14 Jazz & Funk Etudes: B-flat Instrument (Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Clarinet), Book & Online Audio

Very challenging etudes for a middling player like myself. But challenges are good.

Great etudes. I am not a professional and I find these quite difficult. The accompanying CD helps -- you can (try) to play along with Bob Mintzer. Or you can load a track into Audacity and slow it down and then play along. I've recently been focusing on one etude in particular (#6) and have found a number of mistakes in the written music (B naturals instead of B flat, which is what Bob Mintzer plays, so I have to assume that the note should have been B flat).

Met my needs ......

My professional musician husband (trombone and string bass) says it is world class playing and writing. He ordered one for our saxaphonist son.

I ordered this because it said that it came with a CD. When it arrived, it had no CD but had an audio download. I realize that this is the trend now, and that CDs are becoming obsolete, but I wanted one with a CD. I would not have purchased it without the CD, I would rather have searched for a use done with a CD. Some of us still want the CDs! If it doesn't have it, done say it does. I use the course away from my computer, and I don't feel like downloading it and having to burn my own CD.

I have a lot of books and this is one of my favorites. Bob is a world class player and these etudes reflect that. I don't care what instrument you play, this will inspire you. In these 13 etudes he runs the gamut from bop, to funk, to free jazz and it's all still his unique voice. The last etude 'Fast' slow and fast versions will show you how far you most likely still have to go. He injects 32nd note flurries into the 1st etude 'Start With The Blues' which I find to be an amazing composition. Every etude has something different to teach. I can't testify to the 100% accuracy of the musical notation but I've gone over the 1st etude with a fined toothed comb and it is accurate. I highly recommend this even if you don't play and just like listening. If you do play prepare to be amazed !

I bought this book when I read that it was suitable for moderate readers. My cousin who has played with alot of big names (Maynard Ferguson, Dave Brubeck, to name a few plus the contractor for several casinos) laughed and said that his guy is head of music department at UCLA or somewhere like that and a modeate reader to him is some kid who already plays his ass off. Don't be fooled it is a tough go if you are a guy that is sitll working on his or her chops. I would stay away if you aren't already a pretty complete reader.

Challenging, but fun to play, so you're bound to get better. To start off with, use a slowdowner app for the backing tracks if they're too fast. The pieces are in different genres: funk, jazz standards, freeform, technical challenges (fourths arpeggios, 5/4, 'across the bar lines') and a beautiful slow tune in 3/4. His style is quite spiky (extravagant arpeggios) and highly chromatic – but they make more and more sense the more you play them. Learning these is going to broaden the jazz language in your head and under your fingers. Minor warning: you might need to mark the missing accidentals from the notation – it hasn't been proofread very well. But we've all got pencils and ears.

Very useful practice aid

いきなり最初の曲から難易度は高いですが、本気で練習すれば相当上手くなれます。プロの人は大抵やったと思います。この本でコルトレーンチェンジの使い方を覚えました。ミンツァー先生の模範演奏も入っているのでとても良いと思います。