How to Stop Playing the Keyboard Like a Pianist (and other tips, tricks & secrets)
by Jordan WeiNightmares of KeyboardistsPicture this. It’s 1pm on a Saturday afternoon and throngs of crowds have gathered to see the battle of the bands competition at your local arts hub. Your group is next to go on and you can’t contain your excitement. You’ve been practicing for this at home since 2 months ago […]
5 Legendary Jazz Pianists You Should Listen To
By Jordan Wei There are many great jazz pianists out there, from the likes of Monk to McCoy; with each one of them having their own unique style and flair. And navigating through a plethora of individuals can be quite overwhelming at 1st, especially when it comes to deciding who to study. So to help you […]
30 essential jazz standards every beginner should know to avoid getting SHOT on stage
Jazz standards make up the bulk of a jazz musician’s repertoire and provide the chord changes and song structures that form the basis for improvisation. If you haven’t yet learnt some of the more popular requested standards, chances are you’re headed straight for a train wreck, or even worse, you’ll be SHOT on stage by […]
How learning to drive MANUAL can help you build a GREAT solo – The 5 Musical Gears
Do you remember your 1st driving lesson? Your feet on the pedals. Your forehead dripping with nervous sweat. Your heart racing as your hands clenched the steering wheel, praying you wouldn’t crash and burn at the next turn. Yet despite nearly giving up midway, you forced yourself to plough through; learning to trust your instincts […]
12 Killer Ways to Transcribe Jazz Solos at Lightning Speed
Transcription can be a very effective tool for learning how to improvise but if you’re just starting out, it can feel like quite an overwhelming task. Especially if the tempo is 300bpm, the song is in B and if the artist you’re transcribing is Parker or Coltrane. Picture this. If you’ve ever set out at the […]
7 BS Facts about Learning Jazz Improvisation Everyone Thinks Are True (and 3 things to practice to instantly sound better)
How do I learn jazz improvisation? The perpetual question on everyone’s mind from jazz enthusiast to student to professional musician. If you’re an avid learner like me, you’ve probably spent the main bulk of your time trying to find the most effective way to learn jazz improvisation. And sooner or later, you would have come […]