Michael Brecker on what he practiced, how he practiced and who he listened to for inspiration.

I put up a few pages of Brecker Licks that I have worked on over the years. There on my blog page on my website. I didn't include how to use these but many of them are chromatic patterns, licks over minor tonalities or 3 tonic system kind of approaches. I usually give these to my more advanced students. Aug 31, 2015 One trap that many players fall into as they progress as improvisers is relying on the licks they’ve learned for familiar progressions. A lick for major chords, a lick for minor chords, a blues lick, a diminished lick Slowly but surely every solo begins to sound the same. But what if you took a different approach?

Noteables…

• Make up your own exercises.
• Avoid writing (reading) exercises in all keys. Instead, jot down the idea and manipulate it mentally. It’s important to develop the skill of moving things around in your mind, not relying on wrote repetition of things you’ve practiced reading in all keys. We’re in the midst of an in-depth 12-week course on Visual Technique for Improvisation that’s all about this skill.
• Gary Campbell’s Expansions is an ass-kicker and a good template for this technique.
• Work on something diligently. Then leave it alone for awhile. Come back to it in a few weeks or months.

Welcome to the Lick of The Month! This week we learn a line from one of the greatest jazz musicians that has ever lived, Michael Brecker. This lick is from his solo over the classic tune, Song For My Father. Brecker, in his classic style, doesn’t stay inside the key of the chord he’s playing over. This one short lick is like a masterclass on how to use tri-tone substitutions.

Michael Brecker Bio

If you aren’t quite ready for substitutions yet, don’t worry! File this episode under work to be done when you feel ready. I would guess that most of you will be able to grasp what Michael is doing even if you aren’t quite ready to put it into your own solos yet. The PDF is very important on this one so make sure to download it and be looking at it while listening to the episode.

Michael Brecker My Ship

I’m also including an exercise that can help you get into the tri-tone sound that is a little bit less complicated than what Brecker is playing. This will get the sound into your ears and give you a little facility before trying to do too much with it. I hope you enjoy this Lick Of The Month and find it useful!

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