111 JAZZ VIOLIN mini-tutorials !
THE HISTORY of my JAZZ VIOLIN MINI-TUTOS
In recent years, during the jazz violin workshops that I have been able to give, or during the individual lessons or group lessons that I have given on internet, I have had two recurring requests from the students:
1) ready-made jazz violin licks that can be practiced on and declined in all keys.
2) jazz violin scores, to have a visual support for practicing.
This is why I decided to create my 111 mini-tutorials, to respond to the first request. In the summer of 2020 I started an Instagram video project: 111 videos where I play ready-made licks.
After posting them one after the other on Facebook and Instagram, I grouped them on Youtube into 20 different themes ! Only then, I decided to create the scores for these mini-tutorials, in response to this request which was repeated on social networks when the videos were published! And today, I finally released the sheet music!
How did I practice Improvisation ?
In learning jazz violin, I transcribed a lot of solos: saxophone, piano, violin of course, and many other instruments! First of all, I learned entire solos by ear, and then I selected small licks that I liked in these solos. I worked on these in all keys and modified them in all directions. And at the end, that’s what helped me create my personal language … but it takes a long time! Years of work!
The mini-tutorials are a valuable shortcut.
I improvised these mini-tutorials, then I had to transcribe them to create this collection of scores! I hope you will enjoy it, with or without the sheet music, because it will really help you by being a big time saver!
You will be able to find all these mini-tutorials below, as well as on this youtube playlist:
Do you want to receive the scores of the 111 mini-tutorials ?
1.Minor Swing and A minor licks
5 licks in A minor, among them the melody of Minor Swing and the beginning of Stéphane Grappelli’s solo.
2.Coquette and D major licks
7 mini-tutorials of licks of Coquette’s melody, and licks and improvisations in D major!
3.Swing exercises with continuous detache bow strokes and ghost notes
5 mini-tutorials where I show rhythmic exercises to practice swing, with the technique of continuous detache bow strokes and ghost notes.
4.Mr PC, C minor blues
8 mini-tutorials with the melody’s licks, then the entire melody, scales that work on this blues. Finally, I will improvise on the structure of this blues with the scales that I showed you.
5. Jazz ballads on the violin
Licks coming from famous jazz ballads, with a close-up on my left hand, so as to observe the ornaments and the vibrato. On the program: Nuages, Somewhere over the rainbow, Misty, In a sentimental mood, and Body and soul !
6. Now’s the time (Charlie Parker)
4 mini-tutos où vous apprendrez chaque phrase du thème du blues “Now’s the time” de Charlie Parker. Je jouerai aussi le thème en entier avec le métronome : vous pourrez essayer de le jouer avec moi!
7.Exercices on the F blues scale
5 mini-tutorials with exercises around the blues in F : 3 licks on the blues scale, a tutorial with the pentatonic scale of F minor and its improvisation, and finally a tutorial with the blues scale of F and its improvisation.
8. G major licks
6 G major licks, including the first lick from the melody of “I can’t give you anything but love”. At the end you will find the G major pentatonic scale, with a swing improvisation on this scale.
9.SWING 48 + G minor scales and improvisations
The melody of SWING 48, a minor blues by Django Reinhardt, then the scales that are suitable for improvising on the whole structure of the blues! After each scale that I show you, I give you an example of improvisation on this scale.
10.G minor jazz licks
5 G minor licks that you can use on G minor songs ! For example, you can play them on SWING 48, the G MINOR BLUES in the video before this one.
11. C major licks
3 jazz violin licks in C MAJOR, then the pentatonic scale of C MAJOR + E FLAT (BLUE NOTE), with an improvisation where I use this scale.
12. II-V-I en do majeur
7 licks you can play on the jazz II-V-I cadence in C major ! All these licks can then be transposed to use them on II-V-I in other keys. In some licks, I use the diminished scale and altered scale.
13.Vocals and violin
4 licks on the blues scale that I sing and play on the violin simultaneously, then I sing the modes from the major scale improvising in each mode with a G fundamental on the violin. And to finish, I improvise with the voice on a series of chords while playing the bass on the violin.
14.Chops on the violin with my original tune “SOUFFLE”
The whole melody of my original tune “SOUFFLE”. I sing the melody, comping myself with a special percussive technique called CHOPS!
15.Medium swing licks in a loop
I repeat each lick ten times for 30 seconds, so you can repeat them with me …
16.Latin jazz licks + “The girl from Ipanema”
2 LATIN JAZZ riffs, as well as the first two lines of the melody of GIRL FROM IPANEMA! I use ghost notes a lot in the Latin style, as you can experience.
17. One note samba (Tom Jobim)
The entire melody of ONE NOTE SAMBA, by Tom Jobim. I chose this very rhythmic standard because it’s a great opportunity to practice the ghost notes! Indeed, the use of ghost notes will allow you to be more rhythmically in time, but also to have a more subtle jazz sound which will suit perfectly in this style.
18.Fast swing licks in a loop
The first will be in A minor, the second in C major, and then you will have 3 licks played in different keys, keeping exactly the same fingering!
19.Licks with chromaticisms
5 licks with chromatic approach notes in C major and C minor!
20.Jazz ballad licks
4 jazz ballad licks that I play in a loop