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You are here: Home / Jazz Lessons / Approach Notes / Approach Note Velocity Overview Lesson
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Approach Note Velocity Overview Lesson

Approach Note Velocity Overview Lesson

Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 2 customer ratings
(2 customer reviews)

$9.99

SKU: 004 Category: Approach Notes Tags: approach notes, audio lesson, jazz improvisation, jazz lines, jazz patterns
  • Description
  • Reviews (2)

Description

Approach notes are notes that are headed towards a particular target note.  Usually, the target note is a chord tone that you are aiming for that will give resolution to the line you are playing.  As you are playing these “approach note lines”, quite often there is dissonance in the line but when  you resolve it by achieving the target note it sounds great!  Many intermediate jazz improviser’s never get the knack of the dissonance resolution battle that goes on while they improvise  because they never work on nor master their approach notes.  Learning all your approach note patterns and lines is a great way to master the elements of tension and resolution.  It is also a fabulous way to  improve your ears, play faster more fluid jazz lines, understand how all 12 notes fit against a tonality  and finally, play some really fast cool jazz patterns that weave in and out of the changes in a hip and modern way.

In this 30 minute audio lesson, I give a general overview of my Approach Note Velocity books and concept.  This is not a step by step lesson series like the “Approach Note Freedom” series of lessons but rather an overview lesson  to get you started and up and running with the concepts.  I teach you how to best use the Approach Note Velocity books for the maximum benefit.   I take you step by step through the process that I myself went through years ago as I practiced all my approach note lines and patterns.  I demonstrate how to play the exercises and practice in the Approach Note Velocity books as well as the best way to practice these against Jamey Aebersold’s play alongs.   I  give you  tips and hints on how to apply the approaches to real life playing situations.  This is a great lesson for those of you who have my book and want further insights on how to get the most from it.  If you don’t have my “Approach Note Velocity” books then I would strongly suggest you get it in order to learn the most from this lesson.   (30 Minute Audio Lesson)

2 reviews for Approach Note Velocity Overview Lesson

  1. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Donato Soviero – March 11, 2010

    Thanks Steve! Your insights have really opened up a whole new area of study for me. These approaches are something I used to stumble on as isolated licks. You’ve really explored and organized the whole concept beautifully!
    Thank you, thank you!

  2. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    John Tattersall – July 24, 2013

    I just thought I would let you know how I’m getting on with the book. I totally get it now and am delighted with it. I’ve been working on C major only with the Aebersold Major backing track. Having memorized the patterns up to about No 4 and then combining them with existing jazz language which I already use I have found it is really opening another door to my improvisation improvement. I intend to make working on the patterns a priority over the next year.

    Many Thanks

    John

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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 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 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
Ron
Steve- I joined your site this month and have downloaded 4 lessons and also purchased your new book and video on diatonic patterns. I just want to say I am very pleased with your approach and teaching techniques. I am getting back into playing after laying off for some time. The information you offer on your site is of great value and I am enjoying being a member. Thank you for what you are doing for the saxophone community.
Tony
Thank you so much for the great job you are doing to help further our jazz studies. Though I make my living as a repairer of musical instruments I am a student of jazz and have been fortunate enough to be involved with a big band and a combo for the last several years. As my children began to leave “the nest” I had decided to dedicate the next half of my life to a more serious study of the sax but I didn’t know exactly how I would go about doing this until a friend of mine turned me onto your si… Read more
Jon
I just wanted to write a thank you note to you for this website. I play and teach saxophone, but I have always been intimidated by the gear aspect. Your website has helped me become a lot more knowledgable. Your knowledge is staggering! I’m telling all my students about your website. Pierre
Pierre
I want to let you know that your instructional material is transforming my playing.  It is an immense pleasure to learn and play now, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am. The instructional material I got from you is by far the best of any I own (and I have over 100 books, DVDs, and what not). I literally can’t thank you enough! Deric
Deric
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’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
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It is so refreshing to have a great player, who can provide lessons and examples in a manner which is understandable to most any enthusiastic saxophonist who is ready to improve. not just the, do this, do that, memorize this, memorize that… while all that is absolutely necessary, you go on to give reasons and examples to explain and validate why you have to do all of these things, the benefits, if you will… that is the key for me, you tell, explain, demonstrate, explain some more, you give perso… Read more
Cedric

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