My (Not So) Top Secret (Anymore) Practice Method: Point & Sing

[@RickBeato]

You are too good! I like the fourths!!

[@XavierChissina]

when a master like you says that about someone, then it's a serious thing.

[@MagicMusicSchool]

i agree !!

[@nazarenodadamante8703]

Hahah

[@yogatalkjs]

This is a wonderful lesson. I'm gonna go practice it right now. I'll let you know how I do.

[@ArturBrzozowski444]

Ok, I know I'm on a right path when I see Rick Beato

[@georgekobtymusic]

So I took your advice and just played the melodies in my ear at a guitar lesson playing Donna Lee and for once my teacher said "Nice, George" wooooo

[@l00p.crmbl.l00p]

I’m a mostly self taught musician and this is one of the best lessons I’ve ever come across. Thank you so much for putting this out there.

[@alwayslistening4444]

This is hands down the best technique I have ever run across for the purpose of being honest, accurate, and knowing of what music is being created - WOW! You are such a gifted teacher, singer, and pianist!

[@AimeeNolte]

+alwayslistening4444 thank you! And I love your username.

[@alwayslistening4444]

Ha! Thank you! :D

[@georgegarner7966]

i've never herd anyone articulate that concept so well. thank you.

[@AimeeNolte]

george garner so nice to hear. Thx George

[@thehartlinetriogreghartlin9807]

Ya gotta love Aimee! Her insights and shared wisdom are a treasure!

[@albertolorusso]

Those are the REAL best tutorials on Jazz pianos I found on the web, and I have seen lots!!! Reminds me a lot of what Evans was saying, that is always better to play something consistent and that you are in control of, instead of just overplaying endless notes which might fit the scales and chords, but are rather soul-less. Thanks for sharing, really!

[@AimeeNolte]

Alberto Lorusso Thanks, Alberto! So glad you agree! Let me know if you have ideas for future videos!

[@jadedfaded333999]

Love that bit of his during that interview. One of the best gems from Bill.

[@davidc_doremi]

I had that same thought. I saw that interview with Bill Evans also, but I wasn't 100 percent sure I understood what he was trying to say. Aimee, thanks for making it easy to understand. I am picking all kinds at of new ideas and insights from your videos.

[@jussiahlajoki5508]

This is T.H.E. thing on any instrument!, "Play Only What You Hear" said the late great Chick Corea. And you are the first one on KZbin to talk and give exercises to achieve that...so cool:)

[@MyTube4Utoo]

Aimee has given me a whole new outlook on music, and for that, I'm extremely grateful!

[@maxpower7916]

Hey fellow Jazz-Students. :) If you have a digital piano - turn the volume to 0 and you can actually ‘play’ and sing. With certain models you can also reprogram the sustain pedal to quickly turn the sound on and off again to check if you’re still in tune. :) Thanks Aimee for probably the greatest ear-training exercise ever?? :))

[@TommysPiano]

Great video! Being a self taught player for a lifetime, this is mostly how I play. But I was limited. Fortunately, in recent years, the Internet has provided a lot of great resources, and I’ve actually found fantastic lessons. Aimee, thanks for being one of these great resources, and the great videos you provide, for no cost.

[@MyJ2B]

This a great technique to help break away from that dreaded "chordscale syllabus", and cute "runs", "riffs", "lines" and "licks" that we practice. We spill them out aimlessly during an improvisation and it sounds "faked" - just like a practice routine! Play from the heart and ear - not the brain. In fact, there is no time in live improvisation to recall a bunch of "rules for good notes" and over-analysis of chord progressions that fly by very quickly. Play with your heart & soul ! It reminds me of great athletes. They practice specific drills between games but at game time, they just "improvise" a combination of skills 'in the moment'. Thanks Aimee for reminding us of this very important key concept of "singing" a solo (and spot checking).

[@rcjinAZ]

I love this point and sing method because it forces you to stay connected to what you are trying to say musically. It gets you out of old memorized patterns and into new musical ideas.

[@henrydanielgatlin9774]

As a guitarist, I benefit tremendously from your approach to improv and practice. I always take something back to my own practice, and it definitely makes me a better player and musician. Thank you.

[@sergiogodoy4756]

that's it! Voice is our deepest instrument and instruments must be treated like voice as extensions of our bodies used by and for our inner expression. Fascinated! Thank you Aimee.

[@AimeeNolte]

Sergio Godoy 🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@RobRuthart]

"Play what's true to you now" love it, for ever and always! 😄

[@AimeeNolte]

Rob Ruthart 🙌🏼

[@Sara-lk2yr]

Six years later... the magic of youtube... Cool!!! 🤩I did It when I was student to practice piano voices in bach's polyphony! I didn't realize It could be helpful also for jazz improvvisation...😃 👍👏

[@RobRuthart]

I've been working on this all week. What has been working for me is warming up singing up and down the scale with piano a few times, then letting loose singing melodies and not checking for a bit, to get out of my head and in the zone, then going back to the piano, playing call and answer, then getting to the checking game. What I was doing before was singling along with my playing (which is still learning but also cheating a bit) and this gets me into playing along with my singing. Lately I've discovered that I have to trick myself into getting into the zone, so I can let go and use my ears for real. Thanks again Aimee for your videos. 😄

[@AimeeNolte]

Rob Ruthart that's so cool. I get what you mean and I'm glad you are playing with it and finding your way. Thanks so much for the note, Rob!

[@vincentcousins2209]

Brilliant, Aimee, true genius! Thanks for sharing. Mark Morley-Fletcher, from "PLAY IN THE ZONE", put me onto you. He is also an outstanding educator.

[@alexhoward1884]

I love your scat singing! So musical and pleasant.

[@17244852]

Amazing! The concept is crazy simple, and so are the first (few) steps, but this is helping me enormously with the sharp and flat keys. They are becoming easier. I'm doing something similar with triads. I look at the keys, try to sing the notes, name the notes and only then play the chord. Start at C and work chromatically all the way to C again. And you don't have to do an hour of it. Ten minutes out of each practice will give great results. Thanks again Aimee.

[@thierry1953ful]

the truth you speak here is absolutely freeing for me , i've always wondered how jazz players do it and its not by memorized lines which i find boring

[@sidneiramalho]

Great video Aimee, thanks for that. The problem I've seen is that some people want to impress other people instead of connect with them emotionally.

[@masterllama321]

Wonderful video! Reminds me of those old interviews with Bill Evans, where he talks about how musical honesty at your current level is so much more effective and moving than, as you said, a bunch of hip patterns that you've memorized.

[@rengertijhuisQualityOfLife]

Never thought of it this way. A real eye opener for me. I am just starting with my little daughter on the piano, and I think I start from here. A totally new journey also for me, and much more logically! So curieus if we can do it this way. Thanks!

[@welern2liv815]

As a guitarist practicing this concept has helped me to play what I sing/feel and not sing what I play. Just like what you said about playing what is learned instead of playing what is felt. ANY musician can benefit from this technique, thanks Aimee!

[@tomrees4812]

I’ve long worried that my fingers were dictating what I played but didn’t know how to deal with this. Now you’ve told me how to. Thank you so much, but I know it’s going to take some work.

[@regmoree1233]

Thank you so much for putting this into words. "Hearing" melodic lines, it seems, comes from a different place internally. (Not the same thing as muscle memory licks and non musical ramblings of things that we know will "work".) Playing as what you described comes from a place that connects with listeners and affects them in the same way that it affects US when we play this way. Thank you so much for sharing your approach.

[@vishalshelke7540]

This is gold, for any musician, learner or professional. If its not coming from heart its not music. Thanks for sharing this bful thought.

[@AimeeNolte]

+Vishal S 🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@danh7739]

This is really good you better pay attention!! Best of luck to all.

[@youri9389]

I've tried to put this idea in words quite a few times but now I have a video that I can point people to so I don't have to stumble over my words. The practice is an amazing bonus. Thanks a lot! :)

[@viragopaldas]

Beautiful voice too❤

[@MicheleTosoni]

You're the dream of any musician! This is so much talent!!!

[@franciscogallegos4408]

Thank you for sharing Aimee! Tried for the first time today. Can't wait to see where this road leads.

[@OtRatsaphong]

Wow!! Agreed, this channel is Gold. When I first discovered this channel, a lot of what you said went over my head... but because of your personal teaching style, I kept revisit to see if I could pick some more knowledge about how to learn to play the piano and how to become a better musician... while still working out what type of music I want play. Over the last few months I have grown to enjoy your teaching, style and personality. This week alone, learning about the iii-vii chord pattern/formula was magic. As a musician, I am interested in being able to I provide and being an HONEST musician. this lesson has been and IS Gold! Thank you.

[@Trondset]

Love your voice Amiee. Could listen to you talking all day. It's not an excuse for not to practise, haha. As a guitarist I've fallen into the trap of learning patterns and playing them up and down, back and forth in different positions. It's great for getting into playing music, BUT I think it's not honest. Sometimes I have no idea what notes I'm playing, just remembering that this or that pattern sounded cool over a particular chord. I'm practising singing scales, arpeggios and usuing your idea about pointing and singing. At my level I need to check every note I sing. Gotta keep on practising, I'm sure this will help me ALOT in my future improvisations and when trying to figure out songs by ear. Keep on rocking... erhm, Jazzing. :-)

[@AimeeNolte]

+BearSound oh gosh you're welcome! Makes me so happy! Thank YOU

[@marionthefourth]

I was thinking about learning how to do this just yesterday. I can sing and improv melodies all day to the point of giving a skeleton for full songs in one go through, the tough part is that I am not yet proficient enough to play as I sing so I record what I sing and transcribe it. Then I practice what I transcribe so I can play it. I one day hope I'll be able to think fast enough and understand what I hear in my head and be able to translate in "real-time" via the guitar or the piano even to the point of playing chords and not just a top-line melody.

[@JACKSONPRYORBENNETT]

Great video Aimee! This is how I started practicing sight-singing my freshman year of college. I found that it carried over to testing my accuracy on scatting through transcriptions, working on language, making sure my intonation is right on when singing melodies a capella, and like you've done here, just exploring and seeing how cleanly I can sing interval jumps! Definitely a useful staple for anyone's personal practice

[@AimeeNolte]

Jackson That's great! Keep it up! You're a hard-worker and nice nice dude. :)

[@JACKSONPRYORBENNETT]

Thanks! Right back at you :)

[@herveywarriner3059]

What joy! Can't thank you enough. Such selfless sharing. Wonderful.

[@danielirilarry]

I don`t want to be extensive and too descriptive about all the things you`ve instructed and induced on me... I run the risk of not being understood, `cause english is not my first language. But I`ll speak from my heart: Yes!!! We must play from our hearts!!! Music is Art, and Jazz is one of the most artistic and TRUE-MUSIC in the world!!! I always tell my friends in spanish: El Jazz es verdad! No hay adornos, ni mentiras. No tienes por que ser atractivo o saber el camino fàcil para llegar a la gente. Solo te paras ahì frente al pùblico y compartes lo que llevas dentro en ese preciso momento. Cada toque es un viaje irrepetible! Sorry, I needed to write in my own language. Thank you Aimee for all!!! Gracias, gracias, gracias!!!!

[@AimeeNolte]

Daniel Irilarry my husband can translate for me. Beautiful said in both languages, Daniel. Thank you.

[@bertinlosier3983]

FANTASTIC. I was looking for something like this for quite some time. I like to hear from great musicians like you share the way by which they have trained themselves and do it way better than most. I've been trying to learn relative pitch for about a year. I made some progress using call and response apps on iphone and ipad, but I find that it doesn't translate well to practical applications. Or perhaps my aural skills have just not progressed enough. It's one thing to be told ... you have to do this, you have to do that ... but to actually see someone say "you might want to do this" and "I'll show you how" goes way farther. Please keep the videos coming!!!!

[@JohnResciniti]

So helpful. I used to do this all the time on my sax. I'd stop and play. Piano is much more "practiceable" and useful. I need to get my piano chops back and start doing this again. Thanks again for the inspiration to do it!

[@GuitarSlinger2112]

you were almost certainly born to teach. thank you.

[@GeneralWarburg]

I've started incorporating singing into my practice a lot more often lately thanks to your videos and I've found that it helps me to conceptualize what I'm wanting to play a lot better.

[@gloriagain7739]

my heroine. I admire your love for students out there. thank you for the tips and honesty you have in you .

[@manopablogo8983]

Ye, I’m here for the jazz knowledge. But I’m ngl, I’m in love with your voice.

[@9Hansi3]

I've startet practicing like this a month ago, but without much singing (I'm imagining string instruments playing it instead because I want to be able to imagine chords and polyphonic pieces, too.). The reason for that is probably that I have a classical music background. But I'll do some of this as well in the future, thank you very much (I really like the idea of being a musician instead of just an instrumentalist)!

[@robsgirl6465]

I could sit and listen to you scat forEVER!!!! The first minute of this video is heaven. 👍😎👍🎹🎼🎶

[@JKater-ct5cf]

You are unbelievable. My daughter is into jazz piano. I'll be sure to give her a head up about your terrific vids.

[@stacyrenard2405]

I think this is the most amazing exercise. I am going to start doing this everyday. Thanks for sharing this!

[@AimeeNolte]

+Stacy Renard you're gonna get good FAST if you do. 👊🏼

[@mimisetonmusic1151]

You are a GREAT teacher, Aimee. Loving all the vid's I've seen so far. Thank you for these wonderful lessons.

[@mimisetonmusic1151]

P.S. I love that you encourage people to listen, hear and then play what's inside instead of learning riffs from someone else's imagination, imitating.

[@AimeeNolte]

+Mimi Seton Music 🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@nutjayaaramkul4563]

I came here from your advice, Aminee. And this's such a useful method! I'll see how far I can get after I use your method. Thank you so much and please please please keep uploading your lesson. You're the best!

[@AimeeNolte]

Nutjaya Aramkul oh good! Ok I hope it helps!

[@huguesl1522]

I hope you'll keep publishing for the next hundred years. Incredibly helpful... and frustrating when I see my own fingers resist. Thank you Aimee. Hugues.

[@XavierChissina]

why am I finding out about your channel now!!!!!.......You're very good!..thank you for your lessons

[@PaulConstableMusic]

Thank you for being so generous with your time and knowledge, Aimee! This gave me a fresh new perspective on playing and how to practice. You play from your heart and I'm guessing you live your life the same way! So glad I happened on your channel.

[@AimeeNolte]

+Paul Constable oh no prob! I'm so glad, Paul!

[@FanucM16i]

Your comments at ~9:15 made me thing of Ray Charles' "Low Society" on "Atlantic Blues Piano". It sounds as if the tones are coming through his mind to the keys. I enjoy it when it happens to me... On those occasions. Thanks for all your videos. I look forward to the new year listening, exploring and learning. All the best to you and yours.

[@candacekay97128]

I think this is the most helpful piano video I've ever seen. I'm gonna do this every day starting now :) Thank you, I love your videos ❤

[@StephaneBernardGuitar]

Thanks Aimee for this tip. I will apply it right now every time I'm noodling on my guitar running scales and arpeggios up and down like a robot. This practice makes so much sense and you are doing it so neatly ! I think that it also applies when you play tunes where everything is written and your fingers know them perfectly. It'll probably help the interpretation and avoid losing track of what you're doing.

[@rmirabelle]

I call this the George Benson, but I know that this technique predates him considerably. Solid gold stuff here, and fabulously presented, too! Thank you, Aimee!

[@williambunter3311]

I love your voice and your musicality, Aimee. You obviously have a very good ear for identifying intervals. And a wealth of melodic ideas. I could listen to you for hours; in fact added up I probably have since I recently found you on you tube. keep up the good work -please!

[@AimeeNolte]

William Bunter thank you William!

[@edanderson113]

William Bunter Diana kroll

[@lejazz6938]

Thank you Aimee!!

[@lisahansen6014]

You make it look so easy!

[@astrorad2000]

I have recommended your channel to my 12 year old granddaughter. I do hope that her mother (my daughter) encourages her to watch your videos. You have a talent for teaching...how do I know?... I had a trumpet professor that could cut through the B.S. and get to what was going to help me progress. You have that ability. I have seen many of the great jazz players live and I love the ones who do what you say...that is play things that come from within and that speak to listeners like me. Thank you for what you are doing.

[@AimeeNolte]

+astrorad2000 thank you so much

[@martyjacklemore3453]

Im a bass player and I started teaching myself this stuff a while ago, I understood without anyone explaining it to me that I needed to internalize the music

[@malcolmgoldie]

There are such amazing resources on KZbin, fantastic channel Amy, thanks for all your work! :)

[@ailishbethd4033]

Yes I love it! Why didn't I have this method years ago? Thank you. You are a wonderful teacher.

[@SadisticKillerXx]

My piano teacher taught me this but you explain why it is needed with so much depth which gives me more initiative. Thank You

[@eugelauria8416]

You are so cool. Thank you sooooo much for sharing. I love your channel. Greetings from Argentina!!!

[@nazarenodadamante8703]

This really means a lot to me...Thank you for being so transparent and honest as a person and musician

[@sigiriabeysekara8723]

Wow 🔥🔥🔥🔥 awesome lesson

[@antoniotraverso6462]

Create.very interesting. Molto brava.

[@abearicano]

12:46 "-ba da de du da deee I'm wrong ba da de da-". Got a giggle at how matter-of-factly you called out that little mistake during your training and then carried along. Anyway, I just recently found your channel. Really glad I did. Been watching your videos and learning a lot! Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to future videos :)

[@AimeeNolte]

yunashiina ! :-) I make lots of mistakes! You just got to laugh and carry-on.🙌🏼

[@ArturBrzozowski444]

Someone in comment section of Samurai guitarist video send me here. I felt that I need something like this but had no idea how to approach it. Thank you!

[@michaelspeed4447]

This is the best channel on KZbin tbh!

[@joshuajackson4742]

This is the most valuable music lesson on KZbin, easily. Thank you so much.

[@SiFi5478]

Aimee, you are an incredible teacher. Thank you for this, you explain everything so so well. I discovered your channel only a few days ago but I'm completely hooked! I'm understanding things now that have been over my head since I left music school over twenty years ago. From the bottom of my heart, again, thank you.🙌🙆

[@AimeeNolte]

+Si Greg gosh thanks so much Greg! Spread the word for me! 😍🙏🏼

[@killa46464]

I can't wait to start doing this ! I love love love it 😍 thank you . It will definitely stretch me !! And it just seems like a lot of fun. Like a game . It would be perfect with a miniature type of keyboard whilst laying on the couch too ! Play while you plonk ! Lol I love reading everyone's happy comments too . Ditto to what others say . You're such a generous and really cool / warm teacher thank you Aimee . 😁🎹🎶💗

[@killa46464]

Too , too many times - whoops .

[@AimeeNolte]

+Vikki Davey you're like just the best. ❤️

[@jadedfaded333999]

I've stumbled onto this in my own way and it's so refreshing and reassuring the way you lay it out. I so conscious of how that rote practicing of scales and patterns imprisons my expressions. Thanks for this! I've picked piano seriously after noodling as a kid for years. You are the most inspiring teacher I've come across. You may know the fellow I just started taking lessons with, Art Khu, Jacquie Naylor's partner. Keep it up Aimee!!! Much love form the Bay !

[@Gyklarin]

Wow That was a great tool! Thanks!

[@bereantrb]

I remember the first time I heard George Benson's live performance of On Broadway. I thought it was incredible how he could scat and solo on his guitar in perfect unison; I'd never heard anyone do that before. Eventually I realized many players do that, or at least vocalize silently as they solo. I also realized that not only did it sound great, but that it was important on at least two fronts. The first is being in tune with your instrument to the point that you can play as easily as you sing or hum. The second is being conscious of what you're playing, just like having thoughts in mind and speaking intelligible sentences; verbally we don't just spew out random phrases. Musically, do we have anything to say? Aimee's video beautifully explains this but goes further: actually giving us practical steps to develop these skills. Thank you so much, Aimee!

[@AimeeNolte]

+bereantrb thank you so much

[@romanzkv4]

This is amazing. Exactly my wish

[@plainoldjason]

This is really fantastic! I've been playing one instrument or another for over 30 years and I've never been satisfied with learning scales or just learning songs from sheet music because that is basically just memorization and developing muscle memory. I wanted to actually be able to PLAY the instrument...like, really PLAY it you know? I wanted to know it inside and out, and to be able to make the music in my head come out of my fingers as naturally as breathing. I recently took up piano and the online lessons I'm using (Hoffman academy, they're great!) incorporate solfege, which I've been excited about because I could sense that this would really help me become a better musician. What you have demonstrated here takes the concept of solfege to another level entirely and I am definitely going to start incorporating this into my practice. I'm working my way through your videos and each one is a treasure with a wealth of information that I wish I had all those years ago when I first started playing. Thank you so much!

[@CarlosRicovslosmolinosdeviento]

You are something special, a gifted musician. To sad I did not meet you earlier in my life

[@Gottfried1983]

Wow great lesson! As a matter of fact, I think it's the exact same for life: you gotta do what's coming from inside... that's your truth and you alone can do it!

[@patriciodasilva7902]

That's all wonderful Amie I've been playing guitar for fifty years and piano for 20 and I still can't do what you doing so I've resigned upon the fact that what I like to do is write music and have given up on improvisation. I enjoy your videos and you're one of the best on the net for teaching

[@hetheringtonpiano]

Hi Aimee, I knew of you from JOTW but just came across your KZbin channel yesterday..Really appreciate all of this incredibly thoughtful content. Thank you!

[@eliznaomistuart]

Wow, this is the critical link I've needed, thank you so much Aimee! I have struggled for some time with how do I get what I hear in my head out in my fingers? This is it! I would also love to see a video on how in the world we can get our solos faster and without awkward fingering. I struggle with little traffic jams in my fingers, both on piano and accordion when trying to solo. Thank you so much for your vids, they are the best as are you!

[@joshannon6148]

Practice scales

[@politereminder6284]

I love it! I'm comfy as a singer, so I am not worried about singing nonsense, but as a beginner pianist, I am trying to connect the sounds I am singing by ear on the piano

[@TalOfek]

Hello Aimee, just discovered you today and I've been whathcing and hearing you all Saturday morning and I am so touched and charmed. Actually there were even tears too at some points... So honest, so acurate, so from the heart, and yet so smart and deep and so helpful. Love it. Love you. Keep it up :)

[@AimeeNolte]

+Tal Ofek thank you Tal.

[@rogerborras607]

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge. You have helped me to understand music in a much more broad way. Kind regards from Spain. Roger

[@mauromandrioli6441]

Amazing, Aimee .

[@juderandbrisack101]

This is such a good way to practice the intervals. Thank you!

[@dariolombardo84]

Wow amazing exercise! Thank you ♥

[@p1anosteve]

This is really good practice for your ears and points out what is often (but not always) the difference between people who learn and play from the score and those who play mainly by ear. It's interesting to note that it is useful for score readers to able to read, point and sing from the score too. It helps with memorising.

[@emmanuelkeller]

Hi Aimee, thanks for sharing this. You're absolutely right, as musician, we are supposed to play the melody and harmony we have in mind, and not play thru our fingers matching the notes allowed by the current scale or the expected mode. Of course, we do that easily when we are composing, because we spend the required time. And, of course, the method you expose is about real time composing, also known as "improvisation". I would love to have your opinion about another way that I found by accident. I often make a sound record when I improvise, because I think that listening to it is a goot way to improve its improvisation skill, to keep objective and critic about it. One time, I decided to play with my eyes closed. My primary goal was to check how comfortable I would be without "watching" my hands and the keyboard. While playing, I was surprised to be able to mentally "see" each note I was playing. The second surprise was when I was listening to the recording. The improvisation was "simpler" than usual, but, by far more interesting. Now, I not only "see" the notes I am playing, but I am also aware of the full context: scale, tensions, harmony ... That's a long process, but time after time, really efficient.

[@vgmoulin]

Wow! I also do this at the guitar, and I also used to think that I made it up! Apparently, I didn't! I love your videos, you have such a nice energy and joy, it's contagious!

[@chichungho]

Excellent! 👏👏👏 Thx for revealing your not-so-top secret! 😉🌹

[@MsRockn88]

Aimee, this is brilliant! I've sort of done this. But, with your (easy to understand!) explanation of how and what you're trying to achieve Point & Sing makes perfect sense!

[@silverlight2004db]

I like point and sing. I'm going to start using it. And i like things that develop out of one's own practice routines - or non-routines, they become part of one's own journey through music. Great channel.

[@AimeeNolte]

+silverlight2004db thanks!