A Lyrical Approach (to Jazz Trumpet) - Supplemental Books 1&2 - Richie Vitale

[Keith88]

Richie, could you tell us more about your A Lyrical Approach to Jazz Improvising theory book? I'm always open to learning new material. I've heard you on YouTube and am impressed by your playing.

Thanks, Keith

[Riqiv]

Richie, could you tell us more about your A Lyrical Approach to Jazz Improvising theory book? I'm always open to learning new material. I've heard you on YouTube and am impressed by your playing.

Thanks, Keith

Hi Keith,

The "A Lyrical Approach to Jazz Improvising" theory book was a culmination of 40 years of learning from books and teachers as to what would make a good jazz player and then explaining WHY it worked. Originally I had a mess of papers and eventually someone said I should make a book!

The theory book we're speaking about, "A Lyrical Approach to Jazz Improvising" is the "blue" book available at the bottom of my STORE page here: https://www.richievitale.com/store

I then put the papers in a notebook covered with sheet protectors and would Xerox papers for students...which was pretty tiring. Then Finale appeared and I worked on my book. When Sibelius came on the scene it got easier and I finished the book.

The two books above are essentially everything in my "A Lyrical Approach to Jazz Improvising" theory book written out in all the different keys with NO theory. Surprisingly, this is how I learned. From Blue Mitchell, Miles, Hubbard, Clifford records without understanding the theory.

It was later, when I moved to NYC and studied with Woody Shaw, spoke with Art Farmer (the "lesson" is on YouTube), had lessons with Moody and Sal Nistico, went to the Barry Harris' Jazz Cultural Theatre and studied arranging and Mark Levines's Jazz Piano book that I figured I had something worth publication.

So, just like the Part 1 and 2 books above, I put in exercises in the way I learned them, in the order I thought they belonged: Minor Arpeggios, II V I Progression; Dominant Arpeggios; Major and Minor Inversions; II V I's; II half dim. to V7(b9) to the I Minor; Diminished Scale Exercises; Major 6 / Diminished Exercises; Whole Tone Scale Exercises; the Blues Scale; the “Cycle of 5ths”; and, Even More “Cycle of 5ths”.

Supplemental Book 2 starts off with II V I Minor because in my "A Lyrical Approach to Jazz Improvising" theory book that was the hardest thing to explain...my head would hurt.

The "A Lyrical Approach to Jazz Improvising" theory book has patterns written out 3 or 4 times and the person reading the book is to do the rest of the transpositions himself. But the theory behind things became very important to me despite being told "it would ruin my playing".

It helps me be a better musician and composer and I love to learn!
______
Now, a word about the two books above. One of the professors I worked at in NJCU said why write everything out...students will transpose patterns themselves. Well, I started the book and gave sheets from the PDF to students and they liked it.

Not everyone has the propensity OR the time to transpose things in their heads. But I'll tell you this: Two of my students, the last two lessons left at the hour mark and I got further with them then I ever had and their ear playing and lines were more coherent.

They had been practicing from the two books above with iRealPro (which I insisted on) and shocked me beyond what I thought possible. I've always felt if you can hear it and play it back, the theory can come later. You'll be able to insert and change the ideas and patterns if you have them under your fingers.

That being said, the book you're asking about is for the teacher that wants to understand theory to teach his student or someone at the level where the theory is somewhat imperative. I wanted books for the student and/or musician to play through and have fun with, and that is what is selling above.

Thank you for asking. I really worked hard on all of my books to make sure they had all the important stuff in them, even if it took me hours to amend, and cut out the less important material. Fortunately, I'm a bit of a Mac geek (nothing against Windows), work with Sibelius, do my own filming, editing in FCPX and cover designs.

Oh yeah...and I play trumpet too....

[Riqiv]

Hello there,

Here is professional NYC flautist Carolyn Steinberg helping me show how the "A Lyrical Approach Supplemental Books" 1 & 2 flute and trumpet books could be used together with iRealPro to improve your jazz improvisation!



My books are available for trumpet & clarinet, flute & piano, trombone, Eb saxes and tenor sax here along with iRealPro for playalong tracks:
https://www.richievitale.com/store

Happy practicing