Category: Education

Do as I do, not as I say…Phil Dwyer

A lot of times when I’m teaching I find myself expounding on things which don’t necessarily reflect how I approach music or my general philosophy. An example would be teaching someone scale theory, or modes (although I rarely mention the … Read More

Some transcription examples…

After that excellent series by Pat MacGibbon on lifting solos, we thought it would be good to show some examples of well done transcriptions. Montreal saxophonist/composer and educator Remi Bolduc is legendary for his transcribing. You can find many of … Read More

How to lift solos (and actually learn something) part 3

In two recent posts entitled “How to lift solos (and actually learn something), part 1” and “How to lift solos (and actually learn something), part 2”, I introduced the idea of different levels of thinking. Here’s … Read More

How to lift solos (and actually learn something), part 2

How to lift solos (and actually learn something), part 2

In a recent post entitled “How to lift solos (and actually learn something), part 1”, I introduced the idea of different levels of thinking. Here’s a quick recap in case … Read More

How to lift solos (and actually learn something), part 1

“Emulate, assimilate, and innovate.” -Clark Terry

WHEN I first started learning solos by ear, I assumed that if I simply played along with the original recordings often enough, I somehow would absorb everything that I needed to know and just … Read More

Focus your listening regimen with “Listening Ladders”

While I was attending Toronto’s Humber College, I had a private lesson with saxophonist Branford Marsalis while he was in town for a pair of concerts with his iconic quartet. In preparation for the lesson, he told me to transcribe … Read More