IFR blog > Practice tips > Creating a new music practice > Special for beginners learning to improvise
IFR improvisation exercise Seven Worlds Expanded on alto sax

For IFR students practicing Exercise 3: Pure Harmony, this is a demonstration of the exercise Seven Worlds Expanded on the alto saxophone. Ivan Edwards demonstrates the exercise exploring the 5 chord in the unlimited range.

Piano for Non-Pianists 8

In this lesson I'll help you get started using IFR Jam Tracks Level 1: Seven Worlds using what you've already learned on the piano.

Free sample lesson from Chord Melody Guitar 1

In this free sample lesson from Chord Melody Guitar 1, we build the tonal map on the fretboard and we begin working with the chord notes of the 1 chord and the 4 chord separately, learning to make our own creative choices about when to use the bass note.

IFR Playalong: 2-5-1 chord progression

Grab your instrument and practice improvising over the 2-5-1 chord progression with me!

Chord progression to 'Autumn Leaves'

In this video I analyze the harmony of the A section of ‘Autumn Leaves’ using the IFR Tonal Map. You will learn to see the chord functions, the flow of tension and release, the circle of fifths and the beautiful melodic paths that you can use in your improvising.

Piano for Non-Pianists 9: Tonal five finger drills, part 1

Today we begin a whole series of lessons that will teach you how to play chords effortlessly on the piano. The first step is our “tonal five finger drills”.

Be yourself and discover your own music!

In IFR, we believe that the musicians who follow their own imagination are the ones who change the world. And we want to help you discover your musical voice and to share it with the world.

Animation Video - How Music Works, part 1

This animated video for beginners teaches you the single most important key to understanding how all songs work. Whether your passion is improvising, composing or just playing the songs you love, this insight will help you see songs and chord progressions in a much simpler way.

Hopeless at ear training

I have always had a terrible ear and I feel that it's preventing me from making the most of your method. There seem to be just two sorts of musicians: the ones who can play by ear and the ones who just can't. Can you help me?

The relationship between technique and creativity

Instrument technique and improvisation are two practices that feed one another: we need technical skills to be able to express ourselves creatively, and when we improvise we put into practice and consolidate our technical skills.