# Music by Genre > Jazz/Blues Variants, Bossa, Choro, Klezmer >  free online improv class with Gary Burton

## DSDarr

This looks like it could potentially be of interest to some here.....

Gary Burton is teaching a free course on Improvisation from Berkeley College of Music on Coursera:

https://www.coursera.org/course/improvisation

I think I am going to check it out....

-David

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albeham, 

Amy Burcham, 

Annette Siegel, 

BowenMando, 

neil argonaut, 

robert.najlis, 

Shanachie

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## SincereCorgi

This looks really interesting, but I don't understand how Coursera works- is this sort of like the ArtistWorks model? Are you required to submit audio, or can you 'audit' the videos?

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## DougC

I am just blown away by this opportunity. Gary Burton, wow. I also need to know a bit more i.e. is the first course free and then the others have tuition? Should there be some sort of audition? (I don't feel that I'm good enough at chord playing, and jazz tunes.)

But anyone with a little jazz chops ought to jump on this one.

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## DSDarr

I can't say I understand exactly this works or is going to work either. But as far as I can tell, this is entirely free. It does sound like you are expected to do some homework and submit some audio examples of your playing... but it says fairly explicitly that it is tailored for "intermediate" and above. Sounds worth checking out if you ask me..

-David

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## robert.najlis

Thanks for pointing this out!

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## Jazzguitarsussx

Thanks, I tried an online course with Jimmy Bruno which was great, I'll check this...

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## lukmanohnz

Thanks for this link - I just registered (* gulp *)

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## Shanachie

I registered as well. The Berkley School of Music, which hosts his class, sends you a link to a few videos to watch to get ready. I'm probably a little over my head but I'm going to give it a go anyway. If the classes are similar to the videos they linked to, it'll be really good. Thanks to the OP for pointing these out.

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## greg_tsam

I didn't see tuition mentioned anywhere on the coursera site.  Are they all free or did I miss it?

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## greg_tsam

Nevermind, y'all.  I found the answer on the About page.  

About Coursera
We are a social entrepreneurship company that partners with the top universities in the world to offer courses online for anyone to take, for free. We envision a future where the top universities are educating not only thousands of students, but millions. Our technology enables the best professors to teach tens or hundreds of thousands of students.

Through this, we hope to give everyone access to the world-class education that has so far been available only to a select few. We want to empower people with education that will improve their lives, the lives of their families, and the communities they live in.

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## Sid Simpson

Thank you!  I took a big leap of faith and registered.  Nothing like stepping up to the edge of the cliff to get you motivated!

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## Bill Stokes

This is what I LOVE about this place.  I'm signed up for the improv course, and another one as well.




> I tried an online course with Jimmy Bruno which was great...


Me too!  I was an online student of Jimmy's for nearly 5 years.  Learned a lot.  (Signed up here at mandolin cafe partly to taper off from my addiction to the JBGW discussion forum.)

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## greg_tsam

I registered too.  Sounds like fun.

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## Ryk Loske

Thanks David for posting this ..... ummm .. challenge.

Checking out Coursera's future offerings i see that this same course is offered again in April ... so those of us who are interested but intimidated have some time to sharpen our chops.

Incidentally .... my bride used to work at Berklee and has always said how wonderful a human being Gary Burton is ... that can only add to the experience of those who decide to enroll.

Ryk

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## russintexas

Signed up for April.

Time to hit the woodshed...

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## neil argonaut

Thanks a lot, just signed up for this.

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## greg_tsam

> I registered as well. The Berkley School of Music, which hosts his class, sends you a link to a few videos to watch to get ready. I'm probably a little over my head but I'm going to give it a go anyway. If the classes are similar to the videos they linked to, it'll be really good. Thanks to the OP for pointing these out.


I signed up last week and recieved a confirmation email for signing up to Coursera and I'm confimed as being enrolled in this course  but there was no links to any videos.  Wanna share with the rest of us?

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## Shanachie

I searched through my email for the link but I can't find it. I believe it wasn't in communications from Coursera, it was from the Berkley School of Music, who hosts his class. Look in your email for a note from them. It took you to a page where you made a login for Berkley School of Music's online classes and then you were able to access the videos. I just re-signed in to their site and can't find it. Sorry.

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## Bill Stokes

Has anybody else started the course yet?  I looked at the videos and downloaded the first week materials.  Very cool stuff...

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## Sid Simpson

Bill,

I got started.  Looks like a major stretch for me, but exciting.  I've downloaded the material and started on it.  It's been a very tough week at work and I haven't been able to put much time in.  Looks like tomorrow will be busy.

Did you see in Gary's blog where he said that there were 39,000 students signed up for the class?  Wow.  I can't even imagine how all that's going to work.

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## lukmanohnz

I have completed the first week's lectures and assignments.  A lot of the first week lecture was nuts-and-bolts info about how the course works, followed by some general discussion about improv. Not a lot of meat yet. The assignment was in two parts: 1) students were asked to download an .mp3 of Burton playing a solo on a live recording with Pat Metheny and write a short descriptive summary of the solo; 2) we were provided an .mp3 backing track and lead sheet and had to record ourselves trying to solo over the changes, then upload our effort to Soundcloud. Once the assignment deadline passes, students will be required to critique the homework material of five other students. This was pretty hard for me, as I am decidedly NOT a hard core jazz player, plus I have no formal music training. The lead sheet for the student solo had chords I'd never heard of (Zmin38th with a flatted 10th, or something like that... :Redface: ).  I was hoping to use my mandolin for this class, but I'm reverting to guitar as I simply don't have the fretboard knowledge on mando yet to even come close on this material. At the risk of complete public humiliation, here's the Soundcloud link to my week 1 solo effort.

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## Bill Stokes

lukmanohnz, that totally rocks!  And swings!

I too recorded one on guitar.  (A lot more confident looking at those Klingonian demolished chords with a guitar in hand.)  

Then I started looking around the forums.  Found some "explanations" of the chords that exhausted me, just trying to read them.  I guess people are free to make it as complicated as they want.  Can't wait to hear what Gary Burton says next.

One of the forums is violin players, most of whom don't know where to start.  So I recorded another pass on violin: original melody, my improv, then a sight reading of Gary's solo.  His solo is the stuff I want to learn how to do.

Anyhow, here's my sound clown page with both takes.

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## lukmanohnz

Hey Bill - that's really great playing!  Sounds like you should be taking Advanced Improv for the Naturally Gifted Musician, not the Intro course!  I appreciate your encouraging words, though 'rocking' and 'swinging' weren't the adjectives that I expected anyone to use for my sophomoric efforts.  I guess you gotta start somewhere...  Hopefully next week's lectures will help me move further down the path. I had a really hard time finding notes that fit the chords because I don't even know the right scales to play over those chords. I ran through it a dozen times until I felt like the non-sour notes outnumbered the sour ones, then hit record and just kinda played the same stuff three times through.  How'd you get where you are??  Also - can you post links to the forums where you saw folks discussing this assignment? Thanks again!

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## Bill Stokes

Thanks for the good word.  Have you seen the new videos?  Mysteries dispelled, wonders revealed.  Work cut out.

I still can't believe Gary Burton is teaching this class, and it's free.  I'm loving it.

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## Barry Canada

Thought I would add this for comment and any feedback.
It has been an experience and working on this Gary Burton course assignment.
Thanks,
Barry
https://soundcloud.com/barry-canada/ste-035

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## Shanachie

Wow guys. Nice work!

I am taking the class as well. I'm totally in over my head but feel like I'm learning a lot. The first assignment was a stretch for me but I got it done. Those were a lot of chords I am not too familiar with.  I guess it's a starting point. https://soundcloud.com/tunedin5ths/a...1-what-is-this

I'm excited about this week's lesson on modes.

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## Barry Canada

That's a great start Shanachie. The most important: You did it.
Congratulations! Thanks for sharing.
I don't know if I will have the time to do the other assignments. 
Cheers and happy picking....
Barry

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## greg_tsam

I have been swamped at work and someone stole my laptop and two video cameras and the last 4 years of recordings.  What a tragedy for me.  Lost the last 4 years of recordings of my 5 year old son and my mother who recently passed...  So I don't have any way to record...  Except my headphones which have a mic but I've never tried that.

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## neilactor

It's good see that there are other mandolin players taking this course.  The sound-clips so far sound really good.  I'm going to try to use my mandola for as long as I can keep up with it.  Here is my posting for the first week:  http://snd.sc/107CGRx

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## lukmanohnz

Shanachie, Barry, neilactor - Kudos to you all for doing your assignment on the 8-string!  Great playing all of you!  I'm working on week 2 assignment - way over my head but really enjoying the class.

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## Bill Stokes

Echo: 


> Shanachie, Barry, neilactor - Kudos to you all for doing your assignment on the 8-string! Great playing all of you!


  Sweet mandolin content, you guys.  No way I can cut it on my e-mandola or guitar; I'm scrambling on violin, my original axe.

Greg, very sorry to hear about the theft and also the loss of your mother.

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greg_tsam

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## lukmanohnz

Greg - very sorry to hear about your losses.  I imagine losing the recordings with your mom must have been the worst.  Hang on to your memories of her this Mother's Day.

I am sadly dropping the class.  I wish I had the time to persevere - I know I would learn a lot - but time is the commodity in shortest supply for me now, and what limited time I have for music, I've decided to focus on what I love the most: bluegrass and fiddle tunes.

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greg_tsam

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## Sid Simpson

> I am sadly dropping the class.  I wish I had the time to persevere - I know I would learn a lot - but time is the commodity in shortest supply for me now, and what limited time I have for music, I've decided to focus on what I love the most: bluegrass and fiddle tunes.


Michael,

Sorry to hear you are dropping the class, but I get it.  I am paddling like mad to keep my head above water and it's taking me much more time than I anticipated.  I considered dropping the class the first week, but it's exactly the push I need to start making some sense out of jazz playing.  I'm getting that "aha" about exactly how much work that entails.  I did the first assignment on mandolin, but didn't post a link because I was not happy with my playing, but I have to keep in mind that it just means I have that much room to get better.

Gary made some comment about the stuff you learn in the class coming back around somewhere down the line in your playing.  I would encourage you to at least watch the video lessons and look over the assignments.  You will certainly find some things to illuminate your improv in other areas.

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lukmanohnz

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## littlefishmando

Michael,

I support Sid's post.  I'm not posting any of the assignments, but I am watching all of the video content and downloading the files.  I'm getting a lot out of what is in them.  Also,  I've signed up for a number of these courses and not had time to go through them.  Just so you know,  if you stay enrolled, you can go back and work through the material at any time.  You still have access to it.  I'm  still working through the videos from the music production course from a few months ago.

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## neil argonaut

Assignment 1
Assignment 2

I've been loving this; not going to be able to finish it probably due to it being delayed a week, so I'll be away for the end of it, but was only really doing it for the learning and I've learned plenty already.
Assignment 2 made me glad I had already spent some time with Ted Eschliman's book and ffcp.
And, as expected, one of the first peer assessments of my assignment 1 started off by saying "Cool, Banjo"  :Smile:  Maybe I'll have to wait for week 2 to have it misidentified as a Uke or Small Guitar!
Looking forward to listening to others' submissions when I get the chance.

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## Cleveland Joel

I'm doing the course, too, and am amazed at how well Gary can teach though the videos. The idea of inventing melodies instead of practicing fixed scale exercises is great. I also like the way he organized the scales from bright to dark. Great stuff!

Here is my week 1 assignment: https://soundcloud.com/joel-elvery/joelelverysolowk1

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## Newmexmandoboy

I'm also in the class and loving it. This weeks stuff about how to find the modes/scales to use was exactly what I needed. Until now I've been noodling on the chord tones but didn't really know what to put in between them. This is the main thing I wanted to get from this course. How to know what notes will sound "right." Or really, just a starting point to find good notes. I can completely see how if you work this from a theoretical stand point over time you won't have to think about the scales. That's the hope anyhow!

Here's my week 1. I slowed it down with amazing slowdowner with the hope of having more accuracy. I should have just played it at full tempo. Overloaded the mic a few times. Ooops!
https://soundcloud.com/john-wohlbier/assignment1

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## neil argonaut

Currently struggling through assignment 3 and it's getting tough. I understand the theory side ok and have no problem with the quizzes, but finding it reasonably tough learning the melody to 500 miles high, as it's so different to the kind of stuff I normally play and requiring a lot of moving around the fretboard, and the improvisation's going to take some quick thinking!

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## Newmexmandoboy

Hey Neil,
I can understand it might be tricky to play that melody if you don't know the tune. I happened to know this song (know it listening, not know it playing) from many years ago so was able to work it out. I also slow stuff down with the amazing slowdowner which helps a ton. I think I have the melody reasonably well at 75% speed if you want to hear it. It's not exactly as written, but close. The improv isn't great, but that's why I'm in the class!
https://soundcloud.com/john-wohlbier/assignment3

Play the D B on the 1st string, 10 7. Then jump to the B D on the 3rd string, 9 12, then the A F# D E on the 2nd string 12 9 5 7. I think this fingering works pretty well. Everything else in the melody I play out of first position.

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neil argonaut

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## neil argonaut

> Hey Neil,
> I can understand it might be tricky to play that melody if you don't know the tune. I happened to know this song (know it listening, not know it playing) from many years ago so was able to work it out. I also slow stuff down with the amazing slowdowner which helps a ton. I think I have the melody reasonably well at 75% speed if you want to hear it. It's not exactly as written, but close. The improv isn't great, but that's why I'm in the class!
> https://soundcloud.com/john-wohlbier/assignment3
> 
> Play the D B on the 1st string, 10 7. Then jump to the B D on the 3rd string, 9 12, then the A F# D E on the 2nd string 12 9 5 7. I think this fingering works pretty well. Everything else in the melody I play out of first position.


It wasn't a matter of getting the sound in my head of how it sounds, or working out what strings to play it on (I had it worked out the same as you); more just a matter of the practice being a bit tricky, as I'm not as used to playing high up the neck and skipping around positions as I should be. With a bit of practice, I can now play it at the proper speed most of the time, and am working on the second part - improvising on the scales.

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## Newmexmandoboy

Great. Anxious to hear what you come up with.

This week's lectures are getting deeper. I feel like if I can just hang on through next week and have a decent understanding of what he's talking about, even if I can't readily apply it, I will have gotten what I wanted out of the course. And probably spend the rest of my life trying to apply it!  :Wink: 

Great experience.

jgw

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## neil argonaut

Yes, I always come to the realisation with Jazz stuff, whether in books, lessons or courses, that it's a tiny bit of learning, then a massive time of applying this learning, which can be the hard bit, keeping at it. I feel like I could spend a month or a year properly absorbing each week.

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## Barry Canada

I agree with you Neil. The material in this course is outstanding. I feel it provides a fine and well thought out framework which could be used to enrich my practice. The approach is logical and follows Gary Burton's premise that he sees the users of his method learning and applying this practical approach for years to come. Most of all it has given me some direction and stepwise approach to studying and learning a tune.

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## neil argonaut

Assignment 3
Can't say I'm totally happy with it, but it's the best I can do for now.

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Rush Burkhardt

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## Newmexmandoboy

nice!

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## Bill Stokes

I'm so addicted to that class.  And Mandolin Cafe is where I first heard about it.  I'm hesitant to post audio because I'm now doing assignments on violin.  But here are last week's Scaley Modes.  I tried to do what Gary said and "ramble around."  I won't be rambling like him in this lifetime.
I plan to redo 500 mi. hi today or tomorrow.
Week 4 looks easier to me.  I never heard Memories Of Tomorrow before, but it has sort of a gospel/rock feel, at least to me.

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## Bill Stokes

This morning's version of 500 mi. hi.

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Rush Burkhardt

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## Newmexmandoboy

Nice!

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## neilactor

Thanks for posting the slowed down version, Newmexmandoboy. That was really helpful for me to get the melody, since I didn't know the tune.  Thanks also to Neil and Bill for posting their versions.  They all sound great.  Here's mine, http://snd.sc/10SYh0o. The timing is still not right, but I ran out of time to make a better version for this week.  I ended up taking it down an octave to make it easier on the mandola.

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## Bill Stokes

I like it!  Nice sounding mandola, and your solo works over the changes.  Sometimes you get a cool, almost middle-Eastern sound.  Must be the minor scales.  I'm inspired to try e-mandola on that song, when the smoke clears and school is over.

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## Bill Stokes

edit: oops double post

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## Bill Stokes

That is good mandolin playing!

edit:  Well I give up.  I keep trying to post this comment right under Neal or Neil from Scotland; now I can't even scroll around without having to start over.

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## Bill Stokes

Here is a bash at week 4's song with a hysterically distorted e-mandola.  I called it Memories of Tomando.
I'm still clumsy at picking on this thing.  I wanted the best of violin and guitar in one instrument, but didn't realize I would need to practice the darn thing...

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## John Goodin

I've been lurking on this thread since the start but I'll admit now that I too am a happy member of the class. I didn't mention it sooner because I wanted to be confident that I would finish the whole thing, and now it looks like I should be able to do it. I just need to record the final week's tracks.

I can honestly say that this was a really good experience for me and I would encourage anyone to consider trying it the next time it comes around. Like a lot of us here I've had many years of playing a little jazz and thinking about how to do that. I've got plenty of instructional material and I even took David Baker's improv class at Indiana U. back around 1980. But I couldn't pass up the chance to see what Gary Burton would have to say and to find out how he would structure the class.

I've really enjoyed having permission to think about jazz more than usual these last weeks and I'm sure that some of Gary's approaches will be very useful the next time I get the chance to play in a jazz setting and for years to come. I especially have enjoyed listening to my fellow classmates and trying to provide a fair assessment of their efforts.

You can find my own attempts at the assigned play-alongs here:
https://soundcloud.com/jgoodin/

John G.

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## Bill Stokes

Great sounding tracks, John.  Nice lines on Memories, I want to redo mine.

This morning's effort: http://snd.sc/15eYdsl

I am going to miss the class, and the weekly video lecture/demos.  It forced me to practice the violin, even during a busy time of the school year, and introduced new concepts.

I won't miss all the complaining on the discussion boards.  That really highlights the value of a site like the cafe, which manages to stay overwhelmingly friendly and positive.  Come to think of it, the Cafe may be the only site like the Cafe...

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Amy Burcham

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## Bill Stokes

Last assignment.  Olhos de Gato and F Blues.  On violin, sorry.  The blues has some electric undercurrent, and gets crazy.

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## John Goodin

I found the time last night to record my last assignments for the class. All that's left now will be to provide some feedback on the recordings of some other students in a few days. I'm sorry that the class is ending but it has really been just the right length for me. Any longer and I would have been more tempted to let it go.

I learned a bunch of new things and Gary's approach reinforced some things I already knew. I will especially benefit from his advice on how to analyze tunes on the fly.

Scott mentioned this morning that he has enabled the soundcloud feature here so I'll test it out by posting the link to my last assignment recording, my modest take on Carla Bley's dark and beautiful "Olhos de gato". 



John G.

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## neilactor

Thanks for posting your links, John and Bill.  I have also been enjoying the class and am trying to figure out how to incorporate some of the ideas into my playing (without needing to do a few hours of analysis beforehand).  One thing I know for sure is that I have to work on my music reading and my timing.  I spent too much of my time just working on getting the melody close.

I still have to finish my last 2 recordings tonight, but here is my one from last week.



- Neil

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## neilactor

Here are my last two.  They need more work, but I ran out of time.





- Neil

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