Jazz Clarinet, Saxophone, Improv, Ear Training
Tag: JAZZ IMPROVISATION
“If you have a clear grasp of what you’re about to play, your notes will be skillfully executed, with conviction and authority. However, if your conception is muddled, your playing will be clumsy and unfocused.”
That astute observation by respected composer, recording artist, and educator Richard S. pretty well sums up my own goal as a teacher of improvisation.
Treble Clef Download
Download the treble clef pdf book and the 47 mp3 recordings
$10.50
Bass Clef Download
Download the bass clef pdf book and the 47 mp3 recordings
$10.50
UNFORTUNATELY, THE US POSTAL SERVICE DRASTICALLY INCREASED THE COST OF INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING RECENTLY. IF YOU DESIRE THE PHYSICAL BOOK+USB DRIVE, PLEASE CONTACT ME TO DETERMINE THE COST OF SHIPPING TO YOUR COUNTRY. GIVEN THIS UNFORESEEN DISRUPTION, I SUGGEST YOU DOWNLOAD THE ZIP FILE INSTEAD. THAT WAY, YOU WILL HAVE INSTANT ACCESS TO THE MATERIAL WITH NO SHIPPING COST.
Treble clef physical book and USB drive
We’ll mail you the 100-page physical book (treble clef) and also the USB memory stick containing both the book as well as the 47 mp3 music recordings.
$30.50
Bass clef physical book and USB drive
We’ll mail you the 100-page physical book (bass clef) and also the USB memory stick containing both the book as well as the 47 mp3 music recordings.
$30.50
The “how” question is called “ear training”: How do I learn to play a familiar tune like “Happy Birthday” in any key without looking at a chart? You can learn to play by ear just like hundreds of musicians using my earlier book, “New Ears Resolution.” Click here to order this revolutionary ear training method used by players all around the world.
But the “what” question is much more personal. It boils down to: “Now that I know how to play by ear, what notes am I going to I choose?”
The content of your improvised solos is totally dependent on the nature of your own unique musical personality. I never try to make my student sound like me. Instead, we work together to discover your individual musical personality already brimming inside you. It’s as unique to you as your favorite foods, films, friends, and fingerprint.
My new book, “12 Keys to Improv,” can help you unearth the personal improvisational style lying dormant deep within your soul. These 47 short phrases are not boring, mindless exercises like so many methods. Not at all! Instead, they’re the kinds of melodic licks real artists play on actual gigs. And the appendix teaches you how to create your own riffs spontaneously.
Playing through this material will strengthen your chops, but – more importantly – it will stimulate your creative imagination.
Choose either the “treble” or “bass clef” edition, depending on your instrument. All of the 47 audio mp3 files plus the 100-page pdf book are contained on a convenient USB thumb drive. Or, If you prefer, you can also purchase the hundred-page physical book.
Order “12 Keys to Improv” today, and begin your fascinating journey into the thrilling world of jazz improvisation !
You can Learn to Improvise at the Dungeness Creative Music Workshop, Wednesday Afternoons from April 3-June 5, 12:30-2:30 PM. Register Today. Tuition is only $150 for this 20 hour workshop. Email craig@craigbuhler.com or check out this video for details.
For fans of Brazilian bossa nova jazz, here is a bright bossa composed and performed by tenor saxophonist Craig Buhler. In addition, if you have ever taken a terrible tumble, these ski slope stumble scenes will give you a chuckle and remind you that you’re not alone.
Below is a chart for B flat instruments you can view or download, in case you’d like to perform this song. (For charts in other keys or clefs, send me a comment listing your instrument, key, range, and preferred clef.) Continue reading “Slippery Slope”
Saxophonist Pascal writes:
“I was trained using ‘Fixed DO.’ In other words, if I am playing an E Major scale, I was taught to name the notes ‘MI, FA#, SO#, LA, TI, DO#, RE# MI’. Your book, “New Ears Resolution,” teaches me to think in terms of ‘Movable DO.’ What is your reason for preferring this method?”
Thank you for bringing this point up, Pascal. This is an extremely important question you have asked.
The unpredictable flow of shifting key centers can easily throw uninitiated players off balance, especially when jamming on unfamiliar tunes. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO.
Swinging rhythms are the foundation and heartbeat of great jazz. Our first “Rhythm” video was a primer on how to play jazz rhythms. Click here to watch it.
In this video, we’ll talk about how you can use rhythm to effectively express yourself: your thoughts, your feelings, your personality, your unique story.
CRAIG BUHLER JAZZ 
