https://www.u-jam.ca/summer-jazz-camp
Course materials for my classes are available here:
How To Train Your Ear
Our ears are the most important tools we have as musicians. Without the ability to hear chords and intervals we are stabbing in the dark and can’t possibly know what we are playing or how it relates to the other notes we hear. “How to train your ear and avoid Hiccups” with Monik is a 5-day class designed to help students begin to recognize intervals and basic chords by ear and also learn a few improv solos by ear in a spirit of fun and games.
How To Train Your Ear course pack
“Pfrancin’”
“Soft Winds”
“There Will Never Be Another You”
“Mambo Influenciado” w. Irving Acao on tenor sax
Is It Is, Or Is It Ain’t, A Blues?
Is it, or isn’t it? We will go over basic theory including modes, key signatures and the circle of fifths and then using this information we will try and figure out what are the defining features of a blues. We will talk about “riff” blues, call and response, downstep, major and minor blues using examples that we may know or recognize.
Woodwind Fundamentals (saxophones and clarinets)
Every morning we will meet at 9am to go over instrumental technique and the fundamentals of playing a single reed instrument. Yay reeds!
Checklist for Low Notes on Saxophone
1) make sure the reed seals to the mouthpiece like a suction cup
2) check to make sure the resistance is the same on each edge of the reed by playing
3) make sure the reed is not too resistant overall ie. not too hard
4) slur down the c scale to low c and sustain. how does it feel? comfortable?
subtext to all this, prefaced by, make sure the saxophone is not leaking down low!
potential problems:
1) volume of air incorrect
2) incorrect pressure on bottom of reed
3) incorrect amount of the mouthpiece in your mouth
4) reed malfunction!
“Barracuda”
Monik Nordine 