Jazz Improvisation Made Simple: A Step-By-Step Guide
You and I are not that different. We both want to become better jazz improvisers. We both have a passion for jazz music and we daydream about taking killer solos the next time we...
How to Consistently Play to Your Full Potential on the Gig
(This is a guest post by Mark Morely-Fletcher.)
Bird said it best.
At least, I don’t know of anyone who’s said it better since.
“You’ve got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then,...
2 Pro Tips For Maximizing Your Jazz Practice Routine Results
As jazz musicians, we dream of becoming great soloists. For the vast majority of musicians that is the ultimate goal to achieve. However, it is not an easy task, and very few get to...
Why Jazz Isn’t Defined By Your Personal Taste
In recent years I’ve noticed what I feel is a troubling trend among some – but, to be fair, not all – jazz musicians and enthusiasts. Sometimes, when someone hears a style, sub-genre, or...
Why Jazz Musicians Should Practice Slowly
If we go around and ask every professional and accomplished musician, I believe they will all agree on one thing, and that is that slow-practice routines are an essential part of their development and...
18 Ways to Make Big Money as a Jazz Musician
(Editors Note: This is a guest post by Chad Lefkowitz-Brown)
If you Google "How much money does a jazz musician make?", an NPR article will come up headlined, "Do Jazz Musicians Really Make $23,000 A...
4 Tips For Not Getting Lost During a Drum Solo (for Non-Drummers)
Drum solos are entertaining and bring a ton of energy to the performance. However, they can also be a nightmare, because keeping your place during a drum solo is not always an easy task.
For...
3 Pivotal Exercises to Improve Technique on Your Instrument
As jazz musicians, we are all on a lifelong journey to constantly improve our technique on our instruments. Anyone who has tried to master a bebop tune or improvise at a fast tempo knows...
Pro Tip: Practicing Towards Killer Musical Performances
Practicing is an art in and of itself, and it is not easy. If we want to see results, we have to know what to practice and how to do so.
Performing is an entirely...
6 Common Endings All Jazz Musicians Should Know
How do you end a jazz standard?
As jazz musicians, we spend so much time and energy working on learning jazz standards and developing the craft of improvisation that we sometimes forget to address very...