Hey friends.

In January I'm going to try out for the Atlanta Institute of Music. They have an entrance exam of sorts. The lady gave me the criteria and I wanted to ask what y'all would recommend I study/practice. Here's what they're going to ask me to do:

- know/play some major and minor scales
- simple sight reading
- play two groves (choose from rock, jazz, country, blues, etc)
- solo

I'm mainly stumped on the groove part. Not sure exactly what to go over.
Thanks for any input! Cheers.

Bump.

To learn groove, start by listening to music in the genre. Then put on a drum machine and just chill out playing simple stuff, and trying to make it feel GREAT.

I've got a keyboard that has simple 2 and 4 bar grooves programmed in. Just letting it run on a short loop, and playing along for 15 minutes really makes a difference.

Ian

Ian

on a side note
i visited the Atlanta Institute of Music
sat in on a class taught by adam nitti
and watched a workshop that evening

although i didnt go to that school
i cant say enough good about it

Assuming that the grooves can be covers, just pick great basslines to play solo - they don't have to be solos though. I'd pick something like one of these...

Rock:
Pearl Jam: verse & chorus of Rats
Muse: verse & chorus of Hysteria
Led Zep: verse of Ramble On

Funk / R&B:
Jackson Five: intro of ABC
Wild Cherry: bridge & chorus of Play the Funky Music White Boy

Jazz:
Steely Dan: piece pf My Old School or Do It Again
Herbie Hancock: part of Chameleon
Weather Report: a piece of Teen Town

Blues:
SRV: verse turnaround of Pride and Joy
Eric Clapton: verse / turnaround of Crossroads


I'd be sure to at least one groove that is iconic - that eveyone would know. But don't pick anything too hard. If Teen Town is out of reach, pick something easier.

Good luck!

Excellent. Thanks so much, guys.