Summer Jazz Guide
Willie Thomas | May 15, 2012
Beginner/Intermediate Students
Here are a few suggestions for helping your jazz band students use their spare time this summer to improve their jazz skills. Most middle school/high school students will find their comfort zone in the Beginner or Intermediate Corner.
1. Help students register if they haven’t already. We will make sure they have full accsess to the web site at NO COST.
2. Help them find their appropriate level on the web site. Watch the video overviews and discuss the Beginner and Intermediate Curriculum outlined on their respective pages.
3. Encourage them to follow the text as outlined in each lesson. Remind them to work for perfection.
4. Suggest that students memorize as much of the new vocabulary as possible.
5. Let them know that improvisation may be a challenge at first and that it will be important for them to take their time with each lesson.
6. Help them realize how important the ear training exercises are in learning to play what you hear.
7. Suggest that they contact friends to practice with and enjoy the Play Along Mini Jazz arrangements.
8. Let students know how important it is to listen to the jazz pros on the "Inspiration" pages.
Advanced Students
If you have students in your band that have been working on their improvisation at more advanced levels, there’s plenty on the web site to keep them busy. Students that haven’t been working online with the Jazz Everyone materials should start with Lesson 8 in the Intermediate Corner as well as watching the FREE lesson in the Player's Corner.
When students have a grasp of the Pentatonic Pairs concept, they should watch the 6-Pack Overview and start working in Lesson 1 of the 6-Pack. Progress will depend on the amount of time students spend with their music. The Learning Track is easy to follow and if students have questions, they can always Ask Willie.
It would be helpful for students to watch all of the Overviews for the Supplementary and Enrichment materials oulined in the Curriculum Overview. These materials round out your jazz experience.
The Pentatonic Power Pack provides a collection of jazz tunes with a learning component you can perform when you download the rhythm section parts. Tune Time is also a learning/performance set of 13 Jazz Standards with play tracks and rhthm section parts available from Jamey Aebersold. Jazz Everyone members are eligible for a one time 30% discount on all Book and CD Play Along sets.
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