So It Begins! (Part 2)
I’ve been practicing with the first set of exercises in Volume 1 for Guitar, and I’m feeling pretty good about them. I’ve been using the Dorian Minor scale shapes to improvise with the play-a-long tracks, and it’s sounding alright, if I do say so myself. But on page 42, we move into a scale that […]
Why Musicians Can’t Dance
There is a strange phenomenon in the world of musical arts, and that is the mysterious inability for musicians to move their bodies in a graceful manner in response to music. The closest I’ve ever seen to a dancing musician was a guy playing the ukulele while singing and riding a unicycle (incredibly, he didn’t […]
Just a “Gig”-olo
How Far Are You Willing To Go To Play Professionally? In an era when modern tastes and technologies are undermining live entertainment at an astounding pace, today’s jazzer needs to be more adaptable than ever just to get by. One day in the early 1980s, I got a call for a gig. The sweet young […]
So It Begins! (Part 1)
As with any good story, this one starts at the beginning. Specifically, Volume 1 for Jazz Guitar. This book was written by Jamey Aebersold and was adapted for the guitar by Corey Christiansen. It incorporates guitar diagrams and tablature as well as standard musical notation. I have been a musician and played guitar for some […]
Highlights from Volume 76, “How To Learn Tunes” by David Baker
For the jazz musician, it is important to know a large repertoire of standard tunes. Perhaps you get the chance to sit in with another band, or meet a great group of players whilst traveling? Maybe you are not the quickest sight reader, or printed music simply isn’t available. Perhaps you merely want to […]