July 29 - #4

Royals - Theater

We started by running through the circle of fifths. I explained how not only is memorizing this order a good way to practice simple phrases in ass 12 keys, but it at the same time allows you to understand which dominant chord lead to which tonics (V-1), all the way around. 

Here's the circle, from C to C: 

C - F - Bb - Eb - Ab - Db - Gb/F# - B - E - A - D - G - C 

We practiced this a few time, just playing the roots, and then outlining major triads on each one. 

Next we worked on the A section of Honeysuckle Rose. We outlined the chords, and noticed that the 5-1 movement in the opening 2-5-1 is one of the pairs we saw from the circle of fifths. Next we tried simple improvisation using the roots of each chord, with some rhythmic invention and what I called "wiggles" to notes on either side. From here we realized the importance of knowing your scales not only ascending and descending from the first note, but inside and out, that way the "wiggles" become easy. 

Example in concert pitch: 

The first chord is Gmin7. A G will always sound nice over this chord. From there I can "wiggle" to A or F# on either side. 

Then comed D7. A D sounds good, and I can wiggle to E and C and those sound nice. 

This repeats once more, 

Then F6. F sounds nice, and I can "wiggle to E and G. 

Wiggling around those root notes doesn't create the most impressive solo, but it does make a purposive, understandable solo with a bit of melodic interest. I discussed how in a sense improvisation is aiming for those chord tones, like 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and wiggling around in between. 

I demonstrated how you could start on any random note, and if you make it back to a chord tone, it sounds like it was on purpose - purposive. 

To get away from all the theory, we moved to free improvisation over a drone. We took turns droning and Eb concert, playing some Eb6 chord tones, and improvising freely in the scale of Eb. Then we added any random notes, and noticed that certain notes sound more pleasant over the Eb  than others. Those are the notes to aim for! We also noticed that some of the less pleasant notes have a tendency to resolve in a certain direction. 

Using scale degrees:

2->1

4->3

6->5

7->1 

m3->M3

- Andrew Fox

We handed back our interval work sheet and started focusing on more basic theory. Going over major triads, the 5th movement is the basic key of all harmony, C to G, F to C,  Db to Ab, etc.

We are trying focus on the circle of 5ths, we’re practicing playing the fifths of each chord as we go around. Then we practiced 2-5s over Honeysuckle rose, primarily in the A section. We extended the 2-5 so they are a bar each, making it easier to resolve and have nice voice leading.

-Max Bartron

Jazz Colony 7/29/25

By Talli Kimani

LEGENDARY INSANE Joel Steinke Nugget: There is an innate sound inside of you that you can find through the courage of stopping to sound like other people and sounding like yourself. (This blew my mind)

Time and Tone

Everyone is responsible for time. Don't rely on bass players and drummers. Everyone's responsible, especially you Jonothan. With no drums, you gotta work even harder to stay locked in and not drag!

Remember, constant motion to your playing.

 

Play scales no tongue all air on sax. Especially the lower and higher registers. That will make your tone beautiful. Remember, relaxed embouchure tongue in the “hey” position, and tight corners and open throat use a tone of air. 

Don’t rely on the tongue and take in more mouthpiece. 

Use less tongue for sax players.

Play legato and play as evenly as possible.

Try not to rush or drag.

The best way to practice your time is to make the metronome play on only the first beat of the measure and not all 4 beats. Play scales with metronome only on beat 1 over and over and then just do fingering no air like we practiced.  Second step is put the metronome as beat two or beat three or beat four. This will make your time, ROCK SOLID.

The above paragraph is called metronome games. It will improve your time, technique, and is very fun and takes the monotony out of scale practice.

Improve

Play something that informs your ears what to play next. When you improvise, your telling your story, the audience is here to see you. So tell your story, play your life.

Pentatonics give coherence to playing

Pentatonic patterns: 1,b3,4,5,b7 5,4,b3,1… b3,4,5,b7,1,b7,5,4,b3 etc (notice the pattern its like math)

Skip notes on pentatonic scales for example 1,4,b7,b3,5,1

Find repeating Patterns in the pentatonic scale and explore them, have fun and be you.

Hear a song in 4 bar increments!! Phrasing of a song matters a lot It informs where your playing and where your headed to.

Don’t play if you don’t know where you are. If you get lost try and hear where you are.

Pay attention to the fifth bar and the 9th bar in a blues.

Other Joel Wisdom

If you have a goal and you focus, college will be better. Goals are important in life.

It’s easy to imitate others, as it requires less courage.

Talli’s Teachings

You all should focus on playing with soul, heart, and passion on your instruments. Strive to be better, seek out songs that feature your instruments of any genre, and play along with them and learn to sound like the players on the original song. 

Practice consistently even if its just 30 minutes a day, i know you can do that. Remember, discipline brings freedom. An inexperienced beginner can plunk at the piano to his heart's content and will not sound good. 

However, a disciplined student who practices multiple hours a day with discipline will have better technique and mastery over the piano and is more free to express their ideas on the piano than the beginner who lacks discipline.

Keep up the good work, push yourself even harder, and remember to have fun playing music!! 

7/29/25

Washington Nationals Combo

We learned the blues head “Blue Monk” by ear. Then, we went over the changes to a ‘jazz blues’ and used that form to improvise on Blue Monk. 

We played the chord tones of each chord of a jazz blues in quarter notes, then in eighth notes. We then took turns improvising on the form, using the chord tones as a tool.

We went back over “Ladybird,” first by playing the melody. Then, we played the chord tones of each chord in quarter notes, then in eighth notes. To end, we improvised on the form of Ladybird, using the chord tones as a tool.

- Forrest A