Anyone looking for a little practise motivation and guidance? I run guided practise session on zoom every Monday at 6pm (UK time). If you would like to come and try one of those sessions for free this coming Monday, either comment on this post or send me a DM. Matt

What’s one thing that you think the violin can offer to jazz that hasn’t been explored enough in your opinion? I’d say double stops. Oscar Peterson always said that pianists should play like pianists and use the instrument for what it’s good for. The context being that when bebop first appeared, many pianists were focusing their playing mainly around single line work, emulating sax players, not exploring their left hand as much as in previous periods of jazz. Whilst the violin doesn’t have the same chordal possibilities as the piano, I think we should try to use the two note possibilities of the violin more. In both our arsel of improvisational techniques and our practise when we are trying improve our playing as a whole. In my 10 tunes course I incorporate it as an integral part of learning chord sequences. Using double stops two note chords as a way of learning the changes for tunes. If you can play through a tune using simple shapes for each chord, you will know the tune a lot better! Tcha Limberger is a great proponent of using double stops in his playing, I learned a lot from his approach to practising improv and technique.

Hi all, Thanks for joining me in here. Here are your first steps for getting the most out of this community. 1. Copy this format and comment on this post with -your name -where you are from -your musical background and what you are trying to achieve in your playing 2. Create a post, either sharing a cool jazz violin video that you love, a question about learning to play jazz or even an interesting piece of advice you have been given about learning to improvise. 3. Doing all of the above will now mean you are a Level 2 member. You will now have access to all of the free courses in the classroom. (5 simple licks in G, Jazz Bowing, learn Honeysuckle Rose, Jazz Listening List) Bonus: Tell me in the poll below what it is you are interested in improving in your playing (this helps me understand how to help you best)