A Reality Check for Wannabe Improvisers

We bought a new car over the weekend. As you might imagine, the experience was mentally, emotionally, and, of course, financially draining.

But that process of budgeting, researching, and thinking through our wants and needs for a new vehicle is also a reality check not so different from what musicians experience when making goals and developing practice strategies.

Let me explain…

I'd love to buy a Tesla Model S instead of a family friendly mid-size SUV. But the reality is I need to fit 4+ people and two car seats in a car without completely breaking the bank.

Reality check.

Now, in terms of making music, many musicians would love to be able to play like their musical heroes. But the reality is that work and family obligations prevent them from practicing four to eight hours a day to become as good as their musical heroes.

Reality check.

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer, but radical acceptance of how much time you’re able/willing to practice can help you make more realistic goals and design more effective practice regimens.

For instance, it’s great to be able to play a tune or a lick in all 12 keys. But if you have limited time, maybe it makes more sense to focus on the six keys you come across most in the repertoire you play most often.

Or maybe you heard somewhere that the Altered Scale is the secret to better jazz solos, so you decide to spend your time practicing Bb Altered until you’re able to shred every possible scale pattern at 300 beats per minute.

Not worth it, my friend.

Instead, be smart and realistic with your practice time. Apply the 80-20 rule: What 20% of exercises will result in 80% of the skills needed to reach your goals?

Also, beware of shiny object syndrome. There are so many books and video tutorials out there with new theory techniques, new exercises, new licks, etc. Try not to get pulled in too many directions.

When in doubt, work on your fundamentals.

Chord tones are a great place to start. They're even more fundamental than scales.

That’s right: if you’re not able to play a good sounding solo using just chord tones, don’t waste your time with a scalar approach. Sure, you can work on scales to improve your technique. But when it comes to improvising, prioritize those chord tones!

“But Jeff,” you ask, “when I play solos using only chord tones, I sound lame.”

Of course, you do! Most musicians play lousy chord tone solos because there aren’t any good examples out there to model and be inspired by.

Until now…

Chord Tone Magic is a collection of 12 chord tone etudes over popular chord progressions like Fly Me to the Moon, Dolphin Dance, and Spain, that will help you learn the RIGHT way to improvise with chord tones for better solos no matter what instrument you play.

And not only do you get the sheet music, audio files, and backing tracks for the etudes, you’ll also gain access to over an hour of video walkthroughs, which include tips and compositional strategies for creating better chord tone solos and better solos in general.

Click here to learn more about Chord Tone Magic and make sure to practice smart!

Happy shedding,

Jeff