Inspiration for improvisers
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Jazz Education, Perspectives, Playing Techniques
We receive countless emails expressing gratitude for Jazzadvice.com and we greatly appreciate the thousands of people that visit each and every week. It’s because of you (our awesome readers) that we continue to write and find new ways to communicate things, striving to be clearer and clearer. To our readers, a sincere thank you. But …
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Chords, Composition, How to Practice Jazz, Jazz Advice and Tips, Jazz Education, Jazz Language, Myths, Perspectives, Playing Techniques, Scales, Transcribing
Composition is selective improvisation – Igor Stravinsky. In 15 seconds the difference between composition and improvisation is that in composition you have all the time you want to decide what to say in 15 seconds, while in improvisation you have 15 seconds – Steve Lacy. Learning to improvise is a big undertaking. Not only must …
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One thing we’re all accustomed to in this day and age is results with a limited amount of work. From daily tasks to larger life goals, this mentality has been ingrained into our collective mindset. Put in a set amount of effort and time and you’ll reach your goal, getting the exact results you’ve envisioned. …
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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 hours toiling away, but how that time is spent is crucial to seeing musical development. In our daily practice, we …
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Inspiration, Jazz Advice and Tips, Perspectives
Over the years, in learning this music and working on improvisation, I’ve encountered a lot of educational information: how to learn, how to practice, which scales to use, how to learn bebop in a week, etc. Looking back, the hardest part can be deciding which method is best or which information to trust. Sometimes the …
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Jazz Language, Jazz Musicians, Jazz Standards, Playing Techniques, Transcribing
What if there were a jazz musician that didn’t rely on scales, licks, or patterns, but instead sought only to play what they’d sing? What would this musician sound like? What kind of playing techniques would they use and how would they approach taking a solo? This kind of musician is what I hear when …
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Chords, Jazz Musicians, Playing Techniques, Premium Only
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 to add all sorts of chord alterations to their melodic lines. But it requires a sense of how these altered …
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How to Practice Jazz, Jazz Advice and Tips
When you think about the things that’ll make you a better improviser, your mind probably goes right to music theory…The scales, the chords, the diminished patterns & the ii-V licks. If only you knew more of this stuff you’d finally sound great. You’re not alone in thinking this. Take a peek inside any modern jazz method …
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Practicing is the most important thing you can do as a musician. Or so everyone says…But let’s be honest, practicing can be a real drag sometimes. It can feel like the daily chore that you can never escape. Hours of tedious warm-up routines, endless technical exercises, and slogging through every key while staring at the …
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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 players approach this sound with the same old scales and licks every time. And this can get pretty boring… That’s …
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Becoming fluent with jazz language is the key to unlocking your musical freedom when you improvise. It’s the missing piece of the puzzle. The lost ship. The thing everyone ignores… And it’s totally counter-intuitive… You copy, to sound original. You practice the same line over and over, to be creative. You use limitation, to find …
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Figuring out what college to attend and what your major will be is quite a task. Recently we received a question asking specifically about how to choose a music school that is right for you: “Could you tell me about the process of finding a music school? Could you give some tips on auditioning? I …