Best Ways To Practice Scales For Improvisation – 9 Ideas (with examples)
Practicing scales is good. Effectively practicing scales to use the exercise in learning to play by ear is even better. How to practice scales for maximum return.
Practice Better
Tips on how to practice more effectively and accomplish more in your practice sessions
Can YOU Learn With Online Lessons?
I wish I had $100 dollars for every time I’ve had the conversation: I’m playing out somewhere – at a gig at a jazz club, or playing in some Christmas production or a cantata at a church somewhere, where someone will come up to me after the event and reminisce about how they wished they … Read more
Why You Need To OWN The Pentatonic Scale
We’ve all heard how important it is to practice our scales and chords. But there is one thing for sure: the pentatonic scale is foundational to improvisation. You need to OWN the pentatonic scale.While all the scales are important, sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. There are major scales, and then there are … Read more
Why Every Wind Player Needs To Learn Piano
If you play a wind instrument, you really should learn some basic piano skills. The reasons why are many and are discussed here.
Pros Are Just Masters Of The Fundamentals
There is a bit of a step between bad and good. Learning the basics of something makes you better. The difference between good and great is perhaps a little harder to reach. It takes work. What you might not realize, though, is that there is a real “thing” about how people who are good at … Read more
Not All Practice Makes Perfect
In the “members section” of the site, I link to a video where I describe something called “muscle memory,” and how, for good or for bad, when you practice a physical motion with your body, the body tends to “remember” how to do that motion. When you practice your sax, your body “remembers” it in … Read more
Muscle Memory And Improvisation
Some thoughts on muscle memory, and the importance of accuracy in practice.When you practice a physical motion with your body, the body tends to “remember” how to do that motion. For those of us who can walk and ride a bicycle, you realize pretty quickly when you think about it that you don’t think much … Read more
The Power Of Focus In Instrumental Practice
Sometimes it can be overwhelming to try to figure out where to start down a road to getting to where you want to go. If you’re floundering with conflicting feelings about how or what to practice, or where to start, sometimes you just have to start somewhere, and go from there.Read more
The Benefits Of Practicing Slowly
Rehearsing your instrument slowly has its own rewards.It’s pretty much any sax player’s wish that he or she could pick up the sax and play like greased lightening. A good solo is always awesome. But a fast solo is like a good martial arts trick. It leaves everyone in awe and almost worshipping the musician for … Read more
Ten Things I’ve Learned From Jamey Aabersold
Jamey Aabersold has probably sold more books on Jazz Improv than anyone. Here are 10 things I’ve learned from studying his materials and gleaned from interviews with him.