[Randy Hunter]

I'd like to give a thumbs up to Randy's backing/rhythm section.

I'm (finally) reaching the stage where I can properly listen to and play with them - and there is real interest there as well.

Thanks Lesacks!

The pianist is Gary Motley- head of jazz studies at Emory University where I teach. The bassist, Chris Riggenbach, is also on the jazz faculty there. The drummer, Robert Boone, is a young guy here in Atlanta that recently completed a tour of Japan with the Count Basie Band. Top quality cats!

 

[Keith Ridenhour]

Your tone and inflection and time are great. Super playing K

 

[graphicguy]

Randy, thx; I've watched your youtube videos the past few months and they're well-done & helpful, esp the tips & tricks ones - kudos!

https://www.youtube.com/user/saxtrax/videos

 

[Randy Hunter]

Your tone and inflection and time are great. Super playing K

Thanks so much, Keith! I hope you're doing well. You're familiar with my approach to practicing time and sound, so the compliment is appreciated even more!

Randy

 

[Randy Hunter]

Randy, thx; I've watched your youtube videos the past few months and they're well-done & helpful, esp the tips & tricks ones - kudos!

Thanks Graphicguy! I'll be posting a new Licks, Tips, & Tricks video on the thread tomorrow called The Funk Scale. I hope you dig it!

Randy

 

[Randy Hunter]

Here's a free lesson I actually posted last year, but I though some of you might enjoy spending a brief portion of your Christmas Eve playing God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. Drop me a note if you'd like the PDF (no charge).

Merry Christmas!

Randy
www.beginningsax.com - Jazz Improv & Beginning Sax Video Lessons
www.randyhunterjazz.com - Jazz Saxophone Books

 

[Randy Hunter]

Hey Folks- Just wanted to let you know I've posted a new jazz improv lesson. From Licks to Language is an extensive lesson that shows how to transcribe and analyze licks, practice them in different keys, and find concepts within the licks.

The lesson includes:
4 instructional videos
58 Transcribe This Lick videos (That's my complete Transcribe This Lick set of YouTube videos!)
Written Instruction for B Flat, E Flat, and Concert Pitch instruments

The video is a sample from the lesson.
I hope you'll check it out.

Lessons Purchase Page: http://www.beginningsax.com/Jazz Improv Lessons.htm

Randy
www.beginningsax.com - Jazz Improv & Beginning Sax Video Lessons
www.randyhunterjazz.com - Jazz Saxophone Books

 

[zonepeter]

A few words on the Lick to Language series:
Full disclosure: I am a Skype student of Randy's and he sent me this series. I have no other interests and Randy never asked me to post or review it. He sent it to me strictly because he thought it might be useful. But anyway take my review with whatever grains of salt you choose.

I have used a number of Randy's videos and they are always well organized and well documented. They come with a very thorough PDF and it is evident that Randy has the lesson well thought out and planned before he starts recording.

This series had 4 videos each around 20 minutes. Each video is of a different lick. The licks are all fairly easy licks (blues lick, II-V and bebop scale licks). Also included is a folder with all of Randy's "transcribe this lick" series. They are all on You tube, but it sure is nice to have them handy and by downloading them you can open them in whatever software you want (I use Transcribe and you can loop or set speed or change key). There is a ton of language there.

Each video takes you through a progression with the selected lick. It starts with singing (don't skip this step. I tend to, but doing it once along with the videos will convert you) and moves through a prescribed set of steps that will have you transposing (Randy has a slightly different take on this step) deconstructing the lick to create more language and finally playing along with one of Randy's self produced play alongs that are excellent. One of the cool things is the context of the play alongs. First of all, they aren't in the original key of the lick, so you will transpose into atlas one other key. Then he uses different songs to plug them in, not necessarily to type. Ie a blues lick might be played on All of Me.
All in all this presents a systematic approach to incorporating new language into your playing. If you struggle with this as I do, the might help. To give an idea, I have only spent a little time with the videos, but last night as I was trying to create ideas for an etude Randy has me writing, I found one of the licks jumping into my head and out my fingers. Was wondering where the idea came from and then remembered it was a lick from the series.

All in all I think this is a useful series on an area that many of us need lots of work on and could be useful in creating an organized way to incorporate new ideas in your playing. It is probably most useful to advanced beginner and intermediate improvisors, (I'm intermediate on my best days) although anyone looking for new ways to incorporate ideas might find it useful.

 

[Randy Hunter]

Just a quick note to let everyone know I've added a new lesson in my Soloing on Tunes series. Soloing on Scrapple From the Apple is an extensive dual purpose lesson. This one has 4 instructional videos, written instruction, and a great play-along track recorded by my rhythm section colleagues at Emory University. Topics cover the theory behind the chord progression, bebop scales, auxiliary tones, chromatic enclosures, and double-timing.

Lessons page: http://www.beginningsax.com/Jazz Improv Lessons.htm

A sample is below. I hope you'll check it out!

Randy Hunter

 

[Randy Hunter]

Just wanted to let everyone know that now in addition to www.beginningsax.com, my beginning sax and jazz improv lessons are now available via subscription at www.randyhunterjazz.vhx.tv Here's a virtual demo of how the site works. I've got tons of lessons, so I hope some of you will check out the site!

Thanks!

Randy Hunter
www.randyhunterjazz.vhx.tv

 

[Keith Ridenhour]

Your phrasing and sense of time is really really good. I hope people "get that" and do whatever you suggest to improve those skills. People think its magic but its just work in a steady direction . keep the faith Randy K

I've had lots of requests for a lesson on Misty, so I had my rhythm section put together a play-along track recently- and it kills!

I've changed the lesson format on this one to include 4 instructional videos, a demonstration video, the play-along track, and of course a PDF with all the instruction, exercises, and examples included for tenor sax, alto sax, and concert pitch instruments.

Video topics include:
-Chord progression theory
-The basic vocabulary
-Phrasing and soloing
-Advanced soloing concepts

The lesson is available at: www.beginningsax.com/Jazz Improv Lessons.htm

I hope you'll check it out!

Randy

 

[Randy Hunter]

Thanks Keith! Your kind words are most appreciated and meaningful, considering how well you play!

 

[Keith Ridenhour]

Thanks Randy, i videoed myself last night and Im too sharp in the mid/high end, move way too much on stage and my oleg neck harness makes me look 1000 years old. But You are the combo of a good player/performer and teacher. I hope you stay busy K

 

[Randy Hunter]

Here's a little Q&A session in response to an email I received with questions about my lessons and learning philosophies. I'd enjoy hearing any thoughts or opinions.

Thanks!

Randy
www.beginningsax.com
NEW: Lessons via subscription- www.randyhunterjazz.vhx.tv

 

[Keith Ridenhour]

You make a great point. You can watch a surgeon do surgery on you tube. You see him cut but you don't know why he cut there. Or how deep he cut. So mimicking others is killer to develop your ear and get great ideas on what to practice. But the basic skills of chord tones, approach notes., range of horn, expression, time, tone, new rhythms, substitutions. these are all skills best learned one by one. K

 

[Randy Hunter]

Just wanted to let everyone know I've added a couple of new sets of lessons to my Jazz Improv Lessons series. Here are samples from The Bebop Series and The Rock & Blues series.

Thanks for checking them out!

Randy Hunter
Jazz Improv Lessons- https://www.beginningsax.com/Jazz Improv Lessons.htm
Full Access via Monthly Subscription- www.randyhunterjazz.vhx.tv

 

[Randy Hunter]

Just wanted to give everyone a heads-up about a new lesson I've posted on my site. This one is an extensive Soloing on Tunes lesson on Fly Me to the Moon- a ya-gotta-know classic. 5 instructional videos, PDF, and a great play-along track. Check out the sample below.

Available at: https://www.beginningsax.com/Jazz Improv Lessons.htm

Subscribe for full access to all of my lessons at: https://randyhunterjazz.vhx.tv

Thanks!

Randy Hunter

 

[10mfan]

You sound fantastic! I love to hear you play and your enthusiasm for teaching warms my heart!

 

[Randy Hunter]

You sound fantastic! I love to hear you play and your enthusiasm for teaching warms my heart!

Thanks Mark! Always enjoy playing your mouthpieces. The Black widow is killer!

 

[Randy Hunter]

Just a quick note to let everyone know I've updated my lessons website. I hope you'll pay it a visit and check out the new format. Hopefully you'll find it much easier to navigate. I've got a couple of new lesson series on the site. Here's a sample from the Quick Tunes series. There are currently 3 tunes in this series (more at my subscription site); Georgia on My Mind, I'm in the Mood For Love, and The Girl From Ipanema.

I'm running a sale through the end of June: 15% off $20 or more jazz improv lessons purchases using coupon code DEXTER15

Hope to hear from you!

Randy Hunter
https://beginningsax.com - Jazz Improv & Beginning Sax Lessons
https://randyhunterjazz.vhx.tv - Subscribe for access to all my lessons