• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Website of Steve Neff

  • BLOG
  • SHOP
  • MY ACCOUNT
  • RAVES
  • CONTACT

Search Neffmusic

You are here: Home / Jazz Lessons / Approach Notes / Approach Note Freedom Lesson 1
“Approach Note Freedom Lesson 3” has been added to your cart. View cart
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!!!

Add a review Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Lesson Sample

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

Related products

  • Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale Lesson 11

    Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale Lesson 11

    $9.99
    Add to cart
  • Mastering The Dominant Bebop Scale Lesson 2

    Mastering The Dominant Bebop Scale Lesson 2

    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
    Add to cart
  • Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale Lesson 14

    Mastering the Dominant Bebop Scale Lesson 14

    $9.99
    Add to cart
  • Mastering The Dominant Bebop Scale Lesson 1

    Mastering The Dominant Bebop Scale Lesson 1

    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
    Add to cart

Primary Sidebar

Cart

Search Products

COMPLETE LESSON INDEX

PRINTED BOOKS


NEFFMUSIC PRINTED BOOKS

Testimonials

Steve really changed my way of practicing: I got a whole lot of new ideas for my playing the tenor.  His lessons are really helpful, give a lot stuff to practice and give clear answers to complicated stuff.  Steve has a lot of humor and I wish I had laughed so much in my former days with the horn.  All topics, from Blues to Approach note are dealt with clearness that wet ones appetite to play and practice that great ideas.
Uwe

I want to thank you for your “Ultimate II-V-I Primer”  which has sent me off on a much better path to improvisation.  The primer and the four bound books I have will keep me busy for a long time.  I like your lessons for two reasons.  The lessons work and THEY ARE FUN.  Thanks again.

Robert

Robert
Hey Steve, I’m a 22-year-old from Australia. I thought it would be worth saying. You’re an absolute legend. I can’t thank you enough. You have helped me rekindle my love for the saxophone and music as a whole. All the best for the future, your work doesn’t go unnoticed. PS. I am loving your devastating minor lines pdf.
Sapph
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)
Thank you for the wealth of helpful lessons you’ve provided over the years.  I truly feel as though it has improved my playing more than the 4 years I spent at Berklee… and that’s not a slight on the school as I loved my experience there.
John
John
Thank you for all the educational information you provide.  I am a classically trained musician.  Professionally, I am a 4th and 5th grade band teacher.  I have played piano and sax for many years, but now I am starting to gig out more. I have always improvised by ear in the past. I have gotten by with my strong sense of pitch, rhythm and melodic contour. However, I want to go deeper. I want to play with a greater variety of melodic and rhythmic ideas to pull from.  I have studied to gain a … Read more
Ray
Just to say thanks for your advice and lessons.  I’ve just read your amazing story.  I really appreciate what you do in regards to teaching.  I have bought a couple of your lessons and frankly they’re undersold.   I’ve learned much more with these two lessons than with 2 years of sax teachers.   Thanks so much………..
Mike
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 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
I’m an experienced player in the pop/soul/funk areas of music and, previously, classical.  Over the decades I’ve been playing, I’ve always felt that I could do what I needed in those styles of music.  However, recently I began to feel limited by my use of the same old licks. When I discovered Steve Neff’s website, and heard the audio examples based on the exercises in his books, I realized they were what I needed.  I purchased all of them and have been working on them since.  It’s very hard work… Read more
Paul

Featured Lessons

  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $19.99 Original price was: $19.99.$14.99Current price is: $14.99.
  • The Secret to Modern Outside Jazz Lines Lesson-Minor The Secret to Modern Outside Jazz Lines Lesson-Minor $9.99
  • Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson The Best Embouchure for Tone, Intonation and Endurance Lesson
    Rated 4.91 out of 5
    $9.99
  • The Secret to Altissimo (no one has ever told you about before) Lesson The Secret to Altissimo (no one has ever told you about before) Lesson
    Rated 4.75 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Lesson Series Deals-Save Big on Select Lessons

Product Categories

Recent Reviews

  • Bebop Scale-Altered Scale II-V-I Practice Lesson Bebop Scale-Altered Scale II-V-I Practice Lesson by Noah
  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) by Andy
  • Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Dominant Pentatonic Sound over a Blues (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Russ
  • Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson Creating Modern II-V-I Lines with Simple Pentatonics Lesson
    Rated 5 out of 5
    by Timothy

Top Rated Products

  • Mastering the Major Bebop Scale & Sound (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Major Bebop Scale & Sound (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
  • The Style of Dexter Gordon-Lady Bird Lesson 1 The Style of Dexter Gordon-Lady Bird Lesson 1
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Tune of the Week-Days of Wine and Roses Lesson Tune of the Week-Days of Wine and Roses Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99

Footer

Recent Comments

  • Leo on Phil-Tone Tenor Mouthpiece
  • Randy Cosby on GetASax GS Supersonic 50s Dukoff 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Brian at GetASax on GetASax GS Supersonic 50s Dukoff 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Brian at GetASax on GetASax GS Supersonic 50s Dukoff 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review
  • Steve on GetASax GS Supersonic 50s Dukoff 7* Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece Review

Top rated products

  • Mastering the Major Bebop Scale & Sound (Digital PDF Book) Mastering the Major Bebop Scale & Sound (Digital PDF Book)
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $14.99
  • Tune of the Week-Softly as a Morning Sunrise Lesson Tune of the Week-Softly as a Morning Sunrise Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • The Style of Dexter Gordon-Lady Bird Lesson 1 The Style of Dexter Gordon-Lady Bird Lesson 1
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Tune of the Week-Days of Wine and Roses Lesson Tune of the Week-Days of Wine and Roses Lesson
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99
  • Tune of the Week-Invitation Tune of the Week-Invitation
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $9.99

Product tags

alto sax alto saxophone approach notes audio lesson bebop scale beginner beginner saxophone blues blues licks blues patterns blues scale blues scales diminished scale dominant chords ear training fundamentals II-V-I improvisation jazz improvisation jazz lines jazz patterns jazz sax jazz saxophone jazz standard jazz standards licks Mastering the Blues Scale Michael Brecker modern improv modern improvisation online lesson patterns playing outside practice habits reading music sax basics sax lessons saxophone scales smooth jazz steve neff tenor sax tenor saxophone video lesson video lessons
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • SUPPORT

Neffmusic © 2005–2025