How To Never Miss A Practice Session!
Have you ever told yourself you were going to practice and found yourself wondering what happened 3 days later? Here are some tips to help ensure you never miss a practice session again. #1 Find your practice time Not all times of day work for me to practice. I simply cannot practice in the morning. […]
Improve Your Jazz With 6 Tips From The BSO Tour
As I write this blog I am two hours away from the end of a 13 hour flight back from Tokyo! This is probably the longest two hours of my life. For some reason going back is a lot harder. I’ve just finished a two week tour with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Asia. If […]
How To Achieve Continuous Growth Through Perspective
We create our own beliefs and reality based on our surroundings. It’s hard to believe the rest of the world does not look or operate like America. Especially if you’ve been living there for the past 29 years like myself. How could one possibly know or understand what other parts of the world are like? […]
China Day 1
Day 1 Beijing, China After a 13 hour flight, a 3 hour layover and another 3 hour flight, we finally made it to Beijing. I didn’t sleep at all on the first flight. Believe it or not I was typing the entire time writing the course content and manual for Jazz Piano School. It’s hard […]
Make More Progress And Practice Less, Here’s How
Yes that headline is correct. Stop wasting your time and actually make more progress by doing less. Seems too good to be true, right? Let me explain. Everyone usually wants to learn how to play an instrument or learn a skill, but no one wants to work to learn how to do it. And actually […]
How To Impress Drummers With Your Rhythmic Comping
One of my students recently asked me a great question about how to approach exploring rhythmic concepts to incorporate into his playing. Although he has played classical music for many years, he started taking jazz lessons with me about 2 years ago, and has just recently played his first gig and a couple more after […]
Improvisation For Beginners – How The Heck Do I Start Improvising?
Improvisation is one of the best parts of jazz. It allows people to express themselves how ever they like. You learn a lot about yourself when you are asked to spontaneously make music. You can create whatever you like. Lot’s of musicians will tell you it’s like therapy. You’re girlfriend or boyfriend break up with […]
What Is Diatonic Harmony and Why Is It Helpful?
Have you ever heard the term diatonic harmony before? …..Some of you are probably staring at your computer or mobile device blankly, others may be like “ehhh isn’t that when a ship comes down and…” Just kidding. Some of you may know exactly what it is, but if you don’t or you need a better […]
5 Reasons To Go To Jam Sessions, Even If They Scare the Hell Out Of You
Jam sessions have been around and helping musicians ever since jazz was created. Musicians would get together and play music for the enjoyment of playing. Most of the well known jazz musicians we know these days frequented jam sessions when they were young as well. There are many stories about musicians such as Charlie Parker, […]
How To Pay Your Band Properly, Demonstrated By Everything Not To Do
I thought I would do something different this time and tell a story that happened to be to exemplify everything you should NOT do when paying your band. Yes this really happened. Enjoy! I was hired by Mr. X to play a wedding gig. I was told I would be paid at the gig $120. […]
