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Learn to improvise!
If you’ve ever dreamed of jamming with other musicians and truly expressing yourself — improvising freely, understanding harmony, playing what you hear in your mind — this is the course for you.
HOW IT WORKS
Discover your own musical creativity
Our step-by-step video lessons will take you from the very beginning and show you how music really works. You’ll learn to improvise your own melodies over songs and chord progressions, and you’ll learn a way of practicing music that is creative, beautiful and satisfying.
At every step in your learning, you’ll practice improvising your own solos over beautiful backing tracks. There are no “licks” or formulas to memorize — you’ll be creating your OWN original music right from the start.
This program is for all melodic instruments — saxophone, violin, trumpet, cello, flute, clarinet, and more. You don’t need any prior knowledge of music theory, and you don’t need to read sheet music.
If you’ve always dreamed of truly understanding music and improvising with complete freedom on your instrument, this is the course for you!
Understand it
See how music really works from the inside out — one clear map of our entire musical system that stays with you for life.
Feel it
Every note and chord has a unique sensation that you can learn to recognize by ear. Once you can feel the sounds, you’ll never be lost in the music again.
Play it!
Bridge the gap between what you hear and what you play. This program builds a seamless connection between your musical imagination and your instrument.
VIDEO LESSONS
Step-by-step video lessons that you play along with
Through her clear and inspiring video lessons, Jelske will guide you through the entire IFR method for melodic instruments — from your very first steps in harmony all the way through improvising your own solos over a wide variety of chord progressions.
Each lesson introduces a new layer of the method, with creative jamming exercises, beautiful playing examples, and special play-along videos where you take turns improvising with the instructor. Every concept you learn, you’ll immediately be able to explore over real music.
As these experiences stack up, you’ll enjoy a personal mastery of the sounds that enables you to improvise your own music with complete creative freedom.
Course samples
JAM TRACKS FOR PRACTICING
Jam tracks — practice every concept over real music
Each lesson comes with a complete set of backing tracks (in multiple styles and all 12 keys). At every step of your learning, you’ll be exploring the sounds creatively and developing your own musical voice.
The IFR Jam Tracks break down the entire world of harmony into a clear, step-by-step path. You’ll study the essential chord progressions which are the building blocks of modern music. And our jam tracks player puts the entire library at your fingertips.
These professional backing tracks are also 100% integrated with our “Sing the Numbers” ear training program which is also included in your membership.
INTEGRATED EAR TRAINING
Sing the Numbers — ear training that's a joy to practice
Sing the Numbers is our ear training method designed just for improvisers. In IFR we believe that your sensitivity and your love of music are your greatest gifts as an improviser. And so your ear training program should also be artistic and beautiful.
Instead of drills and intervals, Sing the Numbers uses beautiful songs and melodies that were specifically designed to train your ear. All you have to do is play the audio tracks and sing along. There are no exams, testing or drills. The course takes you on a guided tour of our musical system, letting you experience each beautiful sound for yourself.
You’ll be learning with real music — not random intervals or test prompts. And it’s 100% integrated with your instrument lessons. Your jamming practice lets you explore the sounds creatively, and our Sing the Numbers tracks teach you to recognize the same sounds in the music all around you.
Click on a few samples to hear how it works!
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THE RESULTS
Immediate benefits to your playing
- Learn how to improvise with complete melodic freedom over songs and chord progressions.
- Learn how to orient yourself by ear and instantly find the notes of any key on your instrument.
- Learn how to play directly from your imagination, expressing your own melodic ideas exactly as you hear them in your mind.
- Learn how to develop themes and motives that tell musical stories in your improvising.
- Discover the inner workings of modern harmony. Master improvising over chord progressions and learn to weave your own melodies effortlessly through the chords.
- Learn to recognize chord changes by ear so that you can improvise over your favorite songs.
- Develop your ear while you practice your instrument, with our integrated ear training program that goes hand in hand with the video lessons.
TESTIMONIALS
See what musicians are saying about Improvise for Real
It's among the best music books I've ever come across. Reed's perspective immediately opened doors that I didn't know existed.
The IFR method is explained so well, so understandable and logical with beautiful backing tracks to improvise with. The approach is so clear and simple. Why had no one ever told me this before? IFR has helped me enormously to jam and improvise over jazz standards and other songs.
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.
This is the only course about improvisation that really gets you to improvise from the start. Using your ears and developing your inner voice. I can honestly say that Jelske is the best teacher I have come across.
I haven't enjoyed simple practice this much in years!
I’ve studied so many books on harmony, but the theory was never connected to my ear. IFR helped me get on the path to recognizing the sounds. For me, it was the missing link—not a quick fix, but a lifelong and pleasurable journey.
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."
IFR is the key that opened everything musical to me. When I started learning the saxophone, one of the goals I had was to be able to jump into any playing situation, to pick up my horn and make improvised solos on the spot. To me, that made someone a real musician. I am now that kind of musician because of IFR.
IFR has completely upended how I practice, from focusing on music theory and technical exercises to focusing on my own creative expression with the sounds. This is very personal. Now, rather than working on something that is external to myself, I am working on something that is internal to myself. The music comes from within. This extends directly to the saxophone. To discover this has been absolutely exhilarating.
GET ACCESS
Everything you need to master improvising
Everything you need to master improvising
Improvise for Real combines instrument mastery, ear training and creative self-expression into a beautiful daily practice that you’re going to love.
- Step-by-step video lessons for melodic instruments
- Jam tracks to practice your soloing
- Beautiful ear training audio lessons
- Single integrated learning method with a clear path
- Your membership also includes our courses for guitar, piano and bass.
- Access to our library of student Q&A + unlimited support by email
Monthly
$
$
29 / month
Start with flexible monthly access. Cancel anytime or upgrade to yearly when you're ready to commit.
POPULAR
Yearly
$
$
249 / yearly
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.
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.