Found the best bebop online jazz improv course to date

[Rob MacKillop]

I'm still running the mixolydian modes and V7 arps around the cycle, and playing three-chord Blues in all keys. I'm not sticking to fingerings I, IV and V, instead starting on any of the seven fingerings, and playing the Blues form from there. I find it too tempting to add chromatic passing notes, approach notes, etc, but try to keep it to a minimum, as these things look like being discussed in future modules.

I'm always aware of the intervals I'm playing. I tend to favour arpeggios over scales when playing the Blues form, but try to fit the scale in there when I remember to do it. The problem is it doesn't sound much like jazz at all, let alone BeBop, but I believe and trust that I'm laying the foundations. I have another ten days or so before moving on to Module II.

[AlsoRan]

I do have to say that like one person on his forum, I had a little trouble figuring out what exercise/etude matched to the corresponding OPUS mp3 on his list. Poor bastard that I am at at times, I got the preparatory exercised confused with the OPUS Etudes.

I figured out now that I misread the instructions where it gives you the optional assignment of using the MP3 OPUS backing tracks for the preparatory exercises. I read too quickly and thought I was going into the OPUS exercises already. That is for module 2.

[guitarplayer007]

My Module 5 opened the other day but still working on Module 3 and 4, there is a tremendous amount of information to assimilate .
ken

[MarkRhodes]

I'm still running the mixolydian modes and V7 arps around the cycle, and playing three-chord Blues in all keys. I'm not sticking to fingerings I, IV and V, instead starting on any of the seven fingerings, and playing the Blues form from there.

I'm doing some of that too, playing the I-IV-V changes from any starting pattern. (1 4 5; 2 5 6; 3 6 7; 4 7 1; 5 1 2; 6 2 3; 7 3 4)

[guitarplayer007]

I wrote out the Etudes just using Intervallic Script in a separate book and play then in all positions.
Ken

[Jazzy Beatle]

In module 2 and on track, at least for now, but I can see clearly how one can easily fall behind. As per Richie’s recommendation, I’m using BIAB files vs MP3s.

[guitarplayer007]

In module 2 and on track, at least for now, but I can see clearly how one can easily fall behind. As per Richie’s recommendation, I’m using BIAB files vs MP3s.

Yes unless you have like 8 hours a day

[MarkRhodes]

Still in Module 1 and spending more time with ear training. It being the holiday season, I pick out a Christmas song (-because I know so many by heart and they are simple) and find it on the guitar. Last night it was "Frosty" and this morning it was "Rudolph." If I do this every day for six months (-not with Christmas songs but folk songs or any song whose tune I can --cough, cough--sing), I'll be much better off. Will I do it? Let us hope so...

[docbop]

Still in Module 1 and spending more time with ear training. It being the holiday season, I pick out a Christmas song (-because I know so many by heart and they are simple) and find it on the guitar. Last night it was "Frosty" and this morning it was "Rudolph." If I do this every day for six months (-not with Christmas songs but folk songs or any song whose tune I can --cough, cough--sing), I'll be much better off. Will I do it? Let us hope so...

I assume he's having you sing simple songs in numbers or solfege. Back in music school I would spend all my driving time doing that and it really helps. I felt I was doing my neighbors a favor by not singing at home, but did get some really interesting looks at stop lights singing tunes in solfege.

[MarkRhodes]

I assume he's having you sing simple songs in numbers or solfege. Back in music school I would spend all my driving time doing that and it really helps. I felt I was doing my neighbors a favor by not singing at home, but did get some really interesting looks at stop lights singing tunes in solfege.

I don't know what happens down the line. I'm in the first Module and the first thing is to be able to match a pitch sounded on the guitar with one's voice.

Richie said he used to slow records down and learn licks from them. (Him and a million others.) He said when he got to Berklee he tested out of two semesters of ear training because his relative pitch was so well developed.

[docbop]

I don't know what happens down the line. I'm in the first Module and the first thing is to be able to match a pitch sounded on the guitar with one's voice.

Richie said he used to slow records down and learn licks from them. (Him and a million others.) He said when he got to Berklee he tested out of two semesters of ear training because his relative pitch was so well developed.

That is great way to transcribe by learning to sing the line first then transcribe from your singing not the recording. That way you learn more than just a lick.

Relative pitch is what is important probably more than perfect pitch. I like the approach many today are teaching and instead of just practicing hearing distance between two note, but hearing in relation to key. So you play a I-IV-V cadence first then the note to ID and you start ID by what it is within the key. So practicing both is good interval distance and note in relation to key.

[matt.guitarteacher]

Kind of off the wagon with this course specifically, but it's already yielded a lot of side benefits. I've been working on melodic minor stuff and m/maj7 arps.

First off, the practice of VERBALIZING intervallic script is so valuable. Find myself "mentally" practicing (while driving etc) much more easily because I'm just slightly more in touch with chord tones , intervals etc in their location on the fretboard and under fingers .

Also, the value of playing melodic patterns through the cycle is so much more valuable than I would've imagined . Really teaches your fingers to "hear" better, when you're doing the same intervals and patterns in different positions. You begin to know where things are in a real tactile way .

So those two things alone have made a really big impact on the way I approach learning anything new, even though it's not necessarily material from the course.

Learning scales and patterns can be so mindnumbing, just working tour way up the neck. It's really nice to have a way to work things more musically, in a way which is mentally more stimulating, and in a way which is more valuable towards the goal of really knowing the fretboard .

[guitarplayer007]

Kind of off the wagon with this course specifically, but it's already yielded a lot of side benefits. I've been working on melodic minor stuff and m/maj7 arps.

First off, the practice of VERBALIZING intervallic script is so valuable. Find myself mentally practicing a lot more easily because I'm just slightly more in touch with chord tones , intervals etc in their location on the fretboard and under fingers .

Also, the value of playing melodic patterns through the cycle is so much more valuable than I would've imagined . Really teaches your fingers to "hear" better, when you're doing the same intervals and patterns in different positions. You begin to know where things are in a real tactile way .

So those two things alone have made a really big impact on the way I approach learning anything new, even though it's not necessarily material from the course.

Learning scales and patterns can be so mindnumbing, just working tour way up the neck. It's really nice to have a way to work things more musically, in a way which is mentally more stimulating, and in a way which is more valuable towards the goal of really knowing the fretboard .

Imagine a course like this devoted to harmony, chord movement, subs, Reharm and everything else under the sun...There must be something online like this?

[Rob MacKillop]

Ritchie is working on Part II of his BeBop course, but has mentioned the one after that will be Chord Melody, which might cover those things. Could take a while before it comes out, though.

[MarkRhodes]

Ritchie is working on Part II of his BeBop course, but has mentioned the one after that will be Chord Melody, which might cover those things. Could take a while before it comes out, though.

Richie definitely knows his way around a chord melody!

[MarkRhodes]

Speaking of the course, it's nearing time for Modlue 2 to open for me. Will I be notified or do I just try to open it on that day and it will open? (I forget my actual start date.)

[AlsoRan]

Speaking of the course, it's nearing time for Modlue 2 to open for me. Will I be notified or do I just try to open it on that day and it will open? (I forget my actual start date.)

You will just have access. No ticker-tape parade, dancing girls, twenty-one gun salute, or any other type of celebration. It is a bit anti-climactic.

You just click on Module 2 and it will open up for you.

I just knew I would get a call from the President or something... .

[destinytot]

Yay - I've just signed up! (Looking forward to getting started after work tonight!)

[MarkRhodes]

You will just have access. No ticker-tape parade, dancing girls, twenty-one gun salute, or any other type of celebration. It is a bit anti-climactic.

You just click on Module 2 and it will open up for you.

I just knew I would get a call from the President or something... .

Well, I didn't expect anything dramatic, just an email notification that the next module was open. But it's not that way. I'll just have to check. No biggie, just curious.

[Rob MacKillop]

I'd been checking for about two weeks if I'd moved on to Module 2 - the first month seems to have taken forever. After reading the posts above, I thought I should check again - I made it! Even though I don't smoke, someone offer me a cigar!

[GingerMojo]

Well.... for $129 Canadian, I really hope I made the right choice. I have joined this and True fire now. When does the spending stop?? Just kidding, I know it takes an investment to achieve what I desire, ad that is to be able to play seamless jazz. Thanks for the recommendation, hopefully I will commit the hours that are required.

[guitarplayer007]

I been checking for about two weeks if I'd moved on to Module 2 - the first month seems to have taken forever. After reading the posts above, I thought I should check again - I made it! Even though I don't smoke, someone offer me a cigar!

How do you like Module 2?
Ken

[guitarplayer007]

Well.... for $129 Canadian, I really hope I made the right choice. I have joined this and True fire now. When does the spending stop?? Just kidding, I know it takes an investment to achieve what I desire, ad that is to be able to play seamless jazz. Thanks for the recommendation, hopefully I will commit the hours that are required.

You won't be disappointed with Richie's course.

Ken

[guitarplayer007]

Speaking of the course, it's nearing time for Modlue 2 to open for me. Will I be notified or do I just try to open it on that day and it will open? (I forget my actual start date.)

It usually opens on the exact day you signed up, mine open on the 13th of every month.
Ken

[Rob MacKillop]

How do you like Module 2?
Ken

I've literally just opened it...got myself a cup of herbal tea and some biscuits...this is how to learn jazz!

Rob