Swing Improv Workout – Monthly Class Pass
$165.00
Swing Improv Workouts
1st, 3rd, and 4th Thursdays at 4 PM MT
Q3 Tunes:
September: Sweet Georgia Brown – September 7, 21, 28
October: Red Wing – October 5, 19, 26
November: What a Wonderful World – November 2, 16, 30* (*Date Change for Holiday)
IMPORTANT DEADLINE NOTICE: To make sure you are registered for the month of your choice, please purchase your monthly pass by 11:59 PM MT on the first Wednesday of the month (the night before the first class). If you purchase after this deadline, you will automatically be signed up for the following month. Please be advised that monthly passes have a limit of 1 per order, and can only be applied to the nearest upcoming month at the time of purchase.
Description:
Swing Improv Workouts
1st, 3rd, and 4th THURSDAYS at 4 PM MT
Sweet Georgia Brown
Key: F
Dates: September 7, 21, 28
Sweet Georgia Brown is a jazz classic by Ben Bernie and Maceo Pinkard, with lyrics by Kenneth Casey. It was composed in the heyday of the Dixieland era, 1925. The melody is familiar and provides finger pattern shapes that are a lesson in chords just in themselves.
This tune rests on each chord for nearly four measures, so it gives us ample time to be creative, try out new ideas, and even get comfortable with intentional repetition. Come to this class to learn four ways to approach this chord progression and choose ONE as your own!
Chord Progression Workout: Cycle of fifths
Skills:
- Learn to develop a phrase for four measures (also useful in the blues)
- Gather licks to play over dominant chords, both “in” sounding and “out”
- Gather melodic improvisational ideas
- Use moveable shapes!
- Spend time in 1st and 3rd position
Red Wing
Key: F
Dates: October 5, 19, 26
Red Wing is a seemingly simple tune, and you know me, I love to spice up the classics that seem to be left behind in the first couple of years fiddling. Check out my Red Wing to see. This tune is the perfect vehicle to work on Improvising –with a swing flare — over a fiddle tune. Though the chords are seemingly simple, they arrive at unique times, so this is a great practice for learning and chord progression.
In this class, learn licks that are unique to Western Swing and fiddling. Maybe you’ve heard me talk about “fiddley” licks, this is where we’ll workout on those. “Fiddley” licks are those that are more reminicent of a fiddle tune than a jazz tune. They sound perfect when bridged into a Johnny Gimble or Katie Glassman swing lick. So, get ready to jazz up your version of Red Wing. Please arrive with the melody learned and memorized. NEW! Melody learning videos are included with every three-month pass.
Chord Progression: 1-4-5 + the dominant 2
Skills:
- Experience “fiddling” through the melody
- Transform the melodic finger pattern shapes into swing licks
- Learn three Johnny Gimble double stop patterns!
- Use the augmented chord
- Insert pentatonics (this is a huge tool in “fiddley licks”)
November: What a Wonderful World
Dates: November 2, 16, 30* (*Date change for holidays)
What a Wonderful World was written by Bob Thiele (as “George Douglas”) and George David Weiss and released by Louis Armstrong in 1967. It has quite the vintage flare for such a modern song. More info to come!
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Want to attend all three? Grab a Swing Improv 3-Month Series Pass for a limited time to be automatically signed up for $5 off per class.
