Theory vs playing by ear, memorizing tunes, and transcribing solos

[@bobreynolds]

⬇ Download my 7-T Jazz Practice Pyramid-A one-page map to creatively organize your practice time-FREE at jazzpracticepyramid.com

[@itsjoe3109]

‘You don’t give a two year old a book.’ YES, I’m a massive language lover and am about to study a Spanish degree having recently started learning the sax, the number of common methods between the two are infinite, but perhaps the most important is simply listen, absorb, repeat, and continuously and contextually flood your ears with the sounds your trying to learn whilst actively working to understand what they mean in that context. Thanks so much for your videos

[@bzen_music4823]

Being a jazz beginner, I have lots love insecurities and doubts but this video really cleared up lots of them. It’s good to see professionals sharing their learning process. Thank you so much.

[@bobreynolds]

So glad to hear it. Thanks for letting me know. :) Enjoy the process!

[@vKarl71]

Your ear tells you what you want to play. Theory helps you figure out how to play it...and what it's possible to play...which, in turn, inspires your ear to expand your imagination. Nice tone you get on that tenor!

[@wookielocks]

That's a great way to think about it

[@jeromeking6001]

Well said.

[@MichaelBB]

"Pre-Hearing" the KEY concept here. When the mystery is less and less mysterious, and more music is clear, this is an enhancement for you as a player. The audience is supposed to be enthralled, but we, as players must have as few mysteries as we can unveil to ourselves. MBB

[@conmondunn41]

You are a gem, thank you for being so plain without trying to "create your own system" which is often what players trying to reach for more get fed. Also, your pitch describing basic chord progressions before you play "I Can't get started" Is spot on lol. Almost/Sometimes perfect pitch is probably the reality of what most musicians experience. Appreciate you and your playing Bob!

[@mvalor2020]

Now I don't feel alone. After 18 years without touching a TS and only playing by ear I can understand where he comes from since I too am 60 with no formal training. Your instructions in this video are gold!

[@Fred-le7bl]

I am a tenor sax player and a speaker of a few languages. Your analogy to language learning is really good. So many people say: "I would love to learn French", but when you tell them they need to conjugate/memorize a few verbs so that they can express basic thoughts and then build vocabulary, they typically give up, because conjugating, like playing scales, is no fun. But there is no short cut. I seem to have near perfect pitch for languages and a good ear for music, but certainly not perfect pitch. The two are linked. People who are tone deaf for music are usually deaf for languages, as well. To improvise better, I need to take your advice on becoming more conversant with all the scales and especially the chords on my horn. Our ears will take us only so far.

[@Machina.M3dia]

I appreciate this, sometimes it gets discouraging (but also inspiring) seeing monster players online who always seem to be killing it. You tend to forget all of the stuff outside of the camera rolling, but hearing from a player of your caliber that you still deal with some of the same things we do is extremely refreshing. Subbed

[@noahlaughaha]

Veritas MAN, it feels good to hear that from someone else. I felt like the only one that thought this. I'm trying to stop using Instagram (Or at least the search page, considering that's mostly what I use Instagram for) because all I see are amazing guitar players over, and over, and over again. It absolutely feels good to hear an amazing player say that they're not perfect.

[@DrLumpyDMus]

Veritas My view is that EVERY musician has to learn, assimilate, become certain processes. And the three processes are simply the three components of music, rhythm, melody and harmony. The instrument in your hands at any given time doesn't define the music, it's YOUR ENVELOPMENT in those three musical concepts that define it right now, as its being played. Most casual musicians, like the email question guy, refuse/block the idea that there's something "Learnable" about music. It's strange, to me, that people can conceive that a surgeon, or bar tender or carpenter is good at his craft because he has practiced a lot. Yet they want to think that music is somehow different. They think good mosos are "Born talented". I've had more than one person say to me " You're really good, you probably don't have to practice anymore". Bottom line here, most people don't get it. The one's that do, succeed as musicians. The one's that don't will be the first to tell you "Well I'm not a REAL musician"

[@edwardpritchard1782]

I am no jazz giant, yet very good at what I do including teaching jazz improvisation. I can't read music. Technique is the nuts and bolts, everything else comes from within. It amazes me when I see some giants play standards without arrangements, from sheet music...ones I've played many times in many ways. Often I hear a song for the first time and before it's end I can play it complete with improve. Sounds like bragging but my experience differs so much from other posts.

[@edwardpritchard1782]

I guess I just don't get it. All the videos, websites, instruction books, play-along C Ds, transcribed solos and hours of practice will help but cannot substitute for whatever it is that the Me brings forth. Were I to have practiced what dominates the majority of jazz conversations I would have greater range, endurance and gigs. Would I trade what I have for that? No!

[@Bassic778]

A great real-world practical tutorial!!! I never thought about playing scales in sixths! Brilliant! Learning music, like any language, requires putting in the work to learn how to speak and, more importantly, communicating!

[@SaxMike71]

I think this is one of the most important and encouraging videos I’ve ever watched on improvisation. I’m a chronic over-analyzer and am plagued by overthinking *everything* when it comes to trying to improvise, so thank you for being so kind and open as to share your wisdom and helping to dispel some persistent myths that I struggle with.

[@joseceraia]

Try without thinking.That is what what the greatest do.Don't think about scales etc... You have it or you don't, and when somebody does not have it build in since birth, he will never have it. Music is Art !

[@Lemwell7]

I appreciate this. I get a sense from some people when I talk about theory stuff that I'm too much of a academic musician and not a true musician who just hears the music in my head and flows out of my playing. Those are not mutually exclusive, in fact they support each other, learning theory made my ear so much better, and learning things by ear was how I taught myself the basics of theory.

[@BobDoherty]

That’s was a WEALTH of information….and it was totally free!! You are truly passionate about music and teaching. Thanks very much!

[@jimgore1278]

Love this talk. A couple of years ago I was talking with a friend who played in bands with me 40+ years ago. At one point I mentioned a song that I always wanted to play but never got the chance. "We played it." "Really?" "For two years." I have no memory of ever knowing it.

[@Guitargate]

I just want to say you're a great teacher!!

[@nathanphillips3893]

I agree! Thanks for sharing this video. I am a bass player, but basically have a whole practice routine planned out based off this vid. So good!

[@johnnyloungejazz5477]

Guitargate agree

[@hosericardo]

I beg to differ. Beginners coming here are expected to know what a 3rd or a 6th is! He speaking a different language to me!

[@ClaptrapRapture]

@@hosericardo I think it's fair to say Bob's stuff is not aimed at beginners. On his website, when talking about his online school he mentions aiming it at players with 3+ years experience, and similarly the sax workshop he puts on each year specifically caters to intermediate+ players. There are good resources out there for total beginners though, Better Sax has some great content, as well as sites like Taming The Saxophone.

[@jeromeking6001]

@@hosericardo The numbers he's referring to are the scale note numbers . In the C major scale, C is the one, D would be the 2, and so on. If you count up from C, A is the the 6th. In the key of F, D would be the 6th.

[@jad5eswonderland]

I have no idea how, but you just make me so much less stressed about being a jazz musician. The way you break things down and explain them is so methodical and easy to understand that I feel more confident in my abilities and my future practice (rather than terrified as I usually am)

[@drewinsley7463]

I am a trumpet player, but I love your vlogs far more than any trumpet channels out there!

[@bobreynolds]

+Drew Insley thanks, Drew

[@drewinsley7463]

Its my birthday tomorrow, I'm hoping for a new vlog.

[@NikM-sincostan]

As a student in my last year of high school in Australia, i love jazz and i want a career out of it. Never before has a genre of music made me feel so different. This video was very informative and just what i need. MORE MORE MORE! keep up the amazing work man

[@blueberrymuffinscottage]

I really like the style of your videos. They're not like a private lesson or a class, it's more like when I go into my instructors office with a question, a she whips out her horn and some manuscript paper and just helps me figure out stuff

[@jeromeking6001]

Absolutely 🤗

[@bphlatsax75]

I was sounding like my daughter while watching this whole video, "Yaaassss....yaaassss....yaaaasss". I've been playing sax for more than 30 yrs. and I agree with everything you said on this video about theory and ear playing should definitely go hand in hand!

[@davidburckhardt7672]

Hi Bob. This video is BRILLIANT ! Playing jazz in a nutshell. The way you put together all the pieces in a pragmatic and humble way is sooo refreshing. Thanks a lot, really.

[@xborrascax]

That stuff you said about transcription really opened my mind up to it as a drummer...

[@marcoguitarsolo]

Great video. I can definitely trace back my periods of greatest musical improvement to when I did the most transcribing. I don't remember the licks, but I developed my ear and learned the language.

[@alexredman1]

This video is so wonderful. As a classical player my whole life, this makes me want to transcribe and learn some tunes.

[@MegaChasbo]

I am a first-time listener of your videos - a beginning jazz pianist. Love your down-to-earth matter-of-fact way of explaining. Super helpful insights!

[@mattybannond5947]

Thank you for this. You are a brilliant teacher, who really understands the challenges and realities of being a hobby musician, trying to learn the instrument and the music alongside work / other commitments. Great video.

[@corybelcher]

Bob this is really awesome of you to share. Thank you kindly for the words. Really appreciate it

[@mileswhite9265]

Good stuff. The genius of it is the simplicity in which you demystify it.

[@RaulCragg]

Great lesson. This are concepts that I have been thinking of, it is wonderful to hear it from a great professional. Hearing, choosing, practicing, the best way to keep up with the musical language (I am a language teacher myself).Thanks a lot!

[@johnwilliams2900]

What a great message about developing you playing. You said a mouth full about how to practice and learn your craft. Beautiful stuff. Thanks

[@bobreynolds]

🙏

[@martinheinsdorf]

This is the first vlog of yours that I saw, and immediately subscribed. Now I'll be busy going through your entire archive. I love the comments too. So encouraging!

[@bobreynolds]

+Martin Heinsdorf thanks, Martin.

[@wyndhl9465]

Although I am but a comparative sax kindergartener, Bob [lol], please do accept an "A" zillion plus (to YOU) for a well-done discourse on Theory vs. Ear. The Child Language-Acquisition Analogue - as it pertains to receptive and expressive skills - is right on point. You're the man! Take another Grammy Award! [lol] Thanks, Bob!

[@riccitone]

Bob, I've seen this one before and have referenced it to my students..but checking it out again and just want to give you a big hug for each and every great perspective and approach you've offered here. Looking forward to playing this for our jazz lab tomorrow, with discussion on how to incorporate theory, listing, transcription (for language and FLAVOR), and tune learning in manners that are viable, relatable, relevant, meaningful, inspiring, creative...and JOYFUL. Love to you and yours, bro.

[@bobreynolds]

Wow! Thanks, John.

[@riccitone]

@@bobreynolds 🙏🏼❤️

[@Genora75]

Hi Bob, I just turned 61. I've been an engineering manager for 30 years, but in a previous life, I was a funk sax player. I'm approaching retirement now, my 4 son's have moved on, it's now my wife and I, and I want to re-learn how to play again. After watching this video, I've reinvested in music and I really enjoy practicing now. Thank you for sharing your approach and providing inspiration!

[@ianwhatmough150]

I just watched this again (I'm up to five viewings) and this vlog has tremendous advice. This one really resonates with me. I am inspired to drop what I'm doing right now and go pick up my horns.

[@stanhegeman8751]

My concepts have always centered around playing the tune. A lesson I was taught was that the audience should be rewarded. If they can predict more than 50% of the time what you're trying to say, they get bored. and stop listening.. If they can't predict less than 50% of the time, they become frustrated and stop listening. It's a delicate balance. I got those words straight from Jerry Coker.

[@bobreynolds]

Yes! You just articulated something I say often: (for me) it's about a balance between predictability and surprise. If it's all predictable...boring. All surprise...also boring.

[@lckeeper1]

I'm an extremely casual saxophone player, though love hearing your thoughts on music (as well as your music, of course!). I really love your thoughts on music as a language. Victor Wooten wrote an excellent book called "The Music Lesson" that really emphasizes that point, mostly in the way you so eloquently described. It's a great read, even for a casual player like myself. Thanks for putting out such a great blog! (Also, excellent solo on "What About Me" during that Cheltenham show!)

[@bobreynolds]

Thanks! Victor is the man. I co-lead a summer saxophone retreat (insideoutsideretreat.com) at his facility outside Nashville and have had the pleasure of hearing him speak-and play-the lessons from that book. That language correlation didn't really hit me until I had kids. ;)

[@MakAttackMusic]

I am so glad to hear this. I've been preachin' this for years that music is pretty much a language like any other language where we learn by listening and copying what we hear! Not sure you realized it but you even demonstrated it earlier on this video before mentioning it. (change of topic) Tellin' ya, one of these days I will have the pleasure of meeting Victor the man. I have two good friends that are family friends of his and it's like DAMN IT...I'm like 1 degree away from getting to hang with such an individual! HAHA! One of these days as I continue to grow musically, I'll get that chance! ;) Love your videos. Definitely helps in my progress!

[@bobreynolds]

Thanks, David. Yeah, Vic is a powerful and positive force of nature.

[@堀井雅典]

+David Maki (David G. Maki II) さ、

[@ianwhatmough150]

Bob this was a brilliant discussion to the question I thoroughly enjoyed hearing your perspective. I too primarily play by ear and do my best to transcribe from recordings (on the fly). I am now in my mid 40's and continue to do this but have now become more serious about theory as I can grasp concepts easier now than when I was young. I too had the II,V,I epiphany, although it was more recently.

[@masapell]

Thanks Bob! From a guy that age who has been really bummed lately as work/life has gotten in the way, I am ready to try and get it going again. As always, love your tone!!

[@detorrissi]

this man really knows what he's talking about! tanks you Bob

[@saxforth]

Bob, I don't know if you'll read this, but you are spot on. At 62, I've been playing for a long time...it took me a long while to divine the information you're giving here-had I the opportunity to hear this at 18 I would've progressed much faster. You have obviously put in the work-and continue to do so. Nothing is more important, but if equal importance is knowing what to work on. You give some great stuff to practice-this was the first of your vids that I've seen, but I'm a subscriber now. Brilliant stuff-I'm gonna tell my buddies up here in Seattle about you. Lotsa good tooters up here-please come visit!-Jon

[@joshcanes5422]

Thanks a lot. This really changed my negative perspective of me. I though that it was only me that could not remember the lyrics of the song. Now I know that I should and its okay to go back and listen to the song again in order to play it on my saxophone. Great Video!!

[@lyndenblades]

Bob Reynolds thank you. You are such a huge asset to sax players everywhere.

[@Cantbuyathrill]

14:36 ....,"which notes are ghosted, which notes are accented,..." I love that!!

[@BeansMaskSheen]

great lesson..yeah i think i relative pitch too. Hardest thing nowadays is finding time to practice between work and family etc. Great point you made: Ive forgotten more songs than i remember at this point. actively practicing songs to keep them in your repertoire..man who has the time to practice every song..lol

[@zendorphan]

I'm glad I stumbled across this video. Chords up, scales down is going to give me something to chew on. I only had the Aebersold tracks, and never knew about this foundational fuel. Great stuff!

[@thomasmorarre9193]

I was on youtube looking at something else and when it finished this video just came up. I am so glad I stayed to hear what you have to say. Your two cents (as you put it) is well done and I feel like your approach to music is excellent. Thanks for the encouragement and good advice.

[@sdrozo]

This is awesomely inspirational to hear such down to earth advice about doubts and questions i have every day.

[@robinreidmusic]

Great lessons Bob. Love your playing, and get my students to listen to your videos so they realize that I am not just making this stuff up. It is language completely, and then practicing the language on our instruments. Thanks for the great lessons

[@colinanderson6831]

HI Bob . Your sound is unbelievable. I was exhausted after hearing this lesson . So much information , so genuine, i wish i was 20 again and had you tube and access to guys like you. thanks. I wish i had read the front cover of the Jamey aebersold too now.

[@carenbarnet378]

I hear everything you are saying. I would like to say a big thankyou. You have reassured me that I am on the right track. I've accidentally been directed to your video, and now I know why. One of my greatest challenges is relearning from scratch all the basics. Today is over 6 and half years since surviving a car accident with lots of physical and head injuries. You have revived in me that I will get back playing better, by "Doing the Work" each day , which for me some days I just have to go back and find out what the name of the note that goes blank in my head, so, I write the name under that note in the score. Which leads me to memory. The neurosurgeon said to learn a language would help me to rebuild the damaged pathways. After several years of learning how to live that I remembered I used to play my alto sax in a community concert band. Its slow, Its frustrating, However, Im doing it, and I'm glad Ive accidentally found your video. You spoke of memory, things learnt first and recent ... Committment, yes I'm committed. Patterns. I hear tunes in my head , my fingers eventually find the correct note. I love playing the slow songs , which helps with breathing. I run out of breath before I get to the end of the song. Guess what??? I"m alive and relearning my horn is probably the greatest thing. so once again thankyou for putting everything into perspective for me. In this video, I heard you were playing tunes that you'd recently played and couldn't remember , that made me feel normal again. My tutor from the original learning days is still encouraging me from time to time. I may not ever achieve the same level of competency from before, However, it's the fact that I AM playing, that keeps me going. I am only comparing my playing now, to what I am learning now. Oh and just like Scott Johnson posted over a year ago, I'm just over 60. Playing my sax makes me feel younger. Cheers.

[@andreyfloryanovich1419]

As always, your ideas and info is invaluable. Much thanks! Also, I'm so glad you kept the pillow from your last video!

[@ericfricke4512]

Last two minutes are gold, thank you. Boosts my confidence!

[@Dtruthseek]

I love that along with all the helpful advice, you listen to and love chorale music. It gives me good vibes and hope for humankind and art.

[@agentling1]

I'm a guitar player with pretty decent theory knowledge and perfect pitch. It really helps transcribing songs without a guitar in my hand and I'm also fine with doing it tuned down to Eb, D and C# (I'm from a metal background) but I really struggled with jazz improvisation when I was at uni. It really hurt thinking about what I was going to play in the solo because I hear the notes as intervals relative to whatever chord is going on behind and I just can't ignore it. It's like having a tuner on in your head all the time. So I'm glad to finally hear someone without perfect pitch who realises what it might actually be like.

[@albani953]

Wow, awesome video. You have a knack for communicating. The video clearly addresses common challenges almost every serious musician wrestles with at some point while trying to get better on their instrument.

[@bobreynolds]

+Joseph Brooks thanks, Joseph

[@charlesneuzil5765]

Thank you! That was excellent. I can't believe how much I got out of fifteen minutes. This came at a good time, I needed to hear a lot of what you discussed. Thanks again!

[@arnieus866]

Just discovered your channel. It is intriguing to delve into the mindset of other musicians. You are a great communicator with and without your sax. Nice description of a balance between left and right brain while improvising. Left brain - in the box. Right brain - "what box?".

[@NostalgiaSmith]

The language analogy is fundamental here; not because of how accurate or inaccurate it is, but because it reveals a deeper truth to learning how to play and later understand the mechanics of music: I'm sure we have all heard many times the expression that "this is just my way of learning (Bob even said something along those lines in this vlog) but the fact is - just like language - we actually all learn the SAME way. And furthermore, we all learn the ONLY way there is to learn. Regardless of the individual language; English, Italian, Farsi, or MUSIC, we all learn by imitation, repetition and extrapolation. Learning the language of music (scales, intervals, chords, rhythm, etc) is not the great challenge...using that learned language to express our emotional non-verbal selves is the great challenge.

[@bobreynolds]

+NostalgiaSmith BOOM!

I couldn't agree more!! :D

[@javelmorris5515]

hey i like ur pro pic where can i find it

[@musiccampwithlumpyandlisa9025]

" ...Learning the language of music (scales, intervals, chords, rhythm, etc) is not the great challenge...using that learned language to express our emotional non-verbal selves is the great challenge...." - I believe that there a LOT of casual players who absolutely refuse to enjoy the second half of that idea. Music is SUPPOSED to be about "expressing our emotional non-verbal self". But the majority of casual players just plain refuse to embrace that. It takes a lot of self confidence and just plain chops to express your emotions to strangers (an audience). Most casual players, and men more than women, aren't comfortable revealing their personal emotions. Dissect it a bit further and I think most professional musicians will suggest that it's not about "Expressing MY emotional self"... it's about "Making the music happen so the LISTENER can experience that emotional non-verbal thing". Maybe that's all a little nebulous. Maybe more simply, YOU'RE AN ACTOR when you're playing. ACT like the kind of character the audience wants to see and hear. Learn that language (scales, intervals etc) and you greatly reduce or often completely eliminate the worry about playing the right notes. Allows you to put the fingering on the back burner and allows that "Expressing emotion" thing to come to the forefront.

[@herz108]

Thank you for posting that. You are a gifted and generous teacher. The analogy of speaking the language in a foreign country is brilliant. Good luck communicating about musical structures with professional musicians if you can't express your ideas in terms of scales and chords etc. Since I am not a professional musician I'll just add a counterpoint to that. It is quite possible that theory CAN detract from the pleasure of playing improvised music. When I was in my 20s (I'm 69) I had the pleasure of studying with Don Cherry. I even played cornet and percussion publicly with him a few times. Don would teach me Ornette Coleman compositions by playing them on the piano at full speed over and over again, while I stumbled trying to find the melody. What would happen is I mastered the timing and the attack of each note at full speed first and later managed to find the right tones. Good luck learning to solo on Ornette's compositions from a book or even describing them like a golf pro... "he hit a 5 on the 13th on the back 9".

[@g4p5l6]

Good answer and GREAT sound on the recording side. Agree with your summary- spent too much time jamming when I started out (years ago) and not enough getting to know the chords, the whole tune.

[@DiegoTrigo]

Thank you very much for the time putting this video together. Really really appreciate this 15mins as I have exactly the same questions bogging me for a while.

[@jgs000]

Thanks Bob, I have been playing about five years, don't know half what you said but you helped me. You have a great sound on the bottom.

[@jazzerson7087]

Excellent video Bob. Yeah I think part of the problem with learning jazz is that a lot of people tell you to learn scales, modes and arpeggios without a musical context. You mentioned the 2-5-1 A minor, D7 and G major 7 but you'll find a lot of teachers online will say "play A dorian and D mixolydian" etc and it doesn't really give you an understanding of *why* melody works. Your example on the arpeggios and the F# being key for the D and the B for G major was exactly the same for me in realizing why certain lines work over certain chords. Because there is a lot of crap about modes you've got to get out of the habit of thinking from the root. With A minor C and E are also key notes but theory teaches you to think A, that's what I find awkward. I'm not a sax player but a guitarist, but I find that a lot of the great solos come from sax and trumpet players. I'm currently transcribing Sonny Stitt's Body and Soul and there is a superb turn around in that over the A7 when it goes into the D major part, one of those dotting arpeggios which begins as a sort of C # minor 7 flat 5 which then descends through scale tones down to the F #, the major third which you know you can apply over the 7 chord in other keys. I thought exactly what you said, "genius"!! I wish I'd been taught that sort of thing from the beginning as I wasted probably a few years in learning scales without proper application, I couldn't solo! It's refreshing I've got to say that you say you're still transcribing and learning things like Moose the Mooche and Can't Get Started as you're a pro player. There's probably a misconception in my mind that every pro player can play like every standard in the book note for note from Ablution to Zing Went, several thousand standards in any key and improvize upon will over anything and somehow don't have to work that hard at playing so many tunes. That's something I find really intimidating because I'm trying to learn one or two new standards a week and also trying to learn pro level lines from transcribing solos over the most popular tunes. It seems eons of work and an impossible task. I know Larry Carlton has said he often learns tunes and then forgets them. The more material you learn the tougher it is I guess to maintain them long term, but certian licks will become deeply engrained in your improvisational vocab. Thankyou anyway Bob, there's a lot in this which gives me more confidence.

[@FrankSax77]

Michael Brecker would say, "No need to practice at this point?! NO! I need to shed for hours every day to be able to do this!"

[@Herehear49]

FrankSax77: Maybe M.B. was saying that what is essential at that "point" is just to play and let it all work together. Making music is the goal. I never refer to working on stuff as practice anymore. If you are playing the right stuff it will be a combination of making music AND staying conditioned to being able to meet any technical challenges. I firmly believe that a lot of practice actually keeps us from being what we are seeking to be: musicians.

[@RogelioEscobar]

dude. this is great and makes me feel better about my playing and how I learned. I definitely need to get in the shed again but man need to find the time between gigs and my job as a Band teacher gets crazy. thank you and I enjoy listening to you brother!

[@flightwithoutfeathers4682]

I have always wanted perfect pitch. You just changed my mind. That is a fantastic way to think of it.

[@darrinp1411]

Saw this for the first time today. There's a ton of great ideas and suggestions in your video Bob. Awesome. Bookmarked and will be shared. Cheers, Darrin

[@bobreynolds]

+Darrin Potaka thanks, Darrin

[@robertlucas9867]

Well said. I've been telling people for years the importance of practice and still learning. This applies to all instruments. This especially applies to learning music and sheet music. My one friend thinks sheet music and theory is a crutch or limits a person. I’ve tried explaining that sheet music helps you remember the music, it’s like a road map. Your description of transcribing is great. Going back to My friend he doesn't receive many offers to play anymore because he wants to play his own way which ends up being the wrong notes and scales for the song but he is convinced it is somehow creative. I still have my rudimentary books in percussion and refer back often and have new books to help me learn. I need help with guitar and bass and would love to pick up the saxophone again but money is the issue. Anyway sorry for the rant but great video explanation.

[@ntxmt]

Whoever is looking for shortcuts, believe me, there aren't any. You've gotta do the work.

[@Handle2point0]

😭😭😭

[@saxman7131]

Good stuff Bob. I'm almost 60 and the reason I'm not farther along in my playing is because I haven't done the work. There are no shortcuts. You want the prize? Do the work.

[@bobreynolds]

Amen, Scott. Amen. (If there's a trick, it's to find JOY in "the work")

[@eomer7284]

Scott Johnson why is ur picture an axe

[@gil-evens]

@@eomer7284 Because he has great chops :)))))

[@TheTWildy]

I'm 73 and have been going to the local music school for 5 years now. My reading is improving having played by ear since 1969. so is my understanding of music. Yup, work on it every day. Currently playing with two bands and a Jazz workshop. I'm loving it, and much happier!

[@zenscapeUKmedia]

With all due respect, could it be that people aren't further along their musical journey because they just haven't got the talent to create? If everything could be taught, we'd all be major league baseball, football players, stadium filling musicians, Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. How come there are no great players who studied all their lives and only break into the charts at 60 - most do it before they learnt the rules - then its all downhill from there.

[@frankscapsules6855]

Thank you, Bob for the encouragements! I am not perfect pitch too and also will forget solos I actually learnt. Thank you again!! Really appreciate all the advices and inspirations!

[@latinjazzlvr]

Excellent video! So, so good. Thank you for presenting such practical info so articulately with examples. I was at the same Master Chorale performance on 6/23/17. The piece by ‘Lux Aeterna’ by Morten Lauridsen was sublime. Incredible.

[@saxman3336]

Thanks for this vid Bob, much appreciated, all the way from St.Lucia in the Caribbean.

[@Nagelsguitardesign]

Thank you very much for this brilliant lesson. This is teaching at its best, combining an amazing span of chops and inner thinking for musical expression. Great job!

[@jean-lucbersou758]

You have a very beautiful and warm tone .....which add perfection to the examples you play !

[@wilkeymusic2]

Great explanation of Vocabulary. "Transcribing is not about learning licks, it's about learning how to speak!" Learning other guitarists solos is about acquiring language. How did he say that musical word? or phrase? Where did he say it on the fretboard? How does that relate to the chord beneath? When we solo, we are having a live conversation with the listener. The more words that we own - the deeper our musical vocabulary, the better chance we have of more eloquently stating musical sentences.

[@toxicbodh]

i really like what you said about learning accented notes. personally, I think dynamics of these notes are the reason which makes it more lively and mature in the sense of playing those note in that very time. I think that sort of understanding comes with time.

[@RyanBreaker]

You put it in a way that makes me feel like I can get back into it. Thank you!

[@bobreynolds]

never too late! :)

[@paulgibby6932]

Love your intensity and passion for the music. Great tips -- I especially liked the one about spelling/playing chords up and playing a scale down as a practice thing

[@bobreynolds]

thanks, Paul. :)

[@joelpierson2628]

Your teaching is inspiring. Really lifts me up!

[@bobreynolds]

thanks, Joel. Glad it resonates. :)

[@dominickruocco7412]

Hi Bob ... The guy you're talking about on the video could very well be me ... Great video , you made my day today ...

[@stradaveriusfiddle]

I think that I am a close fit to the demographic of the letter writer, whose letter you based this post on. I have the same sort of ongoing conflict in my mind about theory, or ear. Without getting into details, one thing that I do differently than the letter writer, is,..I do value, being able to pick apart famous solos, note by note. I play keyboards, and although I try not to ever copy another's solo, or melody, I have always looked at it with the language analogy, and learning, but not copying. Just looking at the melody lines of some Beatles songs, has been amazing to see how more complex they actually are than one may hear it as. Anyway, I appreciate the way that you responded to this letter, and were able to include so many valuable aspects of music theory, with a "user friendly", approach. Thanks!

[@ogothechef]

Believe it or not, there is no true freedom without discipline I’m 83 years old, and I’ve been performing pretty nearly 7 decades I started with what they called solfeggio, and just played a mouthpiece for six months, my grandfather, a great musician, and played under tToscanini The amount of theory I have is over the top graduated with a BS in music is the best is it is it now I just play totally free jazz with my own orchestras. There’s no theory you can think and play but of all of all all the theory whatever that is, however you approach it stays with you and then all of a sudden it comes down to letting it all go through a deep surrender not a giving up, but always a moving toward the mind is a tool your heart is infinite. There’s no such thing as a wrong note.

[@ZabDevin]

Bob, you are so awesome. Thanks a lot for the advice. I agree with everything you said and I learned a few things too.

[@willbrock6799]

Sounding great on the SBA! Struggled with theory vs. ear a lot last year and it took a lot of practice and people telling me it was about using both. Great video, wish I had seen it then lol.

[@nonamenoname2420]

Terrific content. Very straightforward in the way you present your advice/response to questions and I really appreciated it. Thanks to Adam Neely for sending me here.

[@dondraufi]

Besides the amazing tips you give you inspired me to practice. As simple as it sounds I think it's amazing that you made me grab my guitar and get to work. Thanks for the impulse!

[@ChrisBurnettcbjazz]

Great points. You advised the writer correctly in my opinion. It’s not an age thing though, I’m over 60 and understand the necessity to put in the work. No short cuts.

[@chuefroxz9408]

i don't even play saxophone, but this is prbly the best advice i have ever been told on learning the musical language! thank you sooo much

[@koostq]

Fascinating what you said about your friend boiling down the American Songbook to 16 chord progressions! Would love to hear more about that! Love your work! Greetings from Bulgaria!

[@MrGuto]

that is well covered in this book: www.amazon.com/Jazz-Theory-Handbook-Peter-Spitzer/dp/0786690305 Peter calls them Harmonic Cliches

[@koostq]

GRibas Thank you! Will definitely check that out!

[@martinhoff2762]

Fantastic video Bob! Took me a long time to grasp some of these concepts. Hope this guy listens. (one almost 60 year old to another) Martin

[@benc505]

Just rewatching this for the idk’th time ... gold!

[@derycktrahair8108]

This guy is great. I learnt a lot from him. My learning style has been to PLAY and then work out the theory because I listened a lot as a kid before I could save up enough to buy an instrument and have lessons. I HEARD it and then wanted to play it. Theory explains what happened and shows what is possible. It is sad when someone needs permission to play. Screw them. Get on with it.

[@jacquelamontharenberg]

Thanks... What a relief... I was a little concerned about my memory. Great video. Really like your tone.

[@PhilipPoland1987]

This just hit exactly the things I've been thinking of recently. Thanks for the valuable thoughts Bob!

[@CarlMoelhave]

started watching your vids with my sax so I can pause and copy your exercises, feels great!

[@MarkPeotter]

Wow, super great lesson! Maybe I was fortunate to develop my ear training and theory knowledge at the same time. So I always assumed that the 2 concepts are equally important. I, too, have trouble with memorization. My excuse is that I have spent most of my life memorizing new songs to play at casual gigs, and then I have forgotten them while trying to memorize more new songs every month or so. YES - learn the patterns of chord progressions! Great advice!

[@alicedarlingchannel]

Love this guys attitude about music! . Musicians tend to be hard on themselves . Easy logical approach. Love your approach Dude! Don't sweat It. Musicians you've got this thing!

[@saxofix4456]

Made so much sense of this! 👏🏾👏🏾 love your tone sir

[@paulprice6330]

You're my new teacher. I learned alot today. Thank you