SUBJECT: ANCIENT HISTORY

GRADE LEVEL: 6-8

Improvisation: The Concept Practice Sessions

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DURATION: TWO CLASSROOM PERIODS

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IMPROVISATION : THE CONCEPT PRACTICE SESSIONS

Practice Session 1

Melodic Analysis
Objective
To learn to recognize the four components of melodic construction.

Task
Analyze a transcription of Hank Mobleys solo over Tenor Conclave for the four components of melodic construction: chord tones, arpeggios, chordscale fragments and approach patterns.

Procedure
1. 2. 3.

Print this document (in color) and bring it to your piano or keyboard Make sure you have blue, red, green and yellow colored pencils or markers. On the following pages you will nd a transcription of three choruses of Hank Mobelys solo over the tune Tenor Conclave. The solo is written with open noteheads. Using your blue marker, color in the noteheads of all of the chord tones. Look for 1, 3, 5 or 7 of the chord of the moment on beats 1 or 3 of each measure. NOTE: Not every note on a strong beat will be a chord tone. Using your yellow marker, color in the noteheads of all of the approach patterns. The most typical approach patterns are single or double chromatic from below, scale from above or double chromatic from above. For more information on these components see the Four Components of Melodic Construction and Improv Drill: Approach Patterns lessons. Using your green marker, color in the noteheads of all of the scale passages. Scales can be any stepwise pattern of notes, usually one of the major or minor scales or modes. Using your red marker, color in the noteheads of all of the arpeggios. Arpeggios move by skip and can be 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 or 13 of the chord of the moment.

4.

5. 6.

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Self-Assessment 1. 2. 3.

Compare your answers with the answer key at the end of this document. Correct any errors. If you colored most of the patterns correctly, move on to the next practice session. If you made several mistakes try it again; print out a fresh copy and color the notes in again. If you were able to color the patterns a second time with few mistakes, move on to the next practice session. If you were unable to identify any of the patterns, review the lesson and re-take the quizzes. Feel free to ask questions about anything that you dont understand. Try it again, and if you can identify the patterns with few errors then move on to the next practice session. Otherwise, repeat this step until you can identify the patterns without errors.

4.

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IMPROVISATION : THE CONCEPT PRACTICE SESSIONS

Chorus 1

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Chorus 2

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Chorus 3

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Practice Session 2

Play the Transcription

Objective
To learn to hear the four components of melodic construction.

Task
Play Hank Mobleys solo over Tenor Conclave.

Procedure
1. 2. 3.

On the last page of this document is the answer key to the previous practice session. Use this to play the solo with the play-along track using your right hand and comp chords using your left hand. Listen for the 4 components of melodic construction as you play them: chord tones, scale passages, arpeggios and approach patterns.

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Answer Key Chorus 1

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Answer Key Chorus 2

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Answer Key Chorus 3

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Solo Chorus 1

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Solo Chorus 2

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Solo Chorus 3

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Right Hand Transcription with Left Hand Voicings

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