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You are here: Home / Jazz Books (PDF Downloads) / The New Ultimate II-V-I Primer-Major Keys (Digital PDF Book)
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The New Ultimate II-V-I Primer-Major Keys (Digital PDF Book)

The New Ultimate II-V-I Primer-Major Keys (Digital PDF Book)

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

$14.99

Category: Jazz Books (PDF Downloads) Tags: approach notes, II-V-I, jazz improv, melodic improvisation, patterns
  • Description
  • Reviews (5)

Description

The “New and Improved” Ultimate II-V-I Primer is finally done.  The purpose of this book is to give beginner to intermediate jazz improvisers a complete and thorough method to learn all the note possibilities in a II-V-I progression in a systematic and organized way.  I have written this book so that it starts with the simplest of exercises and progresses to more advanced exercises as you work through the book.

The book is divided up into 10 lessons.  Each lesson is focused on adding one note to each chord of a II-V-I progression.  I give you a number of patterns for each new note that is added.  The goal of these patterns is to master the new note in relationship with each chord and to add these new notes to the notes mastered in the previous lessons.  I’ve written the patterns out in a number of different combinations that I think sound good.  Mastering these patterns will give you a multitude of melodic options while improvising.

After the patterns in each lesson, I give you 10 examples of how to apply 10 different approaches to the patterns already studied.  These approaches help to connect the chord tones from measure to measure as well as multiplying the various lines and ideas you can use over the progression.

The last section of each lesson is focused on giving you some ideas to use to create more melodic lines.  Many times students who are studying and learning patterns have trouble making the jump from pattern to melodic improvisation.  For this reason, in each lesson I give you 5 melodic lines based off of the patterns and approaches. I give you some insights into why they sound good and how I created them.

This PDF book is a massive 750 pages long because it is written out in all 12 keys.  I suggest just printing out pages 1-78 for the section in C major for a reference and then printing out other keys and pages if you need them later when stuck.

Included with this book are:

40 Play along tracks, 12 of piano at 85bpm, 12 with a trio at 110bpm,  12 with trio at 140bpm and 4 tracks at different tempos of a 12 key play along.

This book is an excellent resource for any student of jazz improvisation.  It will help you  internalize the chords, learn a number of approaches, learn to play melodically and  improve and grow your creativity.  When you have completed this book, you will have laid a great foundation on which you can build.  I hope you enjoy the journey.

Steve

 

5 reviews for The New Ultimate II-V-I Primer-Major Keys (Digital PDF Book)

  1. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Jonasson – October 9, 2013

    I’ve really had much use of your II-V-I primer book. It has made my ears twice as big and in just one month my technique in all keys has evolved tremendously. I am basically an autodidact, which means i usually skip the “easy bits” and go straight to the things I’m not likely ever to be able to manage. This book has given me the opportunity to start all over again and do things correctly from the start. I’ve spent years on various scales and patterns without much happening, but with this “easy” book and band in a box things are starting to happen. My best lesson ever! Jonasson

  2. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Frank – October 9, 2013

    Just started working on your II-V-I Primer. It’s absolutely
    aaaaaaaaaaaaaaawsome !!!! Exactly what I was looking for, just right on !!!
    I started today and oh boy, I don’t know if I’ll ever play like Bird, but I know I’m gonna enjoy learning and playing my alto like I never did before.

    Thank you so much, it’s so great to have people like you in the music community.
    Keep up the good work !!! Can’t wait to start my lessons.

    Frank

  3. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Robert (verified owner) – June 22, 2014

    “Where did that note come from? Just one of the question answered just by playing with the play-alongs and reading Steve’s short and very clear notes that accompany the exercises. This “Primer” is easily worth many times the price. None of this, “Memorize these pages before you start playing” stuff. You’ll be playing in less time than it takes to wet a reed. This starting over theme has been great for me. I have a decent ear, but it many times leads me into Clam City. Starting over (in all keys yet) is giving me a better foundation. Even if you feel weak in only a key or two, this Primer will be worth much more than you are paying. Steve’s server should be waiting. You can have this primer in about 10 minutes, including the ton of play-alongs. And NO, I don’t know Steve, but I am a very satisfied user.

  4. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Robert (verified owner) – October 10, 2015

    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

  5. Avatar
    Rated 5 out of 5

    Jim – November 5, 2020

    Steve- Your ii V7 I Primer is a great book- I am happy to find a book which addresses these fundamentals logically and sequentially…this is a valuable resource for my teaching. This book addresses the study of chord tones and various approach notes while studying ii-V7-I progressions progressively from the most basic concepts into more advanced ones and subsequently offers practical insights and suggested exercises into using these ideas melodically when improvising over this very common chord progression.
    Jim

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Steve’s monthly lessons are entirely valuable. Without brow beating, he tells you all the stuff you deep down know you really should be working on, instead of just relying on the same old patterns. In spite of the fact that you’re taking a video lesson, Steve’s presentation is comfortable and “real”. In a little more than a year, he’s developed a library of lessons that seem to offer any player a lifetime’s worth of practice material. I’m just glad I stumbled upon it.… Read more
Grant
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
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 have been a member of Neffmusic for more than a year now and have enjoyed every minute of it! I have not only been going thru the Dominant Bebop Scale lessons and book (OUTSTANDING!) but the mouthpiece reviews, solo clips and transcriptions are very interesting. Steve approach to beginning and intermediate improv have given me many new pathways to teach my high school jazz ensemble students. Congratulations Steve, great product!
Craig
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

Hi Steve,

First, I want to thank you for all of your great lessons. They are like a “For Dummies” version of all the books on my shelf. The lessons break things down into manageable pieces, and give me the confidence that I’m practicing the right pieces. I’m starting to make progress.   Thank You,   Kim

Kim
I like so many other subscribers feel so encouraged by Steve’s learning techniques; you will enjoy reading the comments of praise others have left as you too will feel that you share a common view and path. I feel very lucky to have come across Neffmusic and that feeling will remain with you as you search through a treasure trove of learning materials on offer, you will quickly find the lessons that you are suited to. You will instantly recognize the unparalleled quality of Steve’s teaching … Read more
Stephen
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)
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

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