Bob Reynolds Virtual Studio

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Ready to shed? Let's dig in.

Choose a theme to explore lessons.

Saxophone Specific

Tone, technique, articulation.....you get the idea.

Play Confidently Over Chord Changes

Learn to navigate tunes, find the best notes on chords, and shed improvisation effectively.

Develop Your Ear

Aka transcribing... without the "scribing" part.

Improv Concepts

Strategies for getting you out of the box and in to new improvisation territory.

Practice Techniques

Get more efficient in the practice room.

Improve Your Time Feel

Get focused on feel, groove, and rhythm.

Expand Your Vocabulary

Music is a language, learn some new phrases and how to apply them.

 

Learn (and Remember) Tunes

A ground-up approach to boost your confidence memorizing tunes.

Simplifying Harmony

Understanding chord symbols, breaking down vocabulary, and quick mental tricks.

 

Table of Contents

Improv, Harmony, & Tunes


Chords & Scales

Chord Studies

  • Turning a Major 7th Chord on its Head
  • 7 Examples to Move You Beyond the Same Old Ideas Over Dm7
  • Minor 7th Chord Exercises (+ Sonny Rollins’ Solo on The Eternal Triangle)
  • Sound Hip over a One Chord Jam (5 Things to Play over E Minor)
  • Don't Stop at the Top: Unlocking 7th Chords
  • Playing Bebop Over Dominant 7 Groove
  • How to Handle Adjacent 7th Chords
  • Dealing with Identical Chords a Half Step Apart
  • Superimposing Diatonic 7th Chords on Dominant 7ths
  • Using Inverted Major Triads Over Diminished Chords (5 lessons)
  • Using Bebop Scales, Enclosures, and Pentatonics Over A-7 Rock Jam
  • Sonny Stitt, V7b9, and Chromatic Turnarounds
  • Chord Exercises 1: Diminished Descending
  • Chord Exercises 2: Augmented Descending
  • Chord Exercises 3: Dominant Descending (From Flat 7)
  • How to See Inside a Chord Symbol
  • Every Melody Note Works with Every Bass Note
  • Upside Down Major 7th Chords (+ how to instantly improve your swing 8th notes)
  • Diatonic Tensions: Why Some Notes Sound Good and Others Don't
  • An Athletic Approach to Converting the Major Scale Into 7 Important Chords
  • The Altered Dominant (7#9) Trick
  • Sharp 1 & 2 Diminished – An Elegant Harmonic Substitution to Use in Your Turnarounds
  • 7b9 vs. 7#9 – What’s the Difference? (And When to Use Which One)
  • Minor II V Chord Scales, Defining Available Tensions, and What the Heck Is Locrian #2?
  • Where Do Minor II V’s Come From? A Chord-Scale Exercise to Help Make Sense of Modes and Modal 7th Chords

Scale Studies

  • How I Practice Scales to Maximize Accuracy, Control, Range, and Dexterity
  • Practicing Scales: Common Mistakes and a Better Approach
  • What Does it Mean to Work on Triads on a Scale?
  • Triad Pairs 101, Part 1: Introduction to Triad Pairs
  • Triad Pairs 101, Part 2: What are Triad Pairs?
  • Triad Pairs 101, Part 3: Locating Triad Pairs (Modal Triads Explained)
  • Triad Pairs 101, Part 4: A Triad Pairs Practice Strategy
  • Stan Getz's Beautiful Lydian Riff on Moonlight in Vermont
  • The Melodic Minor and Lydian Dominant Scale Connection
  • A Modern Sound on Minor II-Vs: Applying the Pentatonic Flat 3 Scale
  • Explaining Pentatonic Scale Variations
  • How to Quickly Think of the Altered Scale
  • Extracting Multiple Sounds from One Scale
  • Working the Altered Dominant Scale - Tubby Hayes' Solo on "Pint of Bitter"
  • Operating Instructions for Improvising Within A Modal Pop Song: Branford Marsalis On Englishman in New York
  • When 7sus isn’t what you think – “Bet” Solo Changes Workout, Measure 2
  • A Whole Practice Session from One Chord – “Bet” A9b13 Chord Scale Workout
  • Build Mental Dexterity Over Chords: Practice This Digital Sequence In 4 Directions (With Bob)
  • Straight Vs. Broken Triads Explained (& Why They’re Important to Practice)


Progressions

  • Applying Harmonic Minor To Dominant 7b9
  • Improvising Over a 4-Chord Groove (1)
  • Improvising Over A 4-Chord Groove (2)
  • Playing Over A II-7 V7 In A Difficult Key (1 Of 2)
  • Playing Over a II-7 V7 in a Difficult Key (2 of 2)
  • A Simple ii-V-I Lick You Should Know in 12 Keys
  • ii-V-I’s in 12 Keys
  • ii-V-I with Triplets and Chromatic Enclosures
  • Minor II-V, Tritone Sub, and the Harmonic Minor Scale: the Last 4 bars of "Sugar"
  • Monk's Alternate Rhythm Changes (Cycle of Fourths)
  • How to Improvise Over "Outlier" by Snarky Puppy
  • The "Pennies From Heaven" Ending
  • The Sharp 4 Half-Diminished Turnaround: A Common Jazz Chord Progression And Effective Practice Tool
  • Interchangeable Modes and the Value of Repetition - Shedding Session on a Minor ii-V From "Stella By Starlight"
  • Train Your Mind and Fingers to Think Ahead: A Chord-Scale Proficiency Exercise on “Miyako”
  • IIm7 V7#11 Workout (Miyako)
  • 12 Key Perpetual Motion Dominant Chord Exercise
  • Strategies for Backdoor II-Vs: Voice-Leading Upper Structure Chords
  • The 1753 Exercise For Memorizing Chord Changes (Ex. Donna Lee)


Tunes

  • Tune Learning - Level 1: Introduction
  • Tune Learning - Level 2: Simple Solo Techniques
  • Tune Learning, Level 3: Guide Tone Soloing
  • Blues Basics, Part 1: Blue Monk (Head Only)
  • Blues Basics, Part 2: Triads and 7th Chords
  • Blues Basics, Part 3: Soloing with One Rhythmic Figure
  • Blues Basics, Part 4: A Simple Chord Tone Solo
  • Blues Basics, Part 5: A Simple Solo
  • Now's The Time - Lesson 1: Melody and Opening Solo Phrase
  • Now's The Time - Lesson 2: Transposing a Lick You Transcribed
  • Now's The Time - Lesson 3: Dissecting the VI7 Phrase
  • Now's The Time - Lesson 4: Bird's Iconic Turnaround Lick
  • Now's The Time - Lesson 5: Substituting iii-, biii- over VI7
  • Rhythm Changes: Basic Training
  • Rhythm Changes: Using Minor 6 Pentatonic
  • Rhythm Changes: Minor 6 Pentatonic Lick
  • Rhythm Changes: Play Along with Me
  • Rhythm Changes: Superimposing Cycle of 4ths (Monk Style)
  • Autumn Leaves - Finding and Using Guide Tones
  • Autumn Leaves - Chord Scale Exercise for Learning Tunes
  • Ideas for Playing Over "Tune Up" (and Is It OK to Steal Ideas From Other Players?)
  • What is This Thing Called Love? - Part 1 - Internalizing Chord Changes
  • What is This Thing Called Love? - Part 2 - Pentatonic Flat 3
  • What is This Thing Called Love? - Part 3 - Diminished Major 7 Over ii V I
  • Days of Wine and Roses: Learning a Song from Recordings (What to Listen for and How to Make the Most of It)
  • I Should Care: Learning Tunes from Multiple Sources
  • Four – part 1 - Things to Focus on with This Classic Tune
  • Four – part 2 - Strategies for Practicing with a Play-Along
  • Four – part 3 - Descending  Minor 7th Chord Progression
  • Four – part 4 – Triplets, Triads and Half-Step Resolutions
  • Taking a Melody to the Next Level
  • Just Friends - Listening Lab
  • Just Friends: Using the Number System to Learn, Remember, and Transpose Tunes
  • Just Friends: Motivic Development and Rhythmic Displacement
  • Just Friends: Introduction to Triad Pairs
  • Just Friends: What Are Triad Pairs?
  • Just Friends: Locating Triad Pairs (Modal Triads Explained)
  • Just Friends: A Triad Pair Practice Strategy
  • Just Friends: Trade with Bob
  • Anthropology: Improve Your Time Feel By Practicing With the Metronome on Different Beats (Part 1)
  • Anthropology: Improve Your Time Feel By Practicing With the Metronome on Different Beats (Part 2)
  • Anthropology: 4 Ways to Turn A Bebop Melody Into New Melodic Material
  • Anthropology: Using the Bridge as a Launchpad for Improvisation
  • Anthropology: Understanding Melodic Architecture - Borrowing from Ornithology
  • Anthropology: Superimposing -7b5 Over Dominant 7 Chords
  • Anthropology: Superimposing -7b5 and Major 7 Chords Over Dominant 7 (and Tritone Sub)
  • Realtime Analysis: What I’m Thinking as I Improvise Over “Lady Bird”
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - A Night in Tunisia, Part 1: Learning the Melody from Multiple Sources
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - A Night in Tunisia, Part 2: Figuring Out the Harmony by Ear
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - A Night in Tunisia, Part 3: Stan Getz's Solo on "A Night in Tunisia"
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - A Night in Tunisia, Part 4: Weaving Chord Changes Together
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - A Night in Tunisia, Part 5: Play-alongs and Trading 8s
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - Groovin' High, Part 1: Getting Your Eighth Notes to Swing
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - Groovin' High, Part 2: A Great Line to Use Over ii-Vs
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - Groovin' High, Part 3: Playing "Out" on ii-Vs (1)
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - Groovin' High, Part 4: Playing "Out" on ii-Vs (2): Play Along with Me
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - Groovin' High, Part 5: Playing "Out" on ii-Vs (3): Superimposing 7th Chords
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - Woody'n You, Part 1: Level 1, 2, and 3
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - Woody'n You, Part 2: Chris Potter's Solo Over "Woody'n You"
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - Woody'n You, Part 3: Dealing with Minor 7 Flat 5 (or "Half Diminished") Chords
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - Woody'n You, Part 4: Breaking Down Chris Potter's Solo (1)
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - Woody'n You, Part 5: Breaking Down Chris Potter's Solo (2)
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - Woody'n You, Part 6: Breaking Down Chris Potter's Solo (3)
  • Classic Bebop Tunes - Woody'n You, Part 7: Breaking Down Chris Potter's Solo (4)
  • How Insensitive: the Power of Arpeggios
  • What is Chris Potter Playing in this Insane Lick on Lingus? (Plus, Why Practice One Song to Prepare for Another)
  • Digging into Blue 7, Part 1: Play Along with Bob
  • Digging into Blue 7, Part 2: Exploring Triplets
  • Digging into Blue 7, Part 3: Wide Interval Leaps and Rhythmic Displacement (Sonny's Opening Phrase)
  • Digging into Blue 7, Part 4: Lydian Dominant Triplet Lick
  • Digging into Blue 7, Part 5: Combining Lydian Dominant, Bebop Enclosures, and Triplets
  • I'll Remember April - 2 Minor Licks for the A Section
  • I'll Remember April - Etude
  • I'll Remember April: Transforming the Melody from Basic to Advanced, Part 1
  • I'll Remember April: Transforming the Melody from Basic to Advanced, Part 2
  • I'll Remember April: Memorizing the Changes 1 - Make the Basics Musical
  • I'll Remember April: Harmony 2 - How I Practice Using Guide Tones in My Solos
  • I'll Remember April: Jazz Practice Buddy - Play Along With Bob
  • I'll Remember April: Try This ii-V-I Lick - Dominant 7th up, Altered Dominant Down
  • An 8-Bar Phrase To Help You Connect Chord Changes (Based On The Bridge To I’ll Remember April)
  • Easy Living: Harmonic Analysis and the Elegance of the Circle of Fifths
  • Easy Living Etude Pt. 1 - Chromaticising the Turnaround
  • Easy Living Etude Pt. 2
  • Miyako: Simplify Complex Chord Changes by Using 4-Note Cells
  • Miyako: Finding 4-Note Cells
  • Miyako: Pivot Points, Half-Step Motion, and Contrary Motion
  • Miyako: Play Along While I Comp on Piano
  • Without A Song: Beyond 1357, Part 1 - Feel
  • Without A Song: Beyond 1357, Part 2 - Melodic and Harmonic Construction
  • Without A Song: Visualizing Voice Leading - Applying Piano Voicings to the Saxophone
  • Shedding "Stella By Starlight" - Building a Solo From Fundamental Elements to Melodic Shapes
  • Trade with Bob: Recorda Me
  • “There Will Never Be Another You” Etude – A Real-Time Example of How I Shed
  • Christmas Time Is Here – Discover Cool Harmonic Devices By Playing It On Piano
  • Basic Blues (I IV V) Workout – Progressive Exercises To Hear And Feel The Blues Form
  • Jazz Blues Workout – Progressive Exercises To Hear And Feel The Blues Form
  • Bird Blues Workout (“Blues for Alice”)
  • Bird Blues Workout (“Blues for Alice”) – Part 2
  • A Simple Way to Make Melodies More Expressive
  • Autumn Leaves: Play Along With Bob
  • The Girl From Ipanema – Etude & Song Analysis
  • Jam with Bob – “Misty”
  • Doxy Lesson 1 – Etude of Superimposed 7th Chords
  • Doxy Lesson 2 – Deep Shed: Connecting the Feeling of Each Superimposed Chord
  • “Donna Lee” Piano Voicings for Non-Piano Players
  • “Donna Lee” Melody Workout


Creative Improv

Creative Improv Concepts

  • The Confident Improviser Part 1: Getting Nervous; Forgetting What You Know
  • The Confident Improviser Part 2: Forget About Scales, Learn to Love Chord Tones
  • The Confident Improviser Part 3: Play it Until You're Sick of it, Then Play it Some More
  • The Confident Improviser Part 4: Do You Have Swiss Cheese Syndrome?
  • The Confident Improviser Part 5: Visual Altitude (What You Need to Create Space)
  • The Confident Improviser Part 6: The Creative Power of Limitations
  • The Confident Improviser Part 7: Even When It's Easy, It's Hard (Plus: How to Play Fast)
  • Fluid Improvisation Part 1: Root Motion and Harmonic Rhythm
  • Fluid Improvisation Part 2: Outline Every 7th Chord in Time
  • Fluid Improvisation Part 3: Derive Chord Scales from Context
  • Fluid Improvisation Part 4: Using the Piano, Triads, and Upper Structure Triads
  • Fluid Improvisation Part 5 Creating Interest with Rhythm
  • Fluid Improvisation Part 6: Using Chord Inversions
  • Fluid Improvisation Part 7: Visual Technique for Improvisation
  • Fluid Improvisation Part 8: Understanding Voice Leading
  • Fluid Improvisation Part 9: Limiting Your Range
  • Fluid Improvisation Part 10: Using Motifs
  • Beyond 1357 - Part 1: Feel
  • Beyond 1357 - Part 2: Melodic and Harmonic Construction
  • I have a hard time connecting chord changes and making them melodic as well as rhythmic.
  • Slow (Very Slow) Blues in E Concert (Chi Chi by Charlie Parker)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 1: Preparation Exercises
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 2: Things to Focus On While Practicing
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 3: Exercises 1 & 2 (Scales)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 4: Exercises 3 & 4 (Arpeggios)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 5: Intro to Exercises 5-8
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 6: Exercises 5 & 6 (Scales)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 7: Exercises 7 & 8 (Arpeggios)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 8: Intro to Exercises 9 & 10
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 9: Exercises 9 & 10 (Scales)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 10: Intro to Exercise 11
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 11: Exercise 11
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 12: Intro to Exercises 12-14
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 13: Exercise 12 (Root & 5th)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 14: Exercise 13 (Pentatonics)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 15: Exercise 14 (Broken 7th Chords)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 16: Four Exercises Through the Cycle of Fourths
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 17: Exercise 15 (1235)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 18: Exercise 16 (Pentatonics)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 19: Exercise 17 (7ths on 7)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 20: Exercise 18 (Minor 7th Over Major 7th)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 21: Intro to Exercises 19-24
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 22: Exercise 19 (5321)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 23: Exercise 20 (5321 With Rhythmic Variety)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 24: Exercise 21 (Pentatonics)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 25: Exercise 22 (Pentatonics as a Launchpad for Improvisation)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 26: Exercise 23 (7ths on 7 Over Ascending Major)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 27: Exercise 24 (Minor Over Major)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 28: Intro to 4-Bar Bebop Phrase #1
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 29: How to Think of Each Part of the Phrase for Speed and Accuracy
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 30: Exercise 25: 4-Bar Bebop Phrase Beginning On The Root (All Keys – Ascending)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 31: Exercise 26: 4-Bar Bebop Phrase Beginning On The Root (All Keys – Descending)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 32: Bebop Phrase #2 - Things to Know
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 33: Exercise 27: 4-Bar Bebop Phrase #2 (Slow)
  • Visual Technique for Improvisation Part 34: Exercise 28: 4-Bar Bebop Phrase #2 (Fast)
  • Think It. Say It. Play It. Part 1: The Importance Of Visualization In Improvisation
  • Think It. Say It. Play It. Part 2: Visualizing the 12-Bar Blues
  • Think It. Say It. Play It. Part 3: Practicing Visualization
  • Practicing a 4 (major) Chord Loop
  • Enclosures: 12 Exercises to Help You Understand (and Practice) Them
  • What Percentage of Your Improvisation in Harmonically Conscious?
  • An Improvisational Approach to Practicing Scales in Thirds Over A Chord Progression
  • Getting Away From Root Based Improvising: A Simple Trick to Add Color to Chord Progressions (Joy Spring)
  • Understanding the Architecture of New Vocabulary: The Honeysuckle Rose Lick
  • Applying Vocabulary: Practicing the Honeysuckle Rose Lick Over Joy Spring
  • Thinking Ahead - How to Practice Executing Vocabulary
  • How I Shed: Working Out New Ideas Over a Snarky Puppy Groove
  • The Way You Look Tonight: Applying Erroll Garner's Lick
  • A "Quick Win" Vocab Nugget: A ii V Phrase Highlighting the Dominant Flat 9 Sound
  • Introduction to George Garzone's Triadic Chromatic Approach
  • Let's Shed a 251 in E Major
  • Applying a Flat 9, Flat 13 Lick to Three Standards
  • Techniques To Create a Compelling Solo Over a 2-Chord Vamp (Covered In Rain Example)
  • Summertime – Joshua Redman Phrases, Part 1
  • Summertime – Joshua Redman Phrases, Part 2
  • Blue Bossa – Lines that feel good to play #1
  • Blue Bossa – Lines that feel good to play #2 – Let’s practice laying back
  • Blue Bossa – Lines that feel good to play #3 – Experiencing upper extensions

Creative Improv Challenges

  • Improvisational Technique: Fourths Moving in Various Intervals
  • Limitation Exercise: Improvising With Only 4 Notes
  • Mini Ranges: Limiting Scope to Improve Improvisation
  • Visualizing Voice Leading: Applying Piano Voicings to the Saxophone
  • Modal Melodies: How to Find the Right Notes (and Play Them Creatively)
  • Practicing Cherokee in B Concert
  • How I Practice Soloing Over a 4-Chord Rock Loop (Plus a Transcription Challenge)
  • Use Simple Triads to Get Away From Root-Based Improvising
  • Two Birds With One Stone: Applying the Same Vocabulary Over Both Major and Minor II-V's
  • Call and Response - Find New Material While Developing Your Improvisation Phrasing
  • Bob Sheds “There Will Never Be Another You” In 5/4 and Tells You What He’s Thinking on Each Chorus
  • Improv Practice – Melody & 2x Solo (Miyako)

Creative Improv: Playing “Outside”

  • I don’t know how to play the more jazzy and colorful notes of chord changes
  • Create a modern inside/outside sound using first inversion triads
  • Sidestepping: Sliding out—and Back in—to a Chord
  • Taking it "Out" with Major Triads: Pat Metheny Solos over the Blues
  • Playing "Out" Doesn't Have to be Theoretical: Solo Break Over Stitched Up with John Mayer

Saxophone Master Class


Embouchure, Mouthpieces, and Reeds

  • Soprano Sax Mouthpiece & Embouchure Basics
  • My Embouchure is a Mess! Please Get Me Out of the Darkness
  • Embouchure, Overtones, Jaw Shape, Subtoning, Altissimo, & Articulation
  • How to Get a Tight Seal Between Your Reed and Mouthpiece
  • The Greatest Mouthpiece in the World!
  • Watch Rafael Navarro Make Me a Custom Mouthpiece
  • How I Prepare Reeds
  • Soaking Your Reeds
  • If I'm Going to Use the Mouthpiece Silencer, This is How I Do It
  • Soprano Sax: Positioning and Reed Size Issues


Strictly Technique

  • Alto for Tenor Players, Part 1: Dos and Don'ts
  • Alto for Tenor Players, Part 2: Getting in the Zone
  • Alto for Tenor Players, Part 3: Do You Need to Play Both?
  • B Flat Overtone Series
  • Build Your Technique Through Tunes, Triads & Triplets (1 of 2)
  • Build Your Technique Through Tunes, Triads & Triplets (2 of 2)
  • False Fingering for B flat
  • How to Get Rid of Sticky Pads
  • Isolation Drills to Clean up Your Technique
  • How to Play Legato/Staccato Articulation, and Fast!
  • Quick Tip: Using the Bis Bb Key
  • Low Register Mechanism Exercise: F Sharp to C Sharp
  • Alternate Fingerings: A Flat/G Sharp
  • Using Vocabulary to Practice Technique (Starring Bis and Side Bb)
  • Step by Step Process to Play Scales with Speed and Perfect Execution
  • Bob's Altissimo Fingerings on Tenor
  • 5-Note Drills Over the Break
  • How do you Handle a Phrase That's too Fast for your Current Technical Ability?
  • SSS (Slow, Straight, Slurred): A Reminder Why it Helps
  • Stan Getz's Palm Key Exercise
  • Half (Ghost) Tonguing: A 5-Note Exercise To Make Playing Fast Easier
  • Altissimo Fingerings: Should You Choose Easier Execution or Better Sound?
  • Why do you use the paddle/spatula keys when playing Ab/G#?


Sound/Tone

  • Overtones: The Secret to a Remarkable Sound
  • Simple Way to Get Started With Overtones
  • Act Like Darth Vader to Sound Like Stan Getz
  • Improve Your Time Feel with this Long Tone Exercise
  • Finding that soft, airy tone in the upper register (Joe Henderson, “Black Narcissus”)
  • How I Split Altissimo G
  • How To Do an Altissimo Glissando
  • Improve Your Tone by Learning a New Melody
  • Long Tones 101
  • Strengthen Your Tone with These 3 Mouthpiece and Neck Exercises
  • Subtle Nuances Give You That Pro Sound
  • Vibrato
  • What to Do About Wimpy High Notes
  • Ghosting, Half-Tonguing, and "Jazz" Articulation
  • Half or Ghost Tonguing
  • Triadic Tone Exercise (for Intonation)
  • A One-Note Exercise to Significantly Improve Your Sound
  • Developing a Sound That Fills the Room
  • Vibrato: Common Mistakes, Practice Methods, and Performance Suggestions
  • Release Your Bottom Lip (To Get a Bigger, Fatter, Warmer Tone)
  • Altissimo Diagnosis – Helpful Tips From Studio Members on Unlocking the Upper Range
  • Uniformity of Tone Character – An Exercise to Achieve a Balanced, Full Sound in All Registers
  • Chromatic Long Tones with a Drum Loop – A Great Workout in Under 10 Minutes


Ear Training/Transcribing

Transcribing Essentials

  • Transcribing 101
  • Transcribing in Real Time
  • How to Apply What You Transcribe To Your Solos (Stan Getz Solo on "Yardbird Suite")
  • Transcription Analysis: Days of Wine and Roses Part 1: Choosing Chord Changes to Solo Over
  • Transcription Analysis: Days of Wine and Roses Part 2: First 16 Bars
  • Transcription Analysis: Days of Wine and Roses Part 3: How to Use Maj7 Over Dominant 7
  • Transcription Analysis: Days of Wine and Roses Part 4: Measures 21-30
  • Transcription Analysis: Days of Wine and Roses Part 5: Measures 31-45
  • Transcription Analysis: Days of Wine and Roses Part 6: Measures 46-End
  • What Spanish Can Teach You About Learning Jazz
  • How to Transcribe a Fast Lick
  • Transcribing in Real Time: Hot House
  • Why Transcribing and Technique Practice Are Not Mutually Exclusive (and How To Practice Both at the Same Time)
  • Getting the Most From Transcribing: Details Make the Difference, Metronome Challenges, and the Benefits of Small, Loopable Phrases
  • Unlocking New Musical Pathways: The Power of Transcribing a Second Time


Listening Sessions

  • In the Car with Cannonball Adderley – Stars Fell on Alabama
  • In the Car with Chris Potter – Bad Guys
  • In the Car with Chris Potter – Blues in Concentric Circles
  • In the Car with Joshua Redman: Jig-a-Jug
  • 10 Elegant Seconds of Charlie Parker on "East of the Sun" from Bird with Strings
  • Lower Neighboring Tones - An Example From John Coltrane's Solo on My Shining Hour
  • What is [That Cool Stuff] Going on in This Alto Solo?!
  • Listening Lab: David Sanborn "Hobbies" From Another Hand (A Down-Home Blues in A)
  • Listening Lab: Sonny Stitt on I'll Remember April
  • Case Study: Scales in Thirds in a Stan Getz Solo (500 Miles High)
  • Case Study in Phrasing a Melody: Chet Baker Sings "Easy Living"
  • Listening Lab: Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan on "Easy Living"
  • Listening Lab: Stan Getz's Solo on Pennies From Heaven
  • Listening Lab: Erroll Garner on "The Way You Look Tonight"
  • Listening Lab: Roy Hargrove on September in the Rain
  • Listening Lab: Charlie Parker's Beautiful Melodic Embellishments and Ornamentation on "April In Paris"
  • Listening For The Spark
  • Listening Lab: Hank Mobley's Melodic Turnarounds and More From "Dig Dis"
  • Using Dynamics To Accent Phrases: Dexter Gordon on “I Was Doing All Right” – Listening Lab, Chord & Guide Tone Exercises, Transcription Workout
  • Listening Lab: Opening Up Minor Chords With Wider Intervals, the 110% Trick, and Using the Rhythmic Density Scale — Chris Potter on “El Morocco”
  • Listening Lab: Bebop in the Groove
  • Listening Lab: Joe Henderson - The Sound of Natural 6 on Minor and Using Minor Triads in Colorful Ways
  • Listening Lab: Branford Marsalis’ Exquisite Duet with Sting on “Roxanne”
  • Listening Lab: Adapting a Bebop Classic into a Groove Context
  • Listening Lab: Michael Brecker’s EWI solo over “In A Sentimental Mood” – Part 1
  • Listening Lab: Michael Brecker’s EWI solo over “In A Sentimental Mood” – Part 2
  • Listening Lab: Stan Getz – There Will Never Be Another You
  • Listening Lab: Inside the demo for “Bet” by Snarky Puppy
  • Listening Lab: Freddie Hubbard “Birdlike” (F Blues)
  • Listening Lab and Transcription Challenge: Snarky Puppy – “Take It!”
  • Listening Lab: Rhythm & Blues Soloing – Bob with Scary Pockets and David Ryan Harris
  • Listening Lab – Joshua Redman on “Turnaround”
  • Listening Lab: Joe Henderson on Flamenco Sketches
  • Joe Henderson’s 1985 Lecture from North Texas University
  • Listening Lab: Joshua Redman on Summertime


Transcribed Solos

  • Johnny Griffin’s Solo on Blue Monk
  • Kirk Whalum’s solo on Every Breath You Take
  • A Study in Bluesy Triplet-Based Playing: Stanley Turrentine's Solo on "Sugar"
  • Sonny Stitt’s Solo on Tune Up
  • Theory Analysis: Cannonball's solo on "Straight, No Chaser"
  • Transcribing Chris Potter’s solo on “Easy To Love”
  • Transcribing Pat Metheny’s “The Gathering Sky”
  • Guide Tone Lines, Real-Time Transcribing, and a New Twist to 7th Chords: Chris Potter on "Without a Song"
  • Benefits of Playing Soft (Transcribing Pat Metheny)
  • Using the Keyboard to Transcribe Harmony From a Pop Song (EWF "Sign On")
  • Breaking Down Stan Getz's Solo On Pennies From Heaven (Pt. 1)
  • Breaking Down Stan Getz's Solo On Pennies From Heaven (Pt. 2)
  • Breaking Down Stan Getz's Solo On Pennies From Heaven (Pt. 3)
  • Breaking Down Stan Getz's Solo On Pennies From Heaven (Pt. 4)
  • "What's He Doing There?!" - How To Make Use Of Eric Alexander's Solo Break On "Four"
  • Improvising a Solo Introduction - In Front of People and Cameras (Breaking Down My A Capella Intro to "Mulholland")
  • Solo Analysis - Bob Brookmeyer's Solo on "I'll Remember April"
  • Solo Analysis: Bob Breaks Down His Approach to "Our Day Will Come"
  • “Birdlike” (F Blues) Transcription Workout (Practice with Bob)
  • Harmonic Analysis of Chris Potter’s solo on “Ornithology”


Hear What You Play and Play What You Hear

  • How Do I Put What I Transcribe into my Solos?
  • How to Break Down and Practice What You Transcribe Part 1: Why Doing Your Own Transcribing Is Critical To Improving As An Improviser
  • How to Break Down and Practice What You Transcribe Part 2: An Overview of My Transcribing Process
  • How to Break Down and Practice What You Transcribe Part 3: Play 3 Sing 1: Take It Further With Ear-Training
  • How to Break Down and Practice What You Transcribe Part 4: Breaking Down The Solo (1 of 2)
  • How to Break Down and Practice What You Transcribe Part 5: Breaking Down The Solo (2 of 2)
  • How to Break Down and Practice What You Transcribe Part 6: False Fingering High E Flat
  • How to Break Down and Practice What You Transcribe Part 7: False Fingering B Flat
  • How to Break Down and Practice What You Transcribe Part 8: A Triad Pair
  • How to Break Down and Practice What You Transcribe Part 9: Turn Their Solo Into Your Language: Improvising with the Triad Pair
  • How to Break Down and Practice What You Transcribe Part 10: The Low B Flat (Concert A Flat)
  • How to Break Down and Practice What You Transcribe Part 11: Outlining Ab Minor; Wide Intervals
  • How to Break Down and Practice What You Transcribe Part 12: Using 4ths and 5ths
  • How to Break Down and Practice What You Transcribe Part 13: Stepping Outside
  • How to Get What You Transcribe Under Your Fingers
  • Playing What You Hear, Part 1: Ranges, Motifs and the Importance of Singing
  • Playing What You Hear, Part 2: Different Ways to Alter a Motif
  • Playing What You Hear, Part 3: Bebop Scales, Half-Step Resolutions, & Enclosures
  • Playing What You Hear, Part 4: the Element of Surprise
  • Thinking While Improvising: Should You Do It?
  • How Do You Accompany Another Soloist With Your Saxophone?
  • Improvisation Play-By-Play: Here's Exactly What I'm Thinking As I Improvise My Way Into A Standard
  • Bridging the Gap: How to Get Transcribed Vocabulary Into Your Own Playing (Stan Getz on “TWNBAY”)
  • Extracting and Adapting Your Own Vocabulary – Coltrane Ballad Phrase to a Medium Swing 2-5-1

Practicing


Warmups

    • The Ultimate Pre-Warm-Up Warm-Up
    • Killer Saxophone Warm Up
    • Chromatic Interval Warm-Up
    • How Generate Practice Ideas from Your Warmup, Part 1
    • How to Generate Practice Ideas from Your Warmup, Part 2

Getting Organized

    • Setting Goals: Move Forward by Working Backwards
    • The 3 Types of Goals You Need
    • Metronomes I Use

Staying Focused & Motivated

  • 7-T Practice Framework, Part 1: the 7 T's: What They Are and How to Use Them
  • 7-T Practice Framework, Part 2: Benchmarks for Learning Tunes (Levels 1, 2, and 3
  • 7-T Practice Framework, Part 3: Developing a Weekly Practice Plan
  • 7-T Practice Framework, Part 4: Tune Learning - Level 1
  • 7-T Practice Framework, Part 5: Tune Learning - Level 2: Simple Solo Techniques
  • 7-T Practice Framework, Part 6: Extracting Practice Elements from the Tune
  • 7-T Practice Framework, Part 7: Finding Your P.I.G.
  • The Holy Grail of Practice Tempos
  • Find More Focus—and Avoid Noodling—When Practicing Changes (a Trick to Free up Brain Power)
  • How to Stop Getting Lost While Practicing Tunes A Capella
  • How to use one phrase to improve your technique, articulation, time feel, mental focus, and more
  • Practicing Patterns Efficiently


Practice Tips

  • An Alternative to Practicing Blues in All Keys
  • Grace Notes, Blues Feel, Bebop Lines and Space...on the Piano
  • How to Practice Etudes, Part 1
  • How to Practice Etudes, Part 2
  • How to Practice Scales
  • Practicing a tune with just a metronome
  • Cleaning Technical Glitches (in My Pajamas) at 60 BPM
  • Practicing into a Problem
  • How To Loop a Section in the IReal Pro App
  • Things to Practice Away From the Saxophone
  • How To Keep Your Fingers Moving While Taking Breaths
  • Takeaways From My Conversation With Chris Potter About Playing Standards
  • Practical Ways To Use A Metronome
  • Using the 7T Practice Framework to Convert a Lick You Transcribe Into Your Own Vocabulary
  • Ways To Practice Intonation
  • Metronome on 2 & 4 – Quick Tip To Get Comfortable (& Why Do It)
  • Why 2 & 4 Are Important (And Should You Tap Your Foot?)
  • The Philosophy of 60 BPM
  • Approach Notes, Grace Notes, and Enclosures – What’s the Difference?

Rhythm, Groove, and Time


Developing your Time

  • The Holy Grail of Practice Tempos
  • Make it FEEL Good: Do This to Get Better at Keeping Your Place and Landing Your Phrases in the Pocket
  • How to Come Up with New Rhythmic Ideas When Improvising
  • Motivic Development with Rhythmic Displacement
  • How to Play Over Fast Tempos
  • Strategies for Getting Comfortable Improvising at Faster Tempos
  • Shedding Accurate Time: Coltrane Changes Exercise
  • Player Problems (1 of 4): Ghosting, Half-Tonguing, and "Jazz" Articulation
  • Player Problems (2 of 4): Dynamic Phrasing and Articulation
  • Playing Across the Barline & Through the Form (Advanced)
  • Rhythmic Density (is Really Important)
  • Subdividing the Beat
  • Time Feel Case-Study: Using Straight 8th Notes to Make Your Lines Swing Hard
  • Get Your Reps In: Use Repetitive Phrases to Improve Your Time Feel and Groove
  • Focus on Feel: An Exercise to Improve the Way You Deliver Vocabulary
  • A Rhythmic Approach to Practicing Improvisation (and Technique)


Odd Time Signatures

  • Getting Started with Odd Meters
  • Odd Meter Bebop: 15 Lines Over II-V in 7/8
  • Scale interval exercise to add syncopation in 3/4


Grooves: From Swing to Funk 

  • Essential Elements of Swing (3 Lessons)
  • Groove in F#7 (Mothership Groove)
  • Grooving over a Minor Blues with a Backbeat
  • Playing Pop Saxophone: My Blueprint
  • Sound Hip over a One Chord Jam (5 Things to Play over E Minor)
  • Developing Motifs Over a Funk Groove (Brecker's Solo on "Slang")
  • Playing Bebop Over Dominant 7 Groove
  • Using Bebop Scales, Enclosures, and Pentatonics Over A-7 Rock Jam
  • "What Do You Think About When You Rip the $#*T Out of a Static Funk Groove?"
  • Add More Grease to Your Groove Playing
  • Soloing Over A Pop Tune: Finding Colors Beyond Basic Pentatonics
  • Recording a Funk-Rock Power Sax Solo
  • Funky Enclosures & Approach Notes
  • How to Shed “Groove” Vocabulary – Licks from My Solo on “Yesterday Shutting Down”
  • Funk-Fusion Soloing Workout - Use The Same Track I Recorded for Jeff Lorber
  • 7 Bebop Lines Over a 1-Chord (-7) Groove – Enclosures, Approach Notes, and Anticipations

Q&A

  • Q&A October 2019 – Marketing Yourself, Practicing Rhythm, Chord Visualization, and Writing for the Quartet
  • Q&A - Physical Warmups, Soloing With Just a Metronome, Breaking Free From Running Changes, Altissimo Glisses, and More
  • Q&A - Keeping Your Cool While Soloing, Available Tensions, and Recalling Transcriptions
  • Q&A - Altissimo Control, Copying Articulation, Pros/Cons of Using Harder Reeds, and Developing Intonation Imagination
  • Q&A - What the Heck Is Chris Potter Doing Over Cherokee?! (And Why Never to Trust Written Transcriptions)

On the Gig

  • 10 Secrets to Getting (and Keeping) Gigs
  • How to Play a Standard (Out of Nowhere) A Capella
  • Inside a Rehearsal: Rehearsing a New Band
  • Successful Careers in Music, Berklee Clinic
  • Transcribing Not Optional: Recording with Snarky Puppy
  • Transitioning From Studying Music in College to Playing Music Professionally
  • SBA vs. MKVI - What's the Difference and Why Choose One Over the Other
  • How the Snarky Puppy Horn Section Learns Music.....Fast

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