IntellectualMusician.com » Brien Henderson

Anatomy of the Blues Scale

Brien Henderson — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 21:45:29 +0000

The blues scale was the first thing they taught me when I got into jazz band in high school. It’s a simple scale to learn, and all the tones sound good over blues changes. The advantage of knowing it (more…)

A Great Site for Old Music

Brien Henderson — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:14:18 +0000

And I’m talking really old here, kids. I just found it, and I can’t believe they’ve been online since February, 2006 and I never heard about it. (more…)

Every Musician Should Read This

Brien Henderson — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 19:03:06 +0000

Effortless Mastery by Kenny Werner addresses an often-neglected area of musical study: your mental well-being as a musician and as a person. Namely, Werner focuses on the ego and how it often keeps us from becoming the masterful musicians we can be. (more…)

Saxes: Work Your Pinkies!, part 1

Brien Henderson — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:59:46 +0000

One of the best things a sax player can do to improve the overall command of their instrument is play with rock or blues bands. This is because most rock or blues bands are basically guitar-driven, and most guitar players like to play in keys like E, A, and C (more…)

Spice Things Up With The Tritone Sub

Brien Henderson — Thu, 31 May 2007 21:47:45 +0000

Using substitute chords is a common practice that spices up chord changes and often makes melodies sound more “modern.” The most common chord substitution you see is the tritone sub. (more…)

Writing Your Own Music: How To Get Started

Brien Henderson — Sun, 06 May 2007 18:41:49 +0000

How do you start writing your own music? It’s a pretty big question with many answers, any one of them just as valid as another. I’ll try to give you some ideas as to how to go about creating your own music, and hopefully stimulate some ideas in you. (more…)

Intro to chords in Jazz

Brien Henderson — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 22:12:13 +0000

Whether you’re a classically trained player looking to branch out into jazz, a budding jazz player looking for more explanation on how to solo over changes, or a rhythm section player starting to approach jazz (more…)

Subdivide. It Pays Off

Brien Henderson — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 05:21:34 +0000

Rhythm is the most neglected area of musical study in Western musical practice. I know that may seem like a bold claim, but in my experience it rings true. Most players are so consumed with the notes that they forsake the rhythm. (more…)

I-IV-V Harmony, part 2

Brien Henderson — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 16:28:55 +0000

In this article, I’m expanding on my previous piece, “Why I-IV-V Works, And Works So Well.” I’ll be adding 7ths to the chords and starting to talk about harmony a little more. (more…)

Take ownership of the tempo!

Brien Henderson — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 00:58:09 +0000

Everyone knows the drummer keeps the time in a band, right? Or in an orchestra, the conductor leads the tempo with his/her baton? What about in a string quartet? Who controls the tempo there? (more…)