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Playing Outside on Standards Exercise

Playing Outside on Standards Exercise

Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 1 customer rating
(1 customer review)

$9.99

Categories: Jazz Lessons, Modern Improv Tags: jazz improvisation, modern improv, playing outside, saxophone, standards, video lesson
  • Description
  • Reviews (1)

Description

In this lesson, I talk about a method to practice playing outside the chord changes while still being aware of them and following them. This lesson demonstrates a concept I work on with students as a means to learning how to play outside and get comfortable with that playing style in a methodical way. I demonstrate the concept over the tune “There Will Never Be Another You” on the soprano saxophone. A play along of that song is also included for you to practice with. (37 Minute Video Lesson,Play along)

1 review for Playing Outside on Standards Exercise

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    Rated 5 out of 5

    Jan (verified owner) – February 26, 2017

    What a great lesson. I had a standards trio and invited a great sax player who played all this weird stuff but with taste, 🙂 i was always asking him about it and his comment was the same as yours: just do something, but keep the changes in mind. I didn’t get it and thought there was some substitution theory behind it, but now I’m getting it. To this day I have never dared to play something “out” in a performance, because I know I get lost. This lesson is wonderful advice.

    • Steve

      Steve – March 14, 2017

      Glad you liked it Jan. When I discovered how to do this in college it really opened up the possibilities for me and like you, every time I played stuff like this other players would be asking me what I played. I think they would always get miffed when I said “Whatever” or “it doesn’t matter”. they wanted a formula or equation…………

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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
Your major diatonic patterns book is great. I”m studying the first twenty patterns (first twenty pages) each day with different articulation each day and slowly increasing the tempo each week or so.  There is a noticeable improvement in finger coordination across all keys and its amazing how much more secure I feel on the difficult keys when attempting to play pieces with 5+ flats/sharps. I’m able to sort out the fingerings for these pieces now much more quickly than before, often in one or two … Read more
Geoff
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!

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’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

Hello Steve,

I just want to say thank you so much for your unbelievable work, it is just mind opening, thanks for sharing it.

Wolfgang from Berlin

Wolfgang from Berlin
I just started looking at my lessons and I have to say, dude you are awesome.  I ABSOLUTELY will learn from you!  I started the tenor about 1 ½ yrs ago and have since picked up an alto, and more recently a soprano.  I spend most of the time on the tenor, followed by soprano, and have only gotten to the alto a few times.  I think I’ll be sticking with tenor.  I’m having a great time and hope one day to play well enough to get regular gigs.  I’ve been playing keys for about 35 years (… Read more
Wil

Mr. Neff,  I want to thank you for sharing your God-given talents through your on-line lessons.  My husband, Michael, is blind, but he is a great sax player and he has been enjoying your lessons for quite some time now.  It’s not unusual for me to hear “Hey, babe, listen to THIS!” – and he will cut loose on his sax, just thrilled at what he learned during his session with you.  His excitement warms my heart!  You have no idea how much you have poured into my husband.  You have opened musical … Read more

Carole B
Thanks so much for putting all this great learning material out there. I don’t often have the time to take a lesson with a teacher, so the ability to download lessons is really invaluable. My playing has improved enormously (I think :)) – and the lessons are so varied there’s always something to be inspired by. Incredible value too!
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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)

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