Jazz Improvisation Lessons - Four Surefire Ways to Get More Jazz Gigs - Now

It goes with out saying that most cats wish they had more work, more gigs. The following are 4 extremely effective networking methods that you can put to work immediately. Obviously, your playing is the most important factor. The majority of your time and efforts should be focused on becoming the best player you can. Ability in and of itself will attract opportunity. But that not enough. Besides, having gigs is part of the learning process. Get your playing in shape and follow these simple methods for networking with musicians and soon your phone won't stop ringing.

1 Go to Other People's Gigs
One of the best ways to start getting more calls for gigs is to support other musicians. Whether they are your friends or acquaintances or even if you've never met them before, supporting their music comes with many benefits. People tend to help people who help them.

Decide ahead of time who you would like to perform with and potentially get called by. Once you have that list, follow their gigs and show up to support them. People tend to call people who they have recently seen. If you have already established a relationship with gigging musicians you can increase your own gigs rather quickly this way, just by being on the scene, being part of the hang.

2 Go on introduce yourself
The more musicians that know you and that know your playing the better, and the more gigs you'll have. Again the key here is to be present on the scene. Chances are that at a jazz gig there will be other musicians in the audience. Get in the habit of meeting a new musician every time you attend a gig.

Now, here's the thing. Network with the express purpose of meeting new people and developing relationships with them, not selling yourself to them. Selling yourself and talking only about yourself is a real turnoff to people that don't know you. Don't talk about how wonderful YOUR music is, or what a badass player YOU are. In fact, you will make a much better impression if you focus on them. Ask them questions about their music and what they're up to. There's nothing that people appreciate more than being listened to. Of course you want to tell them about what you do but try to focus more on them. Be sure to follow up with them as well. Email them and begin that relationship. You can write something simple like "Hey Man, Great to meet you the other night. See you on the scene."

3 Be an Organizer
One great way to further your networking efforts is to organize sessions. Cats love to play sessions but many are simply too lazy or busy to take the time to set them up. Being the guy who organizes will have the effect of positioning you as a leader.

If you don't have many gigs right now than fill your schedule with sessions. This also has the added benefit of being both necessary for and highly beneficial to your playing. But, be mindful of who you call for your sessions. They should be people with positive attitudes, who want to have productive sessions and whom you want to gig with. After awhile these sessions will begin to turn into gigs.

4 Stay on The Radar
Once you've built up a sizeable network of musicians it will be impossible to play sessions with all of them, or attend all of their gigs on a regular basis. They may simply be too busy to play sessions, or you may be. But you still need to stay on their minds.

Ask them to become your friend on Facebook or another social networking site. Then keep them posted about what you're up to. Let them know about your gigs and other projects.

Also, occasionally drop them a line, send them a text or give them a call simply to say Hi, and see what they're up to. Stay in touch. The more genuinely interested in what they are doing the better.

To sum that all up: Be on the scene. Constantly meet new people. Be an organizer. Stay on the radar.

Follow these four simple steps and the gigs will start to flow.

Chris Punis is a jazz musician, educator and author. His teaching and writing has helped literally thousands of jazz musicians worldwide too achieve their musical goals and hone their jazz practice skills. For a free copy of his book "The Monster Jazz Manifesto" please visithttp://learnjazzfaster.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Punis

Jazz Guitar Theory - What is It?

Jazz as we know it now grew from a form of music that was passed directly from musician to musician without too much theory being involved. Jazz guitar theory is a collection of ideas and traditions that has grown over the decades of jazz playing.

The original jazz players did not need theory. They needed to know their guitars well enough to be able to provide part of the rhythm for other instruments in the band or to play solos if they were needed. The nature of guitar playing in jazz bands varied over the years and depended on whether the guitarist was in a big band or a small group.

Jazz guitar theory is the product of the need for jazz players to communicate musical ideas to one another. To pass these ideas on a guitarist needed to be able to read standard musical notation and, as jazz playing became more sophisticated, he needed the technique to play the exotic barre chords that became the norm in jazz guitar music.

A part of jazz theory is what we could loosely call traditions of jazz - ways of approaching music that have become standard practice for jazz players. None of these traditions is set in concrete, but the use of the electric archtop guitar has become widespread over the years as is the use of barre chord voicings rather than open chords.

If you learn jazz guitar theory you will learn to rely on the seventh and third notes of a chord and how interest can be added by the use of the ninth, eleventh or thirteenth notes. These notes may be totally foreign to the original melody the guitarist is improvising over, but jazz players have the work of guitarists from previous generations to draw on when they make use of these unusual voicings.

A big part of jazz guitar theory is the types of techniques used to express musical feelings. Jazz guitar players have their own strumming patterns and chord progressions that may vary greatly from the ways of playing the original genre they might be interpreting. Also, although rock and blues guitar players of the past thirty or so years have left their mark on jazz, there is a tendency among jazz guitarists to use electronic effects rather sparingly.

To examine the basis of jazz guitar theory we need to be aware of the founders of modern jazz playing, like Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall, Barney Kessel, Joe Pass and Herb Ellis as well as the founders of guitar tradition like Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian. Jazz guitar theory has been shaped by modern players who have departed from tradition, such as John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola and Pat Metheny.

Do you want to learn to play the guitar? Learn How To Play A Guitar For Free is a constantly updated blog which contains all the resources you need for: learning to play solo guitar, how to learn guitar chords, how to learn to read and play easy acoustic guitar tabs, finding a free online guitar tuner, looking for free guitar lessons online, and how to learn guitar scales. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ricky_Sharples

Jazz Piano

Jazz piano is one of the most vibrant, energetic, specialized types of music. Famous jazz artists you may want to listen to are Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarret, Bill Evans, to name but a few. To learn jazz piano you need to take some time to listen to jazz CD's and maybe watch DVD's as well. To learn jazz piano, one needs to be very patient and dedicated to practicing the genre.

Jazz piano is characterized by a lot of improvisation. A jazz musician can be given a fake music sheet or chord chart and he can improvise on the spot over those chord progressions. It is recommended that a jazz musician know or have standard songs in their repertoire. Standard songs include songs like "Willow Weep for Me," "Summertime," and "Georgia on My Mind" to name but a few. Standard songs are songs that have been covered by many recording artists in the past, usually every year. For example one may consider the gospel song "Amazing Grace" a standard gospel song because a lot of artists have covered the song throughout the years.

Knowledge of scales and chords are essential tools needed to be a good jazz musician, let alone the technique needed to play this genre. As a jazz musician you will need to practice different types of scales, chords, arpeggios, staccato playing, legato playing, playing chords on the left hand while playing scales in the right hand at the same time.

To learn jazz you need to start with the basics: minor and major scales and minor and major chords. Once you master these then you can go forth to learning advanced chords(jazz chords) and scales. These chords include diminished, dominant, major nine, tritone chords, etc. Advanced scales will entail learning lydian, diminished, chromatic, melodic minor scales, for example.

You must remember that when it comes to playing the piano, it is not how you play but how you play is very essential as well. This is the reason why you need technique: how hard or soft do you play the notes, how you sit at the piano, breathing, how you position your hands and fingers on the piano, playing chords and scales, etc.

You will definitely need resources to play the piano, someone to hold you by the hand. The key to mastering jazz piano is to learn (get as much information as possible), patience and practice!practice!practice!

For more free information on how to play piano please visit: free piano lessons for beginners. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jay_Mtimkulu

Playing the Blues on Guitar - Your Simple Guide to Learning the Blues

Playing the blues on guitar is indeed one of the many amazing things you can do if you love guitar playing. The blues music has been around for centuries and although it is said to mean sadness and melancholy, you don't have to be sad to play the blues on your guitar.

Playing the blues on guitar has also become popular as you might find the blues form useful in rhythm and blues, in jazz and rock in roll. If you are interested to learn, here is a simple guide to learn the blues guitar.

- Have the basics in playing the blues on guitar. First thing you may want to have is a guitar, of course. You can make use of your acoustic guitar or your electric guitar, but definitely not a classical one with the nylon strings - you may want to leave that to classical music. You may also need to read music through tablatures. If you are a total beginner with guitar playing, you may want to learn a few chords first before jumping into playing the blues on guitar.

- Get familiar with the tempo and rhythm of blues music. You may want to listen to blues musician to help you get use to the rhythm of the blues music. As soon as you get yourself familiar with it, you will easily get to play it on timing. Most blues are played on 4/4 timing which makes it a little easier to play and learn. You can listen to some Eric Clapton CD to help your familiarize the tempo, and of course, to get more motivation to play blues like a pro.

- Learn the blues scale. If you are enthusiastic in playing the blues on guitar, you may want to start with the basics - learning the scales. Most often, learning the blues guitar scales will also be useful to jazz or rock, so it would be advantageous to start with the blues and learn other styles as well, if you get to master the blues basics. You can start mastering three chords which you can use in almost every blues song - the chords I, IV and V or the keys A, D and E in the key of A. Many blues songs have these three chords, so mastering them would make it easier for you to learn a blues song.

- Learn some blues licks. Blues licks are sets of notes that express a certain feeling when played together. You can watch and listen to some musicians on how they do their licks and you can make your own. To learn more about playing licks and mastering that blues sound, you can find great resources to help you. You can find tutorials on CDs and DVDs to help you listen to what you need to learn. They can be good tools in learning at home as you can practically review or rewind them over and over if you don't get it the first time. Getting a tutor is also another option but you have to prepare to spend a few dollars as this can be a little expensive.

Practice always. Constant practice is always a key to being a good musician. If you have mastered playing the blues on guitar, you can even learn to play other genres more easily as well.

Carolyn Anderson loves to play the guitar in her free time. For a video and detailed instruction on how to play the blues on guitar, check out Blues Guitar Secrets. For a free lesson on playing the jazz guitar, check out Play What You Hear, which is created by a jazz guitarist and a recording artist, Chris Standring. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Anderson

Learn to Play Jazz Piano

Imagine sitting down at a piano, fingers calmly hovering over the keys. You begin to play, not just any old tune: a jazz tune, a swing full of rhythm, full of improvisation, full of life. It would not be possible without your dedication, your devotion, your training.

Learning jazz piano is not an easy task. To become a jazz musician you must be able to improvise. You must be able to play by ear, take off in a solo, and play with the group. It is a demanding art form to say the least.

Jazz piano is taught to all ages. It is taught at all levels of difficulty. You should have no trouble finding lessons for your level of skill. If you cannot find lessons locally, look online.

There is a ton of Jazz piano music lessons online. There are systematic tutorials, DVDs, CDs, eBooks, videos and more. Some free, the rest ranging from a couple of dollars to hundreds or more.

If you are brand new to Jazz piano there are many beginner lessons available online for free. These free online tutorials are a way for you to break the ice, get down the basics, and begin on your journey to becoming a jazz pianist. You can build confidence, practice the basics, and start the important core work of improvisation all from the comfort of home.

When you begin your training, you should focus on the technical side of jazz first. Apply this to common jazz songs. As you get better, stronger, and more confident with the technical side, move forward with your own improv. Bring out your creativity and explore your senses.

The most important piece of advice is to embrace your jazz piano lessons, never give up. Keep focused. Have fun with it. If you find yourself getting frustrated, if you find yourself not enjoying your lessons, step back. Figure out what is bothering you. Find a way to make it fun, create excitement, and take the work out of it.

Read Aaron's article about jazz instrumental music. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aaron_McLain

Learn to Play Jazz Guitar - Practice Tips You Can Use in Jazz Guitar Playing

If you want to learn to play jazz guitar, you have to learn both the basic and revolutionary methods of guitar playing to become a master player.

Actually, learning to play any guitar at any level is not an easy thing to do. There are more techniques to familiarize and it requires a bunch of focus, patience and commitment to achieve it. But there are abundant resources and tips available to make it easy for you. If you are really eager to learn to play jazz guitar, you should prepare yourself in dealing with a lot of musical challenges that will come your way.

The best sources of basic jazz and improvisation lessons are the guitar books that will teach you different lead licks in different styles. Videos and CDs are also great tools to help you master this guitar style. You can also learn to play jazz guitar from local community colleges and from those who have mastered the art of playing jazz music on your guitar.

To effectively learn to play jazz guitar, you have to get an effective teacher or trainer as well. They will teach you the right attitude in learning all the aspects of guitar playing in addition to the guitar lessons you need to master. When searching for a good teacher, you have to consider if you and your teacher will like each other aside from just looking at their musical expertise or talent for teaching and guitar playing.

And as a student or a striving guitar player, you also have to do your part in practicing what is being taught to you. You have to put great value in your practice time and improving your skills. As they say, practice makes perfect. But only quality practice will keep you in tiptop form.

When it comes to the technical side of playing the guitar particularly the jazz, as a beginner you have to familiarize yourself with the basic jazz playing styles like comping and improvising. Comping is about playing the chords under the melody of a song or the solo improvisations of another musician. With improvisation, guitarists use the scales and modes related to the chords in the chord progression of a tune to improvise.

The approach to jazz improvisation has also changed since the early days of jazz guitar. Instead of reworking the melody, some jazz guitarists tend to improve on chord-scale relationships. But today, one unique approach to jazz improvisation is as simple as playing what you hear. This will allow you to play melodies anywhere on the guitar and will give you more musical freedom.

In learning these guitar playing technique, you have to start learning to play the minor chords. And it begins with understanding that major chord triads are based on the root. The minor chords on your jazz guitar should be played by lowering the third tone.

You also have to learn the important musical ingredients in playing jazz guitar like harmony and melody. Remember, that your knowledge on jazz theory and harmony will help you produce jazz chord voicing. Also, different chords are performed over the scope of different chord progressions. If you are interested in doing a solo, it can be made by integrating the basic patterns of scales and arpeggio into balanced melodic and rhythmic phrases.

Keep in mind too that if you want to learn to play jazz guitar, you have to give time and attention as well as patience to learn the tricks to guitar playing.

Carolyn Anderson a music lover and loves to share great guitar playing techniques she has learned. If you want to know the best-kept secrets to playing the jazz guitar, check out Play What You Hear. If you acre interested in learning the blues guitar as well, visit Guitar Mojo, a great website where you can sign in for a membership and learn blues guitar playing easily. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Anderson

Playing Jazz Guitar

This is a nice article about Playing jazz guitar, by Ian Williamson. Ian mentions some of the all time jazz greats in this, short but interesting article.

Playing Jazz Guitar
When a person knows the basics of playing the guitar, it is quite easy to play music from various genres. Many people start in one genre before moving on to another. A good example is Bach who composed classical music the traditional way then later improvised it creating something unique for the audience to appreciate.

Playing guitar jazz is also like that. It can be improvised and/or combined with other musical genres. By listening to the notes and a little practice, the people who hear it will simply love it. The same thing can happen when playing the guitar. A person can start by learning a certain song the way is it commonly played; then when he understands the rhythm he can determine where slight changes can be made, how it can be refined and/or turned into a jazz rendition.

Jazz music is made up of 4 beats to a measure. This is called syncopation which is very different from classical music that is made up of half beats. By learning how to play each of these notes and with a lot of practice, you will be able to get used to the rhythm.

Jazz guitars are different from traditional guitars because the wood used is a lighter material and the strings are set much lower making it faster to play. For the person to play like other guitarists, it is advisable to buy the right guitar for the part.

Another way of learning how to play jazz is by listening to some of the greatest jazz musicians. Some of the best are Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong and David Benoit. By buying the albums and listening to how each of these people play and sing, you will get into the rhythm and be playing like the experts in a short time.

Since the music is quite different, practicing the various notes will help. One can start with a C note. This should be done repeatedly while the left hand is moving on the chromatic scale. For a better feel, the E flat can be added until one has reached the blue scale.

Learning how to play jazz music will take some time. The important thing to make it successful is being able to hear each part of the song. If a person is serious about switching genre's, then he must devote a lot of time and effort to get it right.


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