JEFF HARRINGTON

ONLINE IMPROVISATION LESSONs FOR ALL INSTRUMENTS

STATE-OF-THE-ART instruction in improvisation for all instruments in all styles (bop, modal, funk, blues, fusion, smooth jazz, and Latin) beginner to professional). I am a Berklee professor, D'Addario Performing Artist, MIT Affiliated Artist and a Harvard University MLSP Instructor. For rates and further info contact me at jharrington@jeffharrington.com or call 617-332-0176. Teaching students worldwide as well as Boston, Newton, Needham, Brookline, Belmont, Wellesley, Weston and Watertown, MA.  

SKYPE/ZOOM LESSONS

• You will need a computer and web cam.

• Skype lessons are 45 minutes followed by an emailed assignment including pdf and mp3 files. While taking lessons you can email me with questions at any time.

• You get all the benefits of a private lesson without leaving your home. 

For rates and further info contact me at jharrington@jeffharrington.com or call 617-332-0176.

Improv Clinic, Manila, Philippines

Improv Clinic, Manila, Philippines

CONSULTATIONS

If you're looking to have your playing evaluated, simply email me an mp3 of your playing. For improv evaluations send an example either with a live band or a backing track. I will review it followed by a 45-minute Skype or phone session.

ABOUT THE LESSONS

These lessons were originally created in response to requests by students. Now, 20+ years later, with students around the world, I have found Online Improvisation Lessons® to be an extremely effective way of teaching improvisation (to all instrumentalists and vocalists). A few of the advantages are: 1) you can work at your own time and pace; 2) you have a permanent record of the lessons; 3) you receive state-of-the-art personalized instruction for less than the cost of a local teacher.

First, I find out as much as I can about your experience and preferences. Then, I determine the best and most appropriate place to begin. I give you materials, which are not only fun but help you reach your goals quickly and efficiently. All styles (including bop, modal, blues, fusion, smooth jazz, and Latin) are taught – from beginner to professional.

For beginners, I emphasize the fundamentals of technique, reading, playing by ear and just having fun.

For improvisation, I feel it’s important to get a solid foundation of chords and scales and then to build from there. While this is being absorbed, you'll improvise over standards, 12-bar blues, and common chord progressions. In addition, I give you II V I lines and written solos on standards, all to build your vocabulary, technique and ear.

For intermediate students, I stress various exercises which enable you to play improvisational techniques (chord tone soloing, bop scales, approaches notes, 3217/3517 lines, pentatonics, and symmetrical diminished.) over chord changes, with rhythmic accuracy and without getting lost. These exercises take the mystery out of improvisation by giving you concrete, logical and systematic approaches to improvising. Learning tunes, transcribing solos, ear training, vocabulary, instrumental technique and theory are also emphasized.

For advanced players, we work on tonic systems, poly-pentatonics, symmetrical augmented, triadic pairs, cycling, motivic improvisation, and more.

I have carefully developed these proven methods over many years of teaching, performing, research and study. For rates and further info contact me at jharrington@jeffharrington.com or call 617-332-0176.

SOME TOPICS OF STUDY

 (click on live links to see or hear examples)

  • Three-Tonic Systems

  • 7th, 9th, 11th, and 13th Chords

  • Bebop Approach Notes

  • Intervalic Cycling

  • Chord Tone Soloing

  • How To Work On Blues

  • Symmetrical Diminished Scales

  • Symmetrical Diminished -7 & -7(b5) Patterns

  • Whole Tone Scales

  • Intervalic Improvisation

  • Functional Harmonic Analysis

  • Bop and Modal Improvisational Theory

  • Ear Training

  • Pentatonic Patterns

  • Poly-Pentatonics

  • Time Feels

  • Tone Studies

  • Compositional Techniques

  • Bebop Cliches

  • Vocabulary and Language

  • How To Practice and Apply Chord Scales

  • Diatonic Patterns

  • bIII-7 bVI7 Substitutions Over II-7 V7

  • Quoting

  • Practice Routines

  • Building Technical Facility

  • Performance Techniques

  • Ghosting

  • Upper and Lower Structure Triads

  • Applying Bebop Vocabulary, Pentatonics & Playing Outside Over Funk Grooves

  • Number Permutation Systems

  • Repertoire and Learning Tunes

  • How To Work On Tunes

  • 23rd Chords

  • Bop Scales

  • Bop Scale Substitutions

  • 7, -6, -6#5 and -7b5 Pentatonic Scales

  • Voice Leading

  • Inversions

  • Transcribing

  • Rhythmic Displacement

  • Melodic Embellishment

  • All Styles

  • Reharminization

  • Transposing

  • Symmetrical Augmented Scales

  • Modes

  • How To Work On Transcriptions

  • Repeating & Matching Patterns

  • Scale Tone Soloing

  • Reading & Sight Reading

  • 3217 & 3517 Systems

  • 5432 & 5732 Systems

  • Upper and Lower Structure 7th Chords

  • Tetrachords

  • Blues Licks

  • Thematic Improvisation

  • II-V-I Line Compendiums

  • Triadic Pairs

  • Various Approaches to Playing Outside

  • Harmonic Anticipation and Delay

  • Synthetic Scales

  • Polyrhythms

Master Class, Berklee College of Music

Master Class, Berklee College of Music