LESSONS
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Funk Improvisation Series 2- Lesson 1
Funk Improvisation Series 2 kicks off with James picking up where Series 1 ended. The first area of focus is 'call and response,' and some great tips from James that will help you incorporate this technique into your solo sax playing and improvisations. As well as showing you his own ideas, James also points you in the direction of some other great sax players who you can learn from. This lesson is a great introduction to the series and will give you some excellent ideas for adding to your solos and making yourself a better sax player.
Funk Improvisation Series 2- Lesson 2
Lesson 2 moves onto looking at the major pentatonic scale in A and D. James takes you through all of the notes you need to know that will make you a better solo funk sax player, with some great technical information included so you understand exactly what you're playing, which is particularly useful if you're new to the instrument. James also shares a number of short phrases with you that you can steal or put your own interpretation on, both to play the solo featured at the start of the lesson or to come up with your own compositions.
Funk Improvisation Series 2- Lesson 3
In lesson 3 James shares the best way to combine phrases using both the major and minor pentatonic scales, and how to create the most effective and distinct sounds by doing so. This is a great technique for defining the mood of your music, and will enable you to improvise a range of funk sounds within the same solo. What you learn in this lesson is excellent whether you're a reasonably 'safe' sax player or you're more daring and love experimenting with a range of notes and sounds within your funk improvisation.
Funk Improvisation Series 2- Lesson 4
In lesson 4, James looks at how you can use arpeggio techniques rather than traditional scales to bring variety and definition to your funk improvisations. The lesson focuses solely on putting additional skills into your sax toolkit, so whether you're playing alone or with a band you always have something you can turn to in order to lift a piece of music to another level or make it stand out more. James also shows you how to use triads as an added technique within your music, meaning you'll be able to play the solo featured at the start of the lesson by the end of it, or have the confidence in what you know to go away and come up with your own phrases.
Funk Improvisation Series 2- Lesson 5
Lesson 5 looks at how you can build up your phrases and solos, enabling you to compose your own piece of music starting from nothing. As well as the technical aspect of playing this conceptual technique, this lesson will enable funk sax players to train themselves to actively think about and listen to what they're playing, meaning you'll be confident at improvising and building sounds in a gig or studio situation. This lesson with James will leave you in a great position to go away, explore your sax and start to build your own musical identity.
Funk Improvisation Series 2- Lesson 6
In lesson 6 of Funk Improvisation Series 2, James takes you through all of the ideas you have explored in the previous 5 lessons. James plays along to the series backing track, speaking over parts of it to give you direction and help you to play everything you've learned in time with the music. This lesson is a fun and interactive end to a great series, and will bring together all of the funk improvisation techniques and help to enhance your confidence and potential when it comes to playing the sax.
Funk Improvisation Series 2- Tone & Gear
In this Tone & Gear video guide, James takes you through some great ideas for finding the best instruments and equipment for you, while also sharing what he uses and the reasons he prefers certain products. Although the emphasis is on finding the best equipment for you, James will give you some pointers as to the best brands out there you might want to consider. James also shows you how he sets up his instrument, and although it is again down to personal preference, if you're looking for some ideas from a pro sax player, this is a great resource to take advantage of.
Funk Improvisation Series 2- Backing/Jam Track
This is the backing track for Funk Improvisation Series 2, devised by James himself to help you get more out of the series. This track is used throughout lesson 6 as you practice all of the techniques James has taught throughout the series, but it's also a great accompaniment to the other lessons as you look to master your timing. If you're practicing alone, this track is also brilliant for simulating having a band playing alongside you, meaning you'll already have some idea of what the experience will be like if you join a band or start playing in a group situation for the first time.
