LJS 142: Creating Melodic Jazz Solos and the Art of Not Thinking (Coaching Call with Dan Sich)

Welcome to episode 142 of the LJS Podcast where today we are sitting in on a coaching call with 30 Steps to Better Jazz Playing student, Dan Sich. Dan asks how he can better outline chord tones, guide tones and other techniques without losing focus and getting off track. Brent gives out some exercises that take things in a slightly different direction. Listen in!
Listen to episode 142







Today's episode is a coaching call with a 30 Steps to Better Jazz Playing student, Dan Sich. Dan is a guitar player and we have a great conversation about his playing and some things to try in the practice room.
Sometimes the things we need to help us improve aren't more of the same thing, but a different angle.
That was the direction I went in when Dan asked how he could better outline chord tones, guide tones, and enclosures in his jazz solos without getting distracted and relying on things his fingers are used to playing.
Ultimately, Dan wants to be able to hear the chord changes come out in his jazz solos better. He's been working on the techniques that can help him get those sounds in his ear, but now he needs to exercise his ear and put some of the theory on the backburner.
We go over a few different exercises that will help start training his brain to think more freely while improvising and focus on creating melodies.
We also discuss a composing exercise that will help him use his ear and help him incorporate some of the techniques he's learned into his lines.
Here are some of the things we talk about:

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Dan and his journey as a jazz musician.

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A playing "free" exercise to help focus on only creating melodies.

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A composing exercise over ii-V-I chord progressions.

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Dan's tips for other jazz students and what's been working for him.


I really appreciate Dan for being vulnerable and doing some playing on the show. He had no idea what I was going to ask him to play and he rocked it!
I would encourage you to consider some of the exercises I went over in this episode. Knowing theory and conceptualizing jazz language is important, but what we do with it to make it musical is what matters most.
Important Links
30 Steps to Better Jazz Playing
Patterns for Jazz (suggested book)
Visual Improvisation for Jazz Guitar (suggested book)