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Work, with Miles Okazaki

by Miles Okazaki

This is a podcast version of Miles Okazaki's patreon channel. Okazaki is a guitarist and composer based in Brooklyn, NY. Season 1 (Monk, 65 episodes): How this podcast began: individual guitar studies of every composition by Thelonious Monk. These begin as practice videos without much talking and evolve into episodes on specific topics. Season 2 (Fall 2024, 48 episodes): A 12-part series on the subject of Symmetry, an 8-part series on Drum rudiments with the pick, and a 5-part series on the "Allegro Assai" from J.S. Bach's C major violin sonata. Other episodes include bebop standards "Donna Lee" and "Wail," a series on the chromatic scale, favorite books, listening sessions and exercises for the ear from my book "Fundamentals of Guitar." Season 3 (Winter 2024. 63 episodes): An 11-part series on Polyrhythms, a 7-part series on Charlie Christian's "Stompin at the Savoy" solo, a 4-part series on my song "Dog Star," the first "guided practice" episodes, close looks at

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Episodes

  1. Danny Boy

    Happy Saint Patrick's Day. Here's I am working on "Danny Boy," and talking about the history of the song via my friend Jacob Garchik. If you haven't seen the George Benson version, check that out here. The video gets pretty long as I go into explanations of how I get the guitar voicings from the...

  2. Mailbag: Melodic Minor

    A deep dive into Melodic Minor from a recent member question. We cover uses of this sound as a tonic and dominant in improvisation, a brief look at Raag Charukeshi (a related Indian raga), and then some exercises for getting it under your fingers.

  3. Bach on Sunday: WTC Book I, Fugue in E minor

    Today I look at a two part fugue from the Well Tempered Clavier. This one is especially well suited to the guitar. Two guitarists could play it together without any alterations of the sheet music (attached). I demonstrate this with an overdubbed recording.

  4. Guided Practice, All-Interval Tetrachord

    Today's shape turns out to be All-Interval tetrachord 0137. In the video I go through what this means, and look at some of the sounds that we can get out of this shape in various transpositions and voicings. Sheet from 351 Shapes attached.

  5. "Hot House" part II

    In this video I go through the fingerings that I've found for this somewhat tricky melody. I also talk about the language used in the lines, and how this relates to octatonic scales and expansions of the dominant chord developed by improvisors in the bebop era. My transcription for the tune is...

  6. "Hot House" and the mysterious minor ii-V

    This is part 1 of two long videos about the bebop classic tune "Hot House," by Tadd Dameron. In this episode we don't actually get into the tune itself, but work on the background by taking a close look at the underlying harmony, which comes from "What is this thing called love" by Cole Porter. I...

  7. Anatomy of a Groove: Dog Star pt. 4, "Lush Life"

    Here's a part of live concert in Brooklyn where we combine the Dog Star groove with Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life." Check out the whole concert for free here. We made a vinyl album out of this series of concerts that's a little different from the video that you can find here. This is the end of…

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  8. Anatomy of a Groove: "Dog Star" 3

    Here's a second version of the Dog Star groove, after we had been playing it live for a while and it had turned into a different tune. Although there is a studio version of this tune, I opted for this video so that you can see the drummer. This is a "live" album recorded during the early days of...

  9. Anatomy of a Groove: "Dog Star" 2

    Here's the groove we talked about yesterday in it's first incarnation, at a recording session at the old Systems Two Studios, one of my favorite places in the world that is sorely missed. The full video can be seen here, along with other tunes from that session that led to the debut album for the...

  10. Anatomy of a Groove: "Dog Star"

    This is my first post about composition, a much-requested topic, but one that can quickly go down long rabbit holes. I try to limit the topic by talking about just the drum part from one of my tunes. This one has to do with the possibilty of people in the band feeling a groove different ways, and...

  11. Bach: Cello Suite in C minor, "Sarabande"

    Here's a look at an amazing melody by JSB, from Cello Suite no. 5 in C minor.

  12. Guided Practice: Shape of the Day

    Looking at the shape for Feb 26 from the book 351 shapes.

  13. "Epistrophy" and the Ukelele

    Here's a parenthetical episode while we're working on Charlie Christian stuff. Something I discovered recently while messing around with the ukulele.

  14. Bach: BWV 1005

    This episode is a recording of me playing the four movements of J.S. Bach's violin sonata in C major. Two movements on acoustic guitar, and two movements on electric.

  15. Bach on Sunday: Chorale 98

    A look at a Bach chorale, with improvisation.

  16. Meet your heroes

    Random thoughts on the way to work

  17. Guided Practice, sight reading, intervallic playing

    A guided practice using only one scale, progressing from easy to difficult

  18. Charlie Christian 06: Stompin' chorus 3, 2nd half

    This series of videos takes a close look at one of the greatest improvisations of all time, Charlie Christian's solo on "Stompin' at the Savoy" from May of 1941, live at Minton's playhouse. It's focused on the guitar, but other instruments may also dig it.

  19. Charlie Christian 02: Stompin' chorus 1, 1st half

    This series of videos takes a close look at one of the greatest improvisations of all time, Charlie Christian's solo on "Stompin' at the Savoy" from May of 1941, live at Minton's playhouse. It's focused on the guitar, but other instruments may also dig it.

  20. Charlie Christian 03: Stompin' chorus 1, 2nd half

    This series of videos takes a close look at one of the greatest improvisations of all time, Charlie Christian's solo on "Stompin' at the Savoy" from May of 1941, live at Minton's playhouse. It's focused on the guitar, but other instruments may also dig it.

  21. Charlie Christian 04: Stompin' Chorus 2

    This series of videos takes a close look at one of the greatest improvisations of all time, Charlie Christian's solo on "Stompin' at the Savoy" from May of 1941, live at Minton's playhouse. It's focused on the guitar, but other instruments may also dig it.

  22. Charlie Christian 05: Stompin' chorus 3, 1st half

    This series of videos takes a close look at one of the greatest improvisations of all time, Charlie Christian's solo on "Stompin' at the Savoy" from May of 1941, live at Minton's playhouse. It's focused on the guitar, but other instruments may also dig it.

  23. Charlie Christian 01: History, context, listening

    Today we start a new series - one of the most famous improvisations of all time, Charlie Christian's solo on "Stompin' at the Savoy," recorded live at Minton's Playhouse in May of 1941. In this episode I give a brief biography of Charlie Christian (with some recommended reading), and we listen to...

  24. New Tool! Sight Reading Trainer

    The perks of membership keep coming! I finally got this thing working - "Fly Shit" is a thing built in MAX/MSP that generates sight reading material based on all kinds of settings. Make it as easy or hard as you want, customize to the range and tempo, melodic and rhythmic material, and never run...

  25. On Organization and Creativity

    Some disorganized thoughts in response to a member question about how to "get organized." Got a really special post coming tomorrow, make sure to check it out. The Octavia Butler quote I was trying to remember in this video is: “First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will…

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  26. Bach on Sunday: Chorale 274

    Let's start the week nice and easy. Here's short one in A minor.

  27. Pentatonics on "Giant Steps"

    This is a follow up to the "Pentatonics in three keys" Guided Practice video, putting that concept into practice on a common tune. Note: This video ends abruptly as my system went down, and I didn't have time to make a new video. But you all can get the main idea, as it was long enough already.

  28. Anatomy of a Tune: "Lush Life"

    Here's a primer on "Lush Life," using Billy Strayhorn's version of it as reference. I'll make another video that goes deeper into analysis, but this a basic chord and melody arrangment. This is similar to the a cappella version that I play on the album "Trickster, Live in Brooklyn."

  29. Robots

    This post is a bit of a weird one. Lately I've been building some stuff in MAX/MSP. I give a little look here at one of my practice tools. Once I work out the bugs, I'll put it up here for free, for people to use as they see fit.

  30. Mailbag: Melodic Minor

    A deep dive into Melodic Minor from a recent member question. We cover uses of this sound as a tonic and dominant in improvisation, a brief look at Raag Charukeshi (a related Indian raga), and then some exercises for getting it under your fingers.

  31. Tuning the Guitar

    What's up with the G and B strings, anyway? A primer on tuning, harmonics, and practical methods for getting the guitar in tune with any ref

  32. Bach on Sunday: Chorale 206

    I looked at the first phrase of this Chorale on the recent mailbag episode. Here it is after practicing it for a little while. In another video today I'll go over the fingerings and a little bit of analysis. Sheet music attached.

  33. Mailbag: Chorales in four voices and practicing Septuplets

    In this mailbag episode I answer questions from members Juan Carlos Hernandez and Soloist. First I go into how I approach playing all four voices of a chorale at once, finding fingerings and voice leading. See attached image for this one. Then about 16 minutes in I go into some ideas about...

  34. 351 Shapes

    ABOUT THIS BOOK: What you have here is a list of musical scales. You can find any collection of notes from 1 to 12 tones somewhere in it. The format is made to be a practical reference or journal. I've been working on it for a while now, trying to make a sourcebook for my own work thatʼs orderly...

  35. Guided Practice - Three notes

    Here's an idea for creative practice. I play a drone of three notes and improvise on it according what it seems to sound like. Then I change one of the notes, improvise, and repeat.

  36. Listening session: Grant Green

    Last week the New York Times had an article called "Five Minutes that will make you love Jazz Guitar," in which I wrote a little thing about this track, recorded 63 years ago today. Link is here:...

  37. Bach on Sunday: Chorale 198

    Here's a reading of Chorale 198, as usual one voice at a time. Read along with the attached sheet music.

  38. Bach Prelude for Lute: Lessons from a Master (performance and analysis)

    On Sunday I posted a performance of this piece. Here I go through it bar by bar and talk about how I think about memorizing it and what lessons it has for harmony, form, and composition. Sheet music is attached.

  39. Mailbag: George Van Eps, Picking direction, posture, breathing

    today we go into recent comments from Frank Boons, David Sharki, Cameron, and Jesse. Let me know if this clears anything up, or maybe makes it more confusing! This one ends abruptly because I trimmed it too soon, but there's nothing left except a sign off, so the video is complete as is.

  40. Bach on Sunday: chorale 166

    A look at Chorale 166. Play along by looking at the attached sheet music.

  41. Bach on Sunday: Chorale 86

    Chorale 86, four voices. I don't make many guarantees, but I do guarantee that if you look at these Chorales with me on Sundays, your sight reading and sense of harmony will improve. It's always worked for every student I've had, including myself. Apologies, the amp volume is a bit low on this…

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  42. Polyrhythm 11: 7:5 and 7:6

    Today we wrap up the series with a couple of less common polyrhythms. I give some excercises, a cheat code for difficult polyrhythms, and a bit of one of my tunes.

  43. Polyrhythm 10: Seven against Three

    Continuing on the polythyhm series, here's a couple of ways to practice 7:3 or 3:7

  44. Polyrhythm 09: Seven against Four

    Into the world of sevens. We're starting with 7:4 and comparing it to 7:5 with an old tune of mine. For anybody who'd like to hear the whole tune, it can be found, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsiG27UvN_4

  45. Polyrhythm 08: 6 against 5

    On to the number 6. A little discussion about the number itself, and then a couple of exercises to get this one together which is a little tricky because the tempos are close together, creating a phasing effect.

  46. Polyrhythm 07: 3 against 5

    Similar exercises to previous vidoes, this time with 5 and 3.

  47. Polyrhythm 06: 4 against 5

    Moving past 2,3 and 4, here's a basic primer on 4:5.

  48. Polyrhythm 05: Seven Rhythmic Modes

    Happy New Year! Here's how to transform the last polyrhythm excercise into seven new rhythms, based on the modes of the diatonic scale. Hope you enjoy!

  49. Polyrhythm 04: The Rhythmic Major Scale

    Big concept day! I talk about an analogy between 12/8 bell patterns and the diatonic scale. This is one of my favorite ideas. I hope you dig it.

  50. Polyrhythmn 03: three against four with the pick

    This video is similar to the last one, except that I'm using a pick. Some members probably don't use the fingers at all, so I thought this would be useful. Plus, it's a much different sound to try to get two tempos happening at the same time with a pick, very good for articulation and accuracy.

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

This is a podcast version of Miles Okazaki's patreon channel. Okazaki is a guitarist and composer based in Brooklyn, NY.

Season 1 (Monk, 65 episodes): How this podcast began: individual guitar studies of every composition by Thelonious Monk. These begin as practice videos without much talking and evolve into episodes on specific topics.

Season 2 (Fall 2024, 48 episodes): A 12-part series on the subject of Symmetry, an 8-part series on Drum rudiments with the pick, and a 5-part series on the "Allegro Assai" from J.S. Bach's C major violin sonata. Other episodes include bebop standards "Donna Lee" and "Wail," a series on the chromatic scale, favorite books, listening sessions and exercises for the ear from my book "Fundamentals of Guitar."

Season 3 (Winter 2024. 63 episodes): An 11-part series on Polyrhythms, a 7-part series on Charlie Christian's "Stompin at the Savoy" solo, a 4-part series on my song "Dog Star," the first "guided practice" episodes, close looks at

HOSTED BY

Miles Okazaki

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Work, with Miles Okazaki have?

Work, with Miles Okazaki currently has 166 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Work, with Miles Okazaki about?

This is a podcast version of Miles Okazaki's patreon channel. Okazaki is a guitarist and composer based in Brooklyn, NY. Season 1 (Monk, 65 episodes): How this podcast began: individual guitar studies of every composition by Thelonious Monk. These begin as practice videos without much talking and...

How often does Work, with Miles Okazaki release new episodes?

Work, with Miles Okazaki publishes regularly with 166 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.

Where can I listen to Work, with Miles Okazaki?

You can listen to Work, with Miles Okazaki on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Work, with Miles Okazaki?

Work, with Miles Okazaki is created and hosted by Miles Okazaki.
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