October 17, 2009
Are you hip to Ralph Moore? He has a fabulous sound and great ideas. The following lick is taken from Ralph Moore’s solo on the tune “SOS” from the CD “Moore Makes 4″ by the Ray Brown Trio with Ralph Moore. This is an amazing solo, packed with wonderful lyricism and dazzling technique. For details, see the book “Ralph Moore Jazz Tenor Solos” Transcribed by Bill Sears, published by Corybant Productions, Inc., 1994. I have recorded the lick in all 12 keys, so you can play along with the recording. On the following page is the link to the recording along with a chart showing the lick in all 12 keys. Below is an analysis of the various key centers traversed by the lick. You will note that the melody & the chord changes both adhere strictly to this key center scheme. (See “New Ears Resolution” for details on this analysis technique.)
Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | 
Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Music Education K-12, Ralph Moore, Saxophone, music | 
Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
July 29, 2009
This wonderful phrase illustrates how Charlie Parker (“YARDBIRD” or “BIRD”) could take a simple chord progression (such as III minor / bIII minor / II minor) and transform it into an opportunity to modulate. In this case, he raises the key by a half-step, a favorite be-bop modulation. (Thus, the bIII minor becomes a II minor in the key a half-step up from the original key.) To solo properly over this progression, you need to use the Ab major scale for beats 3 & 4 of measure 1, the G major scale for the rest of bars 1 & 2. Try it! As always, try to master the exercise without resorting to the printed page. Click here to hear the audio.
Leave a Comment » | 
Charlie Parker (Yardbird, Bird), Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music | 
Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
July 9, 2009
The Dorian minor blues offers up a palette which some consider to be richer and more emotionally expressive than the major blues. Below is a simple step-by-step method for mastering this fun to play genre.
Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | 
Uncategorized | 
Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
July 2, 2009
There are so many great phrases in this classic solo. This one deserves attention because of its rhythmic & melodic vitality and its effortless harmonic insinuation. Click below to see the phrase in all 12 keys. However, it is better to practice your ear training by figuring out the lick through melodic extrapolation. Click here to purchase the Charlie Parker Omnibook with its 142 pages of heads & transcribed solos by Bird. Click here to hear a play-along version. (To slow it down or change the key, download the free program “Best Practice.”)
Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Charlie Parker (Yardbird, Bird), Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
June 30, 2009
This arpeggio is very useful over a V7 (or a V9) chord. Notice that the iteration beginning on A# is actually in the key of C major. The A# is LI (sharp 6) in the major scale. For “New Ears Resolution” students, also note that the key change is indicated by the presence of a “pivot note.” Marked as (TI=LI), this notation is understood to mean “The note B natural, (TI in the old key of C major) will now become LI in the new key of Db major.” Once grasped, this understanding of modulation as described by a pivot note is a very powerful concept when one attempts to navigate the changes of a song with many internal key changes (such as “All the Things You Are.”)
Leave a Comment » | Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
June 25, 2009
You can play along with the background track to this lick. It’s an enjoyable & useful figure. Note that the background track starts with a count & a 4-bar introduction before you begin playing. Please email me, if you want a complimentary MIDI file or the Band in a Box file (to change tempo, style, or key). The background track is available here in 2 formats:
For “New Ears Resolution” students, listen for the II-V progression in the background track (Cm7-F7, etc.). The lick is easier to learn, if you hear it as: ti do li ti so fa la mi re so mi fa la li ti mi di re so .
Leave a Comment » | Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Saxophone, music | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
June 25, 2009
For those studying “New Ears Resolution,” this blues lick is in the mixolydian mode. (See the chart showing the modes at the end of your book.) Try thinking of this melody first in mixolydian and then in ionian. Both sets of syllables are shown. Which ever set of syllables feels more comfortable to your ear, that is the set you should use. Try to play the melody as smoothly as possible, in order to realize the underlying swing. As with all exercises, start slowly and smoothly, gradually increasing the tempo. I play this at dotted quarter = 150.
Leave a Comment » | Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Saxophone, music | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
June 22, 2009
Improvisation (or “improv”) is the art of creating a unique, new musical statement on the spur of the moment. This does not mean that your utterance is entirely without precedent. Jazz improvisation is a product of the individual’s history, temperament, technical facility, and mood, as well as the thrust of the composition which houses the performance, the history and legacy of jazz as a whole and ones chosen sub-genre in particular.
Leave a Comment » | Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Jazz for Youth, music | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
June 21, 2009
Here is a lick you can practice which fits nicely over the V7 – I (“five to one” or “SO7 to DO”) chord progression in major. I like to swing it, but you can also play it straight. You can experiment with different combinations of articulation, phrasing, and accent. I always start these exercises slowly and gradually increase the tempo. Right now, i am playing this one at quarter note = 115. The range of starting notes for sax is given below the exercise. If you are studying the “New Ears Resolution” ear training method, think of this lick in terms of: Li Ti Re Ra Ti Do Ri Mi La Fi So Fa Le So Do.
Leave a Comment » | Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Saxophone | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
June 20, 2009
Practicing these exercises in all 12 keys will help strengthen your ear and build your “ear / finger co-ordination.” Try to play them withOUT looking at the chart whenever possible. Start with the metronome at a slow tempo and execute the notes as cleanly as possible with smooth finger motion. Gradually increase the tempo, as you become comfortable with the notes.
Leave a Comment » | Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Saxophone | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
January 30, 2009
Craig’s new worship cd
“Renewed Hope” offers a wonderful
selection of new worship music
composed by Craig, backed by HONK,
and featuring vocals by Rick Tatum.
(Click here for more info.)
To listen, download, or purchase, click here.
Can pop hits grow up to be
jazz standards?
Skykomish offers 10 of them, recast
in fresh new settings, along with a
pair of original blues charts.
(Click here for more info.)
To listen, download, or purchase, click here.
Songs by:
Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Clarinet, Improvisation, Jazz, Jazz Band, Saxophone, music | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
March 20, 2008
From a quick viewing of YouTube video footage, it appears that Coltrane’s fingers may move further from the keys than do Bird’s. Do you agree?
Read the rest of this entry »
1 Comment | Clarinet, Improvisation, Jazz, Jazz for Youth, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music, musician | Tagged: fingering, loop, practice techniques, Saxophone, swing, tempo, trill | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
March 12, 2008
Leave a Comment » | Clarinet, Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music | Tagged: Capistrano Sessions, CDBaby, Craig Buhler, Larger Than Jazz, MP3 | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
October 2, 2007
Leave a Comment » | Charlie Parker (Yardbird, Bird), Honk, Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, Music Education K-12, Northwest, Sequim, music, musician | Tagged: Bird, Honk, Jazz, Music education, Music lessons, Role Model, surf | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
September 29, 2007
Have you tried reading the charts in the Charlie Parker Omnibook? I find that some of them require a level of focused attention that is quite difficult to maintain over a 3-hour practice session.
Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Charlie Parker (Yardbird, Bird), Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music, musician | Tagged: Bird, Charlie Parker, focus, improvisation, Jazz, Omnibook, sightreading | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
September 23, 2007
There are so many wonderful phrases that Bird created. When one phrase in particular captures my imagination, i try learning it in all 12 keys. Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Charlie Parker (Yardbird, Bird), Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music, musician | Tagged: Bird, Bop, Jazz, Omni, Parker | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
August 14, 2007
Written by noted woodwind artist & teacher Signe Crawford for the “Keys to Music” collection of jazz etudes.
Think of tone as your material for creating music.
If you can create a good tone, good pitches will follow.
If you can create a good pitch, a good tone will follow.
Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Clarinet, Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music, musician | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
July 5, 2007
YES YOU CAN! How do i know? Because I have taught over 100 musicians to do it over the past 7 years. These are musicians of all ages and levels of ability on various instruments, and you can be one of them.
Read the rest of this entry »
7 Comments | Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music, musician | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
