How to Master Improvising on ii-V-Is 

For sheet music of all 50 ii-V-I phrases in all 12 keys plus recordings and backing tracks visit: www.jazzlessonvideos.com/pdf-packages Mouthpiece: use $10 coupon code CHADXSYOS at www.syos.co/en/shop/products/signature-saxophone-mouthpiece/chad-lefkowitz-brown-tenor

You didn’t have to flex that hard in the beginning but you did

absolute chad

I love that you cut straight to the point with no unnecessary build-up! Great content.

People tell me that I’m a really good sax player and then I feel confident. Then I clicked this vid and my self confidence went a committed not alive

That’s , this has been the best and easiest video to follow. Plus it helps if your a Flat out Monster. Incredible player

Great stuff..I can hardly wait to get into this..:-) ..I remember when Jimmy Forrest was in town...he worked with us kids at the Junior College, I had the highest honor to share some time with him...I asked him what it was he'd did when he improvised. He responded " just messin with the chords man". Unforgettable.

Top notch educational material as always, useful and to the point

one of the best tutorials i've seen. so much good info!

Amazing musician and teacher. Fantastic, in the truest sense. Thank you!

One of the best music educators in this planet!

I love your videos. I find them really inspiring and motivating. Your playing sounds gorgeous, also. I'm a guitarist and most horn players don't leave me feeling so jealous but the kind of care of expression that you put into your notes/phrases really makes me wish I was playing a tenor.

I love this! It sounds like you actually put thought and workin these lines, where a ton of other books I've checked out sound like random notes thrown together

Good thing I recently picked up on a lot of music theory before watching this lol, makes this a lot more helpful. Awesome video dude 👍

Wow this is really some slick s***. I took one phrase and was able to create effortlessly and not run out of ideas. You stimulate creativity, I'm going to devote myself to learning how a great saxophone player such as yourself thinks so I can apply it to the piano. My 🎹 teacher and musical father the late great Walter Bishop Jr told me 20 years ago that he didn't listen so much to other piano players besides Bud Powell but that he listened to horn players. such as his hero Charlie Parker. "Thanks young blood," by sharing the knowledge you're not only helping other musicians develop their talents but you are actually keeping Jazz alive for generations to come and that makes you a "JAZZ MESSENGER."

Clearest explanation ever. Thanks.

You hipped me to a two sub. ideals I'd never thought about! Thanks

Chad. You are a real gent for putting out this stuff. You've given me lifetimes of stuff to shed :D

Thanks so much Chad, these are really cool. I had already bought some of your materials and so I knew this was going to be good, but these II-V-Is are incredible. Some are a bit challenging range-wise for me to play on trumpet though I can get by with dropping an octave or pivoting. I will definitely need to work hard to get the double time lines fast and clean enough.

Chad is inspirational! He has definitely motivated me to further my playing and has helped me along the way!

Man... You're amazing

0:27 think you can slip one by??

Thanks for your Joy about this Chad...Inspirational

Your basically pressing buttons but knowing what you're doing... just brilliant!

Really helps to understand how to put more tension in the same basic phrase.

Brilliant lesson. Taken my playing to another level.

Awesome !!

Thanks for sharing....keep up the great job

Great video. Loved the variety of styles

Muy bueno Chad gracias!!!!

Amazing video, really. Thank you sooo much💯

Great Chad, thanks!!!👍

Wow I love you're playing and analysis, a great teacher and artist no doubt. Thank you, I will be purchasing the full volume.

Thanks Chad

Awesome

super guy! good teaching

Great lesson!

He's a monster and he knows it and wears it like a badge XD

Awesome!

very impresive mate! good job

Thank you so much ...... Well explained .....

Super cool thanks man

Bravo 👏

我非常喜欢爵士乐，我也是吹萨克斯的，但是我不懂英语要是有中文字幕那简直太好了！我会尽量去尝试着理解！感谢您的视频！

Very instructive vid, even for guitarist who play only by ear, like me 👍👍

Thanks Chad...you've been a tremendous help for my alto and flute improvising...my guitar and keyboard voicing and improvising has enjoyed a remarkable level of improvement as well. I will definitely want to purchase your diatonic exercises and chromatic studies as well. Thanx again bro. 7deepbreaths/Chicago, USA 6/27/21

I love it and am buying it. Can't wait for the the Minor version which I'm sure you're working on. :)

Cool

Super useful

Man. This guy flies

Man great stuff, my question is how do internalized all of this? Or how long do you run through the materials before you go it? I have to go over slowly as far as reading like you did Chadd. And for the most part if I had to think my way through while playing I’m done ✅ Basically I hear what’s going on and play accordingly, but being able to internalize the material would be major plus! Sometimes it becomes overwhelming going through the materials and wanting to be locked and loaded when you hear

Hi Chad. I bought the book and love it, just has a quick question for you...you say that [nothing is random - every note serves a purpose] and explain what's going on, so what's happening when you improvise ? Are you recalling "chunks" of pre-learnt material, or are you just thinking at a million kph ?

Thanks Chad, awesome stuff!! Hey, come down under to Australia some time on tour please 🙂

great

Dear Chad, I am educated as a classical saxophone player, and as a classical singer, although I love jazz for many years and try to find time to catch up theoretically and technically since it is a completely different discipline. My probably obvious question is , how and with which of your pdfs do you suggest me to start of with..so i can work gradually to the next level? Thanks so much, you are incredible. Huub Claessens

WOW!

boa tarde, souy de itapira brasil....muito bom...very much....

Your vids is one of the best however I would really wish it there could be a next treble clef for alto players please🙏🏼

I got this package and I am enjoying it. I suggest you make volume 2 of these pdf’s but I would mention that you should add and explain the voice leading and analysis of each line (with colored circles and note quality) and the other general tips, just as you explain in your videos. (Except that you explain all the phrases). This would make the pdf’s much more powerful and you could even charge a higher price. I am sure that I am not the only person who would be interested in second “advanced” volumes with expanded written analysis etc.. I was surprised that even though I could figure out many of the licks and concepts from your free videos, nothing inspires like the pdf with everything layed out for the musician. I play piano and use the PDFs in my own way for my instrument. Thanks again.

That mouthpiece is massive.

For tht double time phrase, when do we actually hit the chord tones? I'm a bit confuse 😅

@Chad LB first of all thanks a lot for the video and the content is super great. Nevertheless, would you consider uploading/selling an additional PDF explaining the answers (analysis) of each line just like you did in your video anytime? Just bought your both books on major and minor 2-5-1 and although I understand music some of them get a bit ahead of me. I had no troubles in the Major 2 & 3 Diatonic phrases but the 4th I'm literally lost on Bar 2 & 3. Would love to have a section where I could compare my analysis to the idea you actually implied. Thanks a lot. Kind regards Dave.

Finally u included analysis, but now I'm too broke to buy this ... Bought youre last book

Nice vid! And did I catch a Confirmation lick at 5:13?

Number 4. Sounds alot like a Joe Levano sound!

Hi that was so great I how can I download the all scale need to know for Jazz is they a link thanks

Just a head's up that your examples are transposed for Bb instruments (your Dm is Cm for non-transposing instruments). I know the information is the same but when I went to play along (nice examples, by the way) I realized I needed to transpose down a step to play with you.

How do you suggest to practice yor ii v i book? It's super..but I don't know to study...thanks so much

wow

The moment ur feeling ur sax improv so u sway back and forward

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Hey is there a similar pdf available to buy for guitarists? I really love the lines and the concepts behind them :)

Mad

Hey chad idk if you will see this but im considering buying ur signature mouthpiece at syos. I really love the tone that you have and the brightness of the mouthpiece is just beautiful. I was just wondering if it would hinder me in large ensemble settings. Is it easy enough to control the brightness on long notes to where i can blend in with the group’s sound? I would really appreciate any feedback! Thanks

Muchas Gracias !

U R GREAT!

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Hi! where on the site do you click on for these 50 phrases.? I see Guitar, so will all these lines your playing be there if you are a guitarist? Thank you

I understand the explanation but 2 what is your harmonic accompaniment going to to when on CMa you go to F# and C#? The harmonic movement is a bit fast for someone to follow. Is this like simultaneous music ala Stockhousen?

I wish guitar lesson videos were this straightforward

Pentatonic pentatonic it makes a certain predictability. Also the lack of half steps denies the improvisor so much! Nice tone. Plus there are otherways to slide outside for a quick second.

In your pentatonic shift example, is there an underlying reason for going from C Maj to the F#- and then the C#-? Or, was that a sound you just found to be cool, maybe a little idiomatic thing you like to use in similar situations. To me, learning the "why" is the hard part of learning licks and language. I can get the "what" but getting the "why" is how to lock down the phrases. Of course that's the very individual part of it. I can only ever get so close before I just have to do my own thing.

Hard to think of all this as you play live

this is outstanding... if you take requests for future lessons: how to mix the blues into your lines? thanks!

Great playing. What’s the MP your playing

In the sheet music, what does the staff with numbers for notes illustrate?

When you play double-time lines, are you tonguing for accenting or using breath / embouchure to make the accents / ghost notes so you don’t get bogged down?

I'm a bass player, and I love using these lines

8:53 That you can play all those notes that quickly and on purpose is impressive enough, but I really don't get how you are able to play all those notes that quickly while planning a phrase that will lead to the right approach note for where you you want to start the next chord. Obviously, you are able to do this, but honestly, I find myself wondering if my brain is designed to work that fast.

How do you get to the point that you use all these patterns that you learn, no matter how many licks i've studied in all keys etc i can hardly play them or remember them .Any suggestions?

Chad..Found you by accident on u-tube. I've been playin' since '61. My first gig in '69. Been a Woodwind tech for 45 years and worked on literally 1,000's of saxes, student and pro. Bundy to Balanced action, Mark 6, Couf, Yani'S etc. Played central US, Mexico, cruises, resorts, Etc. Served as a clinician for Hal Leonard, numerous recordings, etc. I'm very curious about your equipment. Judging by the appearance, you are either playing on a copper neck, (WITH RECEIVER) or is it tinted lacquer? Also curious about mpc. specs. and brand. Looks like pretty interesting resistance curve. Can't tell by vid., but it looks like a big chamber, and it looks like it's designed to totally encompass the neck cork for bore match to alleviate turbulence. Is that accurate? I'm always looking for ideas. What make is horn? Old school study. Getz, Hank Mobley, Scott Hamilton, Stitt, etc. Playing King Super 20, '73 vintage, annealed body tube, with Meyer 9* mpc. VERY WELL DONE VIDEO!! Especially for young students! Best Regards, Gary

After purchasing the PDF pack, where can I access these backing tracks?

Nr. 1

Hi Chad, what kind of mouthpiece are the ones you use?

ngl the lick at 6:10 kinda sounds like the lick charlie plays when he's with the Russian model in the episode "The Gang Hits The Slopes" from Its Always Sunny In Phillidelphia

Could you please interpret in sofa

Is your book available for Alto Sax?

+1 sub

More swing, please.

So should I be able to “sight improv” with cord symbols? Or is is more important to just learn a bunch of songs beforehand?