Beginners

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.

Welcome to your 4. month experienced 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. Jazz-Blues Workout in the key of F

• Mastering Chords
• F Blues: Walking Bass
• Rootless Voicings & Blues Scale

Review

• Note Restrictions
• Blues Improvisation with triads
• Rootless Voicings & Blues Scale

II. Jazz Routines

• Jazz Hanon No. 2
• Jazz Hanon No. 3

Review

• Chromatic scale workout
• Jazz Hanon No. 1
• Five-Finger scale exercises (12 Minor Keys)
• 6 Additional Exercises
• Five-finger scale exercises (12 Major Keys)

III. Theory/Basics

• C Major Workout
• Bb Minor Workout
• Major Triads – Root Position, 1st & 2nd Inversion
• Major Triad Etude – Voice Leading
• Voice Leading Theory
• Minor Triads and Inversions
• Major 7th Chords – Root Position

Review

• F Major Workout
• D Major Workout
• C Minor Workout
• G Minor Workout
• D Minor Workout
• Bb Major Workout

IV. Improvisation 

• A Minor Blues Workout
• Contemporary Music Techniques
• B Minor Blues Workout 
• Blues for McCoy Tyner – Behind the scenes
• Blues for McCoy Tyner
• Consistent Rhythm Pattern
• Ab Minor Blues Improvisation

Review

• Melodic Improvisation
• D minor pentatonic Improvisation
• G minor pentatonic Improvisation
• How to make up a song on the spot?
• C minor Blues scale exercises
• Call and Response
• Pick Ups
• Play and rest approach
• Rhythmic Displacement

V. Etudes

• Toxic Dragon
• Let Her Come
• Windy Day in Bergen

Review

• Rainy Day in Bergen
• The little Hobbit
• Don’t be Sad – Contemporary
• Don’t be Sad – Swing version
• The Legend of John
• Ballade pour Adele 
• Spring Wind
• Sweet Home

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. There are more lessons in your 4. month beginner curriculum, you can check them out too, but those are mainly for jazz beginners (intermediate players). However, this is a well-rounded practice routine for an experienced beginner student. All you have to do is stick to the plan and practice every day, even if your ego says that you should practice more difficult things. If you have the feeling that it would be difficult to follow through this program, you can always scale down to the 4. month absolute 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.

Welcome to your 4. month absolute beginner curriculum! Don’t worry about the new lessons if you are still working on something from the 3. month practice plan. 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.

Core Lessons

I. Sight Reading & Coordination Exercises
(Lesson 45-46)

• Half Notes with Swinging Eighth Notes
• On and Off Beat

II. Improvisation
(Lesson 47-48  & Additional Lessons)

• Short and Long Licks
• Changing the Licks
• Five-Finger Improvisation Exercises
• Scale Exercises (A minor Blues)
• Improvisation Exercises (A minor Blues)
• Scale Exercises (A minor Pentatonic)
• Improvisation Exercises (A minor pentatonic)

III. Rhythm Workout
(Lesson 49-51)

• Rhythm Workout Easy
• Rhythm Workout Medium
• Rhythm Workout Hard

IV. Blues Licks
(Lesson 52-55)

• Blues Licks (part 1)
• Blues Licks (part 2)
• How to Improvise with Blues Licks
• How to Build a complete Solo

And that is it. You are done. Good job! When I am working with kids, this routine takes more than a month to complete. There are even more lessons in your 4. month membership, but If I were you, I would just stop here and make the best out of these lessons. I would rather master one technique really good than to play all of them poorly. But as I said earlier too, I trust your judgment on this, and if you believe that you can handle more challenge, I am here to support you. Let’s Continue.

Additional Exercises for Motivated Absolute Beginners

I. Making Music with the Core Lessons

• How to develop a swing feel: 8th Notes workout
• How to develop a swing feel: 8th Note Rest workout (Beat 1)

II. Expanding Rhythm Vocabulary for Improvisation

• Blues Scale Exercises (A minor Blues)
• Rhythm & Improvisation (Easy)
• Rhythm & Improvisation (Medium)
• Rhythm & Improvisation (Difficult)

III. Chords and Arpeggios

Review

• Major Triad Etude (First Inversion)
• Major Triad Etude (Second Inversion)
• Major Triad Etude (Arpeggios: Two Octaves)

New Lessons

• Major Triad Etude (Root Position, 1st & 2nd Inversion)
• Major Triad Etude (Voice Leading, Grooves)
• Voice Leading Theory (Routine #15b)
• Minor Triads and Inversions
• Major 7th Chords – Root Position

IV. Challenge

• A minor Etude & Improvisation with 4 types of minor scales

If you wish to get feedback on your progress, feel free to contact me. 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.

Welcome to your 5. Month Experienced Beginner Curriculum! If you are still working on something from the 4. month practice plan, don’t worry, don’t rush, take as much time as you need with those lessons. 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. Traditional Blues Workout in the key of G

• How to get the best out of Blues Hanon
• Basic Blues

Review

• C Blues No. 1
• C Blues No. 2
• F Blues
• Bb Blues
• Blues Improvisation with triads

II. Jazz Routines

• Blues Hanon
• Jazz Hanon No. 4
• Jazz Hanon No. 5

Review

• Chromatic scale workout
• Jazz Hanon No. 1
• Jazz Hanon No. 2
• Jazz Hanon No. 3
• Five-Finger scale exercises (12 Minor Keys)
• 6 Additional Exercises
• Five-finger scale exercises (12 Major Keys)

III. Theory/Basics

• A minor Workout
• E Minor Workout
• Minor Triad Etude
• Minor Triad Arpeggios (One Octave)
• Open Triad Etude
• 9th Chords Etude
• Sus4 Chords Etude
• Slash Chords

Review

• C Major Workout
• Bb Minor Workout
• F Major Workout
• D Major Workout
• C Minor Workout
• G Minor Workout
• D Minor Workout
• Bb Major Workout

IV. Improvisation
(Bebop, Post-bop, Mainstream Jazz)

• Natural & Harmonic Minor Scale
• C Major Scale Workout
• How To Play the Dorian Mode
  (Bebop Version)
• How To Play the Dorian Mode
  (Modal Jazz Version)
• Minor 7th in Jazz – Scales & Arpeggios 
• How To Play The Mixolydian Mode
• Dominant 7th Arpeggios in Jazz

Review

• A Minor Blues Workout
• Contemporary Music Techniques
• B Minor Blues Workout 
• Blues for McCoy Tyner – Behind the scenes
• Blues for McCoy Tyner
• Consistent Rhythm Pattern
• Ab Minor Blues Improvisation
• Call and Response
• Pick Ups
• Play and rest approach
• Rhythmic Displacement

V. Etudes

• Hilja
• Silent Night
• Radioactive Dragon 

Review

• Toxic Dragon
• Let Her Come
• Windy Day in Bergen
• Rainy Day in Bergen
• The little Hobbit
• Don’t be Sad – Contemporary
• Don’t be Sad – Swing version
• The Legend of John
• Ballade pour Adele 
• Spring Wind
• Sweet Home

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. There are more lessons in your 5. month beginner curriculum, you can check them out too, but those are mainly for jazz beginners (intermediate players). However, this is a well-rounded practice routine for an experienced beginner student. All you have to do is stick to the plan and practice every day, even if your ego says that you should practice more difficult things. If you have the feeling that it would be difficult to follow through this program, you can always scale down to the 5. month absolute 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.

Welcome to your 5. month absolute beginner curriculum! If you are still working on something from the 4. month practice plan, don’t worry, don’t rush, take as much time as you need with those lessons. 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)

Compositions (to warm up)
Radioactive Dragon
Hilja

Chords and Arpeggios
Minor Triad Etude
Minor Triad Etude Arpeggios (One Octave)
Open Triad Etude (Ear Training)
9th Chords Etude (Ear Training)
Sus4 Chords Etude (Ear Training) 
Slash Chords (Major 7th)

Theory/Basics
A minor Workout – Basics
E Minor Workout – 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

Rhythm Workout (with Walking Bass)
Part 1: 8th Notes Workout 
Part 2: 8th Note Rest Workout (Beat 1) 
Part 3: 8th Note Rest Workout (Beat 2)  
Part 4: 8th Note Rest Workout (Beat 3)  
Part 5: 8th Note Rest Workout (Beat 4)  
Part 6: 8th Note Rest Workout (Random)

Jazz Scales and Arpeggios
Elements of Improvisation: Natural & Harmonic Minor Scale
Elements of Improvisation: C Major Scale Workout
Elements of Improvisation: How To Play the Dorian Mode (Bebop Version)
Elements of Improvisation: How To Play the Dorian Mode (Modal Version)
Elements of Improvisation: Minor 7th in Jazz – Scales and Arpeggios 
Elements of Improvisation: How To Play The Mixolydian Mode
Elements of Improvisation: Dominant 7th Arpeggios in Jazz

Jazz Hanon
Jazz Hanon No. 4
Jazz Hanon No. 5
Jazz Hanon No. 6 
Jazz Hanon No. 7
Jazz Hanon No. 8
I can’t reach the 10th, what to do?
How to make the best out of Jazz Hanon

Blues Hanon
Blues Hanon
How to get the best out of Blues Hanon
Basic Blues

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 5. 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.