Posts Related to: Improvisation

Imagine this: you prepare a recipe from Emeril’s cook book only to have him appear and tell you, “it’s dreadful and you should never cook again.” Or you play guitar on the beach for your friends, only to find out that someone brought Simon and he makes “a face” about the way you play and …

People sometimes ask me to describe what the jazz guitar style is. Jazz is usually (but not always) played on hollow-body electric guitars; it uses a large repertoire of chords and voicings; numerous scales and arpeggios; octaves; improvisation over complex chord progressions; the “swing” feel in rhythm; the Bossa, the Samba, the Jazz Waltz; rubato ballads. These are …

I am sometimes asked: What exactly is jazz? How do I know if certain music is jazz or not? 
 Jazz is an American born improvisational form of music. Its characteristics are the sophisticated use of chords and chord progressions; more scales and different types of scales compared to Rock, Blues and Country; the influence of modality; and the …

I spend a fair amount of time with my students on modes. Modes are a system of seven scales dating back to the mathematician Pythagoras of ancient Greece. The modes are named Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian and Ionian.
The modal system was in use before our present major and minor key system was invented. …

Both Chuck Anderson, the jazz guitarist, and Elli Fordyce, the jazz vocalist, once told me something similar. They each said, separately: “People tell me they love my music even though they don’t like jazz.”
Since Both Chuck and Elli are jazz musicians, these fans apparently do like jazz! What they don’t realize is that jazz comes …

There is no need to “understand” jazz to enjoy it. This misunderstanding stops many people from listening to and enjoying this American art form. Jazz doesn’t have to be intellectual any more than a painting has to be intellectual to be appreciated.
As in language, there are many dialects in jazz – the same language but …

Many of my students, both guitar and piano, work with me on developing their improvisation skills. I’ve addressed improvisation a couple of times within the past few months, but the topic is certainly worth revisting. (See the related links at the end of this post; they’ll help you in developing your improvisation skills.)
The standard definition …

Guitarists are who are involved in chords for accompaniment have no need for scales. If, however, improvisation becomes necessary, scales are mandatory.
Scales are the basic source material for melody. They are quite simply a collection of notes in generally alphabetical order. The difference from one scale to another is the variations in distance from one note …

Many people ask me if learning Classical Guitar will make them a better Rock, Blues, Jazz or Bluegrass player. The short answer is no.
To explore this, we need to look into the nature of the Classical Guitar itself and how it’s been traditionally taught.
There was a time, not so long ago, that the guitar in …

I have asked myself what it is about jazz guitar that captures me?
I love abstraction in painting, in sculpture, and in music. Instrumental music speaks to me in a unique way that vocal music does not. To me, interpretation of mood, attitude, and feel are what I enjoy in music.
Improvisation, the cornerstone of jazz, springs …