How to CORRECTLY Use Backing Tracks!

[@DavePollack]

Learn ANY jazz standard with my brand-new course! ➡ www.davepollack.com/standards

[@DomPalombiMusic]

4:48 kills me LMAO Way to keep it real brosif, thanks for having me on as always!

[@DavePollack]

😂 I had to do it! Thanks for crushing like always 🤘

[@mrcatfishjohnson]

Man you played some beautiful stuff over that track. Very inspiring

[@DavePollack]

Thanks so much!

[@undeadja33a]

I think my biggest think to add on to this is DO NOT BE discouraged if you solo with less space with a track. Both ways of playing are still absolutely good, the second version is just a much more matured variant of soloing. Another great video Dave !

[@chocolatte629]

One of the pitfalls that journeyman players like myself fall into is always playing. My theory is that this is the result of fear of losing one’s place. We keep playing to follow where we are in the changes rather than using our ears. A further problem I can see with the some backing tracks, iRealPro, for example (which I use daily 😮) is that it is visual as well as audio. You’ve given me a great idea to stop looking at it AND to stop playing for intervals and train my ears better to be able to leave some space and pick up the thread, as it were. That’s what’s always missing from my live playing. Very helpful for me, Dave. Than you.

[@DavePollack]

Great points here, and thanks so much!

[@JazzStephane]

This is a great analysis Dave. I perspective I never thought about. Thank you!

[@DavePollack]

That's exactly why I made this, and I'm so glad you like it!

[@zangsax]

You and Don sounding great. I've always hated playing with tracks. I love the idea of hearing a good drummer in your head to play with.

[@DavePollack]

Thanks so much!

[@tacos2837]

“a solo is only a solo of you’re the only one playing” is some big wisdom

[@DavePollack]

🙏

[@chocolatte629]

Yes! What an amazing thought!

[@EricGronneberg]

Nice video Dave! Great playing and helpful advice 🙏

[@DavePollack]

Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it

[@mojedrugiekonto8830]

It would be nice if you could maybe show a transcription of your solo and point the exact moments where (and how) did you imagine the drummer's interacrion. Though, it would probably be a shit ton of work

[@DavePollack]

I could hire someone to transcribe it and do that if people want it - we’ll see!

[@DrWil13]

@@DavePollack Those are some really killer lines right there.

[@robstevens9590]

Your first solo had "all the right notes," but lacked space, which obviously gives less opportunity for interaction. 2 nights ago Baptiste Herbin was in town playing with a local trio. The interaction was awesome: alto/bass, alto/ piano, alto/drums.

[@DavePollack]

Yes!! Also Baptiste is one of my absolute favorite players out there - a complete master of the saxophone.

[@Osnosis]

Ooh, where?!

[@robstevens9590]

@@Osnosis Bucharest, Romania.

[@robstevens9590]

@@DavePollack He held a 1 hour sax workshop before the show. Incredible.

[@EricPalmerBlog]

Wow, that last bit you played was stunning great. Wow. Great stuff. Weird, another video where I am at the stage where this is a really useful video. Have a great day.

[@DavePollack]

Thanks so much!

[@beckyn9338]

Excellent advice!! ❤ Thanks Dave.

[@DavePollack]

Glad you liked it! You're very welcome

[@carlosprediger1922]

Excelent suggestions . It all makes total sense !!

[@DavePollack]

Great to hear!

[@ginohernandez5143]

Great one Dave. Thank you!

[@DavePollack]

You’re welcome! So glad you like it.

[@glenntomassi3442]

Ah excellent! This is normally what I do when play with the Iband Pro and the Abersol..... thank you for bringing that up. It just seem more interesting to do it that way ....

[@DavePollack]

100%

[@AcevedoDMA]

Incredible video as always.

[@DavePollack]

Thank you! 🙏

[@derek_williams]

Great advice Dave. I've probably been playing with live bands wrong too then! Nobody told me that. Actually I have been focussing on playing with more rhythm and space but I wasn't thinking that drummers are always looking to respond. Maybe at some hobby levels they aren't.

[@DavePollack]

Hey there are always things to learn - glad you dug it!

[@Orfeo_Montero]

good video, a good solo is never made of robotic and alredy written phrases

[@DavePollack]

Absolutely!

[@davidscott1052]

Great advice ,loved the first solo...but the other examples really brought out the light and shade during soloing...playing complicated then simple ,playing busy then sparingly ...not always easy to do this as we all sometimes fall back into playing the stuff we find easiest ..but sounds so much better when we manage it ...gives a chance for the other guys and gives the audience something hang on to ...great clever video ❤❤❤

[@DavePollack]

Really glad you liked it! That's exactly what I was trying to show.

[@adamg5021]

Loved the cheeky Candy quote in there! Great tips on getting the most out of backing tracks too! What are your thoughts on Genius jam tracks?

[@DavePollack]

Thanks! Honestly i have no idea what that is so i can’t be of much help there - sorry!

[@alain-micheljourdat8129]

Is it possible to know what your actual gear (mouthpiece, ligature, reed) is , please ?

[@DavePollack]

Mouthpiece: Boston Sax Shop M-Series 8 Reed: Boston Sax Shop 3.5 Silver Box Ligature: Boston Sax Shop Superlative

[@etowahjazz]

Interesting perspective.

[@DavePollack]

Thanks!

[@pickinstone]

Communicating with the drummer--real or imaginary--addresses a huge point in many of my comment essays on KZbin. Rhythm is more complex than we give credit. Playing rhythmically isn't just playing random rhythms in a measure. When you play with a drummer in mind, you play with crispy rhythms and crispy phrases. Every rhythm intentionally builds into a CLEAR phrase. Playing rhythmically is like crafting concise and precise (PITHY) sentences--you deliver a clear message to your listener. Rhythm is how we put together the raw materials (melody & harmony). Rhythm is also the delivery of said ideas to the listeners. If your harmony is clear, but your rhythm isn't--the music falls flat. Maybe we spend too much time worrying about the exact notes and scales that the masters play. Maybe we should focus more on how how those notes are organized and articulated with rhythm. A small sliver of Charlie Parker's genius was harmonic and melodic. The gold was in the complexities of his rhythm--all the layering of rhythm on top of the pulse to create music with PUNCH and DANCE. Great video, keep it grooving out there!

[@DavePollack]

Thanks so much for the info, and glad you liked it!

[@nilesloughlin6845]

No no, it’s ok Dave. Say the quiet part out loud. Silence IS a choice, a way of communicating 😉 I don’t know how you got through making that first example. I could barely track the ideas because it all felt like one run-on sentence. It would tire me out coming up with material that way, and I tend to have a lot to say. And the second example had way more crazy licks than the first, for sure!

[@DavePollack]

Thank you! Yea the first one was rough for sure, but I've heard people play like that so much that it was actually easy to do, hahah

[@Chilajuana]

What tune is that you're playing against?

[@Dynamite168]

not so sure but it sounds like Billie's Bounce

[@DavePollack]

Just an F blues!

[@damonkey5269]

@@DavePollack "just"

[@barbpk1]

Another stellar masterclass from Dave Pollack!! Thank you Dave! Super helpful and insightful!

[@DavePollack]

Amazing to hear - thank you!!

[@RobertForejtekjazz]

The best way to play along something is Moises, you can play with your heroes.

[@MartinTownshend-z7z]

I don’t hear much space for the drummer to react. As you are both super-advanced players that’s fine but what about the everyday world where that’s not the case? Have you any advice for the beginner/intermediate jazz players? Obviously interaction is an essential part of jazz but how would you develop that at a more basic level ?

[@DavePollack]

I have SO many videos here that address skills for beginner/intermediate improvisers. Check out the Jazz Improvisation playlist in the description - there are a whole bunch of (free of course) videos linked there.

[@maktub224]

85bpm giant steps lmaooooooo

[@DavePollack]

Did you see my 40bpm version??

[@aleksandarstojceski3139]

The Kenny G pillow 😂

[@DavePollack]

❤️

[@bob_dubois]

Amazing difference! Great content!

[@DavePollack]

Thanks so much! 🙏

[@cquig2691]

interesting pillow

[@DavePollack]

*amazing