The Backwater Blues – How to fill out a melody
Learn The Backwater Blues on any instrument, and then learn how to fill out the melody to make it your own.
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Playing the Blues – Rhythm
A deep dive to unlock your blues rhythm mojo….
Using kids song’s to practice improvisation
Using kid’s songs to practive improvisation By Mattie O’Boyle If you are just starting out in improvisation, I recommend playing easy, kid’s songs. Since they won’t challenge you technically on your instrument, you’ll really be able to focus on your phrasing and breathing life into the tune. And, hopefully, you’ll find that any tune that … Read more
Improvisation techniques: Mixing styles to create your personal sound (change the rhythm)
Mixing styles to create your own personal sound By Mattie O’Boyle Today we are going to add another improvisation technique that can help you express yourself; again by drawing on your own musical biography. We are going to focus on taking the rhythm form one musical style and apply it to another style. In this … Read more
Improvisation techniques: Mixing styles to create your personal sound
Mixing styles to create your own personal sound By Mattie O’Boyle Today we are going to dive deeper into an improvisation technique that can help you express yourself; drawing on your own musical biography. I’ll be using a blues palette of sound as well as a country palette, but you can apply whatever sounds interest … Read more
Add movement to your music with a leading tone
Add movement to your music using leading tones By Mattie O’Boyle In this week’s blog, we are going to check out a cool way to add movement to your music. We are going to use the note right below the root note of each chord in order to help the music flow from one chord … Read more
5 Ways To Use A Metronome To Go Further, Faster
5 Ways To Use The Metronome By Mattie O’Boyle Ready to up your rhythm game? Here are five ways to use a metronome to improve your sense of timing and rhythm. The first is the traditional, play on the beat. Make sure that each note coincides directly with a click of the metronome. The second … Read more
Breaking Into Chromatic Ear Training
Breaking Into Chromatic Ear Training With The Arpeggio App By Mattie O’Boyle An important step in ear training is to distinguish between notes that right next to each other. The musical term for these notes are chromatic notes. Once you can work with notes that are separated by two or more steps, than you can … Read more
Playing Bass Notes And Chords In The Melody App
Get Groovin’: Playing Bass Notes And Chords In The Melody App By Mattie O’Boyle In this week’s blog, we are going to check out a cool, easy way to practice adding bass notes into your chord playing. Playing bass lines and melodies in the bass really beefs up your chords and adds a layer of … Read more
Mix it up – Moving into syncopation
Mixing it up: Playing On The Beat And Off The Beat By Mattie O’Boyle A cool way to ease into syncopation In this week’s blog, we are going to explore a quick way to practice hearing, feeling and playing musical phrases that fall both on the beat and off the beat. This is the doorway … Read more
