Hear and Play Jazz 101 :: Jazz Basics and Fundamentals

Most musicians fail to reach professional "guru" status because they place themselves in a musical box.

You see, they think just because they play one particular style of music, that they should only learn chords, patterns, and tricks from that same genre.

It's like a basketball player refusing to train outside the gym because of a misconception that only track stars "run the bleachers."

Or a chef that only cooks chicken (...and never includes other dishes, cultures, meats, or flavors in their recipes).

Good musicians pick a genre, learn everything about that one genre, and ultimately sound good in their "comfort" settings.

Great musicians master several genres. They're able to play in any setting, and most importantly, take things that are "commonplace" in one genre, and "sneak" them into another (...and usually wowing people while they're at it).

If you only want to be good, take my advice above and you'll do "good" in certain environments.

If you want to be great, however, keep reading everything I have to share with you on this page...

Great musicians (...or at least the ones that sound better than "good" ones) have a few traits in common.

For over 7 years, we've taught primarily gospel music by ear. Yes, you can pick up our 300-pg home study course and find general music theory, ear-training, and various progressions from other genres, but our main focus up until now has been on gospel music.

I simply called it "drilling deep" or focusing only on one type of player. It was the classic "don't try to please everyone" and "stick with what you know best" philosophy.

But even I've realized the necessity for gospel (and ALL) musicians to explore other genres as there is a lot to be discovered by doing this.

Not only do you increase your creativity by pulling chords, patterns, licks, and tricks from other places, but you break yourself away from being limited to one style of playing.

That's why so many musicians get stuck trying to figure out why they're playing the same stuff they were playing years ago... or worse, have gone several steps in the wrong direction due to lost interest --- because they've realized that most songs in a particular genre follow certain patterns and once you knows them all, it gets extremely difficult to learn new patterns unless you step outside the "genre."

Since you're reading this page, it's clear to me that you're interested in exploring jazz and how to play it by ear.

And if you're like me, you'll agree that jazz is one of the most popular genres in the world today. In many instances, it's like the "default" style of music you end up listening to whether in an elevator, waiting in a doctor's office, as hold music on the phone, in the background at a fancy restaurant... even at church these days as many pastors are holding gospel jazz brunches and concerts.

Heck, it's commonly used as an adjective to describe certain ways to play other genres. You've probably heard musicians say "jazz that up a little" or "play that a little jazzier."

That's why I'm finally answering the thousands of musicians who have literally begged us to teach the basics of jazz by ear --- and this page reveals everything you need to know to start playing jazz now.

No one wants to be labeled by others as "one-dimensional". And to be honest, knowing only one style of music is pretty boring. And as a musician, excitement and unpredictability is the name of the game!

I mean, adding even just one style of music to your playing, especially one as vibrant as jazz, will have an exponential effect on you, forever.

Heck, just being able to understand jazz will ignite your creative side and allow you to accelerate your improvisational skills that can be used to instill your own personal touch in literally everything you play... regardless of the genre.

James Wrubel has been wowing crowds in the music world since the mere age of 5 years old! Being classically trained at one of the most widely-known musical institutions in the country, has provided him with the superior knowledge and application needed to shine while performing with both the award-winning student orchestra under Los Angeles Philharmonic Concertmaster Alexander Treger as well as some of the top jazz musicians around the globe!

I'm talking about players like the great Fred Haas, Terry Trotter, John Rangel, Stuart Elster, "Father" John D'Amico and the list goes on and on. His unique ability to play so many different styles of jazz is very rare and highly sought after.

His diverse ability is best evidenced in light of his additional performing credentials in both Latin Jazz and Afro-Cuban music as well as many other jazz styles (...talk about multi-dimensions).

Now, what really convinced us that we absolutely NEEDED to make James a member of the Hear and Play Family and teaching staff was that he's already an active jazz instructor and currently teaches here in Los Angeles, one-on-one. So if anyone knows how to break down each and every concept, step-by-step, he does.

As a company, Hear and Play Music serves over 231,500 musicians from all around the world and supplies over 1.5 million pages of online piano lessons each and every year! Over 40,000 students rely on our paid courses to teach them cutting-edge techniques without having to pay hundreds -or- even thousands of dollars in classes and private lessons.

I'm convinced that after just 2 hours with James, you'll be well on your way to mastering jazz styles by ear.

The time is finally here! Learning to play jazz and being able to play an entirely different style of music has never been easier.

No more paying endless amounts of money for a private instructor just to tell you "you'll get there soon."

Now, all you have to do is slip a DVD into your computer, laptop, or personal DVD player and learn literally everything you need to know to take your jazz piano playing to the next level.

Now listen, you don't have to go to jazz concerts anymore saying "I wish I could do that." If you truly want to start playing jazz by ear right away, look no further.

In this 2-hour, 2-disc set of step-by-step instruction, you'll be taken by the hand and shown, step-by-step, how to master TONS of award-winning jazz tips, tricks, and techniques as well as signature soloing secrets that'll have you sounding like a pro very soon.

Not only am I dropping the price of this dvd course a considerable amount, but if you order today, I'm also throwing in a few "early bird" items (as you'll read below).

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1) Hear and Play Jazz 101 Disc 1: In Part 1, James demonstrates specific chord voicings, placement, and patterns you'll need to know to start playing jazz by ear. Not only that, you'll also learn to get both your left and right hand working together as jazz can be a little different than most styles you're used to.

2) Hear and Play Jazz 101 Disc 2: This is where James will break down all the ins and outs to the 12-bar blues... step by step! He'll also show you over 7jazz licks and tricks that you can add to your playing immediately. What he's got in his bag of tricks you definitely won't pick up any where else.

Even though, for all this, I could very well charge over $150 and still get tons of orders for the 2 hours of step-by-step training --- plus the bonus 20+ pg chord book and the bonus online training session (worth another $40 in value). And don't forget about the 11 bonus "live band audio tracks." With the bonuses valued at over $200.00+ alone and the DVD instruction valued at $60 (based on on the industry average of $30 per 1-hour dvd), I could offer this package as high as $260... at least.

In fact, many piano websites sell courses in that price range that aren't as long as 2 hours and not packed with as much information as ours.

Again, you get the entire course, special pricing, all the free bonuses, plus the easy payment plan.

Don’t Decide Now...
Try My "Jazz 101" Home Study Program RISK FREE For 30 Days

        I'm so sure that you will love this program that I'm willing to do something that might seem a little bit CRAZY...

        I'd like to send you a copy of this program to try RISK FREE.

        Here's how it works:

        I'd like to send you a copy of my dvd home study course at MY RISK. You don't have to pay anything except for a nominal shipping fee to get this out to you today.

        If you like it, keep it. You'll be billed automatically. If you don't like it, just send it back within 30 days, and you won't be charged (Don't worry, if the mail takes too long, and I get it back 31 days later and you've been charged, I'll give you a full no-questions and no-hassles refund ).

        Can it get any better?

        Of course it can...

        I also realize that having to pay for this program all at once might stretch your current budget a little bit. So I'd like to extend the offer I made above to “sweeten this deal” and truly make it “ an offer you'd be crazy to refuse .”

        If you order right now, as I mentioned above, I'll spread your payments out over 2 MONTHS. You won't make your first payment until 30 days after you order, and you'll be automatically charged in 2 equal monthly installments... AND you'll get all the same bonuses.

        I could not POSSIBLY make it any more easy or low risk for you.

        When you click on a button below, you'll be taken to a secure order page where you can order your program. Just use a valid credit or debit card for your order.

        Go through this program from beginning to end. You will see INSTANT RESULTS, and you WILL start understanding what it takes to play piano by ear in weeks, not years.

        Use the materials all you want for up to 30 days at MY RISK.

        If you decide that it's not for you - for ANY REASON - just send it back and you pay NOTHING.

        If you'd like to keep it (and I'm betting that you will), you don't have to do anything. You'll be billed automatically in two easy monthly payments of $27 - starting in 30 days.

        I truly want to help you play the piano like you've always wanted to. I get emails every day from musicians who are using this materials to improve their gospel playing, and I want to help you too.

(After 30 day free trial, make a one time payment of $49)

(After 30 day free trial, make two monthly payments of $27)

You don't have to pay anything except for a nominal shipping fee to get this out to you today.

Even though the price is already a complete steal (about the cost of a dinner for two at the local buffet restaurant), here's what's really important. If this jazz series was just another course that sat in your bookshelf and didn't teach you anything new, it wouldn't matter what the price was. IT WOULDN'T BE WORTH ONE PENNY.