Transcribing Is Like Leg Day for Musicians. Don’t Skip It.
I’ve been working on a phrase from Antonio Hart’s saxophone solo on Sketches of Selim by Anthony…
Music Transcription Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Useful
When you’re transcribing a jazz solo, it’s easy to get caught up trying to figure out every single…
Soloing Over Giant Steps With the Closest Triads
The harmony is moving fast… But your hands don’t have to. Giant Steps can feel like a lot of…
Try This Finger-Busting Arpeggio Exercise for Bass Guitar
If you already practice scales by harmonizing them with arpeggios, here’s a simple way to make that…
How to Practice Walking Bass Time Feel by Playing With the Masters
I recently transcribed Ray Brown’s walking bass line on “Teach Me Tonight.” But after learning the notes, I…
How to Internalize What You Practice on Bass (So It Actually Shows Up in Your Playing)
You spend hours practicing a bass line, lick, phrase, or musical concept. You get it under your fingers. You can…
Not Your Ideal Setup? Practice Anyway.
Practice doesn’t always happen under ideal conditions. Right now, that means sitting on a bench with a guitar…
You Can Still Practice Without Your Instrument
These days, a lot of my practice happens wherever and whenever I can fit it in. Sometimes that means I have my…
How to Make a Basic Thirds Exercise More Melodic
If you already know your basic thirds shapes on bass, you don’t necessarily need another exercise.…
How to Get a Modern Jazz Sound Using Pentatonic Scales
If you already know your major pentatonic scale, you have more material for jazz improvisation than you might…