Banddirector.com

Clear Chord Symbols

Clear Chord Symbols by Antonio J. GarcíaFor more information plaese visit www.garciamusic.com General Concepts • There are few universal agreements about chord symbols, only learned traditions and (at times) common sense. • The music...

Efficient Practicing

Efficient Practicing By Joel Smales Have you ever felt like you’ve hit a brick wall in your practice/performance routine? You know there is more you are capable of, but you just don’t know how to get there? Maybe your practice routi...

Essentials of Learning to Play Jazz Well

Essentials of Learning to Play Jazz Well By Don Braden Description: Learning to play Jazz well is a long process -- a LOT of fun -- but long, because Jazz is a diverse, powerful and sophisticated music form. Listening for and practicing the e...

feature007

"I've always been a firm believer that whatever type of person you are, that's the kind of music you're gonna' produce." An interview with Clark Terry By Rachel Freiman In a time where countless up-and-coming young jazz musicians are constantly criti...

Four Note Chords, Inversions, and Shapes

INTRODUCTION TO 4-note Chord Colors, Inversions, and Shapes by: Christopher B. Collins In my youth, I often heard great jazz musicians preparing for a concert by warming-upwith various arpeggio exercises. I soon learned these exercises were chords...

Improvisation is Not Just for Jazzers

Improvisation is Not Just for Jazzers! By Larry Panella, Associate Professor of Music, The University of Southern Mississippi I teach students to improvise, some of whom are classical musicians. It amazes me that more classically-oriented students...

Jazz Improv: Have More Fun in the Shed

Have More Fun in the Shed Jody Espina In this article I'd like to put out a few ideas that are aimed at making your practice session more fun. Beginners, intermediate and advanced players should be able to find something that they can use here, but...

Jazz Improvisation: Beginning with Rhythm

Jazz Improvisation: Beginning with Rhythm Chris Collins Chris Collins is a professional jazz woodwind player and an Associate Professor and Director of Jazz Studies at Wayne State University in Detroit Michigan. He has toured throughout Japan, S...

Jazz Improvising is Easy

Jazz Improvising is Easy by Jamey Aebersold The idea of improvising and/or showing others how to improvise has always been a scary topic for band directors. Especially, if you haven?t taken courses in college that shows you the way and help reduce...

Jazz Pedagogy: The Music

Jazz Pedagogy: How To Evaluate And Select Music That Fits Your Ensemble J. Richard Dunscomb Where to Begin One of the most important aspects of our jobs as jazz ensemble directors (and the most difficult at the same time) is the selection of mus...

Learning Swing Feel

Learning Swing Feel or How to Sculpt an Elephant Antonio J. GarciaFor more information plaease visit www.garciamusic.com Helping students capture this elusive concept is as much about recognizing incorrect swing style as it is studying the jazz...

Let's Roll!

Let's Roll! Robert Rawlins Start a jazz band and reap the many benefits it will bring to your music program Perhaps you've been thinking of starting a jazz band, but are not sure how to do it or even if it's worthwhile. Jazz bands can accommodat...

Listen Closely

Listen Closely Robert Baca Teach your students the finer points of jazz with the help of recorded music In many respects, building a jazz program is much the same as any other area of music. Some teaching methods, however, can be more useful tha...

Shedding Scales: The Evolution of a Lizard

Shedding Scales: The Evolution of a “Lizard” by Larry Panella, Associate Professor of Music, The University of Southern Mississippi Most musicians are familiar with the expression for practicing known as, “wood shedding,” a...

Ten Mechanical Considerations for Drumset

Ten Mechanical Considerations Guaranteed to Improve Drum Set Performance By Dr. Tom Morgan As I adjudicate high school and college jazz festivals and conduct drum set clinics I am always struck with how often the same kinds of problems keep croppin...