Jazz education

CallMeBlind · #1 09-25-2004, 10:18 AM

Hi there! I'm 22 years old bass player. And I'm thinking about getting jazz education. I live in the small european country, so there's no opportunity to study jazz in my country. Maybe someone can recomend me a jazz college in some other country, but not an expencieve one like Berklee. Also I don't have any music education, so it probibly will be problematic for me. Maybe someone was in the same situation and able to give an advice? Thanks in advance.

sedgdog · #2 09-26-2004, 10:46 PM

Check out www.playerschool.com They will take you from wherever you are and go from there. I've been to their one-week intensive. Awesome jazz instruction.

All the best,
Tim

Bruce Lindfield · #3 09-27-2004, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CallMeBlind

Hi there! I'm 22 years old bass player. And I'm thinking about getting jazz education. I live in the small european country, so there's no opportunity to study jazz in my country. Maybe someone can recomend me a jazz college in some other country, but not an expencieve one like Berklee. Also I don't have any music education, so it probibly will be problematic for me. Maybe someone was in the same situation and able to give an advice? Thanks in advance.

I live in a small European country as well and have been involved in fairly inexpensive Jazz education (as a student, that is) for the last 5/6 years!!

It may help if you tell us the European country - but really, what you need to do is listen to as much Jazz as you possibly can - that's probably your best bet to get started - then try to play it/transcribe it!

CallMeBlind · #4 09-27-2004, 02:55 PM

Country is called Latvia. The problem is that I have to work most of the time, so it is difficult to organise my time, that's why I want to go to music school. I just don't have enough time for music.

dodgy_ian · #5 09-27-2004, 03:47 PM

i'm just about to start studying jazz in Newcastle in the UK. theres some pretty good jazz courses over here and i'm betting you speal english pretty well so....

dodge

Bruce Lindfield · #6 09-28-2004, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dodgy_ian

i'm just about to start studying jazz in Newcastle in the UK. theres some pretty good jazz courses over here and i'm betting you speal english pretty well so....

And write it better than some natives!!

Yeah - England has some good full-time Jazz courses. London Guildhall and Leeds are highly-rated, from what I hear. Although they do have tough entry requirements!!

I was talking to a young alto sax player (early 20s) who was pretty good - fluent sight reader, confident improvisor etc. - and he coudn't get through the audition for either of these courses and was starting one in Cardiff.

I think the point is that if a course is good, it will require a lot from you - in terms of being a good Jazz player to start with.

From other experiences in higher education in this country - the thing to bear in mind is that 'locals' can get grants or loans to study - but "foreign" students pay a lot more in terms of tuition fees and will get no help.....

dodgy_ian · #7 09-28-2004, 06:00 AM

yeah, I think you're right, the entry requirements are v high. I looked at Leeds and was scared away. THe course i'm doing now is Jazz Pop and Commercial music with a heavy focus on jazz so it should be ace and an excellent route into some serious jazz.

having said that I think they are looking for potential and character as much as anything else, cos you wouldn't go on a jazz degree if you were already ace hey!

Bruce Lindfield · #8 09-28-2004, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dodgy_ian

having said that I think they are looking for potential and character as much as anything else, cos you wouldn't go on a jazz degree if you were already ace hey!

It seems logical, but I'm not sure it's entirely true - so I've heard people say these courses are about getting the connections and being able to network and do the "business" side, as much as they are about finishing off your rough edges in Jazz terms.

So I think it's expected that you will be doing a lot of practicing, trascribing etc. on your own already - and they 're not so much going to teach you Jazz from scratch, as put you in an environment where you can develop your existing talents in conjunction with other people?

jimjwl · #9 10-02-2004, 04:41 PM

You play almost always the bottom note of the chord, so you have to know the other notes of the chord too, so you can create lines that work. So: Learn Functional Harmony any way you can. I did it by taking a class where we wrote 4-part harmony all the time.