Doxy Lesson 2 – Deep Shed: Connecting the Feeling of Each Superimposed Chord
In this lesson you’ll practice recognizing and connecting the emotional color of each superimposed chord to the primary chord.
Doxy Lesson 1 – Etude of Superimposed 7th Chords
A triplet etude over “Doxy” to sharpen your technique, swing feel, and get you seeing chords in a new way.
IIm7 V7#11 Workout (Miyako)
A series of practice-with-me examples to lead to a fun sound over a II V with a #11.
Bridging the Gap: How to Get Transcribed Vocabulary Into Your Own Playing (Stan Getz on “TWNBAY”)
This lesson explores a technique for converting material you discover via transcription into your own practical language. We’ll use 3 specific moments from Stan Getz’s solo as examples.
Sharp 1 & 2 Diminished – An Elegant Harmonic Substitution to Use in Your Turnarounds
This lesson explains and shows you how to use the sharp 1 & 2 diminished substitution. This is a must-know device to have in your improvisational tool belt over both the blues and rhythm changes.
Bird Blues Workout (“Blues for Alice”)
Learn to hear and feel the form and chord changes to a “Bird” Blues. This complex blues form is still commonly called on jam sessions and the chord changes are often inserted into other types of blues to add variety while improvising.
Applying a Flat 9, Flat 13 Lick to Three Standards
In this lesson, I’ll show you how to tackle the most important (and often least practiced) part of learning new vocabulary – application. We’ll apply the lick over three tunes – Autumn Leaves, Oleo, and There is No Greater Love.
Focus On Feel: An Exercise to Improve the Way You Deliver Vocabulary
Ever feel like you’re just not “putting it all together”? This exercise will help you get away from thinking note to note, chord to chord, and instead focus on a phrase, delivered with style.
Easy Living Etude Part 1 – Chromaticizing the Turnaround
This etude highlights how having facility with triads and seventh chords can help you create a coherent and flowing solo.
Easy Living: Harmonic Analysis and the Elegance of the Circle of Fifths
Several moments in this chord progression are common to many standard tunes. We’ll take a look at them, and discover how the Circle of Fifths guides the ship.
Using the Keyboard to Transcribe Harmony from a Pop Song (EWF “Sign On”)
This is on the intermediate to advanced side, but no reason not to start doing this even if it feels over your head currently. I can’t overstate how important it is to get to the keyboard to visualize harmony.
Applying the Harmonic Minor Scale to Dominant 7b9 Chords – 7 Examples
Explore how to apply the harmonic minor scale to dominant 7b9 chords.
II-V-I with Triplets and Chromatic Enclosures
A practical example of enclosures (approach notes/leading tones) in a bebop phrase.
Practicing II-V-Is in 12 Keys
Learn tactics for effective use of play-alongs, as well as a breakdown of some bebop vocabulary.
Improvising Over A 4-Chord Groove (2)
Analysis of what I played in Part 1.
Improvising Over a 4-Chord Groove (1)
If you ever feel like you’ve run out of ideas in a “simple” groove situation, here’s some ideas.
How to Think Visually About II-V-I’s: A Lick to Know in All 12 Keys
The lick that made the II-V-I progression “click” in my head for the first time. This is a “must-know” in 12 keys lick.