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You are here: Home / Beginner Improvisation Series / Beginner Improvisation-Alto Sax / Beginner Jazz Improvisation Lesson 1A-Alto Sax
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Beginner Jazz Improvisation Lesson 1A-Alto Sax

Beginner Jazz Improvisation Lesson 1A-Alto Sax

Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 7 customer ratings
(7 customer reviews)

$9.99

SKU: 252 Category: Beginner Improvisation-Alto Sax Tags: alto saxophone, beginner, jazz improvisation, sax lessons, video lessons
  • Description
  • Reviews (7)
  • Lesson Sample

Description

Learning to be a great jazz improviser is a life long journey.  If you love jazz and are drawn to the vision of standing in front of a crowd as you improvise a great jazz solo,  then you are more than likely ready to take your first steps to get there.   The question I hear about most from potential students is “Where do I start?”.  This can be overwhelming for a beginning jazz student.   There are so many books and methods out there that a student has no idea where to start.  In this  beginner jazz improvisation series for the alto saxophone I teach you a balanced approach to learning to improvise.

I will take you from the very beginning and teach you how to improvise just as if you were a new student coming in to my studio in person.   In this lesson I teach you the C major scale, the D dorian scale, the G mixolydian scale and the chords that these work over.  I show you how to learn them and the chords as well as how to practice them with some Aebersold play alongs. I also show you the A blues scale and talk about how to use it against C major and A minor.  Rather than just stopping there, I go a step further by teaching you how to hear the resolution points within each scale and chord and what to listen for when improvising.   Once you can hear these tensions and resolutions it will help and empower you to create your own unique and personal lines and solos.  My goal with these series of lessons is too teach you all the basic chords and scales in every key and get you improvising in a fluent way over some common jazz standards. (Audio,Video & PDF) (32 Minute Video Lesson)

7 reviews for Beginner Jazz Improvisation Lesson 1A-Alto Sax

  1. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Stephen – December 1, 2010

    Great start to this series of lessons and definitely better than shooting stars or passing comets I am truly grateful that this is happening in my lifetime. Great work Steve!

  2. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Adrian – January 3, 2011

    “Steve, your Basic Improv lessons are THE BOMB!!! I have gone through so many teachers and none of them explains the concept and methodology quite as simply and easy to understand as yours! They just ask you to memorize scales and play what comes to mind. All jazz instructors should take a look at what you have.

    These lessons should be the very first lessons you put up. Makes everything all so clear now.

    Please consider writing a Neff Method to Basic Jazz Improv. I believe it will become a must have book for many Jazz Improv 101 college programs.

  3. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Pete Dimaline – January 28, 2011

    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 and focus on and the material is very interesting. I think this is the best teaching series available and he continues to add more lessons to the series. I can’t thank him enough for it. May he go on for ever! Pete

  4. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Sam Munn – December 31, 2012

    I just started on my first lesson ‘Beginning I improvisation 1A’. The way this lesson has started out is filling me with a lot of hope because it really does start from the ‘beginning’. I have bought many books, tapes and downloads labeled as ‘Beginners’ and after the first sentence they start rattling off like Charlie Parker. They must have forgotten what it’s like to be a beginner – so frigging frustrating. Well i am going back to your video, let you know how i get on.
    Cheers, Sam

  5. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Bill – September 6, 2013

    This is an awesome series. I am now more that half way through the series and I am quite pleased with my progress. Some of the lessons stand out more than others but the bottom line is over time you will gain an in depth knowledge of improvisation. One of my favorite things to do on my spare time is to improvise along with my “Band-In-A-Box”. I really feel like I’m progressing in my knowledge and skills. My wife told me she actually likes listening to me. What a shock that was to hear. By the way don’t let the title “Beginner Improvisation Series” fool you. This is not just for beginners.

  6. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Vinny (verified owner) – April 30, 2014

    Hello, I just listened to both 1A and 1B on the beginning Jazz Improvisation for the Alto and took notes. Wow. There is a lot of work here. This is great stuff Sir. I know a good amount of notes but have not in my short time playing learned the scales so I know I have a lot of catching up to do. It will take me a while to get to the place to play with the recordings on the volumes.

    Next month I have 4 more lessons to pick and I am just getting started on these 4. No one’s fault but my own.

    I am going to memorize them. Love the blues

    Again, great lessons.

    Vinny

  7. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    TIM GOUGH (verified owner) – June 24, 2019

    Really impressed with the course. After years learning and playing classical repertoire and knowing nothing at all about jazz and blues it’s starting out great, and it suits my way of learning. Can’t wait to learn and practice even more. Highly recommended.

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Lesson Sample

https://public.neffmusic.com/Beginner%20Jazz%20Improvisation%20Lesson%201A-Alto%20Sax%20clip.mp4

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I’ve been a member of Steve’s site for about six months now and the difference it has made to my playing is immeasurable. The (many) benefits of this membership are that you can have lessons at time convenient to you, they work out A LOT cheaper than face-to-face lessons with a teacher of the same calibre and you can replay them ad infinitum. I don’t know how many times have I had lessons in the past where I’ve ended up covering the same concepts when really a ‘replay’ of the last lesson would h… Read more
Nick
Two years later I began a search for a sax teacher and happened to come across Steve Neff when I was searching YouTube for sax teachers.  I went to neffmusic.com and was very impressed with the lessons Steve Neff was offering.  The concept of selecting lessons was an approach that I thought was unique and purchased a few lessons.  I liked the lessons so much that I signed-up for a 6 month package. I was very happy with all the lessons I selected.  I also purchased Steve’s book Mastering the B… Read more
Michael
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
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’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 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

Hello Steve,

I have not received my alto yet but have already gone through 14 lessons. I love your approach, style, knowledge and competence. I now regret so much to have stayed away from playing the sax for the past 45-50 years…(I am 65).  But It is never too late to get back to your first love. After 23 years in compuer sciences and 22 years in finances…I am now back to music for the rest of my life.

Doing some research on the net, I found this:

http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?1… Read more

Claude
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
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
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

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