The 8 Most Awesome Jazz Practice Strategies of 2024

[@JordanAlecLeeWhittaker]

Some great thoughts and strategies here. The key thing for me has definitely been to make everything musical, whether that’s technical exercises, scales and arpeggios, techniques, whatever it is, applying that to a standard I’m learning or know well has been massive. I used to constantly do exactly what you’ve mentioned, playing scales up and down. I wish I did this sooner!

[@PascalM-ld9xn]

Thanks 🙏

[@clairegoguen622]

Beautiful examples selected & played, Soren!

[@sorenballegaardmusic]

Thank you so mcuh! You inspire me!

[@cyschmidtslc]

Hey Soren, this is Cy in Salt Lake City, Utah USA thank you for your beautiful content. I am mainly a lead alto player and chromatic harmonica player here. I direct a big band (Phoenix Jazz and swing band )from the lead Alto chair and gig weekly with a duo guitarist extraordinaire Kevin Stout. 🎸 I am so glad you brought Ryan Devlin into the mix. He’s a young upcoming master. I studied with him almost every day in Chad LB‘s jazz gym classes. Also want to bring to your attention Jorre Reynders #11 Music in Brussels. I’ve studied almost every week with you in my sixth year with him. Thanks for your fresh approach and your short concise helpful videos. Keep up the good work, my friend. Love and much respect. Cy 🧡😎🎷

[@sorenballegaardmusic]

Hi there - thank you for your amazing comment - well I like the playing of Ryan a lot. So I will check some of his stuff out and see how you can get into that way of playing. Great that you had the chance to study beside great cats like that. I will keep positing in 2025 keep releasing stuff onto the patreon channel. have a great one and if you have any questions let me know! all the best to you and right back at you! SB

[@paulward1586]

Great video!

[@clairegoguen622]

Question: as a new subscriber on your Patreon channel, you describe your saxophone gear without mentioning which ligature you play on your tenor & Otto-Link mouthpiece? Can you please share as a an advice? I have order a new Otto-Link metal 7* for my baritone sax to use in a big band and have experienced on a vintage version that the original ligature is now that great? Many thanks.

[@sorenballegaardmusic]

Thank you again, I really hope you find what you are looking for on Patreon - please ask if you look for soemthing specific. Oh yes i think you are right - Old refaced Otto Link - from a 6 to an 8* I think. Don't know - I think an old babbit model. The ligature is Francoise Louis - tenor for metal mouthpiece. I like it, but I did not really look for other ones either. I thought about switching at some poing - because the metal holding the reed has a screw in it and this - after some time actually tires the metal and bores into the reed... But I did not get a chance to do this yet.... What ligature do you play now?

[@clairegoguen622]

There is so much material to improve from basic improv. skills for a classical saxophonist with 40 years of expérience in a big band like me. I previous had a Florida Otto-Link métal mouthpiece for my bary and as I was not satisfied with the original nor a new Otto-Link ligature, I was using a Vandoren Optimum for à classical ténor mouthpiece. Was just ok, although Jamie Metcalfe has mentioned in one of his vidéosit would be fine. So I wish tonidentify à better when my new Otto-Link mouthpiece will arrivent 2-3 weeks. I had heard good things about the François Louis from our lead alto (ex-professional with Cirque du Soleil). A mysic store in Montréal also told me about BG ligatures omitating leather. I'll continue looking for advices. Thanks four reply.

[@sebastiansprotte2551]

How important is intonation to you?