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Thread: free online improv class with Gary Burton

  1. #1
    Registered User DSDarr's Avatar
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    Default free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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
    Last edited by DSDarr; Dec-06-2012 at 5:15pm. Reason: grammar

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    Registered User SincereCorgi's Avatar
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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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    Registered User DougC's Avatar
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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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    Registered User DSDarr's Avatar
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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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    Registered User robert.najlis's Avatar
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    Thanks for pointing this out!

  7. #6

    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

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

  8. #7

    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    Thanks for this link - I just registered (* gulp *)
    "Well, I don't know much about bands but I do know you can't make a living selling big trombones, no sir. Mandolin picks, perhaps..."

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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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.

  10. #9
    Slow your roll. greg_tsam's Avatar
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    I didn't see tuition mentioned anywhere on the coursera site. Are they all free or did I miss it?
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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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    Play on! Sid Simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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!


    Don't play what's there, play what's not there. - Miles Davis


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    composer, lyricist Bill Stokes's Avatar
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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.)

  14. #13
    Slow your roll. greg_tsam's Avatar
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    I registered too. Sounds like fun.
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    plectrist Ryk Loske's Avatar
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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
    mandolin ~ guitar ~ banjo

    "I'm convinced that playing well is not so much a technique as it is a decision. It's a commitment to do the work, strive for concentration, get strategic about advancing by steps, and push patiently forward toward the goal." Dan Crary

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    Registered User russintexas's Avatar
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    Signed up for April.

    Time to hit the woodshed...

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    Registered User neil argonaut's Avatar
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    Thanks a lot, just signed up for this.

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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    Quote Originally Posted by Shanachie View Post
    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?
    Breedlove Quartz FF with K&K Twin - Weber Big Horn - Fender FM62SCE
    Wall Hangers - 1970's Stella A and 60's Kay Kraft

    Whether you slow your roll or mash on it, enjoy the ride.

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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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.

  20. #19
    composer, lyricist Bill Stokes's Avatar
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

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

  21. #20
    Play on! Sid Simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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.


    Don't play what's there, play what's not there. - Miles Davis


  22. #21

    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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...). 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.
    "Well, I don't know much about bands but I do know you can't make a living selling big trombones, no sir. Mandolin picks, perhaps..."

  23. #22
    composer, lyricist Bill Stokes's Avatar
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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.

  24. #23

    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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!
    "Well, I don't know much about bands but I do know you can't make a living selling big trombones, no sir. Mandolin picks, perhaps..."

  25. #24
    composer, lyricist Bill Stokes's Avatar
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    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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.

  26. #25

    Default Re: free online improv class with Gary Burton

    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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