Dave Evans explains the uses of the accordion bellows shake. In this video, Dave describes the uses of the double and triple bellows shake in jazz, zydeco and cabaret music. He includes detailed instructions about how to perform the shake as well as techniques for adding accents to play with the rhythmic aspects of accordion.

Listen to Dave’s music here

Dave playing with the Band Who Knew Too Much on myspace

The Band Who Knew Too Much CDs available here

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Anton Delecca explains the uses of chromatic scales in jazz improvisation and as a warm up excercise for sax. In this video, Anton describes three excersices for warm up that improve tone and dexterity and are very useful to enliven passages of improvisation.

This video works together with a pdf of the lesson available here

Visit Anton website

Anton’s album is available on iTunes

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Paul Williamson explains the uses of bebop scales in jazz improvisation. In this video, Paul’s first post for Digital Pill, he describes the construction of bebop scales, jazz articulation, the use of a metronome and how bebop scales place the chord tones firmly ON the beat to create an “inside” sound in improvisation. The video together with the pdf download explain the uses of bebop scales over major, dominant and minor scales.

Click the links below to download a pdf of each of the lessons
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5
Lesson 6

Listen to Paul’s music here

Paul playing with Way out West on myspace

Way Out West – Old Grooves for New Streets available from iTunes

and from CDbaby

And last but not least check out this footage of Paul I shot at the gig

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Doug DeVries shares some ideas on how to add harmonic and rhythmic variation to a piece of music. In this lesson he uses one of his own compositions – Astoria – as an example of voice leading in harmony as well as examples of how to increase interest by varying the rhythm.

Visit Doug on these links

His website dougdevries.com

Doug’s albums on iTunes

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Ray discusses using a combination of tone and slap sounds on the djembe to produce rolls of various lengths and their use in contemporary percussion soloing.

More information about Ray’s classes, projects and recording can be found at raypereira.com

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In part 2 of a series Doug DeVries shares some ideas on how to add rhythmic variation to a piece of music. In this lesson he demonstrates how to increase interest by varying the rhythm.

Visit Doug on these links

His website dougdevries.com

Doug’s albums on iTunes

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Dean looks at long notes from several different angles – the growl, vibrato, dynamics and ear training.

Listen to Dean’s music here

The Pearly Shells

Zydeco Jump

The Vanguards

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Above is the new animated logo for the digitalpill.tv LIVE streaming show that begins regular broadcasts this Monday from the Dog Theatre (6.30pm Mon Aug 9th Melbourne time). For people in other timezones, check out the countdown clock in the sidebar (on the right), it lets you know exactly when the next live show goes to air. At that time you can use the + LIVE STREAM + option in the top menu above to view the broadcast.

If you want to find out a little more about the show watch the video below.

For our first show I will be talking to Rebecca Barnard about her work and her life in music.

Don’t worry . . . starting the live show doesn’t mean we will stop posting lessons, performances and ideas from Melbourne musos as we have been for a couple of years now.

Special thanks to Kim Lynch for his great work on the logo.

Leo

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Ever wondered how much music practice you are actually doing in between all of life’s distractions. In this short video Leo Dale talks about using a countdown clock to keep your eyes and ears on the practice of music.

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One of the first videos to go up on Digital Pill just passed the 50,000 hit mark. If you are a sax player go and check it out and see what the fuss is about. Dean Hilson’s stratospheric sax gliss

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