marathon training for musicians

Marathon Training For The Musician

By

Eric

Inspiration

August is finally here and with the approaching end of summer looms the shadow of the fall marathon season. Across the country runners are stepping up their training for races that they’ve been preparing for since the beginning of summer. As I have started to prepare for my own race, I’ve thought about how the …

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Jazz Theory Has Failed You

How The Chord-Scale System Has Failed You: 6 Steps to Freedom With Scales and Modes

By

Forrest

Chords, Composition, Jazz Education, Scales

The Chord-scale system has become the most established and widespread method for teaching jazz improvisation…And it’s no mystery why. So often, scales—more specifically the modes of the major and melodic minor scales—get passed-off as the most important aspect of learning to improvise. It’s as if by magic, you learn a couple scales and their modes, and …

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hearing colors

Hearing in Color: Chord tones in context

By

Forrest

Composition, Ear Training

Every chord tone has its own unique sound, its own unique color. Learning to hear these colors brings these sounds to life. This crucial ear training is often overlooked or even talked about. Take your time and study it carefully… Match piano pitches accurately The first step toward hearing these colors is to hear a …

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the forgotten skill in jazz music

The Forgotten Skill

By

Eric

Ear Training, How to Practice Jazz, Jazz Advice and Tips

There is one important part of practicing and learning any musical instrument or musical style that many players are unintentionally missing. A necessary skill that’s so obvious it often remains hidden in plain sight. It seems to be the same across the board from absolute beginners to college music majors. It doesn’t matter if you …

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3 steps to productive music practice

3 Simple Steps to a Productive Practice Routine

By

Eric

How to Practice Jazz

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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20 things every jazz improviser should know

20 Things Every Improviser Should Know

By

Eric

Jazz Advice and Tips, Perspectives

Being successful as a jazz musician isn’t all about practice routines, ii-V licks, or memorizing tunes. Sometimes getting to the next level as a player is all about having the right perspective. Here are 20 things every improviser should know… 1. Nobody’s checking for your music degree Just because you graduated with a degree in …

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5 secrets to learning tunes

5 Secrets to Learning Tunes

By

Forrest

Chords, Jazz Standards

Learning jazz standards is a crucial part of every jazz musician’s practice routine. After all, as a jazz musician, the entire goal is to perform tunes, so it totally makes sense that they should be a central part of your practice… Now, when it comes to learning tunes, it’s how you first learn them that matters …

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