[plbgbiz]

@Maikeli7 has the music stand of all!!!!

 

[Keith Ridenhour]

For me, the quickest way to really learn tunes in order to be able to improvise over them is:

• Learn the melody (vary the rhythms and phrasing to make it yours)
• Play just the chord roots all the way thru
• Play the chord arpeggios all the way thru
• Play different inversions with voice leading from chord to the next
• Play diatonic and chromatic approach notes to each chord tone (enclosures) with voice leading
• Listen to the greats play the tune and transcribe solo ideas from them, and learn your favorite licks/phrases in all keys

By the time you're done, you'll know the tune and can play a basic, melodic solo over it. But it could take a few months of weekly practice or a few days of focused daily practice. This approach gradually increases complexity, so it's easier to progress. The more tunes you use this approach with, the more chords and scales you'll learn, and each new tune will be easier.

If you don't actually know your scales, then add that between steps 2 and 3 using the chord scale, i.e., G7 would be a G major scale with a flat 7 (mixolydian mode), and Dm would be a D scale with a flat 3 and flat 7 (dorian mode).

If you don't have an app for playing along, I highly recommend iReal Pro.

This is excellent advice. You can add long tones and scale study to this using the song K

 

[swperry1]

For me, the quickest way to really learn tunes in order to be able to improvise over them is:

• Learn the melody (vary the rhythms and phrasing to make it yours)
• Play just the chord roots all the way thru
• Play the chord arpeggios all the way thru
• Play different inversions with voice leading from chord to the next
• Play diatonic and chromatic approach notes to each chord tone (enclosures) with voice leading
• Listen to the greats play the tune and transcribe solo ideas from them, and learn your favorite licks/phrases in all keys

By the time you're done, you'll know the tune and can play a basic, melodic solo over it. But it could take a few months of weekly practice or a few days of focused daily practice. This approach gradually increases complexity, so it's easier to progress. The more tunes you use this approach with, the more chords and scales you'll learn, and each new tune will be easier.

If you don't actually know your scales, then add that between steps 2 and 3 using the chord scale, i.e., G7 would be a G major scale with a flat 7 (mixolydian mode), and Dm would be a D scale with a flat 3 and flat 7 (dorian mode).

If you don't have an app for playing along, I highly recommend iReal Pro.

Your last step should be first. At least the first half of it, especially if the horn only goes in the hands once a week for an hour. Listening to as many versions as possible, following (singing) the bass movement then all the other parts including solos, and absorbing the form can all be done in the car or wherever for the week and when you get to play day the tune’s almost under your fingers already because it’s in your ears.

 

[JL]

Lots of good suggestions in the posts above.

I am thinking I will throw in some blues tunes every now and then to keep it from being too monotonous.

My main interest in playing the sax is jazz, so that is my focus.

I would say, if you want to play jazz, you better have the blues down cold! So definitely put some strong emphasis on the blues. The blues is an essential element.

 

[wanderso]

Where are you?
Where do you want to go?
How are you going to get there?
That is what you practice.

 

[Doug Lange]

Where are you?
Where do you want to go?
How are you going to get there?
That is what you practice.

Did you paraphrase the wise words of Yoda? Excellent it is.
😃

 

[cleger]

Well, yesterday was my weekly practice and it was a bit of a rude awakening. It probably shouldn't be surprising, but reeds are a real challenge when only play every 7 days. Also, my tone was absolute crap. Usually this time of year I don’t play at all, or very sporadically at best, so this is probably better in a relative sense. On the positive side, having had these discussions here and having a planned session means that I am anticipating it and thinking about the tune that I am working on. I found that from last week to this week I have internalized a lot of the tune (both the melody and the changes) so that even though I sounded like crap I was able to work immediately on going deeper into the tune.