Welcome to your 4. month jazz beginner curriculum! If you are still working on something from the 3. month practice plan, don’t worry too much about the new lessons. Take as much time as you need. In the other hand, I encourage you to check out the new lessons even if you are not entirely done with the previous exercises and etudes. The only reason you should put the new lessons on hold if you feel that they are too complicated.
I. Basic Routines (Easy)
Composition
A minor Etude & Improvisation with 4 types of minor scales
Contemporary Music Techniques
Rhythm Workout & Improvisation
Expanding Rhythm Vocabulary for Improvisation (Easy)
Expanding Rhythm Vocabulary for Improvisation (Medium)
Expanding Rhythm Vocabulary for Improvisation (Difficult)
Chords and Arpeggios
Routine #15a: Major Triad Etude (Root Position, 1st & 2nd Inversion)
Routine #15b: Major Triad Etude (Voice Leading, Grooves)
Voice Leading Theory (Routine #15b)
Minor Triads and Inversions
Major 7th Chords – Root Position
Theory/Basics
C Major Workout – Basics
Bb Minor Workout – Basics
F Major Workout – Basics
D Major Workout – Basics
C Minor Workout – Basics
G Minor Workout – Basics
D Minor Workout – Basics
Bb Major Workout – Basics
II. Jazz Beginner Routines
Ear Training
If you transpose only one etude, it should be this one:
Routine #13: Blues scale Exercises (A minor Blues)
Having Fun with the Beginner Lessons
Choose one of the lessons listed below and transform it to your level.
C Major Etude – Let Her Come
Bb Minor Etude – Windy Day in Bergen
Don’t be Sad – Contemporary version
Don’t be Sad – Swing version
F Major Etude – Rainy Day in Bergen
D Major Etude – The little Hobbit
G minor Etude – The Legend of John
C minor Etude – Ballade pour Adele
D minor Etude – Spring Wind
Bb major Etude – Sweet Home
Challenging Jazz Routines
Jazz Hanon No. 4
Jazz Hanon No. 5
Jazz Hanon No. 6
Blues for McCoy Tyner – Behind the scenes
Chords
F Blues – Mastering Chords
F Blues – Walking Bass
Improvisation
Consistent Rhythm Pattern (Ab Minor Blues)
F Blues Rootless Voicings and Blues Scale
Ab Minor Blues Improvisation
B Minor Blues Workout
Blues for McCoy Tyner
Rhythm Workout
How to develop a swing feel: 8th Notes workout
How to develop a swing feel: 8th Note Rest workout (Beat 1)
How to develop a swing feel: 8th Note Rest workout (Beat 2)
I recommend you to learn all the lessons one by one starting from the top. Work on all the additional exercises too, so all the new information and knowledge has the chance to sink deeper. This is a well-rounded practice routine for a Jazz Beginner student. All you have to do is stick to the plan and practice every day.
If you have the feeling that it would be difficult to follow through this program, you can always scale down to the 4. month experienced beginner program, or you can send me your progress every week. I will give you feedback and help you to keep on track.
In order to give you good advice and guidance, I would need the following information from you:
- Your name, age, and main motivation.
- A link where I can see or hear you playing any of my exercises from this practice plan. (Unlisted youtube link, mp3 file, etc.) Play the entire exercise from the beginning to the end with a steady beat and let me know how long time did it take you to complete the lesson. If the recording is about improvisation, please improvise at least for 1 minute (with a steady beat).
- How much time do you have for practice?
- Are you working on the additional exercises too?
- What lessons have you already completed or are still working on?
- What is your next short-term goal? Is it ok if I tell you that you should change that goal?:) Most of the time you think that your problem will be solved if you learn more about theory, scales, and licks, but then I come and tell you that all you have to do first is to keep the rhythm.