Free Jazz Education and Music
Using unusual modes from scales can help produce some interesting melodies. This major #9 #11 melody comes from the 6th mode of harmonic minor (i.e. Ab to Ab from C harmonic minor). This mode is a wonderful substitution for Lydian
This is a variation of the Long Tone Lesson 16. The 3 step procedure is basically the same: 1. Relaxed Natural in Breath (diaphragmatic breath). 2. Listen actively and relax. 3. Play the long tone (with vibrato) The difference in
Using bigger intervals when improvising can help create an interesting contrast to your linear ideas. This is a melody comprised of a spread triad in 2nd inversion and 2 upper-structure “tensions”; the 11th and the 9th. These melodies are played
This is one way to practice long tones that I have found very helpful and have modified it slightly over the years. This can be practiced on most instruments with a little variation. We will play the long tone exercise
Improvising over a Drone or Pedal has been something I’ve always enjoyed. Not only is it relaxing and simple, it really helps me hear scales, modes and melodies. When a single note instrument is your main axe, you need a
RSI (repetitive strain injury), carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis can be an extremely frustrating and painful thing to deal with. If you can’t play music because of injury, you might become depressed, anxious and loose the will to recover. In
Here is a simple melody that will help you hear diminished as diminished, not merely as a dominant 7(b9). This is fairly easy idea that is played through the keys around the circle of fourths starting in concert C. It’s
Playing larger intervals can help to break up more linear ideas in a creative way that still sounds melodic and outlines the harmony clearly. This exercise in comprised of consecutive 5ths through Lydian, so it will work well over Major
Lots of great melodies are no more than a triad with a bit of stepwise embellishment. This exercise takes a spread triad in root position and embellishes the 3rd at the top of the voicing with upper and lower neighbor
Finding new ways to construct melodies over a major chord can be challenging as Ionian, Lydian and Lydian augmented seem to dominate the harmonic landscape in major. This lesson uses a melody that incorporates b9 and b13 over major. Although
The whole tone scale can be a bit too transparent to use frequently during improvisation. I’ve found that by conceiving of it both in augmented triads and with chromatic passing tones it becomes a little less obviously “whole tone”. This
Sometimes when playing saxophone without a chordal instrument or accompaniment, it can be hard to hear the harmonic context for the melodies being improvised or worked on. One way to help hear harmonically while playing single note lines is to
