3 Easy Ways to Start Composing Jazz Now!
As aspiring jazz musicians, we find ourselves mostly focused on the art of Improvisation, a paramount skill for playing jazz. Another less discussed but equally important skill is Composition. Composition is essentially the same as Improvisation, except instead of creating music spontaneously in the moment, one is creating music in a slower, more controlled process. […]
4 Guidelines for Pentatonic Improv
Don’t use pentatonics exclusively – This gets old fast. Pentatonics work best when they are mixed in with other harmonic language and textures. By combining pentatonics with chord-scale relationships, you can create countless paths to navigate changes. Start inside, take it out, then bring it back in – Pentatonics create tension. For this tension to […]
3 Step Process to Assimilate Improv Concepts
Have you ever wanted to incorporate a musical idea into your playing but struggled to get past the “Copy and Paste” phase? This process will help you internalize musical ideas and make them a part of who you are, not just a lick that you can play. First, decide on a musical subject. Identify a […]
JPS Ep:129 – 3 Tips To Improve The Blues Scale
Learning how to make your blues scale improv not sound terrible can be difficult. Trust me! I went through the same thing! Here are 3 very easy tips that will your blues scale improvisation instantly sound like you’ve been doing it for years! Enjoy
What is a Bebop Scale? And Why Is It Important?
Are Bebop Scales the secret to unlocking the mystery of bebop improvisation for you? No. In order to truly sound authentic with bebop improvisation, you must develop a solid bebop vocabulary and incorporate staples of bebop phraseology such as: enclosures, chromaticism, triplets in between a string of eighth notes, and particular sounds like the altered […]
Jazz Piano School, Ep 24: How To Start Improvising (Beginner)
When learning how to improvise you want to make sure you have the necessary foundation to support your solo. These initial steps will make sure you get started on the right path to playing killin jazz piano solos and sounding your best.
