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
Every single musician to ever embark on learning to improvise jazz runs into countless musical problems. That’s just the way it is. One problem after another, figuring out different ways to approach a progression in...Read More
Every single musician to ever embark on learning to improvise jazz runs into countless musical problems. That’s just the way it is. One problem after another, figuring out different ways...Read More
How creative are you each time you play your instrument? Think about it for a second...are you actually creating new musical ideas in your solos? Are you actually free when you improvise?? As a creative...Read More
How creative are you each time you play your instrument? Think about it for a second...are you actually creating new musical ideas in your solos? Are you actually free when...Read More
Why is learning how to play jazz so hard? Is it that there are a million tunes to know? Or the thousands of great jazz solos to transcribe? Or is it all that crazy music...Read More
Why is learning how to play jazz so hard? Is it that there are a million tunes to know? Or the thousands of great jazz solos to transcribe? Or is...Read More
We get hundreds of questions every month. We do our best to answer as many as we possibly can and write articles about the most provocative ones. Below are answers to the most common...Read More
We get hundreds of questions every month. We do our best to answer as many as we possibly can and write articles about the most provocative ones. Below are...Read More
It's the time of year again when we make ambitious lists of resolutions and let me tell you, this year is shaping up to be different. Seriously…all those other years were just practice runs, this...Read More
It's the time of year again when we make ambitious lists of resolutions and let me tell you, this year is shaping up to be different. Seriously…all those other years...Read More
Just learn a few ii V licks in all keys, learn how to use them, and that's jazz, right? Unfortunately not. ii Vs make up the bulk of chord progressions found in all western music...Read More
Just learn a few ii V licks in all keys, learn how to use them, and that's jazz, right? Unfortunately not. ii Vs make up the bulk of chord progressions...Read More
Alterations are at the heart of jazz. In no other genre of music can you freely alter chords in a such a fluid and flexible manner. As chords whiz by, the soloist has the freedom...Read More
Alterations are at the heart of jazz. In no other genre of music can you freely alter chords in a such a fluid and flexible manner. As chords whiz by,...Read More
Improving at jazz improvisation is a process. It's an interesting process because it's both static and dynamic. It's dynamic in the sense that it constantly involves bringing new ideas, material, and concepts into your playing,...Read More
Improving at jazz improvisation is a process. It's an interesting process because it's both static and dynamic. It's dynamic in the sense that it constantly involves bringing new ideas, material,...Read More
There is a common saying in learning the art of jazz improvisation... "If you want to sound like your favorite player, don't just copy them, copy their musical heroes." The logic goes, that rather than...Read More
There is a common saying in learning the art of jazz improvisation... "If you want to sound like your favorite player, don't just copy them, copy their musical heroes." The...Read More
Ask any musician or teacher what you should practice to develop exceptional jazz improvisation skills, and you usually hear words like "Scales" and "Modes" or "Guide-tone lines." Sometimes even "Transcribing"... This is all useful information....Read More
Ask any musician or teacher what you should practice to develop exceptional jazz improvisation skills, and you usually hear words like "Scales" and "Modes" or "Guide-tone lines." Sometimes even "Transcribing"... ...Read More
It's the subtleties of articulation that make melodies come alive. But, being so subtle, articulation is one of those concepts that's difficult to grasp, or for that matter, even teach. And it's personal. Nearly every...Read More
It's the subtleties of articulation that make melodies come alive. But, being so subtle, articulation is one of those concepts that's difficult to grasp, or for that matter, even teach....Read More
Sometimes a change in perspective is all you need. Jazz improvisation is a demanding pursuit, one that combines intellect, feeling and expression. It's easy to grasp the music theory side of things, but it's much...Read More
Sometimes a change in perspective is all you need. Jazz improvisation is a demanding pursuit, one that combines intellect, feeling and expression. It's easy to grasp the music theory side...Read More
No pianist has influenced the modern approach to jazz piano more than McCoy Tyner. From players like Chick Corea and Mulgrew Miller to non-pianists like Woody Shaw and Michael Brecker, McCoy has left his mark...Read More
No pianist has influenced the modern approach to jazz piano more than McCoy Tyner. From players like Chick Corea and Mulgrew Miller to non-pianists like Woody Shaw and Michael Brecker,...Read More
Transcribing is the single most effective method of learning how to improvise...or so everyone says. The only problem is it can be a mystery figuring out what the transcription process actually entails. You have your...Read More
Transcribing is the single most effective method of learning how to improvise...or so everyone says. The only problem is it can be a mystery figuring out what the transcription process...Read More
What comes to mind when you hear the word diminished? A chord? A scale? Wait, is it whole-steps and half-steps...or the other way around? If you're like most players, the diminished sound often creates more...Read More
What comes to mind when you hear the word diminished? A chord? A scale? Wait, is it whole-steps and half-steps...or the other way around? If you're like most players, the...Read More