Clifford Brown is one of those rare musicians that always seems to play the perfect solo. Every phrase is expertly crafted, every note is musical, and each idea is delivered with impeccable sound ... If...Read More
Clifford Brown is one of those rare musicians that always seems to play the perfect solo. Every phrase is expertly crafted, every note is musical, and each idea is delivered...Read More
Do you ever get the sneaking suspicion that you’re playing the same solo over and over again? As if you’re traveling down a familiar well-worn path in every single tune, regardless of the key, the...Read More
Do you ever get the sneaking suspicion that you’re playing the same solo over and over again? As if you’re traveling down a familiar well-worn path in every single tune,...Read More
If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you spend your fair share of time in the practice room honing your musical skills. All in preparation for that moment when you can close your eyes and begin...Read More
If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you spend your fair share of time in the practice room honing your musical skills. All in preparation for that moment when you can...Read More
When you’re first starting out on your journey learning how to play jazz, you'll typically come across two different camps of how to go about things... One camp believes that you need a lot of...Read More
When you’re first starting out on your journey learning how to play jazz, you'll typically come across two different camps of how to go about things... One camp believes that...Read More
Mastering jazz improvisation seems simple in theory. At least every great player makes it sound that way. And on paper it all looks pretty straight forward. Memorize the chords, learn a few scales, and listen...Read More
Mastering jazz improvisation seems simple in theory. At least every great player makes it sound that way. And on paper it all looks pretty straight forward. Memorize the chords, learn...Read More
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...Read More
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...Read More
You may think you know music theory. And you're probably willing to bet good money that you know the chords to your favorite tunes. Most musicians would...Hell, a few years ago I would've looked you...Read More
You may think you know music theory. And you're probably willing to bet good money that you know the chords to your favorite tunes. Most musicians would...Hell, a few years...Read More
In an instant, musical ideas spring to life. Maybe you're transcribing and stumble upon something you like, or perhaps you suddenly play an idea that seemed to come from nowhere! This probably happens to you...Read More
In an instant, musical ideas spring to life. Maybe you're transcribing and stumble upon something you like, or perhaps you suddenly play an idea that seemed to come from nowhere!...Read More
It’s been a while since you’ve picked up your horn, sat down to the piano, or even thought about practicing. As time goes by, it gets more and more difficult to get that spark going...Read More
It’s been a while since you’ve picked up your horn, sat down to the piano, or even thought about practicing. As time goes by, it gets more and more difficult...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
One of the biggest obstacles for musicians working to improve as improvisers lies in the development of a solid daily practice routine. We all know we should get into the practice room and diligently spend...Read More
One of the biggest obstacles for musicians working to improve as improvisers lies in the development of a solid daily practice routine. We all know we should get into the...Read More
The notion of being original and innovative goes hand-in-hand with the idea of improvisation. The inspired act of being in the moment, creating on the fly with others in a group setting, and ultimately developing...Read More
The notion of being original and innovative goes hand-in-hand with the idea of improvisation. The inspired act of being in the moment, creating on the fly with others in a...Read More
You've probably heard of the popular theory that when it comes to thinking, people are either left brained or right brained; they're either analytically predisposed or intuitively creative. The rationale is that artistic proclivity originates...Read More
You've probably heard of the popular theory that when it comes to thinking, people are either left brained or right brained; they're either analytically predisposed or intuitively creative. The rationale...Read More
Repetition. It's one part of learning to improvise that's par for the course. We practice scales over and over again until the technique is securely in our fingers, we spend hours repeatedly working out ii-V7...Read More
Repetition. It's one part of learning to improvise that's par for the course. We practice scales over and over again until the technique is securely in our fingers, we spend...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