Don't Practice Modes - Do This Instead

[@cassweller39]

That’s what I’m talking about. I’ve been ranting about this for years and the application of the Greek names of the modes to modes of nonmajor scales, i.e. Phrygian major for 5th mode of harmonic minor. The chord expressed by this mode is a dom 11th b9 b13, i.e., 1 3 5 7 and the upper extensions, b9 11 b13.

[@sorenballegaardmusic]

I like the direct link to music theory, for me it makes the things much easier to overview. Thank you so much for the comment.

[@trabrex7697]

Take a reductions Approach and reduce everything to a 5-1 Relation. It’s an old approach, but very useful.

[@sorenballegaardmusic]

Indeed, doing it all the time. Works great and is super flexible

[@ericsearcy8939]

Super helpful 👌🏿

[@sorenballegaardmusic]

So glad I can help. Keep commenting, it inspires

[@msprofessr]

Thanks so much for this information. 🙏🏾❤️

[@sorenballegaardmusic]

You are very welcome, thank you so much for commenting, it inspires

[@solomann940]

Thanks for that 👌🙏🏼

[@sorenballegaardmusic]

My pleasure!

[@JeffJacobsonMusic]

Another great one, Søren. There's a video on YT where Barry Harris talks about never having learned modes 😎

[@sorenballegaardmusic]

Thanks so much man. Long time no answers, I am working a couple of weeks ahead with the videos. Demands lots of discipline, so the communication is not all up to date. Please share the Barry Harris video if you have it. Love to see it.

[@albertoguerrero007]

Honestly, this whole Jazz thing has become a giant mechanical way of playing. It’s all about arpeggios and chords and scales but no mention of how to play melodically. How about variations on a melody? How about how to develop improvisation that will make you happy and the audience moved? How about making a cohesive solo that is an extension of the melody you’re improvising over? A lot of “good” saxophone players sound great technically, but to me they sound like well-oiled jazz machines, a huge exercise being performed. It’s all about the technical stuff. Look at Miles Davis, that’s why he’s so revered, not the best technician, but a great musical story teller apparently. Take Coltrane for example on Giant Steps, to me that was totally unnecessary, yet in my opinion he needed to do it to push himself and boundaries of his technique, not necessarily melodically. So we took this as the ultimate test of greatness and skipped all the other body of work where he didn’t do that super uber technical stuff. And so it goes, Jazz has become this mechanical machine of learning chords and scales and arpeggios and avoiding the mighty question: would anyone listen to your improvisation and really understand it and enjoy it. And when I mean anyone, I mean any one. Just my 2 cents.

[@sorenballegaardmusic]

I do not want an argue, but I think it is necessary for jazz or any kind of music to keep growing. The level of technical playing becomes higher and higher as in any sport, or performance art. But I think that there are room for all. The best think to do is do what you do.