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You are here: Home / Jazz Lessons / Approach Notes / Approach Note Freedom Lesson 1
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Approach Note Freedom Lesson 1

Approach Note Freedom Lesson 1

Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 4 customer ratings
(4 customer reviews)

$9.99

SKU: 096 Category: Approach Notes Tags: approach notes, jazz improvisation, jazz lines, video lesson
  • Description
  • Reviews (4)
  • Lesson Sample

Description

In  this Approach Note Freedom series, I teach you step by step on how to work through the approach note velocity material from my “Approach Note Velocity” books.

In this lesson I assign 3 approaches to a major triad and talk about how to practice them around the circle of fifths so that you cover all 12 keys.  I demonstrate on my tenor sax how to practice the material and give tips and insights on how to use it and internalize it.  When you are done with this series of approach note lessons you will be amazed at the technique and vocabulary you will have gained through this process.  In order to get the most out of this lesson you will need the “Approach Note Velocity” book as well as the intro lesson to this series. (Video Lesson)

4 reviews for Approach Note Freedom Lesson 1

  1. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Les Silver (verified owner) – July 23, 2009

    I have been taking lessons on Steve’s site this past year. I have really enjoyed the Approach lessons. It has brought a new excitement to my playing and practicing. If you study Parker’s and Cannonballs solos, this is how they approached each chord note. Steve has a special way to explain the lessons to make it easy to understand. Steve Neff is a MASTER TEACHER.

  2. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Ron (verified owner) – July 25, 2009

    These lessons are a the real deal and have helped in many ways. For example not only in playing but in providing a better understanding of transcribed solos. The techniques learned also help in sight reading. I have not seen anything so comprehensive on this subject anywhere else.

  3. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Gerardo Avila (verified owner) – April 29, 2010

    Definitely the most important lesson I´ve ever had. I´ve also applied this concept to my piano playing with excelent results! No doubt about it, this series of lessons are gold!

  4. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Roger Salles (verified owner) – August 20, 2011

    I have been playing for almost 22 years and somewhat struggling in some areas of my improvisation even with my music college degree I have always felt something was missing and don`t get me wrong, college can only be good if you dig enough outside the box and this is exactly what I`m talking about, Steve has mastered this system so well and he is now sharing this with us in a very easy way to understand, I can see a change in my playing already after only 2 nights of practicing this material and I`m hooked!! I did work on a similar method from a Berklee professor named Joe Viola and it was hard so I did not follow the steps to master it, I highly recommend Steve`s lesson and wish this was available 20 years ago but hey…its never too late to feel a sense of accomplishment and my hats off to you Steve, you ROCK dude!!!

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Lesson Sample

https://public.neffmusic.com/Approach%20Note%20Freedom%20Lesson%201%20clip.mp4

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Testimonials

Your major diatonic patterns book is great. I”m studying the first twenty patterns (first twenty pages) each day with different articulation each day and slowly increasing the tempo each week or so.  There is a noticeable improvement in finger coordination across all keys and its amazing how much more secure I feel on the difficult keys when attempting to play pieces with 5+ flats/sharps. I’m able to sort out the fingerings for these pieces now much more quickly than before, often in one or two … Read more
Geoff
Hi Steve, I live in a gorgeous but rural area of Oregon-no music store within 80 miles. Your lessons are my lifeline!  Truly the best there are anywhere online. Love your playing. Love your teaching.  Thanks again. Ed
Ed Woodmansee
I am a music book junkie and I have to say that your books are the most clear, user friendly, and helpful books I own.  They are my absolute favorites and I only wish I had them years ago.  I wouldn’t change a thing about the experience I had in acquiring my degree at Berklee, but my playing has perhaps grown more in the time I’ve spent buried in your books and lessons.  Keep up the great work!!! Thanks, John
John

After reading your story I will never feel quite right about complaining about any of my MINOR health issues!!    God bless Steve and I really hope that your health doesn’t stop you from fulfilling your calling.    These books have been such a help to open up my jazz vocabulary…   Thanks so much for sharing your story and for providing these great teaching tools…   John Leclerc   Saxophonist / composer/ EWI player and professional working musician of 35 years….

John Leclerc

Steve,

I have played for many years and have enjoyed going “back to the basics” in some of your lessons!  You have such a gift for explaining concepts.  As I have gotten older, some of the basic things have gotten muddled because I just play, not knowing why.  As I refresh myself with “why”, it increases my confidence and expands my playing.  Thank you so much for using your gift!  You are a blessing!

Julia
Hey Steve, My name is Jason Freese and I play keyboards and sax in the band Green Day.  I grew up taking sax lessons from Eric Marienthal when I was a kid and got out of it for a long time. I ran into you on youtube while searching for sax stuff. I bought a whole bunch of your lessons and have been loving it! Thanks! Here is my wikipedia so you can see the albums I’ve played on….Thanks again. It’s sparked my interest in practicing again.   Jason
Jason Freese (sax player for Green Day)

Mr. Neff,  I want to thank you for sharing your God-given talents through your on-line lessons.  My husband, Michael, is blind, but he is a great sax player and he has been enjoying your lessons for quite some time now.  It’s not unusual for me to hear “Hey, babe, listen to THIS!” – and he will cut loose on his sax, just thrilled at what he learned during his session with you.  His excitement warms my heart!  You have no idea how much you have poured into my husband.  You have opened musical … Read more

Carole B
I’ve been having ‘ online’  lessons with Steve for a few months now. Being a teacher myself I had had some reservations with the idea at first and the practicalities of it .  Let me just say that my playing has taken a huge leaps forward while studying with Steve and continues to do so.Steve studied with some renowned player/teachers such as Bergonzi and Garzone– this in itself is invaluable but Steve teaches from his own books, which cover a a vast amount of  jazz language. Steve h… Read more
David
I am enjoying your style of teaching, and you’ve done a great job with the videos….good sound quality and well constructed lessons.  Balances the more guitaristic material found on the majority of guitar based programs.  Jazz vocab is what I’m all about at this point in the journey.   I especially dig the fact that you’ve studied with Bergonzi…helps me see his voluminous output in a more  bite sized way.
Milton
I just joined Neff Music last month. I can’t tell you how excited I’ve been to be able to pick back up on lessons. I’ve been in a rut and you got me out! I’ve especially appreciated the Lesson Path section. It was so clear I knew exactly where to jump in and start. Many many thanks!
Karin

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