Sharp Eleven Music

Is there a lick or line you absolutely LOVE but you can't put your finger on what it is that makes your heart move faster about it?

In this case, we're talking about when you've already figured out the notes and how to play it, but you just can't work out the mechanics about why it sounds so great.

We want to do a video in the near future trying to answer these and help you out with some jazz mysteries.


To be clear: this is not an open call to just reference lick you like and have us transcribe that. You provide us with a (snippet of a) transcription and a clear audio reference i.e. Chick Corea - Spain (album: Light As A Feather) timestamp 2:45 - 2:52 . You can also use a lick form one of our videos of course! No need to send the sheet music in that case, we still have that... I think.

If you have one for us, you can send that to info@sharpelevenmusic.com , but please, share it also in the comments so that people get some inspiration already and can look it up themselves, that will be fun!

Any questions, let us know in the comments as well!

1 month ago | [YT] | 25

Sharp Eleven Music

Good news! But first, look at those sleepy, bored and borderline angry people from a "Desmond Legacy"concert. I'm sure you want to be part of that whenever possible? We can do what Paul Desmond was never able to do with his music: piss off an audience with lyrical, silky, pure and beautiful music (I mean, just look at those people in the picture...)

We'll be hitting the road again touring with our "one full concert tour a year" (but 2 full sets!) on the 5th of April in Oud-Turnhout (Antwerp, Belgium). Don't wait, or concerts are pretty exclusive, next date to catch us is Februari 28th 2026!

I know for many of you that will be well out of range, but hypothethically then, did I convince you with my super strong copywriting skills?

More info and tickets: www.oud-turnhout.be/activiteiten/detail/1299/the-d…





Playlist includes: Take Four, Take 10 and Eleven Four (no joke).

1 month ago | [YT] | 25

Sharp Eleven Music

What is the most sexy saxophone sound or solo according to you? Give me a specific recording please, not just a saxophonists name. I'm doing some research for a video.

Please, give me your best ones. Only true, quality, steamy sax sounds. Not these parodies or saxophones submerged in reverb and delays, but candid sexy saxophone sounds.

I'll give you an example: Branford Marsalis soprano sax solo live with Sting on "Roxanne" is incredibly seducive.

And it can be on the silk spectrum of players (Johnny Hodges) or the rougher/brighter spectrum (Brecker). Whatever you like, basically the recording you would put underneath a romantic Hollywood scene.

2 months ago | [YT] | 30

Sharp Eleven Music

What content would you like us to make most out of these⤵️?

2 months ago | [YT] | 19

Sharp Eleven Music

When you learn a new lick, do you practice it in all 12 keys?

2 months ago | [YT] | 18

Sharp Eleven Music

A new, free, post on Patreon on "How to learn jazz licks and make them your own".
Most people miss the last en most benefitting step.

I think Michael Brecker would agree (see highlighted sections from the preface to his Practicing notebooks". Here is the link in a moment, but if you don't want to move away from Youtube, read a crucial part below here: www.patreon.com/posts/119917435

(As copied from Patreon): 1. Write down (small or longer) idea's and lines.



They can be licks, patterns, chord progressions, voicings, melody quotes, phrasing, ... anything you like musically!



2. Practice them in all (or many) keys.



This is one few places I would slightly disagree or nuance from Michael Brecker's approach. Practicing in all keys can be a great exercise, but to me - a professional saxophonist with a family that has barely any practicing time - it seems like youi don't have to do that with every lick ever. Some licks just feel or sound nice in one or a few keys. In others, not so much. So I wouldn't just do it for the sake of it. Only if it makes sense (and sometimes it does).



Here is where many people found they used a transcription or a lick well and put it away, but, there is a next step which is the most important part! You see it highlighted in the Brecker notes above:



3. Permutate, change and twist the idea.



You see in the Brecker text that many of his fellow musicians describe how Brecker would start to play and fool around with these lines. This is crucial for a few different good reasons:



---> Repetition works well as a tool to learn/remember, altered repetition works even better (according to research)!

Your memory learns through association, so give your memory the chance to have variations on the same theme.

--->You'll have double extra gains: you remember the basic idea better + you have more ideas from one source



---> It is more fun and less sterile this way.



--->You gain more conceptual training and insights on how to vary motifs on the spot (aka improvise). See Paul Desmond as an absolute master of this craft, he barely played licks or the same ideas.



Do you do this already?



No worries if not. This is the pattern we'll start exploring and cultivating together and teach you.

We will weekly:



1.1 Select a great line/lick

1.2 Transpose it for you into all 12 keys (Pdf). (This will be one full post)

2. 1. Dedicate a lesson to the line

2.2. Give you idea's on how to use the line and add variations on it. We'll write them out for you in one key to keep it clear (imagine if we'd give you 6 variations X12 keys, that would become insanely much material and would become overwelming. See my comments on practing in all keys above)

3. Optional: give an extra lesson on eartraining or specific techniques when something special it occurs in that week's line.



Does this sound good to you?



Let us know in the comments!



See you soon with a new Lick of The Week!

/Jorre

2 months ago | [YT] | 39

Sharp Eleven Music

Here's a motivational quote for all instrumentalists that are bad singers out there:

"It's totally possible to sing worse than an angry duck on steroids and pump out over 200 solo transcriptions."

And when you do sing, it's totally possible to kill two birds with one tone.

2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 30

Sharp Eleven Music

Did you make new practicing aspirations for 2025? What are you going to focus on?

Also, any specific goals for this year? Like:
make an album, learn 10 new standards, solo on Giant Steps and while tap dancing in cross rhythm ...

Let's share ideas, if you feel like, in the comments below! :)

2 months ago | [YT] | 23

Sharp Eleven Music

For 2025, should we do video's on how you can improve your own transcribing?

After more than 450 transcription videos, I feel like we have learned at least one lesson.

4 months ago | [YT] | 15

Sharp Eleven Music

What is a music study app/software that you find helpful and use to practice?

I'll list some choices below, but feel free add others in the comment section!

Very curious about this, as we don't actually use any, besides a legendary old version of the software "Transcribe!". We've had over the years multiple of these music study apps reaching out for sponsorship on the channel and we've alwyas heard them out, but never found a 100% match as to be completely relevant for a "soloing mostly jazz appreciation" channel.

4 months ago | [YT] | 15