The Rhythm Changes Masterclass is your ultimate guide to understanding, mastering and navigating the most important chord progression in Jazz.

“Rhythm changes is one of the most crucial chord progressions for any aspiring jazz student to know, navigate and be able to improvise on”

In this ONLINE course we  put this Classic Chord Progression meticulously under the microscope, leaving no stone unturned!

 This masterclass course is aimed at the Intermediate → Advancing student of Jazz who:

1. wants a trustworthy, inspiring resource packed with essential information that will inspire and teach them the "secrets" of Rhythm changes (that the pros know)
2. needs a structured  path of study that will guarantee them substantial, quantifiable  progress in 4- 6 months!
3. is hungry to learn the secrets that the pros know, gaining essential knowledge and language to improvise with confidence over ´Rhythm`changes.

These  21 solos (presented chronologically) contain the language of Jazz you need to know!

 

Check Youtube playlist for related videos to the course

 

Key Features of this Course:

Living Notation  App - Follow along  and practice the lessons with the built in software that allows you to change speed, key, sound and much more that works on any device!

Using the easy to use app is fantastic as everything is all one place (the sheet music and audio)- and  synced

Hosted on the Thinkific course platform.  This means the information is presented in a crystal clear way in  organised modules for the best learning experience. (Including multi media, downloads, videos) 

4 month Course - One module per month for deepest learning experience

Concert, Bb, Eb, Bass and Guitar Tabs + Guitar Pro files included

 

Ask yourself these questions

1. Have you ever gone back and assiduously studied a substantial quantity of classic jazz recordings?
2. Do you think if you did that your playing would improve?
3. Do you WANT a sure fire, tested plan to be a better player and improvisor in the next 4 months?

You may have played and transcribed a few historic Jazz recordings but you may be left with an uneasy feeling that your playing would be better and knowledge deeper if you had  studied more solos from the Jazz continuum.

 

Up until now a learning resource on Rhythm changes has not existed to provide a secure and complete roadmap of study to follow that:

1. Serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding and  mastering this timeless set of chord changes all in one place.
2. distills the  vast core of information in the Jazz continuum in to a practical course of study that the student can follow and enjoy.

 

 

 Module 1.  LANGUAGE -

You will completely immerse yourself in the 21 Classic solos featuring a who´s who of Jazz greats (presented in chronological order from 1932-1975)

 1) Sidney Bechet 2) Louis Armstrong   3) Django Reinhardt + Stephane Grappelli  4) Charlie Christian  5) Charlie Christian + Jerry Jerome  6) Jerry Jerome 7)Lester Young   8) Ben Webster  9) Oscar Peterson 10) Charlie Parker 11) Sonny Rollins  12) Miles Davis  13) John Coltrane 14) Hank Mobley  15)Art Pepper  16) Yusef Lateef   17) Dexter Gordon  18) Sonny Stitt   19 ) Errol Garner   20) Joe Pass  21) Zoot Sims

Each solo is a gem, a master class in itself!

Each transcription has been meticulously checked for accuracy.

In this Module you will LIVE , PLAY and listen to the solos with the SOUND SLICE SOFTWARE that allows you to slow, down and loop sections and syncs the music to the score! (PDF scores are included if you prefer to print!)

Module 2.  PRACTICAL  THEORY+ ANALYSIS  

In this 2nd Module you will delve deep into the mindset of the soloist, discovering the intellectual and musical motivations behind their notes.

Using a bar-by-bar written analysis, you will scrutinize each solo, uncovering the rationale behind every phrase.

Through this analytical approach, you will begin to develop a true understanding and appreciation of what makes each solo so great. You will start to recognize the common language and motifs that run throughout the solos.

In addition to studying the solos themselves, you will also immerse yourself in the harmony of Rhythm Changes. You will listen to and study the most commonly used chord variations featured in the 21 solos, gaining a deep understanding of their harmonic implications.

(check out the preview below of the Harmony videos)

To further solidify your knowledge, you will also receive a comprehensive video analysis of the "I Got Rhythm" melody. This will provide you with a thorough understanding of the underlying harmonic structure and melodic possibilities.

 

Each bar by bar analysis as well contains invaluable musical tips and wisdom 

Ultimately, this module will equip you with the theoretical and harmonic knowledge that is essential for developing a deep understanding of jazz improvisation. With this foundation, you will gain the freedom to explore and create your own musical ideas with confidence.

 

Module 3.    PRACTICAL -  DISTILLATION  EXERCISES + Tutorials

This module is the CORE and the most crucial part of the course. It is designed to help you develop your skills and  master the language of the masters. Let me explain why.

1. The essence of every solo is distilled into a series of inspiring and creative exercises. These practical workouts are specifically crafted to assist you in mastering the particular language of each musical genius, allowing you to integrate it seamlessly into your own playing.
2. Moreover, this module is where we combine and refine the work done in the previous two months. You'll have access to play-alongs and demonstrations, making this a hands-on and practical experience.

Check out these previews of the distillations

Each distillation tutorial in the course is a Masterclass in itself. (average duration of each one is 10 minutes+)

 

Ultimately you'll be able to personalize these exercises to fit your own unique style, instrument, personality, and skill level. This will help you to take your musical abilities to the next level.

Module 4. Assimilation - Joining the dots

The object here, is to delve further in to the solos but from different angles, to see what we discover and what we can glean, that will deepen our understanding of how to solo on Rhythm Changes.

Furthermore, to see what common elements, ideas, trends appear in the solos and develop and study so that we can use to improve our playing and deepen our understanding of improvising on Rhythm Changes and Jazz progressions in general.

The contents are as follows:

1) Introduction to module 4

2) “Global” vs “Local Approaches” to Rhythm changes improvisation.

3) Turnaround lines and possibilities  - a detailed look at this ubiquitous Jazz progression  

 4) Bebop scales applied to Rhythm changes + tutorials + exercises

5) Approach note technique applied to Rhythm Changes - tutorial + demonstrations

6) I to I7 to IV iv-/#IVo diminished lines - how the greats navigated this particular section  of the progression - 38  choice lines played and analysed. 

7) “Global Lines”   Global Improvisation examples from the solos

Appendix:

1) Rhythm Changes solos in 12 keys.

There are 2 sets of 12 solos

a) Rhythm Changes solos that are recorded with Guitar. These solos mix the "Global" with the "Local" improvisational approach.

b) Rhythm Changes solos standalone. These solos are to designed to be practiced without any backing. These solos are more "Local" as they trace the harmony of the chord changes

Both sets of solos come with user friendly on screen  notes in the Soundslice App that aid you understand the thinking behind the lines.

2) Turnaround Ear training tutorial + Exercises.

Watch a preview here

In the tutorial you are lovingly guided through the need to know harmonies.

As well there are exercises for you to practice and test yourself with 

 

 The deep study of 21 classic Jazz solos by the greatest Jazz legends of all time will:

1. increase your jazz vocabulary exponentially
2. Give you a solid historical base on which you can build your playing on.
3. improve your ability when improvising to navigate chord changes 
4. Immerse your ears and fingers in the authentic Jazz language the greats of Jazz used

 

Something amazing happens when you spend time with these Classic Jazz recordings.

As you get to know them, you become acutely aware of the musical gems and elements they contain. You start to hear more details, like phrasings, articulations, often used phrases, blue notes and embellishments.

Your playing becomes more sophisticated as you hear the common melodic motifs the greats used.  As you start to join the dots of this Jazz language  your improvisations will become more confident and assured.

By the end of the course you will learn.

1. How to create lines and improvise over rhythm changes. What combinations of notes to use 
2. the Musical exercises to help you navigate the chords and incorporate the language of the great players
3. All the ´basic` chord substitutions the pros use to highlight and spice up their solos
4. How to make your solos sound like Jazz and not just like exercises

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why is the normal price $150

A. The Rhythm changes course is packed with a huge amount of information that Nick has carefully and meticulously distilled down from the Jazz continuum.

To teach this quantity of information to a private student would take at least 50 hours. At a teaching rate of USD $40 per hour that is us$2000. Nick wanted more students to gain access this knowledge so that is why it is at $150

 

Q. How long is the course?

A. The minimum time to process and absorb all the information is estimated to be 4 months.  However considering the amount of material, perhaps a more realistic time frame is one year. But there is no hurry. Everyone is individual and should go at a pace that feels comfortable.

Q. How were the solos chosen?

A. The criteria was to pick the the most coherent, awesome solos that would inspire and motivate the Jazz student. The list of players is a who´s who of Jazz greats that span the years 1932-1975. 

 

Q. What is included in the Rhythm changes course?

A.  A state of the art online course featuring 4 modules that form a coherent learning journey:

The online course modules contain videos, Mp3 examples, sheet music, and the amazing sound slice living notation is featured

Q. What is Global vs Local improvisation?

A. These are improvisational concepts we look at in Module 4. Improvising Globally is thinking of the chords as a whole and treating them that way , ´unifying` the chords. Local improvisation is treating each chord separately, highlighting the unique sounds of each chord.

 

Q. There is so much information, how will I keep organised and avoid feeling over whelmed?

A. Nick has distilled a huge amount of information down in to 4 beautifully  organised Modules with a coherent and clear learning path. Each module contains a list of classes to complete with a specific order that aids comprehension. The solos have been colour coded by level to guide you on your learning journey.

 

Q. What level do I need to be able to use the course?

A. The course is aimed at intermediate level players and beyond. The soundslice software allows you to slow down the audio examples so that really makes the material practice friendly.

Q. Is the course instrument specific?

A. No, the course is suitable for most instruments. Concert, Bb, , Eb, Bass clef and Guitar tab parts  and  Guitar Pro files are included.

Q. What is the sound slice software mentioned?

A.Soundslice  is a cutting edge software for learning music via interactive music notation. It  synchronises the audio to the score and allows you to slow down, loop, transpose and much more! It works on all devices! (You can always print all the music out as well if your prefer to)

 

Q. Can I join the course at any time?

A. Yes, absolutely! For the initial period each module will be delivered monthly. You can join the course any time after that and proceed at your own pace.

Q. Why does the title say Rhythm changes Volume 1?

A. Because this Rhythm Changes Masterclass is volume 1 of 2 volumes.

There is just too much material in the Jazz continuum to fit it in to one course!

Volume 1 spans years 1932- 1975

Volume 2 spans years. 1975 - 2023 and will be available later in the year.