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How many would find this thread valuable to them? I would!! Please keep posting... 93% [ 683 ] I'm sure sombody else would... 6% [ 51 ] Total Votes : 734

Author Message JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR

Heavyweight Member





Joined: 21 Aug 2004

Posts: 1154



Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 8:25 pm Post subject: Jazz Improvisation, Jamey Aebersold

wish to be able to improvise but simply don't know how to get started.



Many get Jamey Aebersold's Volume 1 book/CD set to start with but then

find it quite daunting. There is so much information in it, that people often

feel that it will be too difficult and they quickly give up. I can make Jamey

Aebersold's method books/CDs much easier to understand, and therefore

a much more enjoyable and successful experience!



I'll present very small bits for beginners to fully digest and it will be done

quite slowly, one lesson at a time. If all goes well, it'll lead to many posts

that can take a person from beginner to advanced. There are many small

steps to be taken, but learned one at a time each will be very simple and

easy to understand.



................................*** LESSON NUMBER 1 ***..................................



When one begins trying to play by ear along with some music for the first

time, they quickly find that some notes sound good in certain places, while

others sound 'wrong' or 'bad'. Eventually, we see that almost any note can

sound right if used in the correct way, but in the beginning the student will

need to think of the various notes as either 'right notes' or 'wrong notes'.



If you try to improvise along with some music in the key of C major, it'll

quickly become obvious that the notes of the C major scale will generally

sound "right", and the other notes will sound "wrong" (especially if they're

held for more than just a beat or two). If the song is in the key of F major,

the notes of the F major scale will generally sound good, and in the key of

G major, the notes of the G major scale will sound good, etc, etc...



Sometimes in the middle of a song you may notice that a different scale

may be needed for certain sections. For the beginner, this is what improv

is all about, knowing which scales yield good sounding notes. Sometimes

one scale will work well for a whole song, but usually more than one scale

is needed. Later, the improv student begins to learn 'licks' based on these

scales (which help make his improvisations sound much more advanced)

but it all starts with the basic scales.



It is necessary to learn to play all 12 major scales very well right away. I

suggest starting this project now if you want to begin jazz improv with me.

Just start with the simple ones first like C, F, Bb, Eb, G, D and A. That is 7

scales (through 3 flats and 3 sharps). The last five scales can be learned

more gradually, perhaps one each week, and you will be doing just fine.



You must eventually know these 12 scales "like the back of your hand",

and then everything will go very smoothly. Without them you will soon

crash and burn. So get yourself a schedule in mind and start now. I will

keep posting, but you should just take it all slowly, at your own pace.



Specific questions will be answered right here on this thread, so posting

questions is welcomed, especially the kind that might benefit everyone!!

Be sure to get Jamey Aebersold's book/CD Volume 1. If you want to get

stocked up for a year's worth of study get Volumes 2, 3 and 5 too. Later

I'll ask you to buy just a few books that will last you a very long time!!



I'll be going to great lengths to make this thread a logical way to learn

everything you need to know in a very efficient and enjoyable manner

using the first few Aebersold albums as a foundation. It is organized as

a kind of method system that can take you step-by-step from beginner

to advanced. This course of study presents information in a logical way

along with appropriate play-along tracks for each new bit of material. I

feel that almost anyone can follow along and reach their goals... if they

simply stick with it.



www.aebersold.com

www.penders.com



.......................................................................................................



SEPTEMBER 2009... It's now nearly 5 years since I began this thread.

THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 150 LESSONS WRITTEN SO FAR AND OVER

80,000 VISITS BY INTERESTED PEOPLE!



I'm honored to have been appreciated by so many!! I hope people will

benefit from this project for many years to come. Below are just a few

of the comments I've received about this thread.



CRJAZZMAN wrote:

Thank you, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! 40+ years old and been playing lead all my trumpet life. Always wanted to get into improv. This stuff is pure GOLD! Now I can start a more deliberate path to organized creativity! It removes the confusion by getting it stripped down and keeping it simple so we can "get it". Thanks again!



Pat Harbison wrote:

Tom, This is great stuff! It's like you are putting together really clear lesson plans for self-teaching. Bravo! (then later on he says) If you edit these posts into chapters or just take these posts to a good editor or co-writer you'll have one of the best improv books on the market. This stuff rocks! PH



JasonHarrelson wrote:

For anyone wishing to take the leap to improv... follow Tom's advice. I've had the pleasure of hearing him play and believe me, his words are as solid as his own playing.



plp wrote:

Tom, where were you 25 years ago when I needed this???? People, and particularly you youngsters, this is pure gold! To be able to couple this instruction with the Jamey Aebersold play along CDs is one of the best ideas I've seen on this site since the BE forum! Thank you for this excellent tool...



Robert Rowe wrote:

You have paved the way for many of us to progress with our studies and further our understanding of many confusing improvising concepts. Thanks for your contributions. I have a great deal of admiration and respect for you. You are "giving back" something to the world.



LondonHusker wrote:

Tom has obviously put a great deal of his heart and soul into constructing the lessons contained on this thread. These efforts display both his passion for music in general and for sharing with others his love for jazz improvisation in particular. This thread has become a valuable resource for many new to jazz improvisation as well as many of us who work daily with young jazz musicians. I encourage Tom to continue sharing his insights with the rest of us. His efforts are most appreciated.



Gene wrote:

Tom, thank you ever so much for doing this. I have just today seen the thread. As a comeback guy with a forty year lay off this is great. I have being intriged with Jazz and improvising, but how does a 55 year old man learn to do it... You have very graciously answered that and in a way that is fun to follow. Let me go find the books. Wonder how long it will take me to catch up to lesson 129!!!



Carlos Cuenca wrote:

Dear Tom, I would like you to know you have a new student. Man, your lessons are simply great! It's systematic, and most importantly, really progressive! I'm just beginning with your classes, but I'll definitely look forward to following your program. Great work, great way of sharring your experience!!



Bronz-O-Lyte wrote:

I stumbled onto TH and was really impressed with the knowledge shared by all on this forum, but frankly you blew me away with this thread. I'm amazed that somebody would dedicate this much time and energy to sharing this kind of information. You've given me even more incentive to practice and to get my chops back into shape. Thankyou.



MFMeow wrote:

Hi Tom, Big thank you! I've decided it's high time I learn to improvise. I've always loved jazz, but improvising was a big mystery to me and I was extremely envious of those who had crossed that bridge. I decided that I'm an intelligent person and I should be able to figure this stuff out. It's all about baby steps. I just recently started with Aebersold Book 1, and I wanted to thank you for all the time you've put into this and for making improvisation more accessible. Kirsten



..............................................................................................................................................................................



This thread will allow players to learn at their own pace in a step-by-

step fashion. Each of these 150 lessons can be studied and mastered

at your own pace as you apply everything learned to the "play-along"

tracks. I've been teaching improv using these book/cd sets for many

years now, and I can assure you success if you will stick to a gradual

plan of daily study. All the information is given in a very logical order

to make it easy to understand.



I hope you will try this out and join in the fun. There is nothing more

satisfying than simply closing your eyes and being able to play what

you feel!! I love jazz so much, I just can't imagine a world without it.



Your Friend, Tom in Texas

JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR

_________________

7 Monettes, 9 Taylors, 8 Courtois, 8 Stomvis

7 Lawlers, 4 Leblancs, 3 Bessons, 3 Kanstuls

2 Blackburns, 9 Schilkes, 8 Bachs, 5 Selmers

8 Yamahas, 5 Committees, 2 Edwards Gen X

4 Marcinkeiwicz, 9 Harrelsons, and 4 Eclipses I have taught Jazz Improv for about 30 years now. I notice many playerswish to be able to improvise but simply don't know how to get started.Many get Jamey Aebersold's Volume 1 book/CD set to start with but thenfind it quite daunting. There is so much information in it, that people oftenfeel that it will be too difficult and they quickly give up. I can make JameyAebersold's method books/CDs much easier to understand, and thereforea much more enjoyable and successful experience!I'll present very small bits for beginners to fully digest and it will be donequite slowly, one lesson at a time. If all goes well, it'll lead to many poststhat can take a person from beginner to advanced. There are many smallsteps to be taken, but learned one at a time each will be very simple andeasy to understand.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 1 ***..................................When one begins trying to play by ear along with some music for the firsttime, they quickly find that some notes sound good in certain places, whileothers sound 'wrong' or 'bad'. Eventually, we see that almost any note cansound right if used in the correct way, but in the beginning the student willneed to think of the various notes as either 'right notes' or 'wrong notes'.If you try to improvise along with some music in the key of C major, it'llquickly become obvious that the notes of the C major scale will generallysound "right", and the other notes will sound "wrong" (especially if they'reheld for more than just a beat or two). If the song is in the key of F major,the notes of the F major scale will generally sound good, and in the key ofG major, the notes of the G major scale will sound good, etc, etc...Sometimes in the middle of a song you may notice that a different scalemay be needed for certain sections. For the beginner, this is what improvis all about, knowing which scales yield good sounding notes. Sometimesone scale will work well for a whole song, but usually more than one scaleis needed. Later, the improv student begins to learn 'licks' based on thesescales (which help make his improvisations sound much more advanced)but it all starts with the basic scales.It is necessary to learn to play all 12 major scales very well right away. Isuggest starting this project now if you want to begin jazz improv with me.Just start with the simple ones first like C, F, Bb, Eb, G, D and A. That is 7scales (through 3 flats and 3 sharps). The last five scales can be learnedmore gradually, perhaps one each week, and you will be doing just fine.You must eventually know these 12 scales "like the back of your hand",and then everything will go very smoothly. Without them you will sooncrash and burn. So get yourself a schedule in mind and start now. I willkeep posting, but you should just take it all slowly, at your own pace.Specific questions will be answered right here on this thread, so postingquestions is welcomed, especially the kind that might benefit everyone!!Be sure to get Jamey Aebersold's book/CD Volume 1. If you want to getstocked up for a year's worth of study get Volumes 2, 3 and 5 too. LaterI'll ask you to buy just a few books that will last you a very long time!!I'll be going to great lengths to make this thread a logical way to learneverything you need to know in a very efficient and enjoyable mannerusing the first few Aebersold albums as a foundation. It is organized asa kind of method system that can take you step-by-step from beginnerto advanced. This course of study presents information in a logical wayalong with appropriate play-along tracks for each new bit of material. Ifeel that almost anyone can follow along and reach their goals... if theysimply stick with it........................................................................................................SEPTEMBER 2009... It's now nearly 5 years since I began this thread.THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 150 LESSONS WRITTEN SO FAR AND OVER80,000 VISITS BY INTERESTED PEOPLE!I'm honored to have been appreciated by so many!! I hope people willbenefit from this project for many years to come. Below are just a fewof the comments I've received about this thread.CRJAZZMAN wrote:Thank you, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! 40+ years old and been playing lead all my trumpet life. Always wanted to get into improv. This stuff is pure GOLD! Now I can start a more deliberate path to organized creativity! It removes the confusion by getting it stripped down and keeping it simple so we can "get it". Thanks again!Pat Harbison wrote:Tom, This is great stuff! It's like you are putting together really clear lesson plans for self-teaching. Bravo! (then later on he says) If you edit these posts into chapters or just take these posts to a good editor or co-writer you'll have one of the best improv books on the market. This stuff rocks! PHJasonHarrelson wrote:For anyone wishing to take the leap to improv... follow Tom's advice. I've had the pleasure of hearing him play and believe me, his words are as solid as his own playing.plp wrote:Tom, where were you 25 years ago when I needed this???? People, and particularly you youngsters, this is pure gold! To be able to couple this instruction with the Jamey Aebersold play along CDs is one of the best ideas I've seen on this site since the BE forum! Thank you for this excellent tool...Robert Rowe wrote:You have paved the way for many of us to progress with our studies and further our understanding of many confusing improvising concepts. Thanks for your contributions. I have a great deal of admiration and respect for you. You are "giving back" something to the world.LondonHusker wrote:Tom has obviously put a great deal of his heart and soul into constructing the lessons contained on this thread. These efforts display both his passion for music in general and for sharing with others his love for jazz improvisation in particular. This thread has become a valuable resource for many new to jazz improvisation as well as many of us who work daily with young jazz musicians. I encourage Tom to continue sharing his insights with the rest of us. His efforts are most appreciated.Gene wrote:Tom, thank you ever so much for doing this. I have just today seen the thread. As a comeback guy with a forty year lay off this is great. I have being intriged with Jazz and improvising, but how does a 55 year old man learn to do it... You have very graciously answered that and in a way that is fun to follow. Let me go find the books. Wonder how long it will take me to catch up to lesson 129!!!Carlos Cuenca wrote:Dear Tom, I would like you to know you have a new student. Man, your lessons are simply great! It's systematic, and most importantly, really progressive! I'm just beginning with your classes, but I'll definitely look forward to following your program. Great work, great way of sharring your experience!!Bronz-O-Lyte wrote:I stumbled onto TH and was really impressed with the knowledge shared by all on this forum, but frankly you blew me away with this thread. I'm amazed that somebody would dedicate this much time and energy to sharing this kind of information. You've given me even more incentive to practice and to get my chops back into shape. Thankyou.MFMeow wrote:Hi Tom, Big thank you! I've decided it's high time I learn to improvise. I've always loved jazz, but improvising was a big mystery to me and I was extremely envious of those who had crossed that bridge. I decided that I'm an intelligent person and I should be able to figure this stuff out. It's all about baby steps. I just recently started with Aebersold Book 1, and I wanted to thank you for all the time you've put into this and for making improvisation more accessible. Kirsten..............................................................................................................................................................................This thread will allow players to learn at their own pace in a step-by-step fashion. Each of these 150 lessons can be studied and masteredat your own pace as you apply everything learned to the "play-along"tracks. I've been teaching improv using these book/cd sets for manyyears now, and I can assure you success if you will stick to a gradualplan of daily study. All the information is given in a very logical orderto make it easy to understand.I hope you will try this out and join in the fun. There is nothing moresatisfying than simply closing your eyes and being able to play whatyou feel!! I love jazz so much, I just can't imagine a world without it.Your Friend, Tom in TexasJAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR_________________7 Monettes, 9 Taylors, 8 Courtois, 8 Stomvis7 Lawlers, 4 Leblancs, 3 Bessons, 3 Kanstuls2 Blackburns, 9 Schilkes, 8 Bachs, 5 Selmers8 Yamahas, 5 Committees, 2 Edwards Gen X4 Marcinkeiwicz, 9 Harrelsons, and 4 Eclipses



Last edited by JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR on Wed Sep 23, 2009 10:30 am; edited 10 times in total Back to top JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR

Heavyweight Member





Joined: 21 Aug 2004

Posts: 1154



Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 1:55 am Post subject:



OK! You now know the 12 major scales MUST be mastered, and that these

scales will be the key to your success... EVERYTHING that you will learn in

the future about jazz and improvisation will be built on this platform. When

you get to the harder scales, you will want to practice physically fingerring

them and visualizing them even when you're away from the horn... during

TV commercials, at stop lights, or in even in bed at night before you go to

sleep! Become obsessed with the 12 major scales now! The other thing I'll

stress is listenning to jazz. You should get in the habit of listenning to good

jazz if you don't already. Chet baker is a great place to start, or any other

great jazz trumpeters or sax players like Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. I

will leave the choice to you, but I'd strongly advise small combos so you'll

hear the most solos possible. This is a MUST. LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN!!!



Now, on to Jamey Aebersold's improv book/CD "How to Play..." Volume 1!

This book is in two parts. The first 67 pages are instructional material. You

will study basic music theory in these pages, and ideas about improvising.



It isn't necessary to read and fully understand all this material before you

get started with the second part of the book. Starting on page 68 you find

pages that basically give the suggested scales to use when playing along

with the recorded background tracks on the enclosed cd.



The 1st section of the second part is for use by Concert Key Instruments

such as pianos, etc. Skip to the second section, which begins on page 73,

and you'll find the material for trumpet players, "Bb Instruments". These

are the tracks that you will play along with, and the first one is two tuning

notes, "Concert Bb and Concert A". For trumpet players these are the two

notes that we call C and B. Below that you'll see "Track 2". That is where

you will actually begin improvizing along with a real jazz combo... but not

just yet!



Before we start to play we need a bit more knowledge so let's get started

with a little reading. It won't be long before you'll be playing along with a

real rythm section! These guys are always ready to play when you are...

They never complain, they never get tired, and they are always happy to

go back and play a track as many times as you need.



Please read pages 2, 3 and 4. Don't worry about not understanding every

single sentence. Just take it in, re-read it a time or two and just relax. This

will be a long journey, so let yourself enjoy the learning process itself. Be

very patient and secure in the knowledge that if you keep taking one step

at a time, you WILL reach your goals! Tomorrow listen to some jazz, then

go back and read those three pages again a couple more times, then you

should start checking off some of those major scales. Just be very patient,

and let all of this stuff start sinking in very slowly and very deeply. If you

like, you might try listenning, and skat singing (vocal improvization) along

with "Track 2".



In my next post I will get you actually playing along with that track a little

bit for the first time. This is usually a very magical experience! People can

hardly believe it when they jump in and actually start to play along. You'll

likely make some very nice musical sounds that'll please and amaze you,

RIGHT FROM THE VERY FIRST TRY!!!



Read and study ahead if you like, sing, listen, and begin practicing those

scales, but don't play along with the CD quite yet. Listen and sing along

with several tracks if you like, and reread these two posts, but don't play

along with the CD until I give you some tips in my next post. Thanks...



Your Friend, Tom in Texas

JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR

_________________

7 Monettes, 9 Taylors, 8 Courtois, 8 Stomvis

7 Lawlers, 4 Leblancs, 3 Bessons, 3 Kanstuls

2 Blackburns, 9 Schilkes, 8 Bachs, 5 Selmers

8 Yamahas, 5 Committees, 2 Edwards Gen X

4 Marcinkeiwicz, 9 Harrelsons, and 4 Eclipses ...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 2 ***...............................OK! You now know the 12 major scales MUST be mastered, and that thesescales will be the key to your success... EVERYTHING that you will learn inthe future about jazz and improvisation will be built on this platform. Whenyou get to the harder scales, you will want to practice physically fingerringthem and visualizing them even when you're away from the horn... duringTV commercials, at stop lights, or in even in bed at night before you go tosleep! Become obsessed with the 12 major scales now! The other thing I'llstress is listenning to jazz. You should get in the habit of listenning to goodjazz if you don't already. Chet baker is a great place to start, or any othergreat jazz trumpeters or sax players like Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. Iwill leave the choice to you, but I'd strongly advise small combos so you'llhear the most solos possible. This is a MUST. LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN!!!Now, on to Jamey Aebersold's improv book/CD "How to Play..." Volume 1!This book is in two parts. The first 67 pages are instructional material. Youwill study basic music theory in these pages, and ideas about improvising.It isn't necessary to read and fully understand all this material before youget started with the second part of the book. Starting on page 68 you findpages that basically give the suggested scales to use when playing alongwith the recorded background tracks on the enclosed cd.The 1st section of the second part is for use by Concert Key Instrumentssuch as pianos, etc. Skip to the second section, which begins on page 73,and you'll find the material for trumpet players, "Bb Instruments". Theseare the tracks that you will play along with, and the first one is two tuningnotes, "Concert Bb and Concert A". For trumpet players these are the twonotes that we call C and B. Below that you'll see "Track 2". That is whereyou will actually begin improvizing along with a real jazz combo... but notjust yet!Before we start to play we need a bit more knowledge so let's get startedwith a little reading. It won't be long before you'll be playing along with areal rythm section! These guys are always ready to play when you are...They never complain, they never get tired, and they are always happy togo back and play a track as many times as you need.Please read pages 2, 3 and 4. Don't worry about not understanding everysingle sentence. Just take it in, re-read it a time or two and just relax. Thiswill be a long journey, so let yourself enjoy the learning process itself. Bevery patient and secure in the knowledge that if you keep taking one stepat a time, you WILL reach your goals! Tomorrow listen to some jazz, thengo back and read those three pages again a couple more times, then youshould start checking off some of those major scales. Just be very patient,and let all of this stuff start sinking in very slowly and very deeply. If youlike, you might try listenning, and skat singing (vocal improvization) alongwith "Track 2".In my next post I will get you actually playing along with that track a littlebit for the first time. This is usually a very magical experience! People canhardly believe it when they jump in and actually start to play along. You'lllikely make some very nice musical sounds that'll please and amaze you,RIGHT FROM THE VERY FIRST TRY!!!Read and study ahead if you like, sing, listen, and begin practicing thosescales, but don't play along with the CD quite yet. Listen and sing alongwith several tracks if you like, and reread these two posts, but don't playalong with the CD until I give you some tips in my next post. Thanks...Your Friend, Tom in TexasJAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR_________________7 Monettes, 9 Taylors, 8 Courtois, 8 Stomvis7 Lawlers, 4 Leblancs, 3 Bessons, 3 Kanstuls2 Blackburns, 9 Schilkes, 8 Bachs, 5 Selmers8 Yamahas, 5 Committees, 2 Edwards Gen X4 Marcinkeiwicz, 9 Harrelsons, and 4 Eclipses



Last edited by JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR on Fri Mar 04, 2005 1:28 pm; edited 1 time in total Back to top Jazzman885

Regular Member





Joined: 31 Dec 2001

Posts: 72

Location: Hampshire, England

Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 9:16 am Post subject: Wow ! Some project. Thanks for taking it on.

I'm sending off for JA Book 1 right now, so will be following your posts with interest. (I have a couple of other JA books already, but not Book 1).

In the meantime, I'll crank up my scale practice.

Good luck.

Alan Back to top JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR

Heavyweight Member





Joined: 21 Aug 2004

Posts: 1154



Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 10:34 am Post subject:



Alright, now you are working on the 12 major scales, reading a little in

the book, and listenning to jazz soloists. It is also very helpful to try skat

singing along with the recorded tracks or any regular jazz recordings!



What's next? We begin to play... RIGHT NOW!!



TRACK 1: Open the book to page 73, "Bb Instruments". That's the section

for us trumpet players. Put the CD into your player and press PLAY. You'll

first hear tuning notes, "Concert Bb and Concert A". Trumpet players call

these notes C (third space C) and B (third line B). Proceed to tune up with

the CD using these notes just like you were about to play with a live band

(which you actually are, kind of...)!



TRACK 2: This is your very first playing experience with a real recorded

background. It will be quite easy, and you'll probably be amazed. Before

actually playing along with Track 2, it would be best to simply listen to it

a time or two.



As you can see in the book, the band will first play a G minor chord for 8

measures, then F minor chord for 8 measures, and then an E minor chord

for eight measures (then these three "8 bar phrases" repeat several more

times).



First just listen and count the measures. After eight measures you'll hear

the chord change. Eight more measures later you should hear the chord

change again. Every eight bars this will happen. Listen and anticipate the

"changes", you may even want to hum a little "skat" along with the music.

Even when you just sing along you will notice that there are "right notes",

and "wrong notes"... But, now lets play!



The first chord is a G minor chord for eight bars. Some "right notes" that

fit well with this chord are written out just below the "G-" symbol, meaning

"G minor". They are the notes G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F, and G. These are the

notes that you should use to play the first 8 bars of G minor. Then you'll

hear the chord change to F minor and begin using the notes written below

that chord symbol for the next 8 bars. Then you'll hear the chord change

to E minor and begin using the notes written below that symbol. Finally it

all repeats and you are back at the beginning.



Remember the "good sounding notes" change each eight measures, and

you must keep up with these changes. Listen carefully to make sure you

are keeping up with that band and playing the proper notes with each of

the various chords... If this is too tricky at first, go back to just listenning

and humming. When you do play (for now) just simply play slowly up and

down the scales a bit, then try playing very short musical ideas using the

scale tones. You can benefit the most by playing a few notes, then pause

and think about what you just played, then play a few more of those scale

tones. Keep doing this. Try to hear short musical ideas in your head when

you pause each time, and then attempt to play the ideas you "hear". Keep

it very, very simple for at least a couple of weeks and don't go on to those

other tracks quite yet!



If it doesn't all go perfectly at first, don't be surprised. Each time you sit

down to practice it will get a little better and better. Be patient! You may

want to get a tape recorder and tape yourself sometimes. Later you will

find some parts sound pretty darn good. Continue with the re-reading of

pages 2, 3 and 4. Also work on the major scales, and LISTEN TO JAZZ!!



Don't overdo the playing. Be sure to take breaks and pace yourself. You

are already taking the first baby steps! Go very slowly. We will stick with

this one track for a couple of weeks (and perhaps Track 3, the same thing

but just 4 bars for each chord). I will give further explanation for how and

why these notes sound "right" with these chords later, as well as more tips

for how to practice. Remember to go very slowly...



We are laying the foundation for all that is to follow. We want these first

steps to sink in very deeply, especially learning the 12 major scales, and

the process of beginning to hear short musical ideas in our mind as we

begin to play. Have fun, re-read the three pages again, and LISTEN. One

last suggestion. Make sure you don't let the quality of your trumpet playing

slide as you practice improv. You should always use the best technique you

can just as if you were playing classical music with a wind ensemble. Don't

let your technique suffer! Later...



Your Friend, Tom in Texas

JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR ................................*** LESSON NUMBER 3 ***.................................Alright, now you are working on the 12 major scales, reading a little inthe book, and listenning to jazz soloists. It is also very helpful to try skatsinging along with the recorded tracks or any regular jazz recordings!What's next? We begin to play... RIGHT NOW!!TRACK 1: Open the book to page 73, "Bb Instruments". That's the sectionfor us trumpet players. Put the CD into your player and press PLAY. You'llfirst hear tuning notes, "Concert Bb and Concert A". Trumpet players callthese notes C (third space C) and B (third line B). Proceed to tune up withthe CD using these notes just like you were about to play with a live band(which you actually are, kind of...)!TRACK 2: This is your very first playing experience with a real recordedbackground. It will be quite easy, and you'll probably be amazed. Beforeactually playing along with Track 2, it would be best to simply listen to ita time or two.As you can see in the book, the band will first play a G minor chord for 8measures, then F minor chord for 8 measures, and then an E minor chordfor eight measures (then these three "8 bar phrases" repeat several moretimes).First just listen and count the measures. After eight measures you'll hearthe chord change. Eight more measures later you should hear the chordchange again. Every eight bars this will happen. Listen and anticipate the"changes", you may even want to hum a little "skat" along with the music.Even when you just sing along you will notice that there are "right notes",and "wrong notes"... But, now lets play!The first chord is a G minor chord for eight bars. Some "right notes" thatfit well with this chord are written out just below the "G-" symbol, meaning"G minor". They are the notes G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F, and G. These are thenotes that you should use to play the first 8 bars of G minor. Then you'llhear the chord change to F minor and begin using the notes written belowthat chord symbol for the next 8 bars. Then you'll hear the chord changeto E minor and begin using the notes written below that symbol. Finally itall repeats and you are back at the beginning.Remember the "good sounding notes" change each eight measures, andyou must keep up with these changes. Listen carefully to make sure youare keeping up with that band and playing the proper notes with each ofthe various chords... If this is too tricky at first, go back to just listenningand humming. When you do play (for now) just simply play slowly up anddown the scales a bit, then try playing very short musical ideas using thescale tones. You can benefit the most by playing a few notes, then pauseand think about what you just played, then play a few more of those scaletones. Keep doing this. Try to hear short musical ideas in your head whenyou pause each time, and then attempt to play the ideas you "hear". Keepit very, very simple for at least a couple of weeks and don't go on to thoseother tracks quite yet!If it doesn't all go perfectly at first, don't be surprised. Each time you sitdown to practice it will get a little better and better. Be patient! You maywant to get a tape recorder and tape yourself sometimes. Later you willfind some parts sound pretty darn good. Continue with the re-reading ofpages 2, 3 and 4. Also work on the major scales, and LISTEN TO JAZZ!!Don't overdo the playing. Be sure to take breaks and pace yourself. Youare already taking the first baby steps! Go very slowly. We will stick withthis one track for a couple of weeks (and perhaps Track 3, the same thingbut just 4 bars for each chord). I will give further explanation for how andwhy these notes sound "right" with these chords later, as well as more tipsfor how to practice. Remember to go very slowly...We are laying the foundation for all that is to follow. We want these firststeps to sink in very deeply, especially learning the 12 major scales, andthe process of beginning to hear short musical ideas in our mind as webegin to play. Have fun, re-read the three pages again, and LISTEN. Onelast suggestion. Make sure you don't let the quality of your trumpet playingslide as you practice improv. You should always use the best technique youcan just as if you were playing classical music with a wind ensemble. Don'tlet your technique suffer! Later...Your Friend, Tom in TexasJAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR Back to top Simply Swingin'







Joined: 05 Nov 2004

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Location: Atlanta, Georgia. Heavyweight MemberJoined: 05 Nov 2004Posts: 525Location: Atlanta, Georgia.

Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 8:39 pm Post subject: No way you own all of those horns in your signature.

_________________

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------------------------

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Keep swingin'... Back to top JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR

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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 9:18 pm Post subject: Hi Simply Swingin',



I retail professional model trumpets, flugelhorns and flumpets full-time.

I taught in the public schools and played in various bands for years, then

I discoverred a niche in the "mostly exotic" trumpet business. I am very

fortunate to be able to live out all my trumpet fantasies, while earning a

living at the same time! I actually have about 300 instruments in stock

at the moment.



................................*** LESSON NUMBER 4 ***..................................



Now let's talk music theory. The music theory that one typically learns in

college is very useful when starting jazz, but it is a little different than the

modern music theory used by jazz players. So, if you've already learned

some music theory before, you'll notice a few differences in terminology

here and there. Don't worry about that... If you've not studied any music

theory at all before, don't worry about that either... no problem!



First of all, you may want to open your book to page 60. There you'll find

the twelve major scales, along with a few other types of scales as well...

particularly the 12 Dominant (or Mixolydian) scales, and also the 12 minor

(or Dorian) scales. The minor (Dorian) scales will be the topic of Lesson 4.



If you play a major scale from the first step up to the eighth step, you'll

hear the classic sound that we learned in elementary school. It goes like

this: Do, Re, Me, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do. That gives us the sound of the major

scale, eight notes in all. The C major scale has no sharps or flats, hence:

C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. The notes of the C major scale "soung good" when

we play them against a C major chord, and... they generally sound good

against almost all of the chords in simple songs in the key of C major as

well. This is not too surprising.



You've probably noticed when playing along with Track 2, that we aren't

using the Major scales. But if you go back now and examine them closely

you will notice that we were using a variation of the major scale, one that

sounded good with the minor chords (G-, F-, and E-). On the G- chord we

played the F Major scale starting on it's second step, G. On the F- chord,

we played the Eb Major scale starting on it's second step, F, and on the E-

chord we play the D Major scale starting on it's second step, E. By doing

this, we get nice "minor" type scales that sound good with the minor type

chords. Jazz musicians refer to this scale as "the minor scale", or even a

"dorian scale", or "dorian mode". All these names are correct... but since

Jamey primarily uses the terms "minor scale" or "dorian scale", so will I.



It is important to note that the G- chord uses the G minor scale, (which is

really an F Major scale starting on G). The F- chord uses the F minor scale

(which is really an Eb Major scale starting on F), and the E- chord uses the

E minor scale, (which is really a D Major scale starting on E). Study each

of these scales as they appear on page 60, and also on page 73.



Keep studying these special scales until you're sure you fully understand

their constuction. A comparison of both the C Major scale and the D minor

scale on page 60 should be very helpful. C Major starts on C, while the D

minor scale uses the same notes but starts on D. All the minor scales use

the notes of the Major scale located one whole step below. Make sure you

understand this completely before you go to the next lesson. Re-read this

post as many times as you need.



Continue the practice and study assignments I've given then make sure

you understand the special minor scales as I've described here, then go

ahead and read pages 5 and 6 in the book several times. Review all this

material often until you have it firmly in your grasp. There's no rush at all

and you need to let it all sink in very deeply. Just chew on all this for some

time, and I'll give more info on playing along with the recorded Tracks in

the next post! Take it all at your own pace, preferably slowly, and have

fun! Until next time, I am...



Your Friend, Tom in Texas

JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR



Last edited by JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR on Wed Sep 23, 2009 10:20 am; edited 1 time in total Back to top PH

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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 5:36 am Post subject: Tom, this is great stuff! It's like you are putting together really clear lesson plans for self-teaching. Bravo! Back to top JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR

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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 7:21 am Post subject:



Thanks for the compliment. I'll continue with this project as long as there

are people who value this information. I love jazz so much, I just couldn't

imagine a world without it! Hope I'm helping some folks out there...





.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 5 ***.............................



Back to Playing along with Track 2! Start out each play-along session by

just listenning to the music and counting the measures in your head. You

should quickly get to the point where you are able to "feel the music" in

4 bar phrases (notice each chord lasts for two 4 bar phrases). You should

gradually become able to sense the proper time for those chords/scales

to change without even thinking about it.



Another thing you should do is to memorize the three minor scales for G-,

F- and E- well enough that you don't need to think about them either. That

way you can simply concentrate on just playing your short simple melodic

ideas without any distractions at all. You won't have to consciously count

the measures or think about which notes to use while you play. You'll also

want to practice singing some short melodic ideas along with the music as

well. This will help you to access the ideas that are already in your head!



Now the playing will go so much easier! The next step is to play along with

Track 2 as you did before. It is a good idea to simply jump right in and do

this without fear. Don't worry about anything at all. You'll play some ideas

that sound great right away, and some ideas won't sound so good at all...

All of it will teach you though. Even the mistakes will gradually teach you

what DOESN'T work... so don't worry about them. Just play and have fun!



At first you should play slowly up and down each scale a bit with the music

playing on your stereo. Go very slowly at first, and pause every few notes

to reflect, and also to try to hear another short musical idea in your head.

If you don't seem to have any ideas of what to play at first, that's OK too!

Just play a few notes to hear how they sound, and then play them again...

perhaps improvizing a slightly different rythm. It WILL start working!



It takes some time, but soon you will begin to hear short bits of melodies

in your head, and then be able to play them on your instrument. Start out

with a few random notes, and gradually they will become more and more

organized. You will actually be composing little bits and pieces of melodies

spontaneously! If it takes a week or two to really feel improvement, is this

a long time in the scheme of things? A couple of weeks is really not a very

long time at all, and if you keep at this project you'll be amazing yourself

with what you can do in no time at all... And the process of watching your

abilities grow is so satisfying!! When you get to the point where ideas flow

easily straight from your brain right out the end of your horn, you will feel

some wonderful satisfaction then too! It's great to simply close your eyes

and be able to play the musical ideas you have in your head!



It would be alright to start playing Track 3 now too. It's identical to Track 2

except that each chord/scale last for 4 measures each, instead of 8. Some

people will actually find this easier... since there is less time to "get lost" in

trying to keep track of when the chords change.



I wouldn't try reading ahead in the book yet. Just keep working on all the

skills we've discussed so far. This is really about all you should cover for

at least two weeks! Keep on re-reading these posts here, and pages 2 - 6

in the book many times. Get a really good, secure start and everything in

the future will fall into place much easier. Learn the 12 Major scales over

the entire range of your instrument, concentrating the most on the harder

ones as you progress until you know them all, almost equally well. Listen

to jazz combos with lots of soloing all the time, and even try singing along

with the music. Really dive in with these activities for a while, and you will

thank yourself later. And always remember... DO NOT let your technique

suffer as you learn jazz. On the contrary, use all the new material to help

your trumpet playing the same way you would do with any other material.



Go very slowly, use a good tone, vary the articulations, etc, etc., and be

sure to be patient and enjoy the process of learning as you go along! You

may want to get a trumpet playing buddy over to share the fun. You can

take turns playing along with the tracks... kind of like real jazz musicians

do when performing. This would be a great idea!



Your Friend, Tom in Texas

JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR



PS... Do feel free to post any questions now as I will probably hold off on

writing up the next lesson for a while. This would actually help me, as I'll

be able to answer each question this way with a post that helps everyone

at the same time. I'll keep checking in on this thread a few times each

day... Thanks! And I do appreciate all the PMs, etc... Tom Thanks Pat! (PH)...Thanks for the compliment. I'll continue with this project as long as thereare people who value this information. I love jazz so much, I just couldn'timagine a world without it! Hope I'm helping some folks out there....................................*** LESSON NUMBER 5 ***.............................Back to Playing along with Track 2! Start out each play-along session byjust listenning to the music and counting the measures in your head. Youshould quickly get to the point where you are able to "feel the music" in4 bar phrases (notice each chord lasts for two 4 bar phrases). You shouldgradually become able to sense the proper time for those chords/scalesto change without even thinking about it.Another thing you should do is to memorize the three minor scales for G-,F- and E- well enough that you don't need to think about them either. Thatway you can simply concentrate on just playing your short simple melodicideas without any distractions at all. You won't have to consciously countthe measures or think about which notes to use while you play. You'll alsowant to practice singing some short melodic ideas along with the music aswell. This will help you to access the ideas that are already in your head!Now the playing will go so much easier! The next step is to play along withTrack 2 as you did before. It is a good idea to simply jump right in and dothis without fear. Don't worry about anything at all. You'll play some ideasthat sound great right away, and some ideas won't sound so good at all...All of it will teach you though. Even the mistakes will gradually teach youwhat DOESN'T work... so don't worry about them. Just play and have fun!At first you should play slowly up and down each scale a bit with the musicplaying on your stereo. Go very slowly at first, and pause every few notesto reflect, and also to try to hear another short musical idea in your head.If you don't seem to have any ideas of what to play at first, that's OK too!Just play a few notes to hear how they sound, and then play them again...perhaps improvizing a slightly different rythm. It WILL start working!It takes some time, but soon you will begin to hear short bits of melodiesin your head, and then be able to play them on your instrument. Start outwith a few random notes, and gradually they will become more and moreorganized. You will actually be composing little bits and pieces of melodiesspontaneously! If it takes a week or two to really feel improvement, is thisa long time in the scheme of things? A couple of weeks is really not a verylong time at all, and if you keep at this project you'll be amazing yourselfwith what you can do in no time at all... And the process of watching yourabilities grow is so satisfying!! When you get to the point where ideas floweasily straight from your brain right out the end of your horn, you will feelsome wonderful satisfaction then too! It's great to simply close your eyesand be able to play the musical ideas you have in your head!It would be alright to start playing Track 3 now too. It's identical to Track 2except that each chord/scale last for 4 measures each, instead of 8. Somepeople will actually find this easier... since there is less time to "get lost" intrying to keep track of when the chords change.I wouldn't try reading ahead in the book yet. Just keep working on all theskills we've discussed so far. This is really about all you should cover forat least two weeks! Keep on re-reading these posts here, and pages 2 - 6in the book many times. Get a really good, secure start and everything inthe future will fall into place much easier. Learn the 12 Major scales overthe entire range of your instrument, concentrating the most on the harderones as you progress until you know them all, almost equally well. Listento jazz combos with lots of soloing all the time, and even try singing alongwith the music. Really dive in with these activities for a while, and you willthank yourself later. And always remember... DO NOT let your techniquesuffer as you learn jazz. On the contrary, use all the new material to helpyour trumpet playing the same way you would do with any other material.Go very slowly, use a good tone, vary the articulations, etc, etc., and besure to be patient and enjoy the process of learning as you go along! Youmay want to get a trumpet playing buddy over to share the fun. You cantake turns playing along with the tracks... kind of like real jazz musiciansdo when performing. This would be a great idea!Your Friend, Tom in TexasJAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTORPS... Do feel free to post any questions now as I will probably hold off onwriting up the next lesson for a while. This would actually help me, as I'llbe able to answer each question this way with a post that helps everyoneat the same time. I'll keep checking in on this thread a few times eachday... Thanks! And I do appreciate all the PMs, etc... Tom



Last edited by JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR on Sun Mar 13, 2005 12:31 pm; edited 1 time in total Back to top Robert Rowe

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Location: Chincoteague, Virginia

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 8:54 am Post subject: Very nicely presented. I appreciate what you are doing here. My improv skills have deteriorated, due to time spent playing other instruments. Trumpet / Cornet is my first love, though. In my "perfect world", everything would be in Concert pitch "C". Try chording-along with left hand on a keyboard (in "C"), and blowing Bb lines with a Trumpet in the right hand.... That's why I play my "C" horns most often. Guess I'll keep trying to do these lessons in Bb.

In any case, Thanx , Tom ....



Robert Rowe Back to top JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR

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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 10:19 am Post subject:



You're very welcome, and thanks to you too for the nice note. Speaking

of C trumpets, I have one that you'd probably love to see. It's one really

rare horn, maybe the only one of it's kind! I got it right off Ebay. Check

this out...



It is a Schilke trumpet in C, mint condition, gold plated, and it has a Dizzy

Gillespie style up-turned bell. Isn't that just the craziest thing you've ever

heard of? I actually use it occasionally when I play "St. Thomas" in a jazz

combo I play in. I can use my hottest licks in C Major that way, and burn

it up! I never tell 'em it's in C, but they always wonder why that's the only

song I use it on... Don't tell anyone, OK? I don't think anyone's listenning,

so this'll be our little secret... (I sometimes cheat!)



Tom in Texas, J-P-C Hi Robert,You're very welcome, and thanks to you too for the nice note. Speakingof C trumpets, I have one that you'd probably love to see. It's one reallyrare horn, maybe the only one of it's kind! I got it right off Ebay. Checkthis out...It is a Schilke trumpet in C, mint condition, gold plated, and it has a DizzyGillespie style up-turned bell. Isn't that just the craziest thing you've everheard of? I actually use it occasionally when I play "St. Thomas" in a jazzcombo I play in. I can use my hottest licks in C Major that way, and burnit up! I never tell 'em it's in C, but they always wonder why that's the onlysong I use it on... Don't tell anyone, OK? I don't think anyone's listenning,so this'll be our little secret... (I sometimes cheat!)Tom in Texas, J-P-C Back to top Simply Swingin'







Joined: 05 Nov 2004

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Location: Atlanta, Georgia. Heavyweight MemberJoined: 05 Nov 2004Posts: 525Location: Atlanta, Georgia.

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 10:39 am Post subject: Man, that's awesome.



By the way, my name's Nic... no k!

_________________

"Behold, I make all things new."- Jesus Christ, God Almighty

------------------------

Zeus Guarnerius ZTR 900

5C

------------------------

Keep swingin'... Back to top joetriscari

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Joined: 17 Apr 2003

Posts: 208

Location: Las Vegas,NV

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 10:42 am Post subject: New Thread What a great idea...

I think this will help so many trumpet players, young and old...

Sincerely,

Joe Triscari

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Horn:1952 Burbank Benge Gold #3603

Mouthpiece: Reeves 42s69

Reeves 42m Back to top JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR

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Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 5:19 pm Post subject: ................................*** LESSON NUMBER 6 ***..................................



It's time now for a little more music theory. First a few broad definitions:

Music Theory is all about chords and scales, and how they fit together to

make music. Nothing too mysterious here. Basically, "chords" are groups

of notes that are played together at the same time. They'll usually create

a pleasant sound we call harmony. Scales are notes played in sequence,

usually going up or down by half steps and whole steps. ("Half steps" are

the intervals between adjacent notes in the chromatic scale, while "Whole

steps" refer to notes that are located two half steps apart.) Make sure you

understand the terms, "music theory", "chords", "scales", "half steps" and

"whole steps". Do re-read this a few times if needed before you go on, as

this is the foundation of all that is to come! Do forgive me if all this seems

a bit tedious, but some don't have any knowledge of these things at all.



There is only a little more music theory to learn for the next few weeks...

I could begin telling you all about chords and how they are formed, but all

you really need to know for now is that there are 5 main types of chords:

major, minor, dominant, diminished, and augmented.



You've already learned that major scales generally sound good when you

play them along with major chords, and that minor scales generally sound

good when played with minor chords. Please open your book now back to

page 60. There you will again see (in the left collumn) the first three types

of scales. You are already familiar with the major and minor scales... Now

I'll discuss the other group, called "dominant" scales.



Just as the minor scales have another name (dorian), the dominant scales

also have another name as well (mixolydian). Remember how those minor

scales turned out to be just like major scales starting on the second tone?

Well, the dominant scales turn out to be just like major scales too, but this

time starting on the fifth tone. To see this for yourself, simply compare the

C major scale to the G dominant scale (on page 60, put one finger on each

scale to help). You'll see that the G dominant scale uses the same notes as

the C major... but the G dominant scale just starts on the fifth tone (G).



Take your time here and make sure you get that last part, then compare

these two scales to the D minor scale. Please notice how all three scales

use the same notes, but they all begin on different steps. Again, do take

your time and re-read this, and make all the comparisons. It will become

easy to understand (if it's not already). There is no hurry, and it is better

to review all this information many times so it sinks in deeply. Most folks

will need some time to get ahold of these various pieces of music theory.

Just keep reviewing, and it'll all start to seem pretty simple... I promise!

Until next time, I am...



Your Friend, Tom in Texas

JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR



Last edited by JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR on Fri Oct 27, 2006 8:27 am; edited 1 time in total Back to top JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR

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Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 3:50 am Post subject: .................................*** LESSON NUMBER 7 ***................................



Well, we meet again! A quick review: Take in all this material at your own

pace. I'm actually presenting it much faster on-line than I would in person

so don't feel that you should keep up with my posts in real-time... In fact,

trying to do that would be a mistake for most beginners! Keep on doing all

the things I suggested in the earlier posts, and continue reading them and

the first few pages of the book. Continue learning the 12 major scales and

playing (and singing) along with Tracks 2 & 3, and above all else... LISTEN

TO SOME GOOD JAZZ SOLOISTS AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE!



It would be alright to try playing along with Tracks 4 and 5 now. The book

has the suggested scales for use with these two Tracks right there on the

same page with the others, page 73... Notice that Tracks 4 and 5 also use

minor chords with minor scales, but this time there are seven. The seven

chords/scales we will use are as follows: D-, E-, F-, G-, A-, B- and C-.



You'll also notice that the scales are similar to the ones you used before...

Each is a "minor scale" using the same notes as a "major scale" located a

whole step below. Track 4 uses each scale for 8 bars each, while Track 5

uses each scale for just 4 measures... just like we did before!



Do continue using all the suggestions I've given in previous posts as you

progress to each new Track! Do some counting, some singing, anticipate

the changes from each chord to the next, and do memorize each scale as

this will make improvizing much easier. You should still be experimenting,

just playing up and down each scale a bit, along with a few short melodic

ideas, and pausing repeatedly between each phrase you play. This begins

the process of training your mind and body to do some amazing things! I

won't try to tell you that you will be able to solo with any jazz band on any

song overnight, but if you are patient, the weeks and months will pass just

like they always do, and you will be absolutely amazed at the things you'll

learn how to do! Just continue going very slowly and let everything you're

learning sink in deeply. The process itself is very satisfying and rewarding.



Playing along with these tracks get easier each day. You may want to try

recording yourself from time to time so you'll hear the constant progress.

This project will definitely be more enjoyable if you can rope a friend into

joining you too. Sitting down together and taking turns playing along with

the recorded tracks is almost like a real jam session. Do encourage each

other aloud. This is an old time-honored tradition for jazz players you've

probably already noticed!



This is all meant to fun. Don't put pressure on yourself to play like Miles by

next week. Just have fun with it on a regular basis, and in time you'll reach

levels you never thought possible! IT WILL HAPPEN!!! Again, I am...



Your Friend, Tom in Texas

JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR Back to top Yamahaguy

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Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 6:31 am Post subject: This is such great stuff! Thanks so much. Back to top BobD

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Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 6:39 am Post subject: This is great. Please keep it coming. There is SO MUCH to learn and assimilate to be able to improvise. Back to top JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR

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Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 7:29 am Post subject:



You're right Bob... There is alot to learn to eventually become a master

improvizer. One great thing about learning how to improvize, though, is

the fact that the whole journey is so much fun. It's not like work at all...

Nothing like the typical practice we usually "have to do". It's all fun!!





.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 8 ***................................



You are now playing along with Tracks 1 thru 5 on the CD for Volume 1.

There is no need for a beginner to go any further than this for at least a

few weeks. We will do much more with these few Tracks before moving

on, and this will be the subject of the next few discussions.



It is now time to read pages 7, 8 and 9 in the book. Here are the most

important concepts to get from this section:



1) Be sure you know the chromatic scale very thoroughly over the entire

range of your instrument.



2) The seven tips presented for learning the scales and chords, are also

summarized nicely on page 62 in musical notation, but you should simply

continue just mastering the 12 major scales for now, and go very slowly.



3) The examples given on page 62 would also make ideal patterns to try

using when improvising along with the CD Tracks. You might try applying

Paterns 2 and 3 with the seven minor scales you've been using so far. I'll

talk more about this later...



4) Practice your scales very slowly at first, gradually working them up to

a speed that enables you to play eighth notes along with the tracks. The

eighth note is used in jazz soloing more than any other note value.



5) Later you'll begin to learn licks (patterns for improvization). These are

short melodic ideas based on the scales you are currently experimenting

with. These "licks" will enable you to play in a much more melodic fashion

and move on to the next level. All jazz improvizers use licks and they are

also often referred to as "riffs" or "motiffs".



6) "Common tones" refers to the notes that different scales share. For an

example, the G minor and F minor scales share the notes G, Bb, C, D and

F. These notes sound good over both the G- and the F- chords. Awareness

of common tones can be very helpful. We'll talk more about this later too...



7) The use of repetition and sequence are quite valuable in developing an

effective solo, and help to establish communication with the listeners. The

audience members begin to anticipate what is coming next, and thus enjoy

the music much more, feeling as though they are an active participant in

the communication process.



(There is one term I noticed that might need a short explanation as well...

The word "root" refers to the first note of a scale.)



You should now re-read pages 7, 8 and 9 at least two or three more times

and study those scale practice patterns presented on page 62. If you have

a fairly firm grasp of the points listed in this post, you can feel pretty sure

that you got the all important stuff.



Now you know what to do. Review the new material and the old material,

and keep practicing with and without the recorded Tracks. Especially work

on those 12 major scales, and listen to jazz soloists as much as you can!



Your Friend, Tom in Texas

JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR Thanks Yamahaguy and Bob D... I sure do appreciate your comments!You're right Bob... There is alot to learn to eventually become a masterimprovizer. One great thing about learning how to improvize, though, isthe fact that the whole journey is so much fun. It's not like work at all...Nothing like the typical practice we usually "have to do". It's all fun!!.................................*** LESSON NUMBER 8 ***................................You are now playing along with Tracks 1 thru 5 on the CD for Volume 1.There is no need for a beginner to go any further than this for at least afew weeks. We will do much more with these few Tracks before movingon, and this will be the subject of the next few discussions.It is now time to read pages 7, 8 and 9 in the book. Here are the mostimportant concepts to get from this section:1) Be sure you know the chromatic scale very thoroughly over the entirerange of your instrument.2) The seven tips presented for learning the scales and chords, are alsosummarized nicely on page 62 in musical notation, but you should simplycontinue just mastering the 12 major scales for now, and go very slowly.3) The examples given on page 62 would also make ideal patterns to tryusing when improvising along with the CD Tracks. You might try applyingPaterns 2 and 3 with the seven minor scales you've been using so far. I'lltalk more about this later...4) Practice your scales very slowly at first, gradually working them up toa speed that enables you to play eighth notes along with the tracks. Theeighth note is used in jazz soloing more than any other note value.5) Later you'll begin to learn licks (patterns for improvization). These areshort melodic ideas based on the scales you are currently experimentingwith. These "licks" will enable you to play in a much more melodic fashionand move on to the next level. All jazz improvizers use licks and they arealso often referred to as "riffs" or "motiffs".6) "Common tones" refers to the notes that different scales share. For anexample, the G minor and F minor scales share the notes G, Bb, C, D andF. These notes sound good over both the G- and the F- chords. Awarenessof common tones can be very helpful. We'll talk more about this later too...7) The use of repetition and sequence are quite valuable in developing aneffective solo, and help to establish communication with the listeners. Theaudience members begin to anticipate what is coming next, and thus enjoythe music much more, feeling as though they are an active participant inthe communication process.(There is one term I noticed that might need a short explanation as well...The word "root" refers to the first note of a scale.)You should now re-read pages 7, 8 and 9 at least two or three more timesand study those scale practice patterns presented on page 62. If you havea fairly firm grasp of the points listed in this post, you can feel pretty surethat you got the all important stuff.Now you know what to do. Review the new material and the old material,and keep practicing with and without the recorded Tracks. Especially workon those 12 major scales, and listen to jazz soloists as much as you can!Your Friend, Tom in TexasJAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR Back to top dow30

Regular Member





Joined: 31 Mar 2004

Posts: 94

Location: NY

Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 8:19 am Post subject:



Thanks so much for this thread. Really appreciate your time, effort and great teaching capabilities. You have been so much help. THANKS! Tom,Thanks so much for this thread. Really appreciate your time, effort and great teaching capabilities. You have been so much help. THANKS! Back to top JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR

Heavyweight Member





Joined: 21 Aug 2004

Posts: 1154



Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 5:27 pm Post subject:



This discussion will concern the topics presented in the, "How to Begin..."

section (pages 9 through 19). There are 20 patterns presented initially for

use with Track 2. All these examples are presented in concert pitch, though

you should notice that they have all been transposed for you to use with a

Bb trumpet, starting on page 78.



However... the tips for how to use them are all in the concert pitch section,

so you should go ahead and read pages 9 through 13 right now. Go ahead,

I'll just be waiting patiently right here, rolling my eyes...



Oh, your back! So soon? Well even if you didn't read those tips yet I guess

it would be OK to read my tips first, but later today, you really do need to

study pages 9-13. We'll leave the rest of this section for another lesson.



You will notice that the title of this section is, "How to Begin Playing with the

Recording". Yes, I know, we already began. It was a good idea to just jump

right in and start playing, singing, and improvizing without any "rules" at all.



You see, that's how I get you hooked! I didn't want to bog you down with

too much theory and exercises too soon. Now you already know this stuff

CAN be done, and you know it's fun too! If people take too long preparing

to start improvizing, they often get the feeling that this whole project will

be much more difficult than it really is. Trust me, it will be easy if you just

take it one piece at a time, making sure you absorb each step well before

going on...



For sure, do read at least pages 9 to 13 right now... You will already know

what is being said on page 9, basically that you should listen to the Tracks

before playing them to get used to the flow of the music... and there are

also instructions on how to find the Bb section of the "play-along" pages.





Now for the exercises starting on page 10.



Example 1: Play up each scale with whole notes.

Example 2: Play up and down each scale with half notes.

Example 3: Play up and down each scale with quarter notes twice.



Example 4: Play up and down the first five tones with half notes.

Example 5: Play up and down the first five tones with quarter notes.



Example 6: Play up each scale with skips using half notes.

Example 7: Play up and down each scale with skips using quarter notes.





This will take you half way through page 13... stop there. Now

let's review the important points to make sure you understand:



These patterns are not really jazz "licks"... They are merely examples of

good ways to practice each scale in preperation to improvize freely. They

can be practiced in all keys later to gain skill, but for now they should just

be practiced in the keys presented for Bb instruments starting on page 78.



You should only experiment with the first seven examples, then try playing

them along with Track 2 when you've gotten enough skill. Remember these

exercises are all transposed for you starting on page 78, so you could just

read them right off the page, along with Track 2. Do practice them without

the CD first, then go back to improvizing freely!



Re-read pages 9 through 13 several times. Everything is pretty much self-

explanatory, and you've already played along with several Tracks as well,

so it shouldn't give you any problems. But, as always, you need to go quite

slowly, absorbing everything fully and at your own pace. Although I put out

this much info in only a few days, it really all needs to be fully digested and

practiced for quite a while. Build a big strong foundation right now! Be very

patient, and keep going back to review your basic knowledge and skills.



Above all else, don't worry about anything at all. This will all become very

clear soon, and it will start to seem very simple... SO GO AHEAD AND LET

YOURSELF HAVE FUN! NO PRESSURE! Until next time, I am...



Your Friend, Tom in Texas

JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR ..................................*** LESSON NUMBER 9 ***................................This discussion will concern the topics presented in the, "How to Begin..."section (pages 9 through 19). There are 20 patterns presented initially foruse with Track 2. All these examples are presented in concert pitch, thoughyou should notice that they have all been transposed for you to use with aBb trumpet, starting on page 78.However... the tips for how to use them are all in the concert pitch section,so you should go ahead and read pages 9 through 13 right now. Go ahead,I'll just be waiting patiently right here, rolling my eyes...Oh, your back! So soon? Well even if you didn't read those tips yet I guessit would be OK to read my tips first, but later today, you really do need tostudy pages 9-13. We'll leave the rest of this section for another lesson.You will notice that the title of this section is, "How to Begin Playing with theRecording". Yes, I know, we already began. It was a good idea to just jumpright in and start playing, singing, and improvizing without any "rules" at all.You see, that's how I get you hooked! I didn't want to bog you down withtoo much theory and exercises too soon. Now you already know this stuffCAN be done, and you know it's fun too! If people take too long preparingto start improvizing, they often get the feeling that this whole project willbe much more difficult than it really is. Trust me, it will be easy if you justtake it one piece at a time, making sure you absorb each step well beforegoing on...For sure, do read at least pages 9 to 13 right now... You will already knowwhat is being said on page 9, basically that you should listen to the Tracksbefore playing them to get used to the flow of the music... and there arealso instructions on how to find the Bb section of the "play-along" pages.Now for the exercises starting on page 10.Example 1: Play up each scale with whole notes.Example 2: Play up and down each scale with half notes.Example 3: Play up and down each scale with quarter notes twice.Example 4: Play up and down the first five tones with half notes.Example 5: Play up and down the first five tones with quarter notes.Example 6: Play up each scale with skips using half notes.Example 7: Play up and down each scale with skips using quarter notes.This will take you half way through page 13... stop there. Nowlet's review the important points to make sure you understand:These patterns are not really jazz "licks"... They are merely examples ofgood ways to practice each scale in preperation to improvize freely. Theycan be practiced in all keys later to gain skill, but for now they should justbe practiced in the keys presented for Bb instruments starting on page 78.You should only experiment with the first seven examples, then try playingthem along with Track 2 when you've gotten enough skill. Remember theseexercises are all transposed for you starting on page 78, so you could justread them right off the page, along with Track 2. Do practice them withoutthe CD first, then go back to improvizing freely!Re-read pages 9 through 13 several times. Everything is pretty much self-explanatory, and you've already played along with several Tracks as well,so it shouldn't give you any problems. But, as always, you need to go quiteslowly, absorbing everything fully and at your own pace. Although I put outthis much info in only a few days, it really all needs to be fully digested andpracticed for quite a while. Build a big strong foundation right now! Be verypatient, and keep going back to review your basic knowledge and skills.Above all else, don't worry about anything at all. This will all become veryclear soon, and it will start to seem very simple... SO GO AHEAD AND LETYOURSELF HAVE FUN!NO PRESSURE! Until next time, I am...Your Friend, Tom in TexasJAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR



Last edited by JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR on Thu Feb 24, 2005 4:52 pm; edited 2 times in total Back to top JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR

Heavyweight Member





Joined: 21 Aug 2004

Posts: 1154



Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 1:06 pm Post subject:



This will be a review lesson to summarize what we've covered so far.



1. You should now be studying pages 2 through 13 in Jamey Aebersold's

Volume 1 book. There you have been introduced to the basics of improv

and how to begin playing along with the recorded CD background tracks.

Keep reviewing these pages. It doesn't matter if it takes one day, or four

weeks to absorb this material, just keep going back over it until you do...

and continue reviewing the information in these posts along with the book.

It's very important to learn the 12 major scales as thoroughly as possible,

and it's also very important to listen to jazz soloists as often as you can.



2. Besides studying, listenning, and learning the twelve major scales, you

should also be working with the play-along tracks. You should be listening

to them, counting the measures and singing along a bit, and also starting

to play along by using the suggested scales below each chord symbol. It's

a good idea to experiment with the scale patterns as well (examples 1-7).



That pretty much covers it. Now that doesn't sound so bad, does it? If this

is all you work on for a full month or more you are doing just fine. In fact,

the longer you stick with this material, the better your foundation will be!



You should expect to reach hurdles along the way that take a little time to

get through. How could it be any other way? All you have to do is go back

and review the material that led up to that point a bit more, then try again.

Each day it will get a little easier and easier, and it's ALL alot of fun!



When playing along with the tracks, it is especially important to use short,

simple ideas, pausing constantly to reflect on what you've just played, and

also to try and "mentally hear" simple ideas that "ought to come next". Way

too often beginners simply play random notes without any kind of reflection

or forethought. They try to play as many notes as they possibly can, and

they learn very little in the process. Go slowly and keep it simple!



It's always better to go very slowly in order to fully absorb all the material.

There's an old saying I once heard (and then later originated) that applies

here: "The slower you go, the faster you'll progress". This is definitely true

about jazz improvization. TAKE YOUR TIME!! Go back often to review all the

earlier material, and just keep working towards your goals very patiently.



Just 10-15 minutes a day will have you improvizing with simple songs and

blues within just a month or two. You will probably be amazed at just how

easy it will be, and how quickly the time will pass. Stick with me... I'll take

you as far as you want to go!



I'm going to put the posts on hold for a while now... I'm sure some of you

have questions, so please go ahead and ask them right here on this thread.

The answers will help everyone at the same time. I'll just be waiting here

patiently again, rolling my eyes... SO, GO AHEAD AND ASK!!



Your Friend, Tom in Texas

JAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR ...............................*** LESSON NUMBER 10 ***.............................This will be a review lesson to summarize what we've covered so far.1. You should now be studying pages 2 through 13 in Jamey Aebersold'sVolume 1 book. There you have been introduced to the basics of improvand how to begin playing along with the recorded CD background tracks.Keep reviewing these pages. It doesn't matter if it takes one day, or fourweeks to absorb this material, just keep going back over it until you do...and continue reviewing the information in these posts along with the book.It's very important to learn the 12 major scales as thoroughly as possible,and it's also very important to listen to jazz soloists as often as you can.2. Besides studying, listenning, and learning the twelve major scales, youshould also be working with the play-along tracks. You should be listeningto them, counting the measures and singing along a bit, and also startingto play along by using the suggested scales below each chord symbol. It'sa good idea to experiment with the scale patterns as well (examples 1-7).That pretty much covers it. Now that doesn't sound so bad, does it? If thisis all you work on for a full month or more you are doing just fine. In fact,the longer you stick with this material, the better your foundation will be!You should expect to reach hurdles along the way that take a little time toget through. How could it be any other way? All you have to do is go backand review the material that led up to that point a bit more, then try again.Each day it will get a little easier and easier, and it's ALL alot of fun!When playing along with the tracks, it is especially important to use short,simple ideas, pausing constantly to reflect on what you've just played, andalso to try and "mentally hear" simple ideas that "ought to come next". Waytoo often beginners simply play random notes without any kind of reflectionor forethought. They try to play as many notes as they possibly can, andthey learn very little in the process. Go slowly and keep it simple!It's always better to go very slowly in order to fully absorb all the material.There's an old saying I once heard (and then later originated) that applieshere: "The slower you go, the faster you'll progress". This is definitely trueabout jazz improvization. TAKE YOUR TIME!! Go back often to review all theearlier material, and just keep working towards your goals very patiently.Just 10-15 minutes a day will have you improvizing with simple songs andblues within just a month or two. You will probably be amazed at just howeasy it will be, and how quickly the time will pass. Stick with me... I'll takeyou as far as you want to go!I'm going to put the posts on hold for a while now... I'm sure some of youhave questions, so please go ahead and ask them right here on this thread.The answers will help everyone at the same time. I'll just be waiting herepatiently again, rolling my eyes...SO, GO AHEAD AND ASK!!Your Friend, Tom in TexasJAZZ-PLAYER-COLLECTOR Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts 1 Day 7 Days 2 Weeks 1 Month 3 Months 6 Months 1 Year Oldest First Newest First trumpetherald.com Forum Index -> Jazz/Commercial All times are GMT - 8 Hours

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