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's 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?
What instruments does this work for?
All instruments! IFR is the complete method for all instruments. Whether you play guitar, piano, saxophone, violin, or any other instrument, the universal principles work the same way.
What skill level do I need to start with IFR?
Improvise for Real works for all levels. If you can play simple melodies on your instrument, you can start improvising with our method. IFR meets you where you are and grows with you.
What are the different plan and pricing options?
What's included in the membership?
- Access to 200+ video lessons across all our courses
- Complete ear training audio library
- 1,900+ jam tracks (150+ originals in all 12 keys)
- One cohesive method where everything works together
- Growing library of articles, Q&As, song analysis
- Peaceful, clutter-free learning space
- Complete creative freedom to learn at your own pace
Do you offer a money-back guarantee?
We offer a simple 30-day money-back guarantee. If you join IFR 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, no hassle. We want you to feel completely confident exploring the method risk-free.
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?
No. With your the IFR membership you’ll have access to all courses until you cancel.
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?
If you need help designing an IFR practice and choosing which course is the best for you right now, don't hesitate to write to us at support@improviseforreal.com and tell us about your goals. We'll do the best to orient you and help you make the best out of your IFR practice.
Can I upgrade from a monthly membership to a yearly one and save money?
Absolutely! You can upgrade your membership in your account settings. Log into your account, go to your "My account" page where you'll find the dashboard to 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?
It depends on which plan you're on:
Monthly Plan: You can cancel anytime and you won't be charged again. You'll keep access through the end of your current billing period.
Yearly Plan: If you cancel, you'll keep full access for the remainder of your year—we won't cut off your access early. However, we don't offer prorated refunds for unused months since the yearly plan is prepaid at a discounted rate.
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.
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!
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, David's partner and a violinist, has been essential to IFR's development. She created all of IFR's visual materials, designed many courses, and built the entire ear training program.
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 students through video courses, jam tracks, and ear training—all working together as a complete multimedia learning experience.
Who are the IFR teachers?
We are music lovers just like you. And just like you, we dreamed of truly understanding music and being able to create 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.
Improvise for Real was created to give you this path. A way to learn music that’s creative, personal, and helps you truly express your own voice.
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 IFR membership offers an alternative, more multimedia way to study music using the Improvise for Real method. The video lessons and jam tracks are designed to stand on their own, so you don’t need the book in order to follow along.
That said, the book and the membership complement each other very well. If you have the book, you’ll recognize the same exercises and ideas explained in a different way in the video lessons. You can simply choose the format—or combination of formats—that works best for your way of learning.
Is the IFR book available for purchase?
The Improvise for Real book is currently available in paperback format on Amazon.com.
If you already own the printed book and would like a digital version as well, 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.
If you’re interested in purchasing a digital copy, just write to us and we’ll help you with the options.
Do you have questions or need support?
"Thanks to IFR, I am totally connected to my instrument—I think a phrase, and then it’s coming out of my instrument, without me having to consciously think of what notes I have to play for that phrase."
