"What To Practice"

    Why Melody is the Secret to Playing Better Jazz Solos

    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

    Make 2017 Your Best Musical Year – Use These 3 Simple Steps to Reach Your Goals

    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

    The Beginner’s Guide to Jazz Articulation: Coltrane Techniques Demystified

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    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

    How Thinking Like a Writer Will Make You a Better Jazz Improviser

    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

    Thinking About Transcribing a Jazz Solo? Here are 3 Things You Should Know…

    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

    10 Diminished Patterns That Will Transform Your Next Jazz Solo…

    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

    5 Steps to Becoming A Lyrical Master With Altered Dominants: A Lesson With Stan Getz

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    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

    The Reason You Need to Start Thinking About Jazz Language Right Now…

    Michael Brecker talked about it. Mulgrew Miller mentioned it time and again in masterclasses. And if you’ve spent any time on Jazzadvice, you've seen multiple articles about the importance of learning it. But why should...Read More

    Michael Brecker talked about it. Mulgrew Miller mentioned it time and again in masterclasses. And if you’ve spent any time on Jazzadvice, you've seen multiple articles about the importance of...Read More

    3 Secrets to Soloing with the Pentatonic Scale: A Lesson with McCoy Tyner

    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

    How to Completely Learn a Melody in 30 Minutes

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    Everybody talks about learning tunes. I mean everybody. It's the one common thread that pops up at jam sessions, on gigs, in music schools and in conversations with great players. Hey, what tune do you...Read More

    Everybody talks about learning tunes. I mean everybody. It's the one common thread that pops up at jam sessions, on gigs, in music schools and in conversations with great players....Read More

    Hey, Do You Know That Tune?

    It's a question that we get asked all the time on gigs, at jam sessions, and even in our weekly lessons. As you probably know, it's not a lot of fun when you are put...Read More

    It's a question that we get asked all the time on gigs, at jam sessions, and even in our weekly lessons. As you probably know, it's not a lot of...Read More

    The “Idea” vs. the “Technique” in the Mind of the Artist

    Imagine that you're strolling through an art museum on a lazy afternoon. Leisurely, you walk past magnificent paintings, weave between rows of sculpture, and meander through various galleries, each showcasing a bygone era of human...Read More

    Imagine that you're strolling through an art museum on a lazy afternoon. Leisurely, you walk past magnificent paintings, weave between rows of sculpture, and meander through various galleries, each showcasing...Read More

    Using Permutation to Create Unlimited Musical Ideas…and Killer Technique

    Time and again, we've stressed on this site that scales are not the secret to jazz improvisation. However, scales can be beneficial if you practice and apply them in the right way. Once you aurally...Read More

    Time and again, we've stressed on this site that scales are not the secret to jazz improvisation. However, scales can be beneficial if you practice and apply them in the...Read More

    Resetting Your Mindset About Jazz Improvisation

    The funny thing about learning a new skill is that we often carry our first experiences around with us for years. You might try drawing or you may try learning a new language and without...Read More

    The funny thing about learning a new skill is that we often carry our first experiences around with us for years. You might try drawing or you may try learning...Read More

    Visualizing Musical Progress

    Visualization can be a very powerful tool when it comes to achieving your goals. Everyone from professional athletes to ballet dancers have used this simple, but effective technique throughout training and competition to reach their...Read More

    Visualization can be a very powerful tool when it comes to achieving your goals. Everyone from professional athletes to ballet dancers have used this simple, but effective technique throughout training...Read More

    The Path to Playing What You’re Hearing

    Play what you're hearing in your head! These are the instructions that numerous books, videos, and educators tell us as we struggle to figure out how to play over chord progressions. The only problem in...Read More

    Play what you're hearing in your head! These are the instructions that numerous books, videos, and educators tell us as we struggle to figure out how to play over chord...Read More