Play Video
Play Video
Play Video
Making jazz improvisation easier, more satisfying, and more musical
Find the tools and guidance here at Music Savvy to more easily play jazz better than you ever thought possible.
Menu
About Music Savvy
My name is Michael Lake and I am the guy behind Music Savvy.
I am a Grammy-nominated trombonist who loves creating music and video, writing, teaching, and helping musicians make the most of their talents and their life’s work. I’m also Dad to two very special young men.
Throughout my entire business career, I never stopped creating and playing music. I was lucky enough to help build two thriving financial companies with my best friends, and I learned a ton about life and business along the way. But three years ago, I said goodbye to my business buddies so that I could do full-time what I most wanted to do, which is help musicians.
Throughout these last three years, I’ve published 10 books and created two successful courses on improvisation, interviewed over 75 leading jazz musicians, I write a popular blog, and continue to help a wide range of musicians promote and market themselves online.
Can I help you?
Mike
What players say...
Your materials have changed the whole trajectory of my musical approach to practicing.
You give me actionable protocols that have measurable outcomes and are always a bit outside my comfort zone. Too many of the alternatives feel like empty get rich quick schemes like '5 licks that will make you sound like Michael Brecker'!!
The things you help me hear in my playing give me a much needed fresh perspective I get nowhere else.
Armed with that new perspective and the fascinating tools you provide, I can tell you without a doubt I am a much better and more confident player because of you.
Grab your free preview lessons from the 'Pocket Jazz' course
Watch 10 free lessons from the course. These are from the module called “Improvisation Hacks.”
Check out these 10 free lessons from the over 60 videos originally created for TikTok and now organized for this complete course on improvisation.
Seven categories include Ear Training, Music Theory, Time & Rhythm, Interviews with Masters, Deep Thinking, The Jazz Language, and lots of Practical Tips.
If entertaining 3-minute lessons packed with practical insights, exercises, and examples sound like something that can help elevate your improvisation game, this is for you.
"How did you teach more about improvisation and scale work in 3-minutes than my professor did in an entire semester"?
@istpaige
TikTok
"Studied music for three years and only scratched the surface of your video...
Thank you!"
@Get._.luce
TikTok
Books from the Savvy Series...
Strengthen your ear for jazz with powerful and unique exercises. Hear music in ways you've never experienced.
Learn More
Develop a better sense of time and rhythm with these fun exercises. Sections on Metronomic, Phrase, and Groove rhythm.
Learn More
Build your jazz trombone chops with this one-of-a-kind instruction specific for the instrument.
Learn More
Here's the missing manual for alto trombone. For all levels starting with learning the positions to developing good intonation to lessons on improvisation
Learn More