~60 lessons · Lifetime access
Pocket Jazz
Master the Essentials of Jazz Improvisation in Just Minutes a Day
Nearly 60 short, practical lessons developed from bite-sized videos making learning jazz improvisation easy, engaging, and immediately applicable.
Does This Sound Like You?
Most jazz musicians are stuck for the same reasons.
Feeling Stuck — improvising with scales but not genuinely hearing the music.
No Time to Practice — lessons that demand hours you simply don't have.
Too Much Theory — drowning in scales and modes instead of actually playing music.
No Real Progress — putting in the time but not hearing yourself improve.
Why Pocket Jazz?
Short lessons. Lasting results.
🎯 Quick, Effective Learning
- Short lessons — each under 3 minutes — perfect for busy musicians.
- Instantly applicable tips you can use today.
- Video excerpts from interviews with nearly 50 jazz masters.
🎵 Diverse, Practical Content
- Rhythm & Timing
- Scales & Harmony
- Melodic Improvisation
- Ear Training & Listening Skills
- Jazz Theory Essentials
- Effective Practice Strategies
- Insights from Legendary Jazz Musicians
What You'll Learn
47 lessons across 8 modules
Every lesson is short, focused, and immediately applicable — no filler, no fluff.
Deep Thinking
5 lessons · Unique to Pocket Jazz
Most jazz courses skip the psychological and philosophical dimensions entirely. This module doesn't. Lessons on emotional expression, left/right brain thinking, and the four stages of competence set Pocket Jazz apart.
Jazz Language
5 lessons
Jazz has its own language — and like any language, you learn it by speaking it, not by studying grammar. This module covers the essential vocabulary, phrasing, interaction, and swing feel that make a jazz solo sound like jazz.
The Musician's Ear
7 lessons
Your ear is your most important instrument. This module trains you to hear harmony, anticipate chord changes, develop relative pitch, and warm up your listening — so your playing comes from what you hear, not what you remember.
Better Rhythm
5 lessons
Rhythm is what makes jazz feel like jazz. This module goes beyond the metronome — covering articulation, the role of beats 2 and 4, and how to develop the kind of time feel that makes other musicians want to play with you.
Music Theory
5 lessons
Theory in service of music — not the other way around. This module covers the essential structures every jazz player needs: song form, harmony, the circle of fifths, and how transcribing and composing deepen your understanding faster than any textbook.
Improvisation Hacks
10 lessons · The richest module
The largest module in the course — 10 immediately actionable lessons on the specific techniques that make improvisation feel natural and musical. From paraphrasing melodies to anchor notes to ebb and flow, these are the moves that separate players who sound like themselves from players who sound like everyone else.
Practicing Well
10 lessons
How you practice matters as much as how much you practice. This module covers everything from building the habit and staying inspired, to speed-learning tunes, using play-alongs effectively, and listening back to your own playing with fresh ears.
All Instruments Welcome
Every lesson
Every concept in Pocket Jazz applies regardless of what you play. The ideas behind great improvisation — hearing, phrasing, rhythm, expression — are universal. Whatever your instrument, these lessons are built for you.
"Pocket Jazz is a gateway to playing jazz better and to understanding jazz concepts on a much deeper level" than has surely ever been available in one place online. One that is appropriate for almost any level of musician provided they have basic competency on an instrument, whatever that instrument may be.
From the London Jazz News Review by Charlie Rees · Read the full review.
Example Lesson
The Beauty of Constraint
Here's a brief example of the practical, engaging lessons you'll experience in Pocket Jazz.
Limiting your choices unlocks your creativity.
The Beauty of Constraint lesson teaches how limiting your musical choices can dramatically boost your improvisational creativity.
It may seem contradictory — but by restricting yourself to certain notes, rhythms, or melodies, you'll discover new musical ideas and break free from repetitive patterns.
The lesson demonstrates practical exercises such as improvising using just one scale or focusing exclusively on a simple rhythmic pattern. These constraints challenge you to think and listen differently, leading to more engaging and original solos.
Take a look at all the lessons and enjoy free samples.
Explore the collection of short powerful lessons that will take your jazz playing to the next level.
Explore Lessons
What Students Say
Too many modern jazz You-Tubers seem to have forgotten the art of expression in jazz and have chosen a "higher, faster, louder" approach which has literally prevented me from progressing. Hearing your input along with other experienced players, has set me on a new course with a mindset of discovery.
It is SO worth the money I paid and I am only in the beginning stages of the course!
Sharilynn Horhota
Classical and Jazz Floutist
More Fans of Pocket Jazz
What musicians are saying.
Enroll Today
Improvising with skill and confidence is totally within your grasp.
You just need the right help. One payment. Lifetime access.
Pocket Jazz Course
Nearly 60 short, practical lessons for jazz improvisation — all instruments welcome
$47 One-time payment · Lifetime access- ~60 bite-sized video lessons
- Each lesson under 3 minutes
- Rhythm, harmony, ear training, improvisation & more
- Video excerpts from nearly 50 jazz masters
- Works for all instruments
- Watch on any device, anytime
- Direct support from Michael Lake
🔒 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked.
Try It Risk-Free for 30 Days
If for any reason you don't think you got $47 worth of value from Pocket Jazz, contact Michael directly for a full refund — and you keep access to the entire course.
(You'll be the first person ever to request a refund.)
Questions you might be asking yourself.
Pocket Jazz is designed so musicians at any level will find plenty to work on. Beginners can start with the foundational lessons and skip the advanced material for now — it'll be waiting when you're ready. More experienced players can bypass the introductory lessons and go straight to what challenges them.
Unlike courses where you watch a lesson and move on, Pocket Jazz lessons are designed to be revisited repeatedly. The lesson doesn't end when the video does — it ends when the skill is genuinely part of your playing.
Then Pocket Jazz was made for you. Each lesson is under 3 minutes. You can make meaningful progress in 10–15 minutes a day. The lessons are designed around your schedule, not the other way around.
Yes. Pocket Jazz is built for all instruments — piano, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, guitar, bass, drums, and more. The concepts are universal to jazz improvisation regardless of what you play.
Yes — you'll have instant, lifetime access to all course materials. Watch and re-watch lessons anytime, from any device, at your own pace.
If for any reason you don't think you got $47 worth of value from Pocket Jazz, contact me directly for a full refund — no questions asked.
Improvising with skill and confidence
is totally within your grasp.
You just need the right help. Pocket Jazz gives you short, practical, immediately applicable lessons — built around your schedule, not someone else's.
~60 lessons · All instruments · Lifetime access · 30-day guarantee