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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)

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

Just wanted to send you a quick note to say thank you for being you, your playing, your website and your desire to help others. I’m a professional musician in the US Army and I’ve visited your website almost every day since discovering it a couple of months ago. Your lessons are profound and easy to use. I’ve purchased most of your PDF books and now am starting to delve more into the video and audio lessons.  Thank you for being a great resource!
James
I can’t say enough about my membership at Neff Music. Steve has taken the mystery out of playing the saxophone well and improvising both jazz and rock music. Like most struggling players I have a load of all sorts of books on my shelf just gathering dust. Books that I didn’t understand or know how to put to use…or just have the time to go threw them. Steve’s lessons really simplify things and he puts it in a way that I can understand. They inspire me to keep pushing and having him as my guide or… Read more
Ken
Just a brief note to compliment you on your teaching skills and in particular for the honesty of your lessons.  I am a returning alto sax player in my 50’s and I was looking for a no nonsense, straight to the point kind of guidance. I had intended to email you with a few questions regarding the use of the bis key but then I noticed that there was a lesson on that specific topic and after viewing it,  all my questions were answered. I once took a group lesson with a well known professional sax … Read more
Patrick
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

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, just a note to say thanks.

I’ve been playing a long time, but your material, laid out in such a thoughtful way, helps me to understand concepts in a new and deeper way.

You are a true gift to the jazz community.

60 lessons and going strong,

Kevin Ledbetter

Kevin Ledbetter
Hi Steve, I have been shedding your materials for quite a while now and I love them! They are extremely well organized and presented and there are tons of ’em! I really appreciate your methodical approach and find myself referring students to your resources often.  Thanks so much!  
Kenyon Carter
Hi Steve, I can’t express just how much I appreciate your teaching. My playing has improved so much over the past year since I have been studying and practicing with your lessons. It is possible to teach an old dog new tricks, these lessons are proof! Thanks, Michael Byington
Michael Byington
I can see from your instructional videos that you are a fantastic teacher – one that can truly relate to all ages – humble yet very positive in approach – never coming across as superior and yet so totally capable of demonstrating the principles and techniques that you seek to impart to the students. I have gained so much confidence in my playing from “pouring over” time and again these invaluable lessons. Invaluable not only in musical content, but also in human interaction content. I am absolu… Read more
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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

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