This book teaches the ideas behind adding chords to melodies. It begins with basic chords and progressions, and moves to more complex ideas. With an introduction and two appendices. Two CDs of additional material.

All the information needed to become a functional jazz pianist

All musicians need to thoroughly learn their scales, chords, intervals and various melodic patterns in order to become complete musicians. The question has always been how to approach this universal task. Guitar legend Barry Finnerty (Miles, The Crusaders, Brecker Bros., etc.) provides in this book a rigorous practice regime that will set you well on the road to complete mastery of whatever instrument you play. Endorsed by Randy Brecker, Mark Levine, Dave Liebman, etc.

Thirty-Six Jazz Practice Ideas to Get the Most from Your Real Book You may know about the REAL BOOK, but what you probably don’t know is how much MUSICAL PROGRESS can be accomplished with only a single fake book! Don’t know what to practice? Don’t want to waste valuable time? Based on years of university-level teaching, the author of this book gives jazz musicians: Simple, focused melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic strategies on how to use their limited practicing time more efficiently Easy-to-understand practice ideas for any jazz musician to apply over any real book tunes A blueprint of improvisation tips to avoid the pitfalls of directionless practicing Here’s the beginner/intermediate jazz strategy list you’ve never seen before: Thirty-six actionable melodic ideas, harmonic ideas, rhythmic and metric tips, ear training exercises, and basic arranging and composition blueprints, and more… Do you know why many young musicians fail? Why intermediate-level musicians get stuck? Do you feel like the secrets of WHAT and HOW to practice jazz improvisation are out of your reach? Do you want to really deepen your connection to the music you play? Sometimes jazz musicians want to get better, but don’t always know how — even with the help of a teacher. These thirty-six jazz practice ideas cover a wide range of modern jazz improvisation strategies, presented in clear topic chapters to provide the most effective results for beginner and intermediate players. You want to know what to practice? Any real book or fake book tune. Okay, now what? Choose one or more of these 36 actionable practice ideas and make real progress with your musical abilities: improvisation and soloing, ear training, connecting harmony, and more. For jazz piano, jazz guitar, jazz saxophone, jazz trumpet, jazz bass, jazz voice, jazz trombone, jazz drums, and all other improvising instruments.

Jazz Theory Handbook is a complete guide to all the essential topics of jazz theory, suitable for all treble instruments. Its approach is clear and concise,realistic and practical. This book will help you to understand how contemporaryjazz players think, and to apply theory concepts in your own playing. Subjects are introduced progressively, with each new one based on those introduced before. Topics include chord building, harmonic movement, modes, II-V-I licks, polychords, blues, rhythm changes, how to learn tunes, practice techniques,playing outside, and more. All of the book's musical examples are performed on the accompanying audio, along with sample solos and 3 play-along tracks with a great rhythm section. Jazz Theory Handbook is designed for both self- study andclassroom use. Audio download available online

As taught at Berklee College of Music Ready, Aim, Improvise!, Book 1: Preparation and Jazz Vocabulary by Hal Crook explores the critical areas involved in learning how to improvise, including: music theory, jazz harmony, ear training, jazz execution, jazz vocabulary, practicing, self-critiquing, career planning, and much more. Ready, Aim, Improvise! is filled with musical examples, exercises, and practice routines that help make the learning process easy and enjoyable. Two enclosed play-along CDs feature modal, key-area, and modulating chord progressions performed at a slow, manageable tempo. Ready, Aim, Improvise! is a clear, comprehensive study of the most important steps in a jazz musicians education. Don't be surprised if it gets you practicing more and playing better in no time at all! So get Ready . . . Aim . . . Improvise!

While there has been much written on the subject of pentatonic scales a systematic method for classifying pentatonic scales has yet to have been established. Surprisingly there have been few studies that successfully examine further scale possibilities. This original study is intended to establish a complete system using all possible pentatonic scales. At this point I will also draw your attention to my book The Complete Thesaurus of Musical Scales which also examines scale possibilities. This book is intended for musicians, composers, music teachers, and their students. This book can function as a reference guide or as an inspirational source. While the focus of this book is pentatonicism in jazz, the systems used in this work can be applied to other musical styles and is relevant to all melodic musical instruments. I hope this book will help stimulate your individual musical exploration.

The most highly-acclaimed jazz theory book ever published! Over 500 pages of comprehensive, but easy to understand text covering every aspect of how jazz is constructed---chord construction, II-V-I progressions, scale theory, chord/scale relationships, the blues, reharmonization, and much more. A required text in universities world-wide, translated into five languages, endorsed by Jamey Aebersold, James Moody, Dave Liebman, etc.

My story -- Why do we play? -- Beyond limited goals -- Fear, the mind and the ego -- Fear-based practicing -- Teaching dysfunctions: fear-based teaching -- Hearing dysfunctions: fear-based listening -- Fear-based composing -- "The space"--"There are no wrong notes" -- Meditation #1 -- Effortless mastery -- Meditation #2 -- Affirmations -- The steps to change -- Step one -- Step two -- Step three -- Step four -- An afterthought -- I am great, I am a master -- Stretching the form -- The spiritual (reprise) -- One final meditation.