General - About the Jazclass Courses

The Jazclass Courses are suitable for both PC and Macintosh computers. You can either download them directly online, or receive them by Airmail postage on a CD.

PC users will download the course(s) in the form of a password protected self extracting ".exe" file.   Simply download the file, click on it, enter the password, and the Course unfolds onto your computer.

Mac users will download the course(s) in the form of a password protected self extracting ".sea" file.   Simply download the file and open it using Stuffit Expander.

All Courses are in web style format and feature the same layout, appearance and approach as the Jazclass lessons online. All courses include midi files for Audio demos and play-along tracks, and sheet music for exercises and songs for all instruments. All lessons are displayed on a white background for best printout results.

JAZCLASS COURSES are available in six distinct packages :

1. Piano Technique : 10 lessons (AU$30)
   Also includes complimentary copies of the Rhythm Class, Learn to read Music and In Focus
   
   
2. Saxophone Tone & Technique : 10 lessons (AU$30)
   Also includes complimentary copies of the Rhythm Class, Learn to read Music and In Focus
   
   
3. Blues Basics: 12 lessons ( AU$20)
   Also includes complimentary copies of the Rhythm Class, Learn to read Music and In Focus
   
   
4. Improvisation 1 : 12 lessons (AU$20)
   Also includes complimentary copies of the Rhythm Class, Jazz Theory and In Focus
   
   
5. Improvisation 2 : 20 lessons (AU$20)
   Also includes complimentary copies of the Rhythm Class, Jazz Theory and In Focus
   
   
6. Jazclass COMPLETE (AU$60) = a composite of all courses listed under 1-5 above.

Package 1 - Piano Technique

The single most important aspect of learning to play the piano is developing the correct finger technique through strengthening and use of the interrossei muscles located entirely within the palm of the hand.

This will :
1- produce a superior crystal clear, focused, resonant tone on the acoustic piano,

2 - enable cleanly articulated even flowing passages at any speed,

3 - avoid muscle pains, carpal channel inflammation and repetitive strain injury.

The Piano Technique consists of 10 lessons on a professional piano technique. It follows the methods of world acclaimed piano teachers (Yvonne Loriod and Germaine Mounier) at the School of Music and Conservatoire of Paris, based on the teachings by Franz Liszt.
This is where and how outstanding Jazz pianists like Jacques Loussier and Oscar Peterson developed their seemingly effortless fluency and crystal clear tone.

The Course includes an extensive Practice Folder (to print out) with 75 pages of scales, chords, etudes, essential exercises and songs for well organised, sustained progress.
Most importantly the Piano course explains and demonstrates (with audio demos) how each exercises should be practiced to produce real progress.

The Piano Technique package also includes complimentary copies of the Rhythm Class, In Focus and an extended version of the Learn to read Music course.

Package 2 - Saxophone Tone & Technique

The development of a good and unique individual tone on your instrument must be the number 1 priority of every saxophone student.

With regular practice every student will (sooner or later) be able to play lots of notes in rapid succession, but only those students who deliberately work on their tone will achieve the sound and character of unique individual musical artists in their own right.

This requires a physical adaptation of the human body to become a positive tone enhancing resonator, so that body and saxophone blend together into one single "instrument". This can only be achieved through specific tone exercises.

With the Saxophone Course you will gain the insight, method and exercises to reach this fundamental goal.

Beside essential tone exercises your will develop a proper embouchure, good articulation and a fluency based on economic professional fingerings for the various scales, arpeggios, etc. (Comments by former students of my course.)

The Saxophone Course consists of 10 lessons.   Here are some general details of the Saxophone Course.

1. The Course is suitable for adult players, from beginners to advanced.

2. The Course includes a Practice Folder (for printing out) with 50 pages of essential Exercises and Songs. This ensures a well structured approach of your study.

3. A Practice Schedule, Log book and Progress Chart are included to maximise productive practices.

4. The Course contains an extensive Subject Index, making it a valuable source of reference.

Package 3 - Blues Basics

The 12 bar blues is the ultimate musical vehicle for improvisation practice, and therefor an excellent starting point for the beginning student.
The Blues Basics course consists of 12 lessons in which you will learn to play the blues in the concert keys of G, C and F, using a variety of different approaches and practice selected scales and arpeggios in 6 keys.
Elements of phrasing and rhythm are also dealt with in a most enjoyable way.

1. The Blues Basics course is suitable for all instruments, and (like all other Jazclass courses) includes music notations for Bb-, Eb-, and Concert-key instruments of 20 Blues songs.

2. Each lesson includes a fun Quiz and prescribed exercises.

3. There are numerous midi files of Audio demos and play-alongs.

4. Each lesson also includes Swapping 2s and 4s : a great feature of the Blues Course.

5. For Keyboard players there is a large selection of comping patterns for accompaniment in small bands.

Package 4 - Improvisation 1 Course

The Improvisation 1 Course is a natural follow on from the Blues Basics course. It gently guides you through the more involved chord progressions of popular Jazz and Latin standards, and covers a variety of relevant scales and chords in all 12 keys.

But learning to improvise is not just learning all about chords, scales and chord progressions.
In the Jazclass Improvisation course you will also learn the skills of good note selection, effective articulation and interesting melodic phrasing (generally not covered in texts and courses from other improvisation teachers), essential to the development of a unique individual improvisation style.

The Improvisation course consists of 12 lessons. Each Lesson contains six elements :

1. Music Concept - like a chord progression, or chord/scale relationship important for improvisation.

2. New Song (with play-along midi) - which illustrates and applies that concept.

3. Improvisation - an aspect of tone selection or phrasing to practise in the song.

4. Swapping 2s and 4s : a great new feature of the Improvisation Course.

5. The Woodshed - routines for the practice of scales and chords in all keys.

6. A Quiz - with answers.

All songs are easy to play and improvise over, and will teach you to apply important principles learnt in each Lesson.   The course also includes standard and contemporary chord voicings for accompaniment of keyboard players.

The Improvisation 1 Course includes complimentary copies of the Rhythm Class, Jazz Theory and In Focus.

Package 5 - Improvisation 2 Course

The Improvisation 2 Course is focussed around 20 songs and is an ideal follow-on from the Improvisation 1 Course.
Each song introduces new concepts and new ideas to increase the creativity and interest of your improvised solos. Each lessons also includes a woodsheddding exercise of one music element (scales, chords, etc.) in all 12 keys.

The Improvisation 2 Course includes complimentary copies of the Rhythm Class, Jazz Theory and In Focus.