How To Improve In Music | Secret Formula For Growth (works)

[@robertphillips6605]

Thanks Ruslan. Great advice again. 😄

[@mem1gui]

One of the most underrated videos on music instruction. The benefit of having a personal teacher is that you have someone who can help you find that sweet spot (in multiple aspect of the craft) and guide you through the process. After floundering through many KZbin videos, websites and online courses, I finally got a teacher and that's helped me more than anything.

[@erikwallander8240]

Hey man, this changed my life instantly. I've been stumbling around for 2,5 years, with extreme ups and downs. I play a lot, around 4-5 hours a day, but I have really been unhappy with my flow of progression. As soon as you said challenging but doable, I realized what I had to do. It's like it's been in the back of my mind all this time, and all I needed was for you to tell me. I almost started crying because I became so happy. Now I can constantly improve, always playing at the edge of my abilities. Seriously, SERIOUSLY, you have changed my life. I cannot thank you enough. YOU CHANGED MY LIFE. I fucking love you man.

[@ruslanpiano]

Erik Wallander oh man that is such good news! Makes me really happy to hear :) yes often times the problem is not laziness in people. Often time, the problem is lack of a clear, focuses direction in which to put our efforts. And when those “aha!” moments happen, we get the clarity we need and it ignites is with excitement and the will to improve! I’m inspired to read your comment! Thank you so much for sharing! Ruslan

[@neilgggg1]

For several months, I have been going for LH & RH freedom on "Giant Steps" - - Definitely challenging but maybe not doable! (yet) I will dial it back a little/lot. -- Ruslan, your videos are great.

[@paulolevisilveirateixeira2903]

about the sweet spot i noticed that sometimes i can hear 4 notes in my inner ear in a fraction of a second before playing the first note , at first i could with 2 notes now i can with 4 notes and occasionally with 8 notes or 2 groups of 4 notes, but this maturation only happened to me after I wrote my solos, I'm wondering what you think of writing your own solos, as well as developing this form of pre-audition in any set of chords.

[@paulolevisilveirateixeira2903]

Thanks R.S for your time and all the great lessons 🎉

[@sydrose13]

Great advice

[@precisionhoops365]

This is a great video!!! I noticed when something in playing gets boring I inch up the tempo to make it challenging and it holds my interest. Learning to play jazz I'm discovering the fun in the triplets .

[@ruslanpiano]

William Ridley yes. Now find a way to make it exciting without increasing the tempo too :) there are 90,000 to create interest

[@jimmylim1409]

I am a stroke survivor and have been playing left handed and with two fingers on the right. I've been challenging myself to play more than inversions and scales. I try to learn as much from your videos hoping you would have some technique that can help my limitations. Thanks brother!

[@ruslanpiano]

My friend, I salute your efforts. It takes true love of music to put your best foot forward and insist on playing music after a traumatic event such as this. Congrats on your spirit!! I'm sure its possible to achieve success in your condition too!! The only issue is that its not something any musician or music teacher will be able to help you with, since the problem is not musical or methodological or pedagogical. The problem is medical. The problem is getting your body parts to work again, and that's the expertise of MEDICS, not music teachers. Likely some form of restorative therapy is available and I wish I knew more about this topic so that I could help you better. But if your fingers literally do not work - you're going to need advice from someone who understands anatomy, neurology, physiology... not from someone who understands soloing, reharmonizing and accompanying.

[@davidcox8961]

Best of luck to you my friend. I am not a doctor but I know about the healing powers of music.

[@xXSlemerXx]

keep up!

[@lebohangmakhasane9806]

Soldier on brother, let the music take you there. You've believed you can, & so you will..

[@garycitro1674]

Check into guitarist Django Reinhardt for some inspiration. He actually lost the use of two of his fingers in his LEFT hand (the one on the fretboard!) and he found workarounds and was an outstanding musician. Work with what you've got, and enjoy the journey to whatever levels of healing you can. Best to you.

[@kzim229]

Ruslan, this is great. I have heard this same advice from other teachers, but never in such a brief, understandable, and memorable form. Now for the first time, I really get it. Thank you so much!

[@JulianFernandez]

Man, you´re killing it with every vid... Thanks! As a drummer, after tons of practice trying to improve muscle memory on my left hand, and I decided to start playing like a lefty. Talk about sweet spot. Everyday is a challenge to learn what I already know, but playing it as a left handed person. I was kind in a rut and this is kicking my ass... :) Your vids are always inspiring. Thanks once again!

[@DojoOfCool]

EXCELLENT video. As someone who has worked out with weights for many years you nailed it. The body adjusts to the workout routine you do and it no longer is challenging, so you have to change your routine to different exercises to continue to be in the sweet spot to grow in. Music the same as you point out, the body, ear, mind adjusts and your practice routine is no longer challenging so need to change. Even what you listen to might need to change. To grow in any area of life we need to change once we plateau. Again excellent video.

[@johnb2476]

Hey, Ruslan. Another area where I'm trying to improve is grooving through changes, especially at fast tempos. Think traditional fast gospel songs, funk, disco, or even fusion. I seem to get lost easily, get behind the changes, or struggle to make the notes feel good. I'm interested to see what you think, thanks!

[@НикитаПатрушев-в1ы]

Hello, Ruslan! Im comfortably improvasing in blues(I can get blues sound), but cant get jazz sound on scales kind of major, minor. Now Im tryna doing different variations rhythm values on simple chords like M7, m7 by playing along track or yourselfs bassline. Now im just wanna get this jazz sound but idk how did this yet.

[@Jazzmarcel]

Musical gold!.........love you videos! My problem is really learning or should I say, mastering tunes! You videos are one of the very best on jazz that I be seen on KZbin! My advice to you is, to go back to the great videos and dig deeper into your points made! You already have literally blasted up with great points!......keep em coming!👍🏾

[@ruslanpiano]

Jazz marcel thank you

[@TheBoricuacangry30]

Hi Ruslan, I've been playing around 20 years but I feel stock in chord reharmonization and scales. I do not know how to improve in this area.

[@mark_sax_alex]

Thanks, Ruslan . There is an other great lesson. Area: triad pairs. Doable: play symmetric lines grouping four or free notes through ii v i, challenging: use triads and triad pairs in "creative way " when i improvise on the stage. It's so hard to apply triad pairs in my regular language. Sometimes I "forget" about triad pairs when I improvise. I can't feel effortless with this stuff

[@ruslanpiano]

Sometimes it takes time for things we practice to appear in our playing. If you like the triads concept - continue practicing it. After some time, it will slowly become part of your playing. The point is to find a way of practicing this topic that is challenging BUT doable. There is a way to practice triad pairs that is too easy for you, and there is a way of practicing triad pairs that is too hard for you. What way can you think of practicing triad pairs that is JUST RIGHT? Consider the number of chord changes you improvise on when you practice this topic. Maybe you need to practice it on harder chord changes? Maybe on easier chord changes? Maybe in a faster tempo? Find the sweet spot of practicing this topic in a way that is challenging but doable for you, and after a while it WILL start appearing in your everyday playing.

[@mark_sax_alex]

Ruslan, thank you for you answer. Thank you for sharing you knowledges!

[@manou1706]

Hi Ruslan, Nice to hear from you. Pity i did not know you were in Belgium, i am living around here and i would have come to say hello. The video is clear-cut but as regards to the instruction, i am not sure to have understood everything. Anyway it is of great help and generosity from your side. Thank you for all your efforts. Below my area i want to improve and what i think is my sweet spot which i determined from my experience of what i succeed, what i failed, what makes me wasting my time... area : bebop phrasing / improvisationNot enough challenging : improvise over one or two chords with chromaticismToo challenging : improvise over bebop standards like how high the moon, confirmation or rhythms changessweet spot : 1. transcribing solos ( i wanted to go for au privave as played by Sonny Stitt) 2. try to improvise over 2-5-1 or turnarounds the bebop way.

[@ruslanpiano]

I dont understand the way you laid it out. Tell me the areas where you want to improve, and how exactly you are practicing each one of them right now.

[@manou1706]

area : bebop phrasing on 2 5 1 : I would like to be able to phrase the bebop way and apply it to standard jazz progression ( 2 5 1 as a beginning). My practice : I practice mainly enclosures on chord tones. I approach chord tones in many ways for each chord. For instance i take a triad and for each tones i play a sequence to target them (2-2m-7-T; 4-3m-3rd; 6-5b-5..etc). Many thanks for your patience !

[@ruslanpiano]

That's a good way to work on it. Are you transcribing bebop? Sonny Stitt? Bird?

[@manou1706]

yes i did a few like Sandu from Clifford Brown, ornithology from Charlie Parker (how high the moon changes) and i am transcribing au privave from Sonny Stitt.

[@juanpablomartinezluque1944]

Hola desde argentina! Tus vlogs me re sirven , segui asi!!!!

[@citizencain454]

I'm a great diatonic player. And I have a great ear, great sound. But I seldom stray into other chord scales, be bop scales, etc.. I just hit that type of color if it happens to be part of the melody. I know chord symbols , tons of theory.. I went to UNC.. it's embarrassing that I'm this old and haven't done it yet! However, I feel like my brain is ready for a challenge. Watching one of your other videos , I got inspired and started writing out all the chord scales in A major. I solo in that key quite often. I thought of writing down the arpeggios etc.. JUST learned how to use half/ whole diminished over dominant 7th chords... haha! But have not practiced them yet. :-( I JUST got into learning from youtube. Holy cow! all the best teachers in one place! How would you go about it if you were at where I am now?

[@ruslanpiano]

Citizen Cain I’d do exactly what you’re doing. Also if I heard you play - I would know right away

[@citizencain454]

@@ruslanpiano , I think you mentioned somewhere in your videos that you may skype teach? That can be arranged! Or whenever you're in Nashville, I busk on second ave, on Saturday nights. The sound bounces off the building in that part of town so nicely. Make sure you let me know, so I'm sure to be there. haha.. Nashville is the MUSIC city, not necessarily the "country" music city. I play up the street in hopes that more jazz players will join me. Broadway ( the main drag) is full of the other type of music and is noisy. But it worked! There was a Trumpet player and another sax player that I see from time to time.

[@ruslanpiano]

Citizen Cain I’m @ruslanpiano on Instagram. Or [e-mail]

[@tommyiglesias2267]

Improvisation: I will practice on one chord using motivic development, I will transpose that to all 12 keys. example: all minor chords. I will then do 2 chords, and transpose to all keys, then 3, then 4, then A sections of tunes, then B sections, then whole tunes!

[@gullis1995]

Thanks for the videos!!! I’m currently working on my ear training skills. I’ve been trying to recognize pitches in relation to a key center. What I do, is, I play a I IV V progression and then play a random note. I feel pretty comfortable naming just one note. I get it right 9 out of 10 times. However, when I try to work on two notes, it becomes much harder. I can still name a few, but I don’t really know if I’m in the sweet spot. Thank you!!!

[@ruslanpiano]

I recommend downloading one of those ear training apps, even if it costs a few bucks. The good thing about these apps is they are often constructed from the very very simple, to a little more complicated, and a little more complicated, and more complicated, and more and more and.. very complicated. The advantage of that is that you are going to run into your sweet spot automatically, because at some point the app will start kicking your ass, and thats your sweet spot. Stay on that level and practice it until its easy for you. And then move on in the app. There are many apps available.

[@eliminemusic]

I lost my sweet spot when my personal phrases became too overwhelming . I could not find just one sweet spot anymore. I felt music that was very difficult to hear and play , practice... :-I demanding, constant and rapid changes. Maybe more sweetpoints practicing concept... :P I do not say that it was impossible to make progress. but to much challenge in that moment of my life story

[@cafiristanemperor]

Hey, Ruslan, nice video, as usual! Thanks again for your invaluable advice! I'd like to ask you something that's been on my mind recently: Since I am a flutist studying the piano, I was practicing jazz doing the chords with the left hand and the melody with the right hand. I already knew that at some point, the chords would eventually sound too muddy, especially in the low register... So, I asked some pianists at the university where I study this question: how can one start studying methodically an effective way to gradually open the voicings... So far, the ones who play them cannot explain how they do it. It seems that they have never been asked this question from a beginner. They learnt how to play melody and chords at the same time through trial and error, so they cannot explain how a student can figure out precisely what is doable but challenging for them... Could you maybe point out to us some books that tackle this problem, or make a video for us? Unfortunately, I cannot afford a teacher right now... I am writing the melody that I get from fake books like Hal Leonard's and Jamey Aebersold's on a treble clef, then I write the chords for it with any possible inversions that allow me to put the melody note on top on a second treble clef, to analyse the voicings, then, as a third step, I try to write a doable voicing on an actual piano grand staff, trying to divide the notes between hands so the voicing would sound open and not muddy, as well as allowing me to be able to play the melody interspersed with the notes of the already sounding chords... The problem is that this way of doing the arrangement is slow and I do not always know if there would be either another easier or better sounding option... If one could study with method this transition from closed to open voicings, it would be extremely beneficial and speed up the learning! Cheers from Brazil and thank you again for all the help!

[@ruslanpiano]

cafiristanemperor kzbin.info/www/bejne/mp7EXomOicl6o9k

[@davidcox8961]

I've had a tenor for about seven years. Until I started to listen closely to what the teachers are saying I thought I was practicing. Today I did something unusual for me. I played long tones, scales and some simple patterns. I recalled hearing that it is better to practice slowly with no mistakes than fast with errors. Ruslan, I think I learned that from you- come to think. When I am done writing this I am going to choose a musical phrase I like and use it to practice scales, instead of just running up and down. I also play the chord tones of the scale I am practicing. Any suggestions on other studies will be appreciated. As for always challenging yourself to play slightly difficult stuff- I will try to play the scales a bit faster each day. Humm.. I guess I'll have to start using a metronome.

[@ruslanpiano]

David Cox all these sound like good ideas! If I heard you play for 30 seconds or a minute, I’d be much better equipped to advise what you should spend your time trying to improve. Tone and technique are always a good idea. So is transcribing our favorite solos.

[@davidcox8961]

@@ruslanpiano I will send you a sound clip of my playing today- after I wake up. Here's that Music Instinct docu. I spoke of. It fits in with a book called, This Is Your Brain on Music. kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2bTqIaDebl3aq8

[@davidcox8961]

@@ruslanpiano drive.google.com/file/d/1G-bgKg1SDV7MoaRC9eFEea0MCV-ZIr17/view?usp=drivesdk

[@joehernandez5600]

Great lesson. Ruskin, I have found your videos extremely helpful. I’m a guitarist playing in a rock cover band but I also really love jazz. I’m trying to become competent enough in jazz that I can get jazz gigs. Would you consider Skype lessons? Thanks.

[@ruslanpiano]

Joe Hernandez Of course. I do Skype lessons. Hit me up on Instagram (@ruslanpiano) or Facebook (facebook.com/ruslanmusic) I’m happy to hear you are expanding your horizons. Music is music. And it’s natural to want to expand ourselves inside it. Glad you found my videos helpful, my friend!

[@philcoll7090]

Great lesson,many thanks!my question is how to determine when to go to the next level, for example if I study a standard, I can start improvising on 1 chord, or I could slow down 4 meseaures and then increase the bpm gradually ... anyway what could be a good criterion for consider that level acquired? I for example move to the next level if I do 10 times without mistakes an exercise or what I'm studying ... could it be a good criterion?thanks!

[@ruslanpiano]

Phil Coll determine whatever you want. 1 measure on loop. 4 measures on loop. Or 8 measures but slow tempo. Doesn’t matter. There is no one right way to start. But.... As soon as what you are doing starts feeling TOO EASY - that’s what you move on to the next level and increase the complexity of the task a little bit.

[@philcoll7090]

many thanks!!all the best to you!

[@MrBoulhosa]

Thank you Ruslan! after listening to a solo by an improviser, I discover several interesting motifs developments And phrases as well. I study these motifs and phrases just like crazy but I can not internalize to the point where that vocabulary comes into my playing. another question, I am a guitarist and I have tried methods to mix solo with chords (drop 2, quartal harmony and so on) but I always see myself stopped at a rhythm, unable to reconcile other options and charac- ters to intregrate the solo and chords in a more interesting and fluid way. Could you help me, please? Thank tou

[@ruslanpiano]

When you say "study like crazy" -- what do you mean? Just playing them by themselves will not integrate them into your playing. You have to practice them in context. Find a play along of any song, with relatively simple chords, in not so fast tempo... and take one of these motifs. Play that motif over the chord changes and use only that one motif as a theme for your solo. You have to practice to manipulate this motif through changes, and in time. Only then you will be able to use it in your playing, because your playing always happens on changes and in time. Regarding your second question - im not sure. I would have to hear you play. Im not sure exactly what the problem is there. It could be several different things.

[@camerongainer1638]

Hi Ruslan, I love what you're doing here! I'm primarily a drummer but I play a lot of piano and want to be able to improvise over changes. I have been transcribing some Chet Baker solos since I feel he plays beautiful lines but his stuff is also not too challenging. What are your thoughts on the difference of "transcribing a TON of tasty solos" rather than "play this scale in all keys"....?

[@ruslanpiano]

Its not an "either or" for me, its BOTH. - I have a video here on my channel, on how to learn to improvise on chord changes. Check it out! I believe that the method I show in that video gives you unparalleled control over playing on changes. Control you will not get out of just transcribing solos. - But the method in that video does not give you vocabulary. It also does not get your fingers used to playing all kinds of unusual shapes. What does those things, you may ask, if my method doesn't.. Transcribing amazing solos does those things :) So I recommend BOTH ways, because each gives you something that the other doesn't. In life in general, for ultimate, world-class results in anything, its always "this AND that"... not "this OR that". Ultimate level of results always requires both. - Its always hard work AND talent together.. not either hard work or talent. - Career success is good music AND good artistic image together... not one or the other. - Getting in shape is always diet AND exercise together, not just diet or just exercise. - Control over changes requires both technical study (like I show in that video) AND also transcribing solos. For ultimate results in life its never "either this or that" - its always "this AND that together".

[@camerongainer1638]

TheNextLevel Wow! Thank you, brother! I appreciate you taking the time to show it in that way. SO true. It would be cool if you could make a short list of some of the solos/artists transcribed that you felt you learned from the most from.. maybe even for a future video. ;)

[@ruslanpiano]

Oh, I would.... except it wouldn't help anyone :) The guide to 'what solos are worth transcribing' can be one thing and one thing only: If a solo moves you, if you are super in love with the solo - TRANSCRIBE THAT ONE!! Plain and simple. If you really love any particular solo, it means that you are recognizing YOURSELF IN IT. It means that your heart resonates with that solo and your heart is screaming: "Wow!! Listen to that solo!! Its ME in there!! Its ME in there!!! ". When you LOVE a solo - this is the reason you love it - your very soul resonates with it. GO AND TRANSCRIBE THAT SOLO, AND THEN LEARN IT IN 3-4 DIFFERENT KEYS!!! And then do it with the next solo that moves your heart. And then with another solo that moves your heart. And then with another one... and another.. and another. It will not surprise you to hear that every person will resonate with DIFFERENT solos and different players. Hence, theres no use for me to tell people what solos will teach them the most. They already have a much, much better guide to what solos they should slave over and transcribe. That guide is THEIR OWN TASTE. Transcribing a solo you LOVE gets you closer to YOURSELF, which is the ultimate goal of studying music. Also - transcribing a solo you LOVE will be easier because you will be enthusiastic to do the tedious work, since the solo you are laboring over is a solo you ALREADY LOVED TO BEGIN WITH. And every 8 bars you will be in a delightful bliss, discovering the inner workings of something that's already been resonating with you long before you decided to transcribe it. Endless joy :)

[@camerongainer1638]

TheNextLevel Makes sense! I definitely have a few like that! Thanks!

[@steinhalvorsen_]

Hey Ruslan, I recently discovered something in my jazz improv. I had no blues. None whatsoever, except for the occasional slide into the 3rd. So, instead of trying to jazz up my blues, I've been trying to blues up my jazz. Do you have any tips for how to do this? I've been practicing regular, simple blues, but how do I mix it with playing the changes when there's not a ton of time to play on each chord? And, is it really acceptable to play C minor pentatonic over Cmaj7? Thanks for your time and insight! Love these videos so much.

[@ruslanpiano]

Stein Halvorsen Well, first thing first -- NO! If there’s a maj7 in the chord - we don’t play the bluesy flat 7 over it. Cmaj7 doesn’t go with the blues. C7 does. Cm7 does. But not Cmaj7. A maj7 sound is a non bluesy sound. Play bluesy tunes to practice that. Tunes that have the dominant sound or the minor 7 sound. Anything with a flat7, not a maj7.

[@vitekadolf1225]

hi Ruslan! it’s me again, do you have any tips/excercises for bebop phrasing? any resources or videos? thank you so much for your previous reply, it was realy helpful. Wish you a lot of luck. Vítek

[@ruslanpiano]

Vítek Adolf Omni Book. But it. Study it. It’s a bunch of Charlie Parker solos. Either transcribe a bunch of bebop or get the omni book. Or both.

[@marinakaplina8168]

Все предельно понятно, но я споткнулась о выражение "sweet spot", у него много значений и перевод разный, как его понять в этом случае?

[@ruslanpiano]

Sweet spot eto ta zolotaya seredina mejdu "slishkom tyajelo" I "slishkom legko". V etoy tochke kak pravilo proizhodit rost. Yesli to nad chem mi rabotayem slishkol legko - mi ne rastyom, yesli to nad chem mi rabotayem slishkom tyajelo - mi ne rastyom. A yesli zanimayemsya kak raz na rubeje (in the sweet spot) - nachinayem prodvigatsa vperyod I razvivatsa.

[@marinakaplina8168]

TheNextLevel спасибо, мне нужно было как раз правильное определение ( перевод) этого словосочетания " sweet spot" в Вашем видио

[@ruslanpiano]

Da da koneshno. Doslovniy, tochniy perevod ne vsemu yest,... no smis'l nadeyus ponyaten :)

[@marinakaplina8168]

TheNextLevel да, раз за разом выходить из зоны комфорта и будет вам счастье:)

[@ruslanpiano]

da.. no sekret v tom shto bi Ne Vihodit' Slishkom Daleko iz zoni komforta, inache shastya ne vidat :) postoyanno iskat tu zonu kde ne komfortno no terpimo :) Eta zona I yest 'sweet spot'. V lyuboy drugoy zone ili slishkom legko (shto ne sposobstvuyet rostu), ili slishkom tyajelo (shto toje ne sposobstvuyet rostu)..