How to Play Smooth Jazz

Jazz music has long captured the hearts of many people. The creativity and freedom of jazz musicians have been romanticized by a culture obsessed with cool. Smooth jazz takes this concept of cool and stretches further by drawing on R&B and funk music influences to create a seamlessly smooth and uniquely laid-back sound. Learn how to play smooth jazz and breathe creative life into this cool genre.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Start by learning the basics of jazz playing. Become well versed on the traditional big band jazz standards and learn about other jazz genres as well to help delineate between different kinds of jazz music.

2. Find some smooth jazz recordings and note that it is often called "adult contemporary" as well. Find a song that you really enjoy and listen to the differences between the way it is played compared to big band jazz or ragtime.

3. Learn basic music theory so that you can learn jazz theory and begin applying these theoretical foundations to your music playing. Locate a jazz teacher or music teacher that can help you learn these foundations if you are having trouble mastering these basics.

4. Master the usage of jazz scales, arpeggios and blues scales, and learn the art of smooth articulation no matter what your instrument. Become very well versed in controlling your volume and dynamic changes. Smooth jazz is often played in a dampened down quiet tone, which takes immense control and understanding of breath control.

5. Practice with an ensemble or group of friends interested in jazz. Pick a song that might not be thought of as smooth jazz. Then attempt to play in this smooth, cool style by lowering the dynamics, changing the articulation and playing with improvisation and modal modification.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice basic music theory at least thirty minutes every day.
• Always memorize your music before performance. Jazz musicians must have an intimate relationship with the music and know it backwards and forwards as it is written before they can modify the music.

Resources

• Listen to smooth jazz to get a feel for the genre.
• Visit various smooth jazz artists websites and resources.