Grace asked:


Hi everyone
Tonight, i played with one of the Best Jazz Bands in my city..
Im only an alternate though, and i dont feel very important haha.
im 14 and play alto and tenor saxophone.
Im the only girl in the band.
The sax section is full, so im just an extra piece.
How can i show the director that i am capable of being in the band? i sight-read every single piece of music we played tonight, and i managed and got a lot of compliments.

am i still considered part of the band even though my label is “alternate”? Im the only alternate in the band. Meaning no other instrument has an alternate.

sight reading music

poojalooba_cow asked:


I’m attending the “Fifth Annual Snow College/Juilliard Jazz Workshop” on July 6-11. Juilliard jazz faculty like Carl Allen and Ben Wolfe come down to Snow College for a week and teach kids about jazz and it’s awesome. Part of the process is splitting off into combos to practice and play songs with during the week, and to put you in combos you go through a “soft audition” at the beginning of the workshop where you play some jazz stuff like scales and basic twelve-bar stuff and based on your skill, you’re placed in a combo with players of your skill. The official guidelines say:

More advanced players should be prepared to play:
-A 12 bar blues in B flat, C minor, F and E flat (various tempos, melody and solo). This should be a jazz standard (i.e. Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, etc.)
-Major and minor scales
-Up tempo standard (of their choice)
-Sight reading

I play piano, and I’ve got all of those twelve-bar blues forms down and all the scales and I’m a decent sight reader. The only problem is, I’m having a really hard time finding two songs to play (a “twelve-bar jazz standard” and an “up tempo standard”). I’ve looked at stuff like Boogie a la King by Nat King Cole and 18th Street Stomp by Fats Waller and other stuff but I can’t find sheet music anywhere, and with only a month I’d rather not sit down and transcribe these songs by ear (I could do it if I absolutely had to, though). I also have a book of “Jump Swing” songs but they’re kind of lame and watered-down with lame piano-bass lines or weird boogie riffs that don’t fit the bill, but I could maybe also turn to one of those in a pinch. I’ve also got a fake book full of jazz standards that I could turn to if I had to.

I’m asking if anybody has any suggestions on good solo-piano jazz pieces that fit the requirements (twelve-bar standard, up-tempo standard), sound good and are fun to play and relatively easy without sounding lame (difficulty is not an issue normally, but I only have a month). Can anyone help me out here?

sight reading music

Rachael B asked:


I have been playing bass guitar for 2 years now, but I still can get better. I am in a school jazz ensemble, any techniques to help me at all? I can read music (bass clef), but have trouble sight-reading, especially when I get nervous.

Any tips would be nice. Thanks!

sight reading music

Birra spanish castle magic asked:


Basically I play bass & i take lessons, my bass teacher has his degree in something to do with jazz & performing arts (ie he knows what the f*ck he is doing) i know how important theory is & from the small bits i’ve learnt off of him it has really helped to improve my understanding of the structure of music.
I’m not wanting to know how to sight-read but more understand how to ehh utilise theory in my playing as in being able to recognise why X bassline sounds good & how i can manipulate the theory i know to play a different bass-line that still works to the same song etc
i’m well aware of the high standard Jazz musicians have in theory (hence why i’m asking fans/players in jazz here)

Is it possible to use books as a main resource to picking this theory up or would a mix of both teacher/books & other musicians knowledge be better?

Sight Reading Music

TBN asked:


Hey everyone! I’ve been playing saxaphone for around 5 years? WELL! I’m currently at the level where I can sight read most of Charlie Parker’s music at a decent tempo, with the correct rhythm and whatnot. I’ve been wanting to pick up tenor for a while since the sound seems so much better (atleast for me). My band director doesn’t want me switching, she said that she’d rather me stay an alto and play the “melodic” or something XD ‘scuse my poor music terms.

SO. I should be able to pick it up rather quick since apparently the fingering is very similar?
But my question is, would I be able to get air into it? I have nice sound and tone for alto, but I’m 5’1, and rather skinny. I’m afraid if I try to play it, it’ll squeak, or just… not come out. How much of a difference is it? Thank you!

How to Read Music for Beginners