App: Connecting The Dots •
Developer: Jeff Coffin LLC
Genres: Education, Music

Connecting The Dots (CTD) is a fun and effective series of progressive exercises that will get musicians of any level improvising immediately! The program allows aspiring soloists to quickly develop vocabulary, understand voice leading, and successfully navigate chord changes. And the best part? It’s so simple you can get started today!

Powerful features include:

·      Play-along backing tracks
·      Call & response exercises
·      Progress tracker
·      169 exercises in all 12 keys 
·      Range specific transpositions for 11 instruments
·      Tempo and zoom controls
·      Integration with iReal Pro

Learn improvisation the same way you learn a language - in small, understandable pieces. Ideal for students and educators alike, Connecting The Dots (CTD) uses call and response exercises which utilize the “bones” of the chords - the arpeggio notes - to help you understand how the vertical chords and horizontal melodies relate in music.

CTD teaches voice leading principles and how to apply them to chord progressions. The exercises are organized into three sections: One Chord, Two Chord and Twelve Bar Blues. They demonstrate simple voice leading from the root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th degrees of one chord to another, using seventh chords and their inversions. Simple tunes and improvisations by Jeff using the material presented are featured at the end of each section.  

The app includes range specific transpositions in all 12 keys for tenor, alto & baritone sax, clarinet, flute, trumpet, trombone, bass, piano, vibes & guitar. All exercises have an iReal Pro backing track, the user can play along with the in-app audio or open the backing track in iReal Pro with one tap.

Learn from the best! Play along with Jeff Coffin, creator of Connecting The Dots. Jeff is is a globally recognized saxophonist, composer, educator, and is a member of the legendary U.S. rock group, Dave Matthews Band. You may also know him from his 14 years, and 3 Grammy Awards, with the genre-defying Bela Fleck & the Flecktones. Jeff fronts numerous groups when not touring with DMB and has released 15+ solo CD's on Ear Up Records.

“An educator asked me during a clinic presentation what information I wish I had when I was first learning about improvisation…I told him, ‘Everything in the Connecting The Dots app’. I feel this information and these exercises clarify and connect so many elements dealing with the fundamentals of improvisation. I created this easy to use app to help players of all genres & styles, classical players, jazz players, rock players, novices, educators, weekend warriors, soloists, ensembles, etc… Anyone can use this and they WILL benefit from it. Everyone can improvise!!” - Jeff Coffin

Release notes:
New feature - sync your progress across all your devices