Music Lessons in Burbank CA | Los Angeles Music Teachers

To better understand what jazz improvisation is, it helps to think of it as spontaneous composition. The improvisor is composing on the spot without the benefit of writing it down and perfecting it. So a good improvisor must practice his craft daily and spend time playing through all the various scales and exercises that it takes to master the language. There’s a lot of likeness to language and speech. When a speaker gives a speech based on a written (composed) script he can improvise around it a bit but it’s generally composed. When a speaker knows his subject but has no actual idea of what he’s going to say, then he is truly improvising, and this is essentially what a great jazz improvisor does. He has a song that he’s going to play, he knows the melody and chord changes and he improvises around that basic melody and chord structure, never knowing exactly what’s going to come out.

Jazz Improvisation’s origin can be traced back to the black slaves in the south, singing the blues in the fields. By the 1930’s, it was being performed by North Americans in cities such as Kansas City, Saint Louis, and Chicago. Becoming a professional jazz musician can take quite a long time. Learning this particular genre of music can seem very frightening and difficult for beginners. There’s so much theory and technique to be mastered before one can be fluent int the language. Another important part of a jazz improvisor's development is that an individual will need to listen to other artists like Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong, Herbie Hancock, amongst others. These musicians are icons who paid their dues and were original and created new forms of playing on their respective instruments. As a result, they were highly influential in the development of jazz and created new styles that can help a young improvisor learn the language in the form of determination and steady practice. So, you too must be ready to work hard and be disciplined. It is practically impossible for one to begin to play an instrument without some form of instruction and practice. Arpeggios, scales and chord progressions - amongst others - must be learned and mastered in order to be a masterful jazz improvisor.

You must be ready to face certain difficulties when playing the saxophone, clarinet and the flute at the beginning. These instruments are a few of the main instruments involved in jazz and to play and become a pro you will need to spend a lot of hours practicing the tone production and technique. In order to master these instruments and perform with them, professional instruction can really help speed up the process.

Looking for lessons from the best jazz sax improvisation teacher in Burbank? No one does it better than Rick Rossi. Rick Rossi has grown to become a brand in jazz music. He carries his students along in his class with the systematic teaching methods he adopts. Right from the start, he simplifies his approaches, making jazz improvisation lessons easier to learn. Rick will teach you the rudiments of improvisation and how it can occur between different melodies. Rick Rossi is a name to trust in the world of music – his saxophone solos won multiple Grammy nominations; this is a rare feat among jazz music tutors. He is practically a master of all aspects of music, including music production. He got his outstanding musical skills from several renowned teachers, most notably Joe Viola (Berklee School of music) and Joe Allard (Manhattan School of Music), both master saxophone and woodwind players and amazing teachers. Just read his student reviews. If you want to take a lesson with the best jazz improvisation teacher in Burbank, just call Rick today and he will be glad to help you.

For more information about Rick Rossi, kindly call (818) 902-1233. A staff member will discuss your needs with you and give you the necessary guidelines.

If you want a system of improvisation that takes all the mystery and puts you on a fast track to becoming a great improvisor, call Rick and schedule your first lesson. Here is your chance to acquire knowledge from the best in town.

Getting started with violin classes can feel so overwhelming for those starting out - we have all been there. A violinist needs to engage in regular practice for years before they feel confident and fulfilled with their sound, intonation and shifting. Then comes high positions, vibrato and bow strokes, etc. As a beginner, you have to give extra attention on, and build solidly on the basics. This will help you seamlessly advance on your skills; saving you the stress and frustration of re-learning all the fundamentals again.

When it comes to posture, I am picky with my beginner students in Burbank and Los Angeles. I insist that both hands are correctly placed. Emphasis is also laid on standing straight, reducing any form of tension. Arm levels is another aspect I ensure they always get right. When playing on the strings, there is a standard positioning level for both hands. When the left arm is not placed at the correct level, students will feel frustrated with their results. You will also not get accurate intonation with an awkward positioning. Your right arm will most likely hit other strings, producing an undesirable sound if wrongly placed.

To help my Burbank and Los Angeles beginner violin students build muscle – training their fingers on where to go – I normally place tapes on the fingerboard. Then, we take it a step further. We practice in front of a mirror – the idea is to ensure students can watch themselves play and monitor the movement of the bow. This will help them maintain a parallel position between the bridge and fingerboard.  Playing too close to either side will produce awful sounds.

Does the whole concept of learning the violin seem daunting? Relax. We all had that feeling. However, with proper devotion and a seasoned tutor to take you through the process step by step, you will notice great improvement within a relatively short time. Follow me closely, and you will soon experience a quicker and much easier path to becoming a pro; not just in violin, but as a musician.

For more questions or inquiries contact Los Angeles Music Teachers at (818) 209-2620