August Blog Stream

The 4 notes of the Iconic Rock Classic provide us with enormous practice resources!

Included in the digital download are the following files as seen in the YouTube video: (PDF format for C, Bb and Eb instruments)

1) The catchy Charles Mingus  "Boogie Stop Shuffle" blues  that features the Deep Purple riff notes to such great effect.

2) The Police 'Mother' Blues in 7/8 time that also features these same 4 notes in a different, more angular order, challenging 

3) The "Peter Gunn" theme by Mancini that again features these notes.

4)  The  Triad Pair lines  shown in the video + Mp3 play along drone

5) The Iconic riff harmonised multiply times with cool Jazz chords notated fully for Piano in Bass and Treble clef + chord symbols.

6) The Jazz classic “Night in Tunisia’s” first 8 bars that features the same tritone sub V chord  as seen in Smoke on the Water + harmonic explanation.

7) The Jazz phrases built on just these 4 notes + Mp3  funky Rhodes play along

8) The "Eternal Blues" scale as seen on the video ascending + descending!!!

9) The 3 ’new’ Blues scales in the video: "Hybrid Blues", "Bebop Blues" + "Super Blues" + practice lines that feature these notes to help you assimilate the sounds

10) The Mp4 Video  "Deep Purple - Exercises + Associated Resources"

Triad Pairs Exercises - Maiden Voyage

This iconic Jazz tune by Herbie Hancock that features suspended chords has a wonderful chord progression on which to practice a variety of triad pairs.

The PDF contains the carefully crafted lines demonstrated in the Youtube video that feature the triad pairs in different groupings of 3, 4, 5 and 6 notes  bring out the sound of each chord. The expansive lines of the triad pairs produce a modern, open sound.  The exercises challenge the technique as the whole range of the instrument is employed. 

The Download contains:

- 3 x MP4  play alongs, each at different tempos : Slow, Medium and Regular.

- The  PDF sheet music exercises for Concert, Bb and Eb instruments, very carefully prepared  for ease of comprehension and to inspire.

Please note, the Eb part has been specially adapted to make use of the full range

of the Alto Saxophone

- Mp4 Video

Rhythmic Improvisation (Maiden Voyage) 

 Rhythmic variety is a crucial but often neglected aspect of improvisational studies. In this class we take a one bar rhythm and displace it by an eighth note. The results are amazing!

We then practice this firstly without our instruments over the Maiden Voyage ‘African’ backing track specially prepared for this tutorial so as to focus entirely on the Rhythm.

The  melodic exercises in the PDF consist of fusing triad pairs to these Rhythms. 

Just by changing the rhythms of the same notes we can create fresh, interesting variations that expand our improvisational horizons!

The Download includes the following files:

- Exercises for Concert, Bb and specially prepared Eb ones adjusted so as to utilise the full range of the Eb Alto Saxophone. (Warning this part is high)

- The backing track Mp3 jam track in 3 speeds -slow, medium, regular.

- Mp4 Video

In the video that supports this tutorial I urge anyone to transcribe and make their own play alongs. However I have included the backing track of this Jazz version of Little Wing by Hendrix for anyone who would like to practice the Gil Evans like lines I played in the Youtube  video presentation.  Apart from being enjoyable the lines  provide 16th note reading material for student hungry for such things!

The Files included in the download are:

- the MP3 backing track

- the 4 chorus Lead sheet PDF of Little Wing for Concert, Bb and Eb instruments

- Mp4 Video

Beverly Hills Cop/Crazy Frog Theme.

As Michael Becker said  "I like to be able to play things in every key"

and we at Jazz Duets concur with him 100%!

The Beverly Hills theme is a superb workout tune to practice in 12 keys as all the notes are diatonic to A natural minor. The melody returns again and again to the root note  as it ascends through the scale making is a superb interval study.

This catchy melody also features the flat 7th and the flat 6th to great effect.

The PDF includes:

- the Bar by Bar analysis of the tune that will aid you to understand the intervals

of the melody

-the theme in 12 keys suitable for any instrument

- Mp4 Video

Buy individually $ 1.99