Following are links to my written articles, solo transcriptions, and video tutorials that deal with theoretical and technical issues of interest to jazz students and practitioners.
Some of the older posts acquired formatting glitches when I switched to WordPress. I don’t have time to fix them all, but I think the value of the content outweighs the flaws, so I’m putting them out here as they are.
I just wanted to thank you for your online resources for jazz theory. I’m a chromatic harmonica player, and your clear writing and thorough explanations have been fantastically useful to me. If you lived in Chicago, I’d be knocking on your door for lessons. You should know that you’re reaching a lot of developing musicians.
—Jim Nitti
Video Tutorials
- Video Tutorial #1: The Augmented Scale
- Video Tutorial #2: The Tritone Scale
- Video Tutorial #3: Circular Breathing
- How to Practice the Giant Steps Cycle: A Video Tutorial and Supplementary Material
Solo Transcriptions
- Confirmation: Sonny Stitt Solo
- Stella by Starlight: Phil Woods Solo
- Ornithology: A Charlie Parker Alto Sax Solo Transcription
- Confirmation: A Richie Cole Alto Sax Solo Transcription
- I Would Be a Sinner: Rich Lataille Alto Sax Solo Transcription
- One for Daddy-O: A Cannonball Adderley Solo Transcription
- Shakin’ the Shack: A Dave Koz Alto Sax Solo Transcription, Part 1
- Cannonball Adderley Alto Sax Solo on “Hurricane Connie”
- Lynn’s Grins: A Charles McPherson Alto Sax Solo Transcription
- Sonny Stitt “Au Privave” Solo Transcription for Alto Sax
Articles and Technical Exercises
- Rhythm Changes: An Etude to Build Jazz Technique
- Getting the Feel of a Key
- Jazz Improvisation: Some Assembly Required
- A Universal Chromatic Lick
- Diminished Whole-Tone Lick around the Cycle of Fifths
- How to Play Chord Changes: Melodicism Versus Change-Running
- How to Solo on “Confirmation”: Guide Tones
- Practicing “Giant Steps”: Static and Chord Tone Sequences
- Practicing “Giant Steps”: Isolating Dominant Sevenths
- How to Flutter Tongue on the Saxophone
- Technique-Builder: Intervals within a Perfect Fifth
- Fourth Patterns with Altered Dominants
- Fourth Patterns: Three Exercises to Build Your Technique
- “Round About” Jazz Etude for Bb and C Instruments
- A Jazz Etude Based on the Jamey Aebersold Tune “Round About”
- Altered Dominant with Pentatonic b6 Scale
- Diminished Whole Tone Scale Exercise with Pentatonic
- The Augmented Scale: A New Pattern to Whet Your Fingers On
- Altered Major Scales for Secondary Dominant Chords
- Pentatonic Scales by Major Third
- Double-Time Solos: Tips on Playing Fast
- Pentatonic Pattern in Mode Four
- A Diminished Whole Tone Lick
- Angularity Exercises
- A Table of Non-Diatonic Tones and Their Common Uses
- Voice Leading for the Giant Steps Cycle
- Half a Step Away from Right
- How to Growl on the Saxophone
- Chromatic Exercises: Descending and Ascending Lines Against Static Tones
- Patterns on Diatonic Fourths
- How to Use the Flat Sixth of the Major Bebop Scale
- An Easy Way to Use the Augmented Scale in Major Keys
- A Charlie Parker Lick Around the Cycle of Fifths
- Dominant Seven Flat Nine Exercise on the Cycle of Fifths
- Sixth Interval Exercises for Jazz Improvisation
- Sweeten Your Sax Solos with Sixths
- How to Practice the Saxophone: Four Key Principles That Can Help You Advance
- Ghosted Notes on the Saxophone
- Chromatic Couplets: Another Way of Unlocking Diminished and Augmented Scales
- Augmented Scale Triad Patterns
- Double-Tonguing on the Saxophone
- A Favorite Augmented Scale Lick
- A Lydian Flat Seven Workout
- Exploring the Lydian Flat Seven Sound
- “Giant Steps” Licks and Patterns
- Using the Augmented Scale with “Giant Steps”
- Diminished Lick for Cycle of Dominants
- How to Master Circular Breathing on the Saxophone
- The Augmented Scale
- Using Angularity in Jazz Improv
- “Will I Ever Become a Good Jazz Improviser?”
- I Hope You Don’t Mind if I Repeat Myself
- Using Sequence in Jazz Solos: Some Exercises
- Using Substitute Dominants
- Bracketing: Changing Tones for Jazz Musicians
- Bracketing: Some Chromatic Exercises
- Phrygian Dominant Licks: Capturing the Essence of Minor Bebop
- Triad Couplets for Jazz Improv: Two Written Exercises
- Putting It Together
- Saxual Development: Growing as a Player
- Why I Love Playing “Rhythm” Changes
- Jazz Contrafacts
