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Approach Notes Add digital copy to cart - $49.99 Status: In stock, Digital book is available for immediate access.

Approach Notes! Muse Eek's Best Selling Book of all Times!

Within 24 hours of its release in June of 2018 "Approach Notes" became the best selling book by Muse Eek Publishing. This important composition and improvisation concept has been hidden for so many years. Great teachers like Jerry Bergonzi and Charlie Banacos taught this information as far back as the mid-20th century but no one ever made this important concept into a book. This is due partially to the task of covering such a huge subject. The download of this course is 12 gigs with thousands of exercises, études and 35 minutes of videos. But the main book is 97 pages which explains the main concepts then you can branch off to the exercises, études or videos. Personally, approach notes is the most important technique I every learned about composition and improvisation. So even if you are currently working on another task. Read this book! It will explain 80% of all those melodies that you just didn't understand from Bach to Modern Jazz. Then as you dig into the course, it will revolutionize your musicianship. A must own course! Both a treble clef and bass clef version are included with this download.

Approach Notes

If someone was to ask me what are the most important techniques have you have learned about music in your life. I would say, ear training, approach notes, pitch class set improvisation, being sensitive to other musicians when I play with them and knowing when to use silence. If you are a guitarist we also highly recommend that you also work with the Guitar Technique and Physiology Course so that you learn Approach Notes with the proper technique.  There are videos showing the exact technique to use with this "Approach Notes" Course.

Approach Note Overview

Approach notes are best thought of as a completely separate technique for improvising. True, approaches can be combined with other techniques, but you could also play an entire solo solely with approach notes, and not play any scales, arpeggios or other common patterns. While that isn’t the usual use of approach notes, it is important to point out that they are a force within themselves. Historically, approach notes have been used for hundreds of years, but starting in the mid-twentieth century jazz musicians began using approach notes in abundance. It quickly developed as a technique that in some circles has gone on to become the signature sound of a jazz melody.

What are Approach Notes?

Approach notes are chromatic and/or diatonic notes which lead into a target note. These target notes are typically a chord tone but could be many other things depending on the technique being used. Below are some common directions that an approach tones can lead into: Chord Tones. Tensions. Notes that make up other structures such as a chordal superimposition. Other approach notes. Approaches as embellishments.

Approach Notes Techniques Covered in this Course

Let’s first concentrate on a practice regimen to develop technical skill with the 12 chromatic and diatonic approach note patterns. There are many ways to work on approach notes but developing the skill to target chord tones will be the first focus. We will then branch out into 24 applications of approach note patterns. Any of these techniques can be combined with one another, so it becomes a vast quantity of possibilities.

Approach Notes To Chord Tones

The reason for first focusing on approaches into chord tones is this technique not only requires you to have knowledge of the approach note patterns and arpeggios, but also the ability to approach notes of an arpeggio on specific beats within a measure. For most musicians forcing a place in time where an approach needs to be played is a technique that takes lots of practice. The most common pattern is to approach chord tones on beats one and three. This technique is one of the defining sounds of jazz improvisation or more specifically bebop and is one of the core concepts of “playing over the changes.” From Charlie Parker on, you see an abundant use of approach note patterns being used by most jazz musicians. You also see musicians expanding the ways in which approach notes can be used and that is why there are 24 concepts presented in this book. Creative musicians are always inventing new and interesting ways to change music and approach notes are one of the main tools that improvisers have used to develop new techniques.

What to expect from this course?

Approach notes are a big subject so it's easy to get lost and not know where to begin or when to move on. First I'd like to stress the technical side of playing approach notes. The process of learning the fingerings and finding all the information on your instrument, and making it second nature so that you can improvise freely with the information, is daunting. If nothing else, studying approach notes seriously points out your weaknesses whether it is in music theory, knowledge of scales and arpeggios or rhythmic deficiencies. These will all surface, because approach notes demand that all your musicianship skills be in top shape. Another way to look at approach notes study is that it makes you get all of these musicianship skills together all at once, which of course is a good thing

A Long History of Teaching This Subject

I've taught approach note theory for over 30 years and the transformation that takes place with students who patiently work their way through this material is really amazing. One student once told me when he had finished the chromatic approaches that he could "eat chord changes for breakfast." He was no longer afraid of any chord progression in any key. That is the kind of confidence you need to go out there, and be a great musician. The next two pages will show you how I've taught approach notes and the steps you need to take to master this concept.  But don't just take my word for all of this.   Read this review of the course by Az Bin Abd Samad.   I think it will give you a good idea of the breadth of the course.

Are There any Prerequisites to Studying This Course?

To play approaches effectively does take a lot of knowledge of scales and arpeggios. But this course lays out what scales and chords to learn. If even gives you fingerings for the nine arpeggios that you use to work through the technical side of this concept. The course has a balance between technical exercises and real music application. It is recommended that you have some Jam Tracks to use to apply the approach note ideas. We of course recommend one our jam tracks packages because each track is played in all 12 keys.

The Table of Contents of the Book Says it ALL!

Below is a drop down menu showing the audio and video tracks that are included with the Audio and Video edition of this course. List of Subject Covered in the Approach Notes Book: This Table of Contents does not include the 1000's of related études and exercises that are also included with this course. Chapter One Approach Notes What are Approach Notes? Approach Note Techniques Covered in this Course Pre-Approach Note Exercise Learning Arpeggios in All Twelve Keys Practicing Arpeggios Approach Note Diversity Types of Approach Notes Practicing Approach Notes Practicing Technique for Approach Notes Stringed Instrument Practicing Technique for Approach Notes Learning to Target Specific Notes with Approach Notes Nine Chord Types to Use With Approach Notes Approach Notes for Stringed Instruments About Adding Approach Notes to Arpeggios Additional Approach Note Exercises Chromatic and Diatonic Approach Notes Chromatic Approach Note Example Diatonic Approach Note Example Writing Approach Note Solos Two-fers Be-bop Duet 12 Chromatic Approach Note Figures 12 Diatonic Approach Note Figures Write a Solo Each Week Writing Jazz Lines How to Sound Modern Approach Note Articulation Approach Note Rules Possible Uses of Approach Notes Chapter Two Diatonic Approach Notes Diatonic Approaches to Chord Tones Modes of Major Modes of Melodic Minor Ascending Modes of Harmonic Minor Modes of Diminished Scale Modes of Whole Tone Scale Modes of Major Pentatonic Modes of The Blues Scale Modes of Harmonic Major Modes of Hybrid Scales Diatonic Approach Notes Conclusion Chapter Three Approach Notes to Chord Tones on Beats One and Three Double Chromatic Below Chromatic Above Approach to Gb-7b5 Chord Double Diatonic Below Approach to A-7 Aeolian Scale Approaches to ∆7 Chords/ Approaches on Beats 1 and 3 Approaches to All Minor 7th Chords 2 5 1 Approach Note/ Approaches on 1 and 3 Chapter Four Approach Notes to Chord Tones of Every Beat Key of C Turnaround Étude Other Frequent Uses of Approach to Chord Tones on Every Beat Guide Tone Line Étude Approach Notes into Chord Tones/Chord Tones on Every Beat Chapter Five Approach Notes to Scales Approach Notes to Scales Characteristics Approach Notes to Scales Characteristics Approach Notes to Modal Sequencing Approach Notes to Scales Exercises Approach Notes to Scales Excerpts Chromatic Above Scales to Major Scale in All Keys Excerpt Double Chromatic Below Chromatic Above Approach to Sym Dim in All Keys Étude Using Approaches to Various Scales Chapter Six Approach Tensions Approaching Tensions Étude Approaching Tensions Étude Chapter Seven Bebop Approaches-Bebop Scales Bebop Scale Approach Note Étude Bebop Scale Approach Note Étude Chapter Eight Approach Notes into Chord Tones Off the Beat Approach Notes into Chord Tones Off the Beat Étude Chapter Nine Approaching Modal Sequencing Approaching Modal Sequencing Étude Approaching Modal Sequencing Étude Chapter Ten Delayed Resolution of Approaches Similarity in Approach Note Concepts Delayed Resolution of Approaches Étude Chapter Eleven Approaching Approaches Approaching Approaches Étude Approaching Approaches Étude Chapter Twelve Compound Approaches Compound Approaches Étude Compound Approaches Étude Chapter Thirteen Approaching Using Harmonic Superimpositions Harmonic Superimpositions Using Approaches Étude Harmonic Superimpositions Using Approaches Étude Chapter Fourteen Approach Superimposition Based on Chord Tones and Tensions Chord Tones & Tensions Superimpositions Using App Étude Chord Tones & Tensions Superimpositions Using App Étude Chapter Fifteen Intervallic Approaches Examples of Intervallic Approach Note Patterns Developing Intervallic Approach Note Pattern Skills Examples of Intervallic Approach Note Patterns Chapter Sixteen Approaching Intervallic Structures by Chord An Example of Prime Form Approaching Intervallic Structures 027 by Chord Chapter Seventeen Approaching Intervallic Structures 027 by Key Approaching Intervallic Structures 027 by Key Étude Using Intervallic Structures with "Giant Steps" "Giant Steps" Étude 1 "Giant Steps" 025 025 Étude 2 "Giant Steps" Étude 3 Chapter Eighteen Approaching Intervallic Structures 013 by Chord Approaching Intervallic Structures by Chord with 013 Étude Chapter Nineteen Approaching Intervallic Structures 013 by Key "Stella By Starlight" 013 Approaching Intervallic Structures by Key Approaching Intervallic Structures by Key Étude Chapter Twenty Conclusion

Why are Approach Notes important?

Approach notes can be thought of in many ways. First you could think of them as embellishments to any melody you play. Learning and applying them gives your melodies a more expressive and musical sound. They are the backbone of jazz melodies so if you have any interest in playing jazz or "making the changes" in any style approach notes are a must learn. They also help to change up your phrasing because approach notes anticipate the next chord change or even a scale pattern. Over time this helps you phrasing be more driving which keeps people interested as you solo because they feel a forward momentum. This makes the importance of studying them obvious. They also help you to create new types of embellishments in your playing. If you just applied approach notes to every melody you already know your playing would be transformed into a much more robust collection of ideas. If you following the directions in the course though you can become one of the greatest improvisors alive. That how powerful these little approach note melodies are. So transform you playing and take it to a new level with approach notes.

Approach Notes

Add digital copy to cart - $49.99 Status: In stock, Digital book is available for immediate access. Additional Information: Digital Edition Treble Clef 978-1-59489-354-4 and Bass Clef 978-1-59489-355-1 are included with this download 97 page technical PDF.  Two versions: One treble clef the other bass clef 1000s of pages of additional materials using both treble and bass cleff Midifiles and Audio files for all exercises 13 Videos for a total of 35 minutes. What people are saying about Bruce Arnold Composition Compilation 2nd Edition This is a tour de force of approach notes study. This should required text for any jazz musician. I learned more about playing over changes in the first 20 pages of this book than I have in years. If you don't read this I can't image you every really understanding how to play over changes. I thought I knew so much before I read this book. Now I know what I missed and it was important. Thanks Bruce! Such an easy book to understand and the additional files are great. They will be going to my students soon :) D. Anderson Ive already studied approach notes with Bruce in private lessons but I got this book just for additional practicing. Such a massive tome. Thanks for all your hard work Bruce! F. Coleman I never knew you could do so much with these target tones. Such a well organized presentation thanks! G. Alvarez Get this it will totally transform you playing! R. Nelson.

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