This is so important. A lot of educators like to talk badly about practicing intervals/recognizing sounds out of context, but it really is the fundamental skill that we put to use when listening to music in the real world. Love what you’re saying here, and I haven’t even gotten halfway through yet :)
When I learn a new jazz tune by ear on my trumpet I start out by playing with left hand fingerings. This puts my mind into the inner child mode where I am starting from scratch like a 3 year old learning to walk. I also try to play the tune in the lower register where I have to use pedal tones to get all the notes down. These 2 methods helps me explore how to hear a tune better. Improvising with left hand fingerings also gives me a different feel for playing the notes over the chords. In most cases my ideas are more creative with left hand fingerings. I guess this gives one the freedom to explore outside the burned in status quo way of playing. Many have poo pooed me for doing this but in the end I have a better feel for how to improvise with my dominant right hand. This is very hard to explain but it seems to work for me. It takes a little more time to learn a tune by ear with LH fingerings but it eliminates the bias reflexes that one gets burned into ones psyche learned over the years with my dominant hand.
Good video.. one needs to combine all those techniques diligently to achieve traction; as the last commenter pointed out though, it can be elusive, especially considering some of the saxophone players like Charlie Parker and other jazz musicians play at blinding tempos, tempos that make it a lot more difficult even when slowing the phrases down to half speed, there are issues. All one can do is hope for is to to get enough out of simpler tunes to be equipped to attack the harder ones. Also, it is much easier to copy ‘like’ instruments, ie sax to sax or guitar to guitar, rather than hearing one instrument and playing the same thing on a different instrument, where the same fundamental note has a completely different harmonic content in the frequency domain. 👨🏻 Either way, I personally believe that the ability to read and some functional understanding of melodic phrasing, harmony and rhythmic conception can go a long way in facilitating a musical journey.
Thank you for this great video! I play trombone and tuba and for me the equivalent to playing licks in different guitar positions is playing it up and down octaves (where possible).
1. You started by singing a 6th above a played note. One in a zillion people can do that, often after intensive training. A college sight-singing class is helpful. Intervals are the bedrock of hearing and understanding chord elements, moving around the fretboard, and improvising. 2. If you can’t pick out the melody of jazz standards, consider switching to percussion.
As a bass player, I totally agree with all these tips but the 3rd. On bass or guitar, changing the key, is not a big deal whne compared to a piano or a sax.
Que buen video amigo, yo estudié jazz hace muchos años pero por motivos laborales lo deje de practicar muchos años pero ahora quiero volver a estudiar el jazz. Uno de mis problemas siempre a Sido la falta de entrenamiento auditivo y voy a poner en práctica tus tips. Gracias y saludos desde México.
As a former golf pro who has hit litterally millions of golf and taught hundreds of golf students I wish music educators would STOP using this term 'muscle memory' because it is misleading and causes much confusion in the mind. In observation it's a beef that stands in way of real progress, whether it be learning to swing a golf club or play a musical instrument. It's a fact that muscles don't remember anything. Another fact - muscles don't have the ability to listen to your brain. It is the nervous system that controls your muscles - if you can put yourself in a creative frame of mind it will allow your muscles to respond simultaneously to signals your brain automatically feeds your nervous system. You've heard the term stay out of your own way - notion that you can sit and do these excersizes is the path to guarantee your muscles will get in your own way and no amount of repitition can change that. A muscle is nothing but a piece of meat. It is theind that controls the nervous system - if you let it...
I think this is a distinction without a difference. Repetition yields automaticity, regardless of the controlling mechanism. BTW - 1 million shots requires 200 shots a day, 250 days a year, for 20 years. Not impossible, but definitely on the high side.
No one needs to know the grammar nor the alphabet to learn a language. If you want to improve your ear transcribe .... A LOT! It not only trains your ear, it makes you a better player. Sing Sing Sing.
This is so important. A lot of educators like to talk badly about practicing intervals/recognizing sounds out of context, but it really is the fundamental skill that we put to use when listening to music in the real world. Love what you’re saying here, and I haven’t even gotten halfway through yet :)
When I learn a new jazz tune by ear on my trumpet I start out by playing with left hand fingerings. This puts my mind into the inner child mode where I am starting from scratch like a 3 year old learning to walk. I also try to play the tune in the lower register where I have to use pedal tones to get all the notes down. These 2 methods helps me explore how to hear a tune better. Improvising with left hand fingerings also gives me a different feel for playing the notes over the chords. In most cases my ideas are more creative with left hand fingerings. I guess this gives one the freedom to explore outside the burned in status quo way of playing. Many have poo pooed me for doing this but in the end I have a better feel for how to improvise with my dominant right hand. This is very hard to explain but it seems to work for me. It takes a little more time to learn a tune by ear with LH fingerings but it eliminates the bias reflexes that one gets burned into ones psyche learned over the years with my dominant hand.
Good video.. one needs
to combine all those techniques diligently to achieve traction; as the last commenter pointed out though, it can be elusive, especially considering some of the saxophone players like Charlie Parker and other jazz musicians play at blinding tempos, tempos that make it a lot more difficult even when slowing the phrases down to half speed, there are issues. All one can do is hope for is to to get enough out of simpler tunes to be equipped to attack the harder ones. Also, it is much easier to copy ‘like’ instruments, ie sax to sax or guitar to guitar, rather than hearing one instrument and playing the same thing on a different instrument, where the same fundamental note has
a completely different harmonic content in the frequency domain. 👨🏻
Either way, I personally believe that the ability to read and some functional understanding of melodic phrasing, harmony and rhythmic conception can go a long way in facilitating a musical journey.
Thank you for this great video! I play trombone and tuba and for me the equivalent to playing licks in different guitar positions is playing it up and down octaves (where possible).
1. You started by singing a 6th above a played note. One in a zillion people can do that, often after intensive training. A college sight-singing class is helpful. Intervals are the bedrock of hearing and understanding chord elements, moving around the fretboard, and improvising.
2. If you can’t pick out the melody of jazz standards, consider switching to percussion.
This really helps but am just getting back on my Sax for a long time now
Such great advices
Amazing video! You've validated a lot of stuff I'm doing at the moment 🙏
Thank you, LJS🌹🌹🌹🌹
Thank you so much för these analyses of very usefull tips and info , reminders .
Glad it was helpful!
Hello from France, thank you for this vidéo, it’s great and very accurate
You're very welcome!
Now I must copy this altered lick, I love it :D
Thanks!
Thanks for the great tips!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video, as always! Thank you. Please, Tell us more about the Victor Baker guitar you’re playing.
Thanks so much. You may check his website www.victorbakerguitars.com/NYCLuthier/
This is amazing! can you show us the family chords of Jazz Chords?
great video! what kinda guitar is this?
Great video.
Thanks a lot! Glad you enjoyed it
As a bass player, I totally agree with all these tips but the 3rd. On bass or guitar, changing the key, is not a big deal whne compared to a piano or a sax.
I have large ears, does that count?
Best laugh of the day: “How do you train for jasmine position…?” Via closed captions. ; -)
Que buen video amigo, yo estudié jazz hace muchos años pero por motivos laborales lo deje de practicar muchos años pero ahora quiero volver a estudiar el jazz. Uno de mis problemas siempre a Sido la falta de entrenamiento auditivo y voy a poner en práctica tus tips. Gracias y saludos desde México.
🙏
As a former golf pro who has hit litterally millions of golf and taught hundreds of golf students I wish music educators would STOP using this term 'muscle memory' because it is misleading and causes much confusion in the mind. In observation it's a beef that stands in way of real progress, whether it be learning to swing a golf club or play a musical instrument.
It's a fact that muscles don't remember anything. Another fact - muscles don't have the ability to listen to your brain. It is the nervous system that controls your muscles - if you can put yourself in a creative frame of mind it will allow your muscles to respond simultaneously to signals your brain automatically feeds your nervous system. You've heard the term stay out of your own way - notion that you can sit and do these excersizes is the path to guarantee your muscles will get in your own way and no amount of repitition can change that. A muscle is nothing but a piece of meat. It is theind that controls the nervous system - if you let it...
I think this is a distinction without a difference. Repetition yields automaticity, regardless of the controlling mechanism. BTW - 1 million shots requires 200 shots a day, 250 days a year, for 20 years. Not impossible, but definitely on the high side.
No one needs to know the grammar nor the alphabet to learn a language. If you want to improve your ear transcribe .... A LOT! It not only trains your ear, it makes you a better player. Sing Sing Sing.