Challenge! Play this line and post it. There are 4 levels to this, you can pick which one is most doable for you right now…. 1- Exactly the same as myself, in F Major 2- Try it in a few different keys 3- Start like I do and finish it off a little differently. 4- improvise over a backing track and use this line in your improv https://youtu.be/gfx5wHi_4cE?si=4oLGWjmq6_AgLwg- Post it as a comment on here or as a separate post. Let’s see what you can do with it!

I've been transcribing this epic early Ponty solo (if I'm feeling brave later I'll upload a video of my progress). What I find fun about it is all the rhythmic displacement stuff he's doing - there's a lot of harmonically fun stuff and bebop language in there of course but every single chorus he's using (often pretty similar) rhythmic patterns to great effect. I'm trying to follow the process and create some of my own exercises out of this. I wondered how people (/Matt!) approach practicing rhythm generally - would you take a scale and and practice rhythm/bowing patterns over it, or think specifically about incorporating rhythm into other exercises, or do you ever practice rhythmic patterns on their own? It's also an area I think I'm going to have to be braver about recording myself and listening back - coming from a classical background I feel fairly confident that I can hear whether I'm hitting the right notes with sufficient intonation when I'm thinking about practicing harmonic exercises, but with rhythm I don't know if I've developed the same capacity for real time self critique when it comes to rhythm and feel. I guess it's the thing I most cringe at when I do listen back to myself! Interested to hear others thoughts on this! https://youtu.be/hQjLPFCQ33o?si=yLG4mp5oz1fWVtq_

Hope you enjoy this jazzified Mendelssohn! If you haven't heard of Nora Germain, she is a fantastic jazz violinist and the very first one I came across many years ago after discovering Stephane Grappelli. I've seen her perform live a few times. https://youtu.be/103yNKHg_Rk?si=fuaXlAoj9hiElzuw Anyway, I'm excited to unlock level 2 and access more of the materials in this community 🎶

1. INTRODUCE YOURSELF Copy this format and comment below: • your name • where you’re from • your musical background • what you’re trying to achieve in your playing 2. MAKE YOUR FIRST POST This could be: • a jazz violin video you like • a question about learning jazz • or something you’ve found helpful to practice 3. START LEARNING If you are new to jazz, take my "5 Days To Improv" challenge. Its a free course that helps you make your first steps into jazz improv. Learning the ropes and delving into how a jazz musician thinks, practises and plays. If you really want to progress, you can get hold of the larger paid courses in there too “Jazz Violin Fundamentals”, “10 Tunes You Must Know”, “46 Lines”, “Mastering Chromatics” BONUS There’s a poll below this post. Let me know what you’re most interested in improving in your playing, it helps me shape the material in here