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You are here: Home / Jazz Books (PDF Downloads) / Approach Note Velocity Volume 2-Minor (Digital PDF Book)
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Approach Note Velocity Volume 2-Minor (Digital PDF Book)

Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 8 customer ratings
(8 customer reviews)

$14.99

Category: Jazz Books (PDF Downloads) Tags: approach notes, jazz improvisation, minor, velocity
  • Description
  • Reviews (8)

Description

This is a continuation of my Major Approach Note book. Volume 2 is focused on all 12 minor keys. This is an incredible resource for anyone wanting to master approach note patterns in all minor keys. The word “Velocity” is in the title because after I practiced these for a couple months, I found myself playing faster than ever over minor grooves. For more background on this book read the description below taken from the “Approach Note Velocity Vol. 1” book. Enjoy!

A number of years ago, I was frustrated with my playing over static major and minor grooves. It seemed like I always ran out of ideas and the ideas I had were stale and unoriginal. At that time, although I could play in all keys, more often than not I was held back to the same old diatonic patterns and licks I had studied as a kid. Besides this frustration, I felt like there were many keys with which I wasn’t comfortable. As a solution, I decided to come up with a comprehensive method using approach notes that I could use to systematically solve these perceived weaknesses in my playing. I started by writing out every approach I could think of in every key. For about 4-5 months, I worked on these approaches while playing along to Jamey Aebersold’s Volume 24 “Major and Minor” CD. As I worked on, and added to, my collection of approaches, I saw the positive results in my performances. Not only was I able to play faster over tunes, but I was feeling a confidence that I could start an idea on any note and find a way to resolve it and make it sound good. As I worked on them in depth, I began to notice that my confidence in every key was improving. Also, the method I was using was helping my ear to more easily hear key centers, and something cool was happening to my time concept. I was starting to play ideas in odd meters against 4. I wasn’t tied down to the 1,2,3,4 groove, but was playing across the bar lines. I really believe that working on these exercises has helped my playing immensely. I hope that you get as much out of these exercises as I have and that they will improve your performances. Thanks, Steve

https://www.neffmusic.com/images/mp3/Minor%20Approach%20Sample.mp3

8 reviews for Approach Note Velocity Volume 2-Minor (Digital PDF Book)

  1. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Paul – July 20, 2008

    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 – mind crunching sometimes – because I’m memorizing each exercise in every key, and using different rhythms as Steve suggests, but I can see the development taking place and the old barriers starting to break down already. Steve has obviously put so much of his experience and time into these books and I think it’s great that he’s made it all available for others to benefit from.

  2. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    John L. – August 28, 2009

    The approach note ideas that Steve has compiled are well worth it. I have practiced a couple of standard bop approach ideas in the past, but this collection has unlimited impilcations, and has changed the way I practice and play already.
    Its what my playing needed , without me knowing…

  3. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Phil – January 20, 2010

    “I have been using Steve Neff’s Books for the past 12 months as part of my daily practice and now that he’s made lessons available online it seemed like an obvious step forward in developing myself both as a Saxophonist and a Musician to try them. The lessons are taught in a friendly, relaxed manner and everyone can learn something from them from beginner to pro. Whether you want to develop spontaneity in improvising or building up your Musical vocabulary. Steve’s decades of knowledge will help you achieve your goals much easier.”

  4. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Thomas Korner – April 11, 2010

    I must tell you that your approach note exercises are such a gift! They were the missing link of my improvisations. I am studying now all types of approaching each chord note of each chord according to your book. It sounds modern and cool, and it helps you to figure out the chord notes as well. Thank you for this book!
    Thomas

  5. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    David Hatcher – May 8, 2011

    I have to tell you I really like your book. I graduated from Berklee with a performance degree in 97 and your book reminds me of the Banacos approach note system that I learned while in school. I like that you have written out the approaches in every key. I am sure these are good for many instruments but they are especially good for guitar.
    Thanks,
    David Hatcher

  6. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Sinkdrain – May 29, 2011

    Well, in searching for a new way to help my students double time during solos I decided to give Steve Neff’s “Approach Note Velocity” book a go.

    The youtube clips of his approach reminded me of the lines I often play in the few keys I am very comfortable in. Got the book and realized that I would benefit greatly by working on this myself. Right off the bat it got me playing some appraches and lines I wouldn’t normally reach for. And best of all it got me playing in all the keys. I discovered that the sole reason I was comfortable in certain keys is because I already had a vocabulary of approaches. The book leveled the playing field in my uncomfortable keys by providing new vocabulary.

    Another killer thing that I have been doing is taking his smaller approach cells and rhythmically displacing them. To aebersold, I’ll take Neff’s 1st approach and improvise playing all of them on one, then another round on the and of 1, then another round of 2, then beginning the and of 2, etc… This is opening up my awareness of where I am in the bar. Forcing resolutions in locations I never would have otherwise. Cool stuff…

    These approaches are also polishing my altissimo register as the cells are very easy to hear and make a nice platform to play them up in that register with a quality tone and intonation.

    Get this book… It’s great stuff.

  7. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Niklas – January 27, 2016

    Hi Steve!

    I just felt that I wanted to tell you about the results that I have after about one year of approach note studies. It’s not everyday practicing but reasonably systematically for an amateur musician with a day work. My original goal was to become more fluent spelling out the changes and I really didn’t have the right tools to attack this. When I realized that your approach notes would fit the bill I became very motivated. Now with a couple of gigs during the late fall/winter I can say that the results start coming out in real playing situations. This is a great thing for me since my inability to just play over simple changes spelling them out has been kind of awkward to say the least. I now picture myself as making progress instead of just struggling, very satisfying!
    I would like to stress that the video lesson format has probably been crucial for actually pursuing the task. After all, learning just the small number of approach notes well in all keys is a quite a lot of work. So, many many thanks for the lessons!

  8. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    James Cheetham (verified owner) – April 10, 2016

    Hi Steve
    Your books are brilliant.
    As a pianist, after years of searching how, why and what to practise, I’ve arrived at similar triadic approach myself.
    Your books reinforce my thoughts entirely whilst providing many exercises to practise.
    The triad is king for now!
    Thank you.
    James

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Testimonials

Steve,  Just want to say thanks for all you are doing for all of us. I’ve learned more from you than anyone else in my 40 years of playing.

If you can give some tips on One Note Samba, Ceora, and Wave… that would be cool.  I really like learning how you apply your concepts to actual songs!

Have a great year,

Kevin Ledbetter

I've learned more from you than anyone else in my 40 years of playing.
Steve’s monthly lessons are entirely valuable. Without brow beating, he tells you all the stuff you deep down know you really should be working on, instead of just relying on the same old patterns. In spite of the fact that you’re taking a video lesson, Steve’s presentation is comfortable and “real”. In a little more than a year, he’s developed a library of lessons that seem to offer any player a lifetime’s worth of practice material. I’m just glad I stumbled upon it.… Read more
Grant

Thank You Steve. I think that I will be busy for years. Thank You for your great contribution to jazz music. Your books, more than teaching “how to play jazz”, actually teach “how to speak jazz”. I wish I found your methods years ago.  

Jean-Eric
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
By the way, BIG COMPLIMENTS to you, Steve! Not only are you a great player, you are also a great teacher! I, too, am a woodwinds player/teacher. I have new inspiration to play and teach because of you. The concepts and “thinking” is similar to what I already learned in College, but hearing you explain and PLAY the concepts REALLY MAKES THE DIFFERENCE! Also, your written patterns are more interesting than other books I have seen! Keep up the good work. I will be recommending your sit… Read more
I will be recommending your site to others!
I want to say something about Steve Neff’s series of lessons, Beginner Jazz Improvisation. For a couple of years I tried many beginner lessons and my problem was that there was a gap between lessons that were fairly simple and ones that I was not quite ready for and my progress stalled out. That problem was solved with the series Beginner Jazz Improvisation. He guides you step by step along the way and builds a foundation for learning jazz and blues. He leaves no question about what to practice … Read more
Pete
I bought Steve’s dominant bebop book and took a couple of online lesson from him. I really appreciated Steve’s careful listening of what I wanted to get done in a lesson and his clear, concise ideas on next steps to improve my playing and musical interpretation.  His mastering  the Dominant Bebop Scale has lots of exercises to use a scale that addresses the largest percentage of chords I come across in pop/blues music. The dominant V7.  Needless say it has improved my playing.  I teach and a… Read more
Keith

Love your lessons!  I have been using your lesson packages for many months now, and am learning a lot.  It is so perfect for me with a very busy adult schedule and difficulty in taking jazz/improv music lessons from reputable instructors who live and hour or more away from me.

Lenore
I would like to say that in the last year my sax playing has progressed loads from your lessons. I have had a sax for about 20 years and dabbled with lessons from a few teachers and have learnt very little from them. As you have said in your lessons many teachers tell you to use the blues scale and leave it there, not even showing you the resolution points!!. I am now believing I can in time become a good improviser.
Thanks again,
Shane
Shane
I have found your videos and publications inspiring and your contribution to the world of saxophone playing is immense. Paul
Paul

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