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WHAT IS IMPROVISE FOR REAL
An improviser's paradise
Used by students and teachers alike in more than 20 countries, Improvise for Real is considered by many to be the definitive system for learning to improvise. You’ll learn to understand the sounds in the music all around you. And you’ll learn to express your own musical ideas exactly as you hear them in your mind.
The IFR method includes video courses, audio ear training materials, jam tracks for practice, and step-by-step exercises that guide you through understanding how music really works. You’ll learn to recognize chord progressions, create your own melodies and solos, and develop the confidence to jam with other musicians. Throughout this process, you’ll gain a deep understanding of musical concepts by experiencing them directly through sound and practice.
HOW IT WORKS
Everything you need in one method
Every IFR video course guides you through the same progressive exercises, adapted for your instrument. The method starts with very simple creative exercises that you can begin right away. Each exercise lets you master a very simple musical situation and you will learn to express yourself confidently in this situation. As you progress through these creative exercises, the method leads you on a guided tour of the entire world of modern harmony. And you’ll be jamming, enjoying yourself and creating your own music every step of the way.
Improvise for Real brings together creativity, ear training, music theory and physical technique into a single creative daily practice that will show you the entire path to improvisation mastery. If you have always dreamed of truly understanding music and being able to improvise with complete freedom on your instrument, this is the program for you!
THE CLASSROOM
Video lessons for all instruments
In the video lessons, your IFR instructor walks you through each concept step by step — showing you exactly what the sounds look and feel like on your instrument, and what to practice on your own. Each lesson gives you a clear, concrete exercise to work with, so you always know what to do when you sit down to play. From your very first session you’ll be jamming, exploring the sounds creatively, and expressing your own musical ideas. And as you move through the exercises, you’ll find yourself understanding harmony more and more deeply — not because deep understanding comes from first-hand experience.
THE PRACTICE ROOM
Jam tracks — practice every concept over real music
Every video lesson comes with its own set of jam tracks — in multiple styles and all 12 keys, designed specifically for the material you just learned. As soon as a lesson introduces a new concept, you can take it straight to your instrument and start exploring it over real music.
A jam track brings a concept to life, allowing you to immerse yourself into the sounds and practice the concepts that you just learned. This is your playground, where you will gradually develop a mastery of the fretboard, learn to understand sounds and chords by ear, and develop your creativity.
Listen to the samples and try soloing over them!
INTEGRATED EAR TRAINING
Ear training that's a joy to practice
Ear training is at the heart of everything we do at IFR, because the ability to hear and recognize the sounds of harmony is what makes true improvisation possible. When your ear can identify what it’s hearing, your instrument becomes a direct extension of your imagination.
Every step of the IFR ear training program is designed to be experienced as music, not studied as theory. You’ll learn to feel each note of our musical system — the unique sensation it produces, where it sits in the harmony, where it wants to go. Through singing, listening and creative exploration over jam tracks, these feelings become deeply familiar. And once they’re familiar, you start hearing them in the music all around you.
Sample from an ear training lesson
OUR APPROACH
What makes our method work
- A better understanding of harmony. The biggest problem that beginning improvisers have with expressing themselves creatively is that they are trying to apply licks and scales to isolated chords, but this isn't how music works at all. When you listen to your favorite songs, what you hear is a lovely interplay of notes and chords on a single musical landscape. With Improvise for Real you will learn to see this musical landscape and weave your own melodies effortlessly through the chords.
- Creativity right from the start. In every other art form (painting, poetry, etc.) students get to experience the creative process as a natural part of their learning. It's only in music that this creative process remains shrouded in mystery. Improvise for Real is changing all of that. We believe that your own creative exploration of the sounds is essential. With Improvise for Real you will be improvising and expressing your own musical ideas right from the very first day. This is true whether you're learning from the book or using our step-by-step video courses tailored for your instrument.
- Connection to the ear. Improvise for Real will show you how to connect your ear to your instrument. For each new harmonic situation that you learn, you'll explore the sounds creatively and you'll learn to HEAR these sounds in the music all around you. The result is a deep personal understanding of harmony that allows you to recognize melodies and chord progressions by ear and to play the sounds you imagine.
- Music as a journey. We believe that musical improvisation is the most beautiful art form in the world, and we want to help you enjoy this amazing art form for the rest of your life. What we teach is a journey through the entire world of modern harmony. But it's also a journey of your own personal growth as an artist. And so every step of the way, you'll be discovering your OWN musical voice and growing in your ability to tell powerful musical stories on your instrument.
TESTIMONIALS
See what fellow musicians are saying
It's among the best music methods I've ever come across. IFR's perspective immediately opened doors that I didn't know existed.
The IFR method is explained so clearly—it's logical, easy to understand, and taught in such a stimulating environment with great teachers and beautiful backing tracks to improvise with.
IFR has become my favorite method and the one I practice most. I recommend it enormously to all musicians who want to take their improvising farther.
IFR is an exciting and original way of learning music, and should be seriously considered by anyone who wants to express themselves freely through the art of music.
I LOVE the methodology that IFR has created. I'm constantly blown away how without thinking I'm playing around almost effortlessly in all 12 keys even those that 'conventional' musicians consider the 'odd / difficult' keys. It makes no difference once you learn the IFR way.
I've long played guitar as a hobby and pretty much stayed at the same level until I discovered IFR, which somehow opened the door to a lot of musical knowledge that just wasn't sinking in before.
As a retired music educator, I have previously taken many theory and ear training classes; however, nothing has worked as well or made as much sense to me as the IFR approach. Through my studies with IFR I feel like I am finally starting to find my own musical voice.
I have found IFR to be a fully integrated learning program that places the student at the very front and center of the learning experience.
Thanks to IFR, I am totally connected to my instrument—I think a phrase, and then it’s coming out of my instrument, without me having to consciously think of what notes I have to play for that phrase.
Start Your Journey!
Choose the plan that works for you. Both give you complete access to everything IFR has to offer:
Monthly
$
$
29 /month
Start with flexible monthly access. Cancel anytime or upgrade to yearly when you're ready to commit.
POPULAR
Yearly
$
$
249 /year
Our most popular plan. Commit to a full year of musical growth and save 30% with annual billing. You’ll be amazed what a year with Improvise for Real can do.
Both plans include:
- Complete video courses for each instrument family
- 1,900+ jam tracks in all 12 keys
- Beautiful ear training audio lessons
- Special courses on the blues, jazz standards and more
- Single integrated learning method
- Calm, beautiful environment for your daily creative practice
- Complete freedom to learn at your own pace
- Access to our library of student Q&A + unlimited support by email
Try Improvise for Real risk-free
We’re confident that IFR will transform the way you think about music and unlock your creative freedom on your instrument. But we also know that every musician’s journey is unique. That’s why we offer a simple 30-day money-back guarantee.
Join today, explore the video lessons, practice with the jam tracks, and experience our unique approach to ear training. If you don’t feel that IFR is the right fit for you within your first 30 days, just send us an email and we’ll refund your payment—no questions asked.
GET ACCESS
The Improvise for Real Program
The IFR Membership gives you complete access to everything we’ve created: all video courses, the ear training program, hundreds of jam tracks, student Q&A, and new content added regularly.
- Complete video courses for each instrument family
- 1,900+ jam tracks in all 12 keys
- Beautiful ear training audio lessons
- Special courses on the blues, jazz standards and more
- Single integrated learning method
- Calm, beautiful environment for your daily creative practice
- Complete freedom to learn at your own pace
- Access to our library of student Q&A + unlimited support by email
IFR Membership
$
$
29 / month
Subscribe to our online school to get access to our entire method and start improvising right away!