One Minute Lesson Technique
The One Minute Lesson Series
These “One Minute Lessons” cover many of the topics I discuss with my private students. These conversations sometimes arise because a student asks me about a certain subject but more often it’s because I hear a weakness in their playing or musical perception. The “One Minute Lesson” is not meant to be an exhaustive study; of any particular subject rather it is an insight into one subject that is sometimes small, sometimes big but always important. At the outset you should realize that some of these “One Minute Lessons” have much more content than others depending on the subject. This variance in the amount of material supplied in a “One Minute Lesson” is usually caused by the subject presented. Sometimes additional PDFs with specific exercises and MP3s and Midi files will be supplied to help a student master a particular subject but other times it might just be a lesson where I’m nudging a student to keep something important in mind or refine their understanding of something they might know but not completely understand. In general I think these “One Minute Lessons” should be watched every few years as you work on your musical skills because different subjects will become important to your development at different times.
Again, just to clarify The “One Minute Lesson”will always contain a video that is approximately one minute in length. Each “One Minute Lesson” will also always contain a PDF. Sometimes additional PDFs, MP3s and Midi files will also be given if there are exercises that relate to the subject at hand.
There will be “One Minute Lesson” videos on many subjects.
Each “One Minute Lesson” topic will be available as an individual download or as a bundle. The Bundle is the most economical way to purchase these “One Minute Lessons.” You can choose a quick link below to read about each “One Minute Lesson.”
Here is a breakdown of this “One Minute Lessons for Technique”: Click on a title to go directly to the course.
One Minute Lesson: “Technique” Bundle
One Minute Lesson: “Technique” Bundle
The One Minute Lesson “Technique” Bundle contains nine one minute lessons that lay out all the common techniques that a professional musician uses to master their instrument. Each lesson gives you a PDF with various studies taken from forthcoming compendiums of technical exercises. These “One Minute Lessons” are a great way to get an overview of what techniques are involved to gain mastery of your instrument along with a concise way to organize both the exercises and recommendations and your practice sessions. The “One Minute Lesson Technique” videos discuss the general ideas behind playing correctly and other important subjects that many students don’t realize are intrinsically connected to good technique. If you would like to learn about the specifics of each video or wish to only purchase a single download please click on the individual titles.
- Technique 1: Pressing too Hard
- Technique 2: Ergonomic Movement
- Technique 3: Long Line Rhythm®
- Technique 4: Big Muscles Move Small Muscles
- Technique 5: How to Practice
- Technique 6: Warm-Ups
- Technique 7: Hearing What You Are Playing
- Technique 8: Style
- Technique 9: Articulation
Achieving superior technique on your instrument requires many kinds of exercises, and it takes years to master the exercises presented in these videos and accompanying PDFs. Think of this series of the “One Minute Lesson” as a general guide to WHAT you need to work on to gain the kind of technical mastery you desire.
Get One Minute Lesson: Technique Bundle download today!
ISBN 978-1-59489-648-4
Nine Videos with PDFs.
Status: In stock, Digital book is available for immediate access.
Individual Downloads
One Minute Lesson: Technique #1: Pressing too Hard
This One Minute Lesson talks about some of the different issues that keep a player from reaching his or her full technical potential. One of the accompanying PDFs presents an exercise to help to develop a “lightness” in one’s touch. This PDF also gives an overview of the organization of scales along with the suggested scales that a musician needs to know to function in modern music. Recommendations are also given on how to practice scales to maximize your practice time while simultaneously developing aural skills. Modal Sequencing is explained in depth. An additional 24 page PDF is included from the forthcoming book “Two Note Modal Sequencing” showing one possible exercise that a student could use to explore more melodic ideas. This PDF is also an excellent sight reading workout.
ISBN 978-1-59489-639-2
Video plus one six page PDF and one 24 page PDF
Get One Minute Lesson: Technique #1 download today!
Status: In stock, Digital book is available for immediate access.
One Minute Lesson: Technique #2: Ergonomic Movement
This lesson discusses the importance of the proper physical relationship to an instrument and how it can affect the ability to develop stellar technical skills. A three page PDF is also included which discusses common playing problems that inhibit these skills. There is also a demonstration of the power of three note modal sequencing which breaks a seven note scale down to its eighteen possible three note melodic patterns. Practice recommendations are given on how to apply these ideas as well as which scales should be included in practicing with these concepts. Another twelve page PDF is included which is an excerpt from the forthcoming “Three Note Sequencing” which shows some suggested practice patterns in all keys.
ISBN 978-1-59489-640-8
Video and 1 three page PDF as well as a 12 page PDF showing a technical exercise.
Get One Minute Lesson: Technique #2 download today!
Status: In stock, Digital book is available for immediate access.
One Minute Lesson: Technique #3: Long Line Rhythm®
The video discusses “Long Line Rhythm®” a concept which will greatly increase your speed as well as you ability to feel, and not count, time. A five page PDF gives a detailed explanation of “Long Line Rhythm®” and how to apply it to various musical situations. Both the “MetroDrone®” and the course “The Big Metronome” are discussed and recommendations given on how to incorporate these books/tools into “Long Line Rhythm®” practice. Four note modal sequencing is discussed in-depth as well as a revolutionary way of reducing the possible four note melodic patterns of a seven note scale down to twenty melodic combinations. These twenty 4 note melodic patterns are then combined with another twenty page PDF that shows the 96 permutations of these twenty 4 note melodic patterns which gives you a highly organized way of seeing all four note melodic patterns for a seven note scale. Many of these ideas are excerpts from the forthcoming “Four Note Sequencing” course.
ISBN 978-1-59489-641-5
Video and 5 page PDF as well as a 20 Page PDF
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One Minute Lesson: Technique #4: Big Muscles Move Small Muscles
The video explains how any instrumentalist should physically relate to their instrument. The accompanying three page PDF discusses problems encountered by not playing with the proper technique as well as suggestions on how play correctly and ideas to counteract many of the physical stresses a musician encounters. The four note diatonic chords of a key center and the importance of mastering this information is presented as well as suggested ways to practice this information. Four additional eighty two page PDFs are included which are excerpts from the “Four Note Diatonic Chords” course. These exercises show a student the four inversions of a chord and some suggested ways that these structures can be played through a scale. This is an excellent presentation of how a student can organize this important technique commonly used by great musicians to master an understanding of key centers and arpeggios.
ISBN 978-1-59489-642-2
Video and one 3 page PDF as well as four 82 page PDFs
Get One Minute Lesson: Technique #4 download today!
Status: In stock, Digital book is available for immediate access.
One Minute Lesson: Technique #5: How to Practice
This video discusses how to get the most out of your practice session by organizing your time effectively and in a way that will promote physical well being. A five page PDF is included which has an important discussion of the mental stresses that can accompany learning an instrument, as well as ways to deal with these problems. There is also a detailed discussion of “Approach Notes” and how this concept of playing can be organized as well as ways it is commonly used in music. Three 6 page PDFs are also included that show how to practice approach notes with scales. These exercises are an excellent way to quickly expand your musical palette.
ISBN 978-1-59489-643-9
Video and one 5 page PDF as well as three 6 page PDFs
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Status: In stock, Digital book is available for immediate access.
One Minute Lesson: Technique #6: Warm-Ups
This Video discusses the importance of using warm-up exercises before playing, with suggestions on useful exercises. The nine videos presented in this series really give you on overview of most of the common melodic patterns used in music and therefore are an excellent source for developing your own personal warm ups based on these ideas. A two page PDF is included which discusses all kinds of warm-ups and how to pick the best approach to your warm-up session. A discussion of using approach notes to chord tones is also presented as well as three additional two page BeBop duet études that demonstrate the use of approach notes into chord tones.
ISBN 978-1-59489-644-6
Video and two PDFs
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Status: In stock, Digital book is available for immediate access.
One Minute Lesson: Technique #7: Hearing What You Are Playing
This video discusses the close connection between aural and rhythmic skills. There is a four page PDF which breaks down the various categories of learning necessary to develop good aural and rhythmic skills. A discussion of how to “hear” music as well as suggested courses of study are included. Rhythmic training is broken down into the basic components of reading rhythms, playing rhythms, recognizing and playing various meters, superimpositions, odd rhythmic groupings and a general rhythmic feel which is appropriate for the style you are playing. An explanation of “feeling” time and not “count” time is given as well as a suggested way to develop this skill set. The overview presented in this PDF is crucial to your understanding of these two aspects of great musicianship. A list of chord tones and available tensions for every chord is included as well as an explanation of “sweeps” and how this kind of structure can create a very interesting and modern sounding melody. An additional 22 page PDF provides examples of these “sweeps” which will definitely expand your sonic pallet.
ISBN 978-1-59489-645-3
Video and one 4 page PDF as well as a 20 page PDF
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Status: In stock, Digital book is available for immediate access.
One Minute Lesson: Technique #8: Style
This Video discusses the importance of style when developing technical skills. The accompanying two page PDF continues this discussion pointing out why stylistic considerations are so important. This PDF explains how each style has its own characteristic melodies and rhythms and these will shape the types of technical exercises you practice. An additional PDF is included to explain the concept of “swing” a commonly misunderstood term that is found in many styles of Jazz and Blues. The ideas presented in the “One Minute Lessons on Technique” are not based inn any one style, so that you can apply the exercises to the style that makes sense, based on its intrinsic melodic and rhythmic content. This “One Minute Lesson” PDF also goes into detail about how these choices should be made and gives examples of common style considerations. It also gives a brief description of “Pitch Class Set Theory” and information on how to apply Hexatonic (6 note) based sweeps patterns to various chord types. Another 15 page PDF containing 720 hexatonic sweeps is also included for technical study as well as a one chorus solo applying these sweeps to the jazz standard “Giant Steps.”
ISBN 978-1-59489-646-0
Video plus 2 Page PDF, 15 Page PDF, Swing Feel PDF, Giant Steps PDF
Get One Minute Lesson: Technique #8 download today!
Status: In stock, Digital book is available for immediate access.
One Minute Lesson: Technique #9: Articulation
This video discusses the importance of specific and appropriate articulation and embellishment of any musical phrase to make it sound like a given style. The included PDF gives ways to apply technical exercises to make them more musical. Ways to apply technical exercises in a musical way was also covered in two “One Minute Lessons on Phrasing.” These PDFs have been included to help a student see some possible ways to help to make repeating patterns sound more interesting. There is also a discussion of the importance of playing various techniques in cycles. A 24 page excerpt from the “Hearing Chord Progressions” course which shows various ways to play a Major 7th chord cycle 5 is included.
ISBN 978-1-59489-647-7
Video plus PDFs with additional 24 page PDF and Two PDFs from One Minute Lesson Phrasing.
Get One Minute Lesson: Technique #9 download today!
Status: In stock, Digital book is available for immediate access.
Reviews
- What people are saying:
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- These one minute lessons are an addiction! You check one out and say “yeah!” and then you have to check out the next one, and maybe even download one of the recommended books. Very clever Mr. Arnold, you are making me a one minute lesson junkie! A. Iyer
- It’s amazing how such a short lesson can have so much in it. It feels a little like I’ve needed to know this stuff for years, and I’m amazed that no one ever told me. Thanks for filling in the blanks; it’s already changing my playingN. Stricoff
- An amazing amount of information. An encyclopedia on technical exercises with common sense recommendations to help you make everything sound musical. H. Gordon