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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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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

Steve,

I have played for many years and have enjoyed going “back to the basics” in some of your lessons!  You have such a gift for explaining concepts.  As I have gotten older, some of the basic things have gotten muddled because I just play, not knowing why.  As I refresh myself with “why”, it increases my confidence and expands my playing.  Thank you so much for using your gift!  You are a blessing!

Julia
First, I’m really excited about your materials! This site is a vast resource for any aspiring (and maybe already inspired) jazz musicians. I’m not a sax player, I play mandolin and fiddle, but have been learning jazz and playing weekly with a quintet for the past 6 months and have been struggling with all of the issues you get into in your lessons. I bought several books and lessons and plan to continue with some others as soon as I organize my practice routine. Thanks again for a great site … Read more
Tony Galfano
I have NEVER seen material like yours.  Amazing!!
Jerry
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

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.
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
Absolutely the best learning experience in my 40 years of playing.These books are awesome!!
Alfred LaBella
Your lessons on playing the blues is so clear . I have been through many books on blues playing and not one of them explains as clear as your lessons . Most of them say “Play the same blues scale over all three chords of a 12 bar blues ” Its very misleading .     Thanks
Martin

I am enjoying your style of teaching, and you’ve done a great job with the videos….good sound quality and well constructed lessons.  Balances the more guitaristic material found on the majority of guitar based programs.  Jazz vocab is what I’m all about at this point in the journey.  I especially dig the fact that you’ve studied with Bergonzi…helps me see his voluminous output in a more bite sized way.

Milton

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