How to Practice Pentatonic Patterns for Improvisation

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How to Practice Pentatonic Patterns for Improvisation

Рет қаралды 278,951

Күн бұрын

#bettersax #saxophone #improvisation
Jay Metcalf gives a lesson how to practice pentatonic patterns for improvisation.
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Пікірлер: 126

@jujublakey 7 жыл бұрын

This is the best instruction on learning pentatonic scales and beginning improvisation I have come across so far! Your method is also good for improving finger agility on an instrument, too. I'm learning how to play jazz recorder I and will be using your method here. Thanks for sharing! You're a great teacher!

@bettersax 7 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the compliments Judith. I'm happy you found this helpful.

@gikasmarkantonatos2168 6 жыл бұрын

Agreed. The only drawback to this method is that it makes me think about the many hours I wasted practicing the wrong stuff.

@beloved3244 4 жыл бұрын

lol

@warpo007 3 жыл бұрын

I don't even own a saxophone, but I've learnt the pentatonic scales. I can't play them, but I've learnt them. Thanks Jay!

@terria1254 2 ай бұрын

Thank-you very much, excellent! I'm a prior sax player now a fiddle player, (mostly bluegrass but now learning blues fiddle) and your instruction on this is excellent!!! 😃🎻🎷

@winfield73 5 ай бұрын

Your newest videos have gotten so much better, quality wise. The theory has always been there! Keep it up man!

@Lutemann 6 жыл бұрын

Ok, I've been teaching kids and some adults how to improvise for years, and my basic recommendation is to do it the same way rockers learn to solo, i.e. beginning with pentatonic scales. (I know guys who play smooth jazz who use almost nothing else.) The "Better Sax" guy has, IMO, developed a highly efficient way of approaching this learning technique. I love the backing track! The concept of being melodic with a simple scale is absolutely critical for learning improvisation. Good job.

@kungfumachinist Жыл бұрын

I need to find a practice studio like this where the clock never changes. I could get a lot more practice time in without interfering with the rest of my life.

@EACD103 6 жыл бұрын

This is by far the easiest way to master the Pentatonic Patterns... Beginner or advanced players alike can just dive into it. Thank you Jay!

@bettersax 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Eddy!

@richandrews7 4 жыл бұрын

Have enjoyed the teaching! Clear, easy to follow, and effective.

@Popeye151 4 жыл бұрын

Jay, I was referred to your videos by a Sax playing friend when I mentioned learning to play. He did me right. My Sax will be delivered tomorrow (Eastar AS2 from your link) , and watching your videos in preparation has boosted my confidence for my instrumental future. Looking forward to the journey. Jim Heath

@kwameasante01 2 жыл бұрын

Hey. How's the journey going?

@jeremywei9592 2 жыл бұрын

Progress in a systematic way and well structured. Easy to understand and follow. Very interesting and useful 👍. Enjoyed very much. Thank you 😊

@tonymunoz7597 4 жыл бұрын

Jay, I love playing my alto sax as well as my clarinet. You said that if you want to sound good, play the sax. If you want to sound bad, play the clarinet. You might not have heard of Eddie Daniels among one of the world’s best, or may be the world’s best clarinetists (who also recorded a few sax albums. He also plays the flute among other instruments).

@kurikokaleidoscope 5 ай бұрын

Very interesting. Thank you ❤

@fabiopasqualini4899 4 жыл бұрын

thank you Jay for this wonderful gift

@TOROBRAVO27 7 жыл бұрын

this is the most helpful sax video lesson in the entire world....you deserve Super like my friend!!

@bettersax 7 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@FunkOsax 5 жыл бұрын

Hi Jay. I don't know how much control you have over the number and frequency of emails sent out, but I was receiving 2 per day sometimes. I appreciate your KZfaq channel and like what you do, so don't take this the wrong way.

@Nestor_Fernandez 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Jay, I downloaded the book and currently practicing some patterns in different keys with the backing tracks. It is great fun to play them, they are a powerful tool to create melodies

@chukwujiokeemmanuel5828 3 жыл бұрын

Please how can I download the books

@dcp8nts 4 жыл бұрын

I love jamming with you on this. So inspirational. Thank you.

@sapiola59 3 жыл бұрын

With this exercise, the backing track and my Bb Trumpet (actually a vst on my aerophone go), I feel like I'm in the Chick Corea's quintet :-) . Amazing!!

@adeletannickdecru511 3 жыл бұрын

Merci Jay, thank you so much for all your courses, instructions and advices, they are all very interesting.

@labellefleur460 3 жыл бұрын

I'm looking for the 100× like button..this is bomb

@RaidinSax05 3 жыл бұрын

hello, I been learning a lot from better sax. god bless

@hippocrene944 Жыл бұрын

This is excellent teaching, smooth and crystal clear. I was wondering if there was an exercise that would help with the transition from, say, B up to D and back down on the alto. Im having trouble making it smooth, so many fingers and octave key at the same time. maybe I just need to do it 100s of times?

@bettersax Жыл бұрын

just play those 2 notes slowly back and forth. concentrate on keeping your fingers on or very close to the keys and using the minimum movement necessary. Also focus on getting every key to close and open at exactly the same time.. Go Slow

@justragomez3166 6 жыл бұрын

Thank you this information is helping me be and play better sax🎷

@BaiKedal 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much you've given my practice a sence of direction. It used to be completely chaotic :D All the best!

@antonioespecializados9586 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you.

@RipMa 7 жыл бұрын

I want to just play already!! But I know if I stick with this lesson I will get it. This is Great! I will def sign up. Thanks

@bettersax 7 жыл бұрын

Thanks Alberto, I'm glad it helps.

@raseshgandhi6702 3 жыл бұрын

Very lovely information sir

@wanderrancanti 7 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your videos. They help me so much.

@bettersax 7 жыл бұрын

Good to hear that. Thanks for watching.

@kenjett2434 4 жыл бұрын

Wish I had this 50 years ago my life would been far different literally. I gave up becoming a music teacher because I couldn't make the crossover into improvation. This kind of information wasn't available back then. I had two problems I was not good at sight reading new pieces nor could I do improvation. But I could play both trumpet and sax quite well practiced daily for hours.

@KeeonTaylor 4 жыл бұрын

Ken Jett give it another go

@nathanrabinovitch5199 6 жыл бұрын

Your roadmap for learning how to improvise/play by ear using the Pentatonic scales is simply great. It works. However, there are 2 issues that you don't seem to address; 1 How to handle songs that use notes that aren't in the pentatonic scale 2 How to figure out what key the song is in and what scale to use. Thanks

@elnauta9525 4 жыл бұрын

Excellent, you are very good teacher!

@percyvolnar8010 10 ай бұрын

That backing track is conducive to zen practicing of pentatonics. Please make that backing track available !!

@amandarediger2178 3 жыл бұрын

This is so helpful. I'm missing so much in my connecting the dots so to speak. Wondering if I could use pentatonic s on Blue Monk? Thankyou so much

@tommyesposito606 3 жыл бұрын

love this

@hectordeleon1712 3 жыл бұрын

Great Channel

@elisahallworth2911 5 жыл бұрын

Your videos are great!

@Gkitchens1 4 жыл бұрын

I've commented on a few videos, you've probably seen that I'm brand new. I've got a long way to go, I don't even know how to practice all the keys or what that means relative to what I'm reading or playing.

@poliver12345 7 жыл бұрын

Great teaching thanks

@fabienpastour1326 4 жыл бұрын

Je reve d'un DV NY maintenant !

@darrylmiller7659 5 жыл бұрын

Wow I am liking it!

@Kingpix157 Жыл бұрын

I’m a beginner and I’m wondering is this necessary for getting better or for just improvisation

@simeonsimon6837 7 жыл бұрын

i like it..thank so much!!

@samuleinen 6 жыл бұрын

excellent videos. Helps advanced player as well to get back to the basics too.

@samuleinen 6 жыл бұрын

And a good rehearsing pattern too in every scale.

@elloyougunt 9 ай бұрын

hi Jay, where can I find the fingering chart for the pentatonic scale, I'm new and don't know what keys to be holding down and it's easier for me to visualise if I have a finger chart, instead of stopping every 2 seconds to see what keys are required for each note and what each note actually is on the sheet music.

@bettersax 9 ай бұрын

In my free beginner course you can download a fingering chart. Get it here https:BetterSax.com/shed

@love4yahweh 6 жыл бұрын

I have not been able to get the free sample and I enjoy watching your videos

@bettersax 6 жыл бұрын

DAngelo, send me an email and I'll sort you out.

@Arthur5000 5 жыл бұрын

Awesome video

@daluxolotunzi9049 3 жыл бұрын

Jay, your staff and your students hopefully everyone is very fine during these trying times. I'm very much interested in these twelve backing tracks and the complete lessons of Pentatonic lessons. How do I get it?.

@bettersax 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! go to BetterSax.com and click courses at the top menu. You’ll see it there.

@JohnbelleVlogz 5 жыл бұрын

Hi there, I can't download the file from the link in the description.

@milenarodriguesoliveira 4 жыл бұрын

Very good / bom demais !!!

@arturogaram 7 жыл бұрын

genial!

@Fred-zt9vr 5 жыл бұрын

Hi Jay, great video !! I'd like to get the full version of Pentatonic Patterns but the link in the description doesn't work. Has it moved or is there any other link to access it ? Thanks !!

@Fred-zt9vr 5 жыл бұрын

ok, I found it directly from the internet site :)

@stevetakkinkwan8910 9 ай бұрын

👍👍👍

@Jonah-nf6lv 2 жыл бұрын

what do you consider intermediate because I have been playing since september 2021 and I'm not sure what's considered intermediate?

@KoredeTreasure 4 жыл бұрын

Hey @Better Sax... thank u so much for this video been so helpful...but i couldnt find the sample e book book... Would be happy if its possible to still access it

@tellitlikeitis-rg4ny 5 жыл бұрын

in asentimental mood is how i remember the pentatonic scale

@bettersax 5 жыл бұрын

haha, It should be "the pentatonic scale, that's how I remember In a Sentimental Mood and 100 other tunes."

@alansneedii6559 5 жыл бұрын

Yes this is a dope tool

@cjsamtab7 3 жыл бұрын

Question: what can I do as I can't read sheet music.

@lernersarno9067 5 жыл бұрын

Hi! Are you tonguing between each note?

@anthonyanibasa7301 4 жыл бұрын

Please I cant read staff I only know solfa notations so it's hard for me to understand the PDF I downloaded 😪😪

@kenechukwunwosu8302 4 жыл бұрын

I could not get any alert in my mail for the free pdf downloads

@emmanueladetoro6941 2 жыл бұрын

I’m unable to get the ebook

@aarondavenport3143 7 жыл бұрын

Thank you for these videos truly an awesome tool to up my sax game! That said, can somebody break down how he's doing the triplets? I have the four note pattern down but that little triplet thing he does at the end is spicy awesome and it's been a minute since I've had any formal lessons with my sax. Ever since I realized I can turn on Jack Johnson and have more fun sounding like shit than playing Mary Had a Little Lamb and sounding as if I were Adolf Sax in the flesh - well I probably let the years in the classroom escape me a little bit too much. Still I don't regret doing so bc if I hadn't then I'd probably have stopped playing the sax years ago. At least I sound halfway decent today, and thanks to channels like this I will be able to go back to all of the things I couldn't stand in elementary through high school and look at them with new eyes and a better attitude. Vigor goes a long way ha. Anyway, I feel like I understand what he means by triplets but I wish he would go into it a little bit more because this has become my new warmup exercise for the next week of jamming. Would appreciate positive feedback please. I know I'm probably an easy target for trolls, hopefully my self-awareness might save said trolls the need to tear my question apart. Ha Thankx guys.

@bettersax 7 жыл бұрын

+Aaron Davenport First of all great comment, thanks. Secondly, there's no trolling allowed on my KZfaq channel. Any troll comments get filtered and deleted. Thirdly, triplets explained with a surprisingly easy trick. Say any three syllable word like "strawberry" in rhythm: straw-ber-ry straw-ber-ry straw-ber-ry straw-ber-ry. Each word is one full beat. The 3 syllables divide each beat evenly into 3 equal parts. When playing triplets, think about saying this 3 syllable word at the same time to help you lock in the rhythm. Maybe I'll make a quick video demonstrating this...

@aarondavenport3143 7 жыл бұрын

Thank you :-) especially for getting back to me so quickly. I did some Google investigation and your answer still took the gold as far as being helpful. So I think I understand, at least I hope I do ha. Now that I am refreshed as to what a triplet is I think I've identified the real trouble I'm having.....or at least I think....... is how to tongue the triplets. Sometimes I can tongue fast enough (almost like a whispered tongue if that makes sense) like going up a scale or a phrase, but I seem to only be able to do so without thinking about it. My tongue kind of reflexively does it unless I want to slur. I know that practicing to tongue each note clearly will help, and I have been, but is there any tips/tricks/advice you can give me on how to more clearly articulate each note - especially when doing the triplets? (sorry I can't seem to ask my question without writing a book :-/ lol) **P.S**I am never really sure how the comment pages work - but glad to know no trolling lol I rarely comment on videos and there still have been a few times where I've been ambushed by the most immature and above all irrelevant comments so I always feel like I need to prepare for the worst when I do want to ask something [on youtube in general].

@bettersax 7 жыл бұрын

You don't have to tongue every note. Practice tonguing only the first in each group of 3.

@martialnoel251 6 жыл бұрын

nous sommes tous passés par là, continue et travail il n'y a pas de secret

@josephdegwara6885 6 жыл бұрын

I AM A COMPLETE IDIOT ON HOW TO PLAY A SAX BUT I LISTENED TO GETZ,STONE,HAWKINS AND A STACK OF OTHERS I AM 80 YRS BUT ALWAYS WANTED TO PLAY A TENOR SAX BUT STARTED BALLROOM DANCING 60 YRS AGO SO WHATEVER YOU SAID TO DO IS SPOT ON AS I WORKED MY ASS OFF LEARNING BALLROOM AND LATIN DANCES.DO YOU THINK I CAN START NOW AS AGE WILL GET ME I NEED TO START AS AN IDIOT DO YOU HAVE A CLASS FOR THAT / REGARDS AND MANY THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE JOE

@bettersax 6 жыл бұрын

+Joseph Degwara Yes!!! Never too late. Age will get all of us, but I don't plan on stopping till I can't play anymore...

@martinvanerp99 4 жыл бұрын

what kinda sax u playin here bariton alt or tenor or....???? like it....wanna buy one myself.....

@maxencelang8575 3 ай бұрын

Blnjour, vous voulez pas faire des videos en francais un peu ?😊

@trevorspittle5478 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Jay, Is that an EWI on the shelf behind you? I’m a recent convert and it’s screwing up my sax practice because I’d rather pick up the EWI than go to all the fuss of getting the sax out, finding the right reed and then dealing with my Mrs complaints about the noise. How much do you play it? Do you think it’s a worthwhile instrument to have.? When are you going to do a review? I have had my EWI USB for a few weeks and I love it. Even started to look out for an EWI 5000 at the right price! It has solved all those late night practice issues but is becoming the go to instrument at the expense of my ‘real’ sax’s.

@trevorspittle5478 4 жыл бұрын

P.S.Thanks for the pentatonic patterns lessons. Working my way through and it is making me much more fluent in my playing. Keep up the good work and thanks again.

@markzoman1 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jay, I just wondered what you are listening to through your headphones? The metronome?

@bettersax 6 жыл бұрын

+markzoman1 I was listening to a drum track that I forgot to add in the final mix. Sounds good with out anyway I thought.

@glen.s9860 6 жыл бұрын

Hi Better i love your vid lessons so i have a ? for you. As i am not brilliant on the pc. Can I buy the book you which you advertise on your page please ? (I am in the uk) I notice not a lot of things on here about the soprano sax, as i am learning with a 992 curve yani and cannonball BL-5s stone series. Do you think it is wrong to learn on a soprano? Glen

@bettersax 6 жыл бұрын

+Valley Glen No problem doing any of the courses on soprano.

@mathestro8665 7 жыл бұрын

im playing tenor sax but i dont know how to play without notes. What notes you used in scale for me to practice that. Ty

@bettersax 7 жыл бұрын

Jezreel, click the link in the description bettersax.co/patterns/ to get a pdf download that has what I'm playing written out to get you started. You can play without the notes! Check out the Pentatonic Foundation Course to learn how... bettersax.com/pentatonic-foundation/

@mathestro8665 7 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot sir. its a big help for me

@uzodinmaemmanuel243 6 жыл бұрын

please how can i download this video?

@CaptainG5785 5 жыл бұрын

Hello, nice concept....But I wasn't able to download anything from the link...it's as though it has been moved

@bettersax 5 жыл бұрын

Please try again... The links are still good.

@CaptainG5785 5 жыл бұрын

@@bettersax thank you so so so much.its now available

@davidhyatt7550 Жыл бұрын

Hi. I'm trying to find the "free sheet music and backing tracks" and after 5 minutes, am giving up. This is not the first time that I've been enticed but frustrated by your promo.... just thought you should know.

@bettersax Жыл бұрын

please visit BetterSax.shed and if you aren’t receiving the email from us please get in touch at support@bettersax.com

@davidhyatt7550 Жыл бұрын

I suppose the issue is that one needs to sign up. I think that it's important to make that clear.

@barryhunt8527 6 жыл бұрын

Would this work for a trumpet, I just started learning the Trumpet, do you have a trumpet book? 😀

@CurtisGabrielMusic 6 жыл бұрын

The principal of learning the scale patterns in this way would help for any instrument :)

@mannymatosccw 5 жыл бұрын

I need the book where to order it?

@glen.s9860 6 жыл бұрын

can I buy the e book down load because I cannot see how to down load it can you help ?

@bettersax 6 жыл бұрын

Here's the page where you can order that book: bettersax.com/pentatonic-patterns-order/

@teodorasbutas3067 5 жыл бұрын

@@bettersax Hi, i want to order your e book, but as i click on the link it says that page is not found. Can you help me?

@Pasonko247 4 жыл бұрын

@@bettersax Hi i was told that the e book site does not exist. pls help

@patam-patam 7 жыл бұрын

Hi ! May i ask you what's your saxophone on this video? Thanks.

@bettersax 7 жыл бұрын

That's a Yanagisawa T880. Great horn.

@iosuascafariu9054 4 жыл бұрын

Backing track ?

@davidwood351 2 жыл бұрын

Dark hair and beard!!

@pantukan8705 7 жыл бұрын

It is for alto sax too?

@bettersax 7 жыл бұрын

Yes, you can do the exercises on alto as well.

@williamhbynumiii5269 7 жыл бұрын

I tried to download the link but when I went to confirm my email, there was no link to be found. ?????

@bettersax 7 жыл бұрын

William, thanks for getting in touch. The message was sent to you containing the download links. It may have been filtered into your junk or spam folder. Do a search for any messages from jay(at)bettersax.com and you should find it.

@charlesblagrove8977 7 жыл бұрын

teach us how to play bebop

@bettersax 7 жыл бұрын

Charles, bebop is a big subject to tackle. If you want to learn it, step one is LISTEN, a lot. I've got a couple of playlists on my channel to get started listening to some of my personal favorite saxophone players. You might be surprised at how much the pentatonic scale gets used in bebop.

@charlesblagrove8977 7 жыл бұрын

@Better sax ya just like mccoy when he uses all the penetonic scales and playing all those fourth patterns.