Solos!

    Ahh the summer…a time to take a break from the daily grind and a moment to take stock of your progress. A few months to relax, reset, and refocus on the stuff you want to...Read More

    Ahh the summer…a time to take a break from the daily grind and a moment to take stock of your progress. A few months to relax, reset, and refocus on...Read More

    5 Solutions to Improvisation That Are Hidden In Plain Sight

    Let's face it, improvisation is hard enough as it is, even when we do spend the time in the practice room. But however much we study or practice, there are some key factors that can...Read More

    Let's face it, improvisation is hard enough as it is, even when we do spend the time in the practice room. But however much we study or practice, there are...Read More

    5 Ways to Practice Anywhere

    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...Read More

    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...Read More

    Learn New Material by Total Immersion

    One thing you always want to be doing is learning new material. New lines, new tunes, new concepts...there's always something new to learn. We preach the mantra "Quality Over Quantity" in practically everything we write....Read More

    One thing you always want to be doing is learning new material. New lines, new tunes, new concepts...there's always something new to learn. We preach the mantra "Quality Over Quantity"...Read More

    Hearing Time: Rhythmic Ear Training

    On this site we frequently write about the benefits of ear training for improvising, with  good reason. Hearing and singing intervals, melodies, chord progressions, etc. is one area of daily practice that will directly affect...Read More

    On this site we frequently write about the benefits of ear training for improvising, with  good reason. Hearing and singing intervals, melodies, chord progressions, etc. is one area of daily...Read More

    Mixing Jazz Techniques, Lines, And Concepts

    When we practice jazz improvisation, we zoom in on one area of study so much that we often lose sight of the whole. How do we practice in this truly focused way, while simultaneously train...Read More

    When we practice jazz improvisation, we zoom in on one area of study so much that we often lose sight of the whole. How do we practice in this truly...Read More