Product Description

Length: Varies depending on student's ability

Description: Walt Weiskopf is a world-renowned jazz saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, author and educator. Walt's highly popular series, "Understanding the Blues" has been purchased, studied and embraced by students and educators around the globe. Due to student demand, we are now offering a special micro-credential validation for this course.
"Understanding the Blues" Description: Walt Weiskopf breaks down the blues form and shows you how to approach it in a jazz context. Walt discusses, demonstrates and analyzes common variations of the blues, in order to help you grasp the improvisational options at your disposal. If you want a deeper understanding of the blues form, this jazz masterclass is for you.

What is a Micro-Credential?

A micro-credential from My Music Masterclass (MMMC) and Walt Weiskopf certifies that you have successfully met Walt's high standards on this subject. It's a personal endorsement in the form of a digital certificate signed by Walt and MMMC. Achieving one of our micro-credentials will take a lot of dedication and practice. We have standards that reflect not only the quality of our artists, but our commitment to high-level education; consequently obtaining a MMMC micro-credential is a respected achievement within our industry.

How Can This Benefit Me?

Given the standard of education our micro-credential represents, it can be presented when applying to/for schools (universities, colleges, performing arts high schools, etc), scholarships, visas, grant money, teaching opportunities and more. Additionally our digital badges can be embedded and/or linked in resumes, bios, blogs, emails and social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin & Pinterest). My Music Masterclass uses the "Open Badges" system (via badgr) which is the global standard for verifiable digital credentials.

How Does This Work?

If you don't have it already, you must purchase Walt's "Understanding the Blues" series before taking this micro-credential. It can be purchased along with the certification on this page.
You then practice the material presented in the videos until you're comfortable with your abilities.
You submit a custom video of yourself performing the required musical tasks outlined by Walt.
Within a week after your submission, Walt will watch your video and decide if you have fulfilled the specified criteria outlined in this course.

What Happens if I Pass? What Happens if I don't Pass?

If you pass, you will receive a digital micro-credential certificate signed by Walt Weiskopf and My Music Masterclass. You will also be given a digital, shareable badge that can be validated instantly by anyone in the world. Lastly, your name and city/county will be posted to a special page on MyMusicMasterclass.com, as an extra layer of verification. If you don't pass, Walt will give you detailed feedback about what went wrong so you can improve and hopefully pass the certification at a later date. You will be required to wait at least 2 weeks before retaking this micro-credential and the fee will be waived for re-test. If you don't pass this 2nd test and would like to try a 3rd time, you will need to pay the full micro-credential fee again.

Personal Verification?

You must submit a copy of a government-issued photo identification to make sure you are in fact the person applying for this certification. This can include a driver's license, passport, national ID card, etc. This step ensures that this micro-credential is only given out to those who meet our artists' rigorous standards.

Submission Requirements?

Once you feel prepared to take the test, you must create and submit a custom video. It is not important what device you use to create the video, as long as it is clear enough to see and hear what is being presented. Here are the general video requirements:

The video must not exceed 10 minutes in length.
The student must hold up their government-issued photo identification and state his or her name along with the date in the beginning of the video.
All performances should be played with either an audible metronome on 2 & 4 or (recommended) a play-along drum app such as “DrumGenius”.
All written material should be submitted in pdf format – ideally using notation software (i.e., Finale, Sibelius, MuseScore, etc.).
Choose two blues forms from the following examples on my video:
a) Basic blues (as in ex. 2)
b) “Blues for Alice” changes (as in ex. 7)
c) “3rd and 7th” blues (as in ex. 11)
d) Minor blues (as in ex. 13)
e) 24 bar minor (or major/dominant) blues in ¾ (as in ex. 17)
For each of your choices:
a) Compose (submit written pdf) and perform a written “etude” on the changes of 4 choruses at medium tempo (about the same tempo as I play on the video).
b) Perform 4 improvised choruses and submit transcriptions of your improvised choruses.
c) Note: your video should have 4 total performances (2 for each of your choices).
d) Note: your submission should include 4 written examples (2 of your composedetudes and 2 of your transcribed solos).

How Your Performance Will be Judged: Generally, it may be helpful to consider this micro-credential as a “post-graduate” level course. Your level of performance is expected to be fairly high and to demonstrate proficiency in the jazz idiom in such areas as jazz concept, quality of sound, playing with good time and, in your improvisation, good notes that make sense harmonically. Your transcriptions are expected to be accurate and to “agree” with your performances. Remember to review your video performance thoroughly and check all your pdf’s for mistakes before submitting and good luck!

Final Thoughts: Once you've purchased both this micro-credential and Walt's "Understanding Rhythm Changes" series, you will receive a PDF with all the details you need to get started. If you have any specific questions about this certification, please contact us here. Like we said on the top of this page, this is not easy to pass and Walt is definitely a tough, but honest judge. The fact that this is an advanced certification judged by one of the best in the business, means that only very talented musicians will pass, which in turn means that possessing this micro-credential holds more weight. You will not only be validated by Walt Weiskopf, but also by My Music Masterclass, which has a reputation of incredibly high standards in the music industry. So, are you up for the challenge?

Walt Weiskopf

Saxophonist, composer and author Walt Weiskopf has made an impressive mark as both a leader and sideman with over a dozen critically acclaimed albums and countless sideman credits.

A dynamic player with enormous technical prowess, Weiskopf is equally well-regarded as a composer, with albums containing predominantly original work.
Weiskopf’s latest record, “The Way You Say It” (Posi-Tone Records, 2016), employs unique instrumentation to explore a wide vocabulary of styles and sounds. With organist Brian Charette, vibraphonist Behn Gillece and drummer Steve Fidyk, Weiskopf conveys his clear and straight forward message with the remarkable technical precision and a manifest knowledge of music audiences adore.

Born in Augusta, Georgia, Weiskopf grew up outside Syracuse, New York. He took up his first instrument, the clarinet, at age 10 and began his saxophone studies four years later. After graduating from Rochester’s Eastman School of Music in three years, he moved to New York City in 1980. He began his professional career performing with the Buddy Rich Big Band in 1981 at the age of 21. In 1983, Weiskopf began a fourteen-year association with jazz pianist and arranger Toshiko Akiyoshi, making seven recordings and touring the USA, Japan and Europe several times with her orchestra. During this time, he began recording his own material.

Under the tutelage of clarinetist Leon Russianoff in 1988-89, Weiskopf earned a Master of Arts in clarinet performance from Queens College of the City University of New York. He has performed with a number of notable classical orchestras.

In 1993, Weiskopf began releasing leader records that were all met with immediate positive journalistic acclaim and radio success. Weiskopf has continued his production since then and has nineteen albums to his credit; “The Way You Say It,” continues to show his evolution as a composer, bandleader and saxophonist.

Weiskopf has also performed as a sideman for many notables like Frank Sinatra, Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs. Weiskopf’s long-running and current sideman gig is with Steely Dan.

Weiskopf is also among the most respected authors in the field, and has penned seven books on various topics in jazz improvisation. In addition, Weiskopf is currently working on a new play-along CD project for moderate to advanced players, “16 Moderately Challenging Jazz Solos,” (Aebersold, pub.) which includes one of New York’s best rhythm sections: pianist Joel Weiskopf, bassist Mike Karn and drummer Jason Tiemann.

Weiskopf was a visiting Associate Professor part-time at the Eastman School of Music from 2001 to 2008, then taught at Temple University, and is currently the Coordinator of Jazz Studies at New Jersey City University.

Website: http://www.waltweiskopf.com/

MICRO CREDENTIAL TEASER