We’re here to help! Please don’t hesitate to email us at support@ImproviseForReal.com.
We try to answer all messages within one business day and we’re always glad to help you with any questions about your musical journey with Improvise for Real.
Help Center
Getting Started
What is Improvise for Real?
Improvise for Real is a learning method that teaches you how to improvise through easy-to-understand, enjoyable exercises. You'll learn how chord progressions work and how to weave your own melodies effortlessly through them. IFR helps you express your musical ideas in any key and play directly from your imagination, developing the skills you need for true creative self-expression on any instrument.
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.
Ready to get started? Get started!
What instruments are included in the IFR Membership?
Your membership includes 100% access to ALL instruments. Our foundational video courses are divided into the four instrument families of Guitar, Piano, Bass and Melodic Instruments (which includes all brass & woodwinds, all bowed string instruments, etc.). The reason for this division is that the rhythm section instruments (guitar, bass and piano) have special roles in a group that we explore in our video courses (e.g. walking bass lines, comping chords, etc.). All other instruments are covered in our complete course instruction for Melodic Instruments, where the focus is on melodic improvisation and soloing.
What skill level do I need to start with IFR?
Improvise for Real is open to musicians of all levels. If you're just taking your first steps in musical improvisation, that's great! We would love to take you from the very beginning, show you how our entire musical system works and help you discover your own love of improvising. The only thing you need to get started is the ability to comfortably play the notes on your instrument. IFR meets you where you are and shows you how to build a beautiful creative practice in your life.
What are the different plan and pricing options?
What's included in the membership?
- 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
Do you offer a money-back guarantee?
Yes, we offer a very simple 30-day money-back guarantee. If you join the IFR membership and decide within your first 30 days that it's not the right fit for you, just send us an email and we'll refund your payment—no questions asked. We want you to feel completely safe exploring our membership platform with no risk.
Can I cancel any time?
Yes. Whether you’re on a monthly or annual plan, you can cancel at any time and retain access through the end of your billing period. Cancel in your account settings or by reaching out to support.
Is there a limit to how many courses I can access with the membership?
There is absolutely no limit to the courses you can take. With your the IFR membership you’ll have 100% unlimited access to all of our courses and practice tools. You can even take our video courses for other instruments! So if you've always wanted to add a second instrument to your musical possibilities, now you'll have the perfect supportive learning environment to help you achieve this dream.
Who can I speak to if I need help?
We are here to help! If you have any questions about the membership or the method, don't hesitate to write to us at support@improviseforreal.com. We try to answer all messages within one business day. 🙂
Current Members Help & Support
I can't log in. What should I do?
First, try clicking "Forgot your password?" on the login page to reset your password. If you're still having trouble getting in, just email us at support@improviseforreal.com and we'll help you out right away!
What's the best learning path for me?
When you join our site, our orientation videos will help you find your path right away. And if you have any questions or doubts, our instructors will give you personalized advice and guidance through our unlimited email support.
Just write to us at support@improviseforreal.com and tell us about your goals. We'll help you get connected right away with the courses and activities that will take you exactly where you want to go.
Can I upgrade from a monthly membership to yearly to save money?
Yes! You can upgrade your membership at any time. Just log into your account and go to your "My account" page where you can manage your subscription. If you need any help, please reach out to us at support@improviseforreal.com. We'll be happy to assist you!
How do I cancel my membership?
Canceling is easy. Just log in, go to your "My Account" page, and click "Cancel Subscription." You won't be charged again, and you'll keep full access to everything until your current subscription period ends.
If I cancel my membership, do I get a refund for the rest of the term?
We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on all memberships. Just write to us within the first 30 days and we'll be happy to refund your payment and close your account.
You can also cancel your subscription at any time and you will never be billed again. But refunds are only available within the first 30 days of your membership.
If you're unsure whether to commit to a full year, we recommend starting with the monthly plan. You can always upgrade to yearly later if you decide IFR is a good fit.
How can I change my password?
If you're logged out: Go to the login page and click "Forgot your password?" We'll send a reset link to your email.
If you're logged in: Just visit your "My Account" page where you can update your password anytime.
If you continue to have issues changing your password, don't hesitate to contact us at support@improviseforreal.com.
How can I change my email?
Just log in and go to your "My Account" page. There you'll find everything related to your account—email, password, payment details, and subscription settings.
If you can't log in, send us an email at support@improviseforreal.com—we're always happy to help!
I'm not receiving the password reset email
If you requested a password reset but haven't received the email, here are a few things to check:
Check your spam folder
Password reset emails are sometimes filtered into spam or junk folders. Please check these folders in your email account.
Add us to your safe sender list
To ensure you receive emails from us, add support@improviseforreal.com to your safe sender list or contacts. This will help prevent our emails from being blocked by your email provider.
Still having trouble?
If you've checked your spam folder and still don't see the email, please contact us at support@improviseforreal.com and we'll help you reset your password.
Who can I speak to if I need help?
You can reach out to us anytime via email at support@improviseforreal.com. We try to answer all messages within one business day and we're always glad to help you with any questions about your musical journey with Improvise for Real.
General Questions
Where did IFR come from?
Improvise for Real was created by David Reed, who developed the method over seven years (2004-2010) while teaching improvisation for all instruments in Barcelona, Spain. The complete method was published in his book "Improvise for Real" in 2011.
Mireia Clua, a professional violinist and the co-founder of IFR, has been essential to IFR's development. She created the entire IFR ear training method, designed many IFR courses, and created all of IFR's visual materials.
The method grew out of David's personal quest to understand music deeply—a journey that took him through jazz in New York and Los Angeles, tango in Buenos Aires, and African sacred music in Senegal and Brazil. Each experience contributed essential insights about harmony, creativity, and playing by ear.
Today, IFR is used by musicians worldwide and has been adopted by several music colleges and conservatories as their primary text for improvisation. In 2026, we created the IFR Membership to bring all of our materials together in one place and provide more comprehensive support for our students through video courses, jam tracks, and ear training—all working together as a complete multimedia learning experience.
Who are the IFR teachers?
The first thing to know about the creators of Improvise for Real is that we are music lovers just like you. And just like you, we're passionate about truly understanding music and being able to enjoy creating it ourselves.
We believe that the musicians who follow their own imagination are the ones who change the world. Our vision is rooted in the tradition of great art schools—where students explore sounds creatively and learn to tell their own musical stories.
We created Improvise for Real to give you this path. A way to learn music that’s creative, personal, and helps you truly express your own voice.
Below are the primary teachers that will guide your journey.
David Reed
Co-founder and teacher at Improvise for Real
David Reed is a professional guitarist based in New York City and the co-founder of Improvise for Real. A musician for more than 30 years, his unique perspective on music and creativity is drawn from his experiences playing and teaching music in New York, Los Angeles, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Nicaragua, Senegal and Guinea-Bissau. David is the author of “Improvise for Real” and the creator of the IFR method for guitar. His video lessons combine soloing, comping and chord melody playing to give you a complete mastery of both harmony and the guitar.
Mireia Clua
Co-founder and teacher at Improvise for Real
Mireia Clua is a professional violinist based in New York City and the co-founder of Improvise for Real. Mireia is the creator of the entire IFR ear training program including our Sing the Numbers audio courses. She has personally taught hundreds of IFR students in live workshops, and she has more than 20 years of experience teaching music to both children and adults. Mireia is especially focused on creating a safe learning environment where each student feels respected, nurtured and encouraged.
Jelske Hoogervorst
Teacher at Improvise for Real
Jelske Hoogervorst is a professional jazz saxophonist and improvisation coach based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Jelske has been teaching the IFR method for more than 10 years to private students and group workshops. Her video lessons include lots of playing activities like “trading fours” where you get to play along with her, taking turns improvising melodies. This opportunity to improvise in a musical dialogue with a professional jazz artist is both inspiring and educational, and it’s one of the most popular features of Jelske’s IFR courses.
Paul Bourque
Teacher at Improvise for Real
Paul Bourque is a professional pianist and composer based in New York City. Paul teaches the IFR video lessons for piano, with a special focus on how to incorporate the left hand into your improvisation practice right from the beginning. Paul is a truly gifted teacher who creates the ideal learning environment for musical creativity at the piano. His lessons are beautiful, meditative and deeply inspiring.
Ben Bourque
Teacher at Improvise for Real
Ben Bourque is a professional guitarist, bassist and trombonist based in New York City. Ben teaches the IFR video lessons for bass with a special focus on applying the IFR harmonic concepts to the unique role of the bass, creating riffs and walking lines in addition to soloing. Ben has a special passion for both music theory and ear training. His video lessons for bass include lots of creative exploration, jamming with backing tracks, and learning to hear and sing the sounds you play.
Is the IFR book necessary to follow the video lessons?
No. The video lessons, jam tracks and other resources in the IFR Membership are designed to stand on their own, so you don’t need the book in order to follow along. You can think of the IFR Membership site as a complete music learning environment built on the principles explained in the book. The "Improvise for Real" book described the method and how to practice the exercises. And now the IFR Membership site brings this practice to life through step-by-step video lessons, audio lessons, backing tracks and much more.
That said, the book and the IFR Membership complement each other very well. If you have the book, you’ll recognize many of the same exercises and ideas explained in a different way in the video lessons. And if you don't have the "Improvise for Real" book, you might certainly enjoy having it as a philosophical companion and guide to your IFR practice. But it's certainly not necessary for understanding the learning journey that our IFR Membership will take you on.
Is the IFR book available for purchase?
Yes, the Improvise for Real book is available for purchase in paperback format on Amazon.com.
If you already own the printed book and would like a digital version as well, please write to us at support@improviseforreal.com and include your Amazon purchase receipt. We’ll be happy to send you a complimentary PDF or Kindle version, whichever you prefer.
And if you’re interested in purchasing just a digital copy, please write to us and we’ll help you with that option as well.
Do you have questions or need support?
"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."
"You can take the smallest bite out of this method and gain the nourishment to feed your musical quest for weeks at a time."
"I was a frustrated sheet-music-playing piano student before IFR. Now, the world of music has opened up to me."
“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.”
"Through my studies with IFR I feel like I am finally starting to find my own musical voice."
