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.
Learn to Play the Dorian minor blues form
July 9, 2009
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Posted by Craig Buhler
ANTHROPOLOGY (Charlie Parker)
July 2, 2009There 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.”)
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Charlie Parker (Yardbird, Bird), Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music | 
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Posted by Craig Buhler
Half Diminished (Minor Seven, Flat Five)
June 30, 2009This 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.”)
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Posted by Craig Buhler
MIXOLYDIAN TRIPLET BLUES LICK
June 25, 2009You 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 .
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Posted by Craig Buhler
COLTRANE’S FAVORITE LICK
June 25, 2009This lick is in the John Coltrane solo to “I Love You.” Coltrane used this lick throughout his career. Many of his disciples also picked up on the lick. i work on it in 8 keys (the range shown for the first lick is 8va). For variety, try playing it in retrograde (backwards) as shown in the second example below.
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Posted by Craig Buhler
MIXOLYDIAN BLUES LICK
June 25, 2009For 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.
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Posted by Craig Buhler
A brief definition of jazz improvisation
June 22, 2009Improvisation (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.
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Posted by Craig Buhler
KEYS TO IMPROV – V to I LICK
June 21, 2009Here 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.
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Posted by Craig Buhler
KEYS TO IMPROV, EXERCISE IN FOURTHS
June 20, 2009Practicing 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.
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Posted by Craig Buhler
Two New CDs
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.
To listen, download, or purchase, click here.
Songs by:
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Posted by Craig Buhler
New Jazz Blog
May 29, 2008Here is a new resource for jazz fans. Check out http://jazzbreak2.blogspot.com:80/
Leave a Comment » | Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, Music Education K-12, music, musician | Tagged: new jazz blog | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
OVERCOMING FLAPPY FINGERS
March 20, 2008From 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?
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
Play on regardless: Music is therapy
March 20, 2008
WHY should real musicians – the ones who can actually play their instruments – have all the fun?
1 Comment | Clarinet, Music Critic Reviews, Music Education K-12, music, musician | Tagged: basoon, performance, starting an orchestra | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
“Capistrano Sessions” & “Larger Than Jazz” now available as MP3 downloads from CDBaby
March 12, 2008You can now download MP3 copies of our 2 best-selling CDs from CD Baby for $9.00 per CD.
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
Music, Brain Function, and Intelligence
November 13, 2007Music Makes You Smarter. Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Music Education K-12, music, musician | Tagged: Brain function, Intelligence, music | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
Jazz Musicians as Role Models
October 2, 2007Is it possible for an older jazz musician to influence younger players in a constructive way? Read the rest of this entry »
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
Charlie Parker Teaches Focus
September 29, 2007Have 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.
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
Cool uses for the Charlie Parker Omni Book
September 23, 2007There 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
Modulation
September 6, 2007Do you ever grow attached to a key and find yourself resisting modulation into a new key?
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Posted by Craig Buhler
On Tone Control and Playing in Tune
August 14, 2007Written 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.
2 Comments | Clarinet, Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music, musician | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
Can You Learn to Play by Ear?
July 5, 2007YES 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.
7 Comments | Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music, musician | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
Psych Yourself Up to Play Fast Tempos!
June 22, 2007I’m not by nature a fast player. I don’t do anything fast except breakfast.
4 Comments | Clarinet, Improvisation, Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music, musician | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
Latest Update on Sticky Saxophone Pads
June 20, 2007Every sax player I have ever known struggles with the G# key sticking in the closed position. updated May 15, 2008
5 Comments | Jazz, Jazz Band, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music, musician | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
Choosing repertoire for a working jazz combo
June 2, 2007How can you choose songs you love to play, the band loves to play, AND the audience loves to listen to? Read the rest of this entry »
1 Comment | Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, Sequim, music, musician | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
SWAB IT! How to Keep Your Saxophone Clean
May 24, 2007You spent a lot of money on that horn. How can you make sure it will give you great service for many years to come?
Written by Daniel “Dr. Dan” Parker
Read the rest of this entry »
3 Comments | Clarinet, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music, musician | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
Practice Priorities
May 23, 2007How you can develop an effective practice routine and get the most benefit from your practice time
1 Comment | Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, Music Education K-12, Saxophone, music, musician, worship band | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
The Purpose of a Worship Leader
May 22, 2007My church already has a pastor. Why would they need a worship leader? Why would I want to take on such a role? Read the rest of this entry »
4 Comments | Worship, music, musician, worship band | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
Welcome!
May 17, 2007Welcome to my site!
If you want to learn how to play by ear and improvise jazz solos OR get started playing clarinet, saxophone, or flute OR hear the latest from the HONK Band OR discuss issues faced by Christian worship leaders OR schedule a Jazz for Youth workshop in your school, then we have something to talk about! It would be my pleasure to get to know you.
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Posted by Craig Buhler
