Play-Along Practice Party
Improvise with Confidence & overcome the fear of playing "wrong" notes
A Simple Solution
Recently, I held a play-along Zoom mini-workshop. It went so well that we edited the recording for you, and made a ton of new cheat codes and worksheets.
This course is really useful for expanding your skills and knowledge into improvisation, eclectic styles, harmony, groove… to make it Comfortable for you to do things as a musician you haven’t done before.
You’ll play the whole time. Think of it like a practice party.
If getting a rigorous and fun practice sounds like a good time, and you’d like to expand your musical comfort zone, take a look:
Here’s Exactly What I’ll Teach You
Three different ways to Improvise
How to sound different every time you play your instrument (instead of playing the same 3 ideas.)
Why certain approaches to improvisation work in some musical situations but not others, and how to know the difference.
How to learn all parts of songs from the bass, comping, groove, and melody
How to make loops.
How to accompany
Why Scales and Chords are different strategies, each with their own pros and cons, when to use one or the other.
How to memorize a chord progression of a song
How to internalize the voice leading of chords
How to practice scales to get more than just technical benefits, so you also ingrain harmonic information.
Alot more.
What You’ll Get
Practice Party Guidebook Slides used in the class
Easy Tonal Improvisation Workbook
How To Build Chordstacks Guidebook
Bowing Cheat Code
Class Recording
****Traditional practice methods, while useful, can lead to feeling unmotivated and self-critical. This is a perfect course for you if you would like to reconnect with your passion and reestablish confidence in your unquestionable value as a musician.
YOU'LL PLAY Along THroughout the course
VARIOUS STYLES
Gain skills that can be Universally applied across almost ANY style.
ACCESSIBLE TO ALL LEVELS
Play with clear prompts/guidance throughout the class.
CHALLENGING FOR ADVANCED
No theory or experience with improvisation required.
Hear from my students
★★★★★ 5/5
"This is really fabulous! I am very very admiring of the entire package: all technical, theoretical, pedagogical foundations. And Chris’ positivity and optimism is wonderful!"
"Thanks for the Ideas, the interaction, and the peptalk. Chris is among the coolest of beans. Not because he plays so well, but because he concern himself with building bridges for others to cross over. These are things that remain and give and then give again."
"Christian’s clear approach opened my understanding of how to navigate the violin, but it can also be applied to any chordal instrument and even to thoughtful, intentional development of lines on single-voice, melodic instruments, including human voice. Much fun! I am grateful! TY!"
"I really appreciated the tangible exercises to focus on, allowing me to grow. Now I know what to practice & I feel more confident about doing it."
" You gave me the essential keys to understand how to improvise. And especially to dare to play, even if we don't know anything about jazz. Everything you shared with us was clear and practical, I know what I have to work on and how I can practice. Thanks for your passion and the way you convey your knowledge and your experiences. "
"Thank you for this amazing journey on improvisation and creativity. I believe I have material I can practice on for the next 10 years!"
"I'm so happy and relieved to have found a teacher that understands the frustrations of coming from a rigid classical background, and more importantly one who knows a way out into a wider world!!"
"The highly organized musical plan of being able to understand & play improvisational music with feeling was both highly inspiring and challenging"
"Christian Howes provides a much needed bridge to classically trained musicians and others who want to expand their playing and play within a more creative context.Bravo!"
Enter a New Musical Skills Realm
how to improvise without knowing a ton of licks or tunes.
- Tonal and non-tonal
- Grooves and vamps
- Solo or in ensembles
So you can
- Play creatively with skills you currently have
- Accept yourself with every note you play
Gain strategies to Practice more Effectively:
- Save time by integrating harmony, improv, rhythm, & technique.
Internalize harmony on your instrument:
- Follow and remember chord progressions to tunes
- Create your own accompaniments or arrangements
- Make covers, acapellas, loops; collaborate, and jam
Teachers:
- Foster Jamming culture
- Promote lifelong learning
- Support SEL and diversity
Professionals and Amateur Players
- Get off the sidelines
- Get gigs or opportunities
- s
Feedback from Players and teachers
★★★★★ 5/5
"This is really fabulous! I am very very admiring of the entire package: all technical, theoretical, pedagogical foundations. And Chris’ positivity and optimismis wonderful!"
"Thanks for the Ideas, the interaction, and the peptalk. Chris is among the coolest of beans. Not because he plays so well, but because he concerns himself with building bridges for others to cross over. These are things that remain and give and then give again."
"Christian’s clear approach opened my understanding of how to navigate the violin, but it can also be applied to any chordal instrument and even to thoughtful, intentional development of lines on single-voice, melodic instruments. Much fun! I am grateful! TY!"
"I really appreciated the tangible exercises to focus on, allowing me to grow. Now, I know what to practice & I feel more confident about doing it."
" You gave me the essential keys to understand how to improvise. And especially to dare to play, even if we don't know anything about jazz. Everything you shared with us was clear and practical, I know what I have to work on and how I can practice. Thanks for your passion and the way you convey your knowledge and your experiences. "
"Thank you for this amazing journey on improvisation and creativity!"
"I'm so happy and relieved to have found a teacher that understands the frustrations of coming from a rigid classical background, and more importantly one who knows a way out into a wider world!!"
"The highly organized musical plan of being able to understand & play improvisational music with feeling was both highly inspiring and challenging"
"Christian Howes provides a much needed bridge to classically trained musicians and others who want to expand their playing and play within a more creative context.Bravo!"
Class Structure
- Play along with my prompts, through several exercises with clear guidance. Use the workbooks separately and rewatch or repurpose repeatable processes on your own.
- Take a sneak peek at the Pre-Party Guidebook
FAQ
I will teach you skills you can apply universally in any style of music. Harmony, improvisation, groove, arrangement, and accompaniment apply in all styles, and you are going to get the cheat codes:)
Yes. I teach group classes like YOGA classes in the sense that every participant is offered modified exercises to their level. Everyone will be sufficiently challenged and everyone will be able to participate.
With Clear method and structure, it’s never too late to learn skills. Often the hobbyist players in my classes keep up with or outpace the professional experts, because they are open.
- Understand music in new ways
- Develop more efficient & effective practice strategies
- Find More enjoyment in your practice with Less self-judgement, overwhelm, and procrastination or boredom. If you’re passionate about music, I expect this to be transformative for you.