How to play FAST!

Learn to improvise beautiful melodic lines over any chord changes with this FREE masterclass:
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Practice makes permanent! How you practice something is how you will play it, so you want to be as efficient and CORRECT as possible. So many people practice in the same inefficient way, and it can really waste a lot of time and keep you from progressing. In this video I show you my simple process that I know will help transform your practicing!
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Check out some more videos:
• Improvisation Lessons
• Saxophone Lessons
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[@DavePollack]

1, 2, 12, 3, 23, 123, 4, 34, 234, 1234, 5, 45, 345, 2345, 12345, 6, 56, 456, 3456, 23456, 123456 Learn to improvise beautiful melodic lines over any chord changes with this FREE masterclass: ►www.davepollack.com/freemasterclass

[@bobpremecz5429]

"I just wanna make smooth jazz video" --- well, what's stopping you? 🎷😎 dare you to improvise like Paul Desmond 😍

[@DavePollack]

Ha! Nothing is stopping me! I have some good stuff in store😈

[@MAHBMusic-w6x]

PLEASE do a video on how to memorize big licks in all 12 keys. love your vids keep up the good work.

[@bar8393gm]

Do you move to the next chunk only when current chunk is full speed? Ex Donna Lee at 200, do you get Chunk 1 to 200, then chunk 2 to 200, or is there benefit to getting a connected line comprising chunks 1 - 5, up to 160 first.

[@DavePollack]

You can do both, but I think there is definitely a benefit to getting all of the chunks to a consistent tempo first them speeding the entire thing up. You can basically go through the entire process to get it all to a medium tempo, then go through it again working from there up to the main tempo. Either way, the consistent correctness is what you're looking for!

[@peanutbutter8932]

I’m a freshmen who just joined marching band and this really helped me play 16th notes in sequence

[@DavePollack]

Great to hear!

[@lyntedrockley7295]

Spot on! And it goes without saying, (I don't think you said it) that this MUST be done at whatever speed you can play WITHOUT making a mistake. Speed does not matter. That will come. A wise man practices slowly, a wiser man practices even more slowly, the wisest man go gets a law degree....

[@DavePollack]

Oh absolutely! Every incorrect run-through develops an incorrect habit, so it needs to be perfect slowly then sped up incrementally.

[@paddylandreville8501]

I'm on to it, I'll give it a shot, and I'm sure it will work out just fine.

[@camthesaxman3387]

If you can play it slowly, you can play it quickly! A couple of violinists said that.

[@darylgest5577]

Love the approach and have always taught students that this was practicing "backwards". Can make the tune easier as u go along instead of just having the beginning be the best section.

[@DavePollack]

Absolutely!

[@blow-by-blow-trumpet]

Brilliant lesson. Not understanding how to practice correctly is largely responsible for lack of progress. This has reminded me to go back to being a bit more systematic when I learn a tricky line or head.

[@DavePollack]

Thank you! Having a process helps to organize practicing and not waste time - it's so easy to just "go through" a tune/passage/whatever, but in the end little progress is made.

[@decept-tard2862]

I heard you mention this in a previous video somewhere, and I tried it out the other day on Scott Hamilton's Folin' Myself, and it actually worked really well. What would have taken me an entire day to learn only took an hour or two. Truly good stuff.

[@DavePollack]

That's so great to hear! That's why I like this - it really cuts down on the extra (wasted) time when practicing.

[@someguy9295]

This method works! I've been trying to learn this tune for a bit now and this method really helps. Thanks Dave, you're terribly underrated.

[@vincescuderi]

Good info. Really. For some reason, I'm craving a Chunky candy bar. Excellent info. Thanks. This of course works with all genres of music.

[@DavePollack]

Yes it does! I just chose Donna Lee for this specific video, but this works with anything written.

[@valentinguillaume6403]

Big thanks for the method ! It is simple and makes sense but I always tried to memorize a piece of music the wrong way 😅

[@DavePollack]

You're welcome! We all don't know things until we know them

[@JorisPosthumus]

hey, a new mpc!

[@DavePollack]

I've played it for a few weeks now - you're the FIRST person to say something!

[@JorisPosthumus]

@@DavePollack it sound good man, but most of the sound comes from inside, the way you want to sound, well, I don't have to tell you that stuf:)

[@JorisPosthumus]

@@DavePollack I play a Gottsu mpc, they made a 9 tip for me, lol.

[@10MFAN]

The new mouthpiece is still one of my 10MFAN ALTO MADNESS model mouthpieces, but Dave switched over to the hard rubber in a 7 tip opening. Such a beautiful player, and truly a JOY to hear him play everytime!

[@10MFAN]

Dave, you do such a tremendous job with the way you teach. You make it easy to understand and fun!

[@ThelittleCurry]

Yes sir

[@DavePollack]

💪

[@cruz_gomez]

I tried playing the sheet music and it sounds really weird have any idea why? I know donna lee and it sounds nothing like it

[@connormagnus7444]

Did you check the key signature?? There's a LOOT of flats there

[@danberkerydrums8189]

Killer lesson, Dave! This is a “how to practice” masterclass.

[@DavePollack]

Thanks so much Dan!

[@xxczerxx]

Dave, was articulation a big part of your learning path or did that kinda come as secondary knowledge to the rest of your playing?

[@DavePollack]

Honestly that came from just listening a ton to different people and trying to emulate their sound (mainly Dick Oatts and Kenny Garrett). I never really "worked on it."

[@limeyboo]

Thanks for sharing this concept Dave. I started playing this tune at 40bpm in beats 2 & 4. And still working on it at 60 bpm now. I was wondering if this is the same process you use when memorizing a tune with this kind of melody, by chunks?

[@DavePollack]

You're welcome! There are different ways I go about memorizing tunes, but slow with a metronome in chunks is a GREAT way to learn a bebop melody like this!

[@eggsaxguy3316]

Imma try this today! My instructor wants me to have these two pieces ready by tomorrow and one of them is quite fast! I am guilty of starting at the beginning of a line and getting frustrated 😅

[@DavePollack]

Definitely use this! I don't know if it can help you learn a difficult piece in 1 day, but it can definitely help structure your practicing and get you results quicker than the standard way!

[@etowahjazz]

absolutely the best way.

[@MrRTH10]

Excellent process!

[@DavePollack]

Thanks!

[@Laura-wg5jk]

Dave, thanks for this. I think you gave me a nice nugget (or a large 'chunk'! lol) . I have never thought to try this method, but I think you may have unlocked something for me. I always seem to be intimidated by the end of measure line and kind of hesitate into the next measure (not always but sometimes -- especially with written out jazz solos). So, in trying to chunk it and being forced to play over that line, even if just one note, may be a way past that. Will give it a try!

[@rossonimusic]

thank you very much Dave, my teacher recently asked me to learn Donna Lee but I didn't know how to specifically learn the theme, also he told me to learn by heart the 2 5 passages on it so i could use it as vocabulary itself. I think thats also a good topic for a video "Using frases you already know from themes in other pieces of music". cheers

[@christopherfischer6998]

This may be hard to believe, but I follow a similar process when learning solos (transcribing)

[@tioliak]

Very useful Dave! Will try this out :)

[@DavePollack]

Awesome - let me know how it works for you!

[@ThomasW280]

I like that this could also be applied to classical playing.

[@DavePollack]

100%! I just used Donna Lee as the example, but this process is for any kind of written music.

[@arc236]

Nice concept, dude. Thanks.

[@DavePollack]

Much appreciated!

[@jesusbalandin]

definitely you are the best

[@DavePollack]

🙏

[@JaiPaiPai]

THANK YOU 🥲

[@DavePollack]

You're welcome!

[@saxman3336]

It does work, it worked for me.

[@DavePollack]

Awesome!

[@yoganisse]

Thank You! So cool! 🙏

[@DavePollack]

You're welcome!

[@golfprochen]

Genius!

[@DavePollack]

🙏

[@НикитаЗенкин-и7р]

Another technique I use is practice every single fingerings untill I can play it ≈30 sec in fast tempo wery clean. Take E and D in the first measure and practice it with until you get smooth and connected interval. You should avoid play it without metronom and play it messy. Then play D and C, E D C etc. You should play it, until your hand is physically tired. It's hard, but in combination with Dave's method you will see significant progress

[@НикитаЗенкин-и7р]

I forgot the main thing. You should start with wery slow tempo, your goal is to play clean, not fast. But really important, to play until your arm is tired and continue force it to play clean. It may sound like painful exercise, but your hand will rest pretty soon