Johnny’s Major Scale course inquiry, great for this song?

[Michael]

Hey guys,
Are there any members here on Johnny’s site who have completed Johnny’s Major scale course? If all continues to hold up well for me, I’ll be starting this course in about 1 month–I’m very excited 🙂 I’ve looked at the course in it’s entirety–really powerful stuff. I’ve been so focused on the Blues (and that’s never going to change) for the past 2 years and it will be really cool to start learning a different style of Improvising and be able it to add it to my playing/improvising. I love Improvising so much because of being able to express sounds/Rhythms in my head–very different than just memorizing songs. In looking at what Johnny teaches in this course, the song below is one of the first songs that came to my mind that I’ll be able to apply his lessons to…I think this would make a Killing Saxophone cover using the lessons from the Major Scale course…except my Sax cover won’t be over 9 min. long LOL I found a great backing track for this song, check out the link below.
@ Johnny: Even though “Mister Magic” is in a minor key, I could still take the same principles from your Major Scale course and apply it to a song like this that’s in a minor key, couldn’t I?

Mister Magic – for Melody Instruments

[john]

Michael, a really great tune there and one I’ve played with my band many times!
this tune only uses the 1 and 4 for the vamps and then hitting the 5 on the ending shots.
so, we can play the basic blues or minor pentatonic all the way.

[Mel]

I really enjoyed this one. It would have been great to see Johnny performing this one!

[Michael]

@ Mel–I completely agree with you there…for sure 🙂 I mean, Johnny’s killing Sax tone–you take that along with such a super-groovy tune like Mister Magic and….:) I imagine Johnny and his band really turned some heads with that one. At some point in time, it would be cool to see him release a Sax cover for Mister Magic…I would much rather buy the backing track from Johnny too 🙂
@ Johnny: What made me think of Mister Magic when I thought about your Major Scale course was back in April, I had just finished learning all of “Just the Two of Us’ by Bill Withers, including the famous solo with Grover Washington on Tenor. The only thing is I learned that Mister Magic is in a minor key and not a Major key LOL I thought about the Blues Scale and minor Pentatonic Scale like you mention for sure, but was curious if I could also throw in some licks/riffs based from Modes in a minor key too. I guess another way of asking is the lessons/techniques that I’m going to learn in your Major Scale course, can those lessons/techniques also apply in a minor scale? My Instructor was holding off on teaching me about how to use modes in a Major Scale/Jazz Improvisation until I’m back to 100%…that’s where we were at in our lessons together before everything happened to me. He always talked about the Modes with Major Scales, but never talked about them with minor scales. I never got around to asking him about Modes/minor scales.

[john]

People have different ways of approaching modes, especially in jazz.
the theory can get so complicated sometimes that it may take you years to be compatable with it.
my approach in the Major Improv course is straight and simple and works for most tunes you’ll play.
I encourage you to take my course and see your instructor’s take on the subject and compare notes.
if his is like mine great, if not then you have the luxury of learning more than on way of looking at it.

[Michael]

very cool Johnny 🙂 I spoke to my Instructor late yesterday, seems like you’re right on the money with what you’re telling me here. What he told me is that he doesn’t teach very complicated Jazz Improvising, not because he doesn’t know the stuff (better believe he does), but mostly because people just want you to sound good and that’s the bottom line. He knows lots of Sax players who, he says, are too focused on the ‘theory’ and not focused enough on just playing and sounding good….sounds like he’s being really practical about it. We’re starting where I left off–with Bebop Scales/playing—it’s just a Major/minor scale with 1 chromatic pitch added, but which pitch you raise depends on the chord we’re working within the scale itself.He said it works great because lots of older songs, jazz songs, etc. are in 4/4 time and an 8-pitched Bebop Scale is perfect for 4/4 time…lots of 8th notes. I had never heard of the following story, but he was saying back in the 1940’s kids were going crazy over this kind of playing and it had lots of parent worried too, they used to call Bebop “The Devil’s Music” 🙂 He said most of the Bebop thing is mostly playing with ‘an attitude’….I’m looking forward to it 🙂 Back before everything happened I was given an assignment to work with Van Morrison’s “Moondance” but with my own Improvising–he made it clear that he’s still holding me to it LOL
For anyone reading this post: the man whose working with me is NOT saying that learning the modes, chords, chord progressions, various scales, etc. isn’t important to learn–better believe this stuff is important, we can’t learn to Improvise without knowing this stuff inside-and-out. But what he’s telling me is that he’s seen Sax players who end up becoming more of a music theorist v.s. a Sax player….that’s what we tells us to avoid.

[Anonymous]

Hi Michael, I don’t know how long you practice on the sax for, but after a couple of hours I have to think about taking a break. Regarding the theory, it’s not an ‘Either Or’ situation the more we read and study music, the more familiar it becomes. Having different views and teaching methods, allows one to better grasp the principles being taught. The beauty of learning theory and the history of music trends etc. is that it can be done even when we are physically tired. Johnny’s course is a valuable insight into the practical side of playing acquired from years of experience. Learning the theory is a much better alternative to watching the rubbish on TV. I’m looking forward to your future uploads, it sounds like you have learned quite a bit. Cheers

[Anonymous]

Have you seen these two Michael Brecker interviews? I’ve just ordered a few John Coltrane CD’s for study, as he clearly made a big impression on Michael.

[Michael]

@ Jeff–you’re right on the money for sure…I’m not a fan of watching TV, would much rather go hiking and fishing…but my son works at a local movie theater, so I do get my fair share of free movies, free food, etc. LOL We’re all planning a fun family night for the release of Wars ‘Rogue One’ 🙂
Like Johnny says above, people have different approaches…and it’s ALL good because it’s all played on the Saxophone 🙂 The only thing I’m not a fan of is the kind of Jazz playing where we hear guys going absolutely ‘mental’ and there’s nothing melodic/rhythmic about it, do you know what I mean? But I love songs like Johnny’s new release of Moon River, the Pink Panther, Moon Dance, etc.. That’s the kind of Jazz that is cool to hear and play….but it still doesn’t ‘click’ with me like the Blues does….the Blues is what really gets me going 🙂 And yes, I’m almost back to normal. My doctor said it would be October, looks to be right on the spot. I was cleared to do some practicing/weekly lessons and I started those on Aug 1st, but have been limited in things I can do until I was fully recovered. Until I get my medical clearance, my weekly lessons have been about just the good ole’ basics—and you would be amazed how much those things help! 🙂 Johnny’s exercise of “Ehh-Ahh” has been really great for Oral Cavity recovery. If you practice it below, you’ll see what I mean. I have 4 therapy sessions left, it would be only 3 left but my doctor called in sick this week. Having realistic goals, I’m looking to do my first upload on the holiday weekend in November. If I can do it sooner I will. If I can keep on my steady pace, my goal is to be back playing with the Blues Society in January after the 2 week break—we always took 2 weeks off to be with family for the Christmas break. I have so, so missed playing with those guys! They told me they’ve missed hearing the Saxophone too, pretty cool 🙂

[Anonymous]

Hi Michael. I practiced me eee-aah’s the morning without the sax. I didn’t have my glasses on, whilst talking to Beverly and cutting a bread roll, I also cut the top of my thumb! Fortunately it wasn’t deep and just broke the skin of my octave key manipulator, but it did make my voice jump a whole octave.

I’m also not too fond of the technical free-jazz, I much prefer a tune with some structure.

[Author]

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