A Blues-Based Improvisation Method For Beginning Instrumentalists

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A b lu es-b ased im p ro v isatio n m eth o d fo r b eg in n in g in stru m e n ta lists

Spitzer, Peter A., M.A.
San Jose State University, 1990
Copyright 1990 by Spitzer, Peter A. All rights reserved.
UMI
300 N. Zeeb Rd.

Ann Arbor, MI 48106
A BLUES-BASED IMPROVISATION METHOD

FOR BEGINNING INSTRUMENTALISTS
A T hesis
P resen ted to
The Faculty of th e D epartm ent of M usic
San Jo se S tate U niversity
In P artial Fulfillm ent

of th e R equirem ents for th e D egree
M aster of A rts
By
P eter A. Spitzer
Novem ber, 1990
APPROVED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC
Um x .
iI d
Dwight Cannon
William Resch
APPROVED FOR THE UNIVERSITY
ABSTRACT
A BLUES-BASED IMPROVISATION METHOD
FOR BEGINNING INSTRUMENTALISTS
by P eter A. Spitzer
This study consists of tw o parts: (a) an introductory essay considering
nin eteen p ublished m ethods for teaching m usical im provisation, both jazz
and classical, an d (b) a n original sequence of fifteen lessons, u sin g exercises
and tu n e s in various blues, jazz, and rock styles.
The lesso n s developed in th is project are divided into th ree le v e ls .11
Level 1 is concerned w ith b asic orientation, approached through sim ple
idiom atic w ritten exercises, call-response gam es, an d im provisation in easy
form ats. Level 2 introduces theory concepts (blue n o tes, blu es scales,
chords, chord scales, and form) in a w ay th a t is in ten ded to b e clear, sim ple,
and participatory. In Level 3, five original and stan d ard p ieces in various
blues, jazz, an d rock sty les are p resented, a s vehicles for im provising. An
effort is m ade throughout th e m ethod to m axim ize participation and to
em phasize th e precedence of creative im pulse over theory concepts.
1990
P eter A. Spitzer
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I
PAGE
INTRODUCTION
....................................................................................
..............................................................................................
Lim itations .........................................................................................
M ethods P resently A vailable
........................................................
H istorical O verview ...................................................................
Evaluation of E xisting M ethods ..............................................
G uidelines for a Successful Beginners

M e th o d ................................................................................................
18
G eneral C riteria ...........................................................................
18
Specific Inform ation to Cover ...................................................
19
E xplanation of L esson P l a n s ..........................................................
20
Levels ............................................................................................
21
L essons .........................................................................................
22
Purpose
II
BLUES AND JAZZ FOR BEGINNERS
................................................
29
TO THE STUDENT ...........................................................................
30
LEVEL 1 - GETTING STARTED
...................................................
31
E asy Blues in G....................................................................
32
Im itation G am es .................................................................
35
Im provising Your Own Solo ............................................
37
LESSON
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
CHAPTER
PAGE
.................................................
Blues in F
E xpressing Y o u rs e lf...........................................................
41
LEVEL 2 - CONCEPTS FOR IMPROVISING ................................
43
39
LESSON
..........................................................................
44
.......................................................................
47
Chords and "Dukes Place" ...............................................
52
A Full A rra n g e m e n t...........................................................
56
10
The Real T ruth
...................................................................
59
LEVEL 3 - SONGS AND STYLES ...................................................
61
Blue N otes
Blues Scales
LESSON
.................................................................
62
......................................................................
64
11
Bo Diddley B eat
12
Chicago Style
13
"Nows th e Time"
14
Slow Bb Blues
..............................................................
67
...................................................................
69
15
Jazz M ambo ........................................................................
72
16
The N ext S t e p .....................................................................
74
GLOSSARY .........................................................................................
75
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
CHAPTER
PAGE
..........................................................................
77
CONCLUSION .........................................................................................
80
BIBLIOGRAPHY ..............................................................................................
83
TO THE TEACHER
III
vii
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Beginning-level instrum ental instruction, usually in grades four to six,

is th e first experience m any people have w ith "formal" m usical tr ain in g
i t is
a tim e w hen b asic view points can b e formed, and a ttitu d e s set, concerning
m usic and th e m usical learning process.
M any w riters on m usic education have advanced th e id ea th at
im provising can b e an enjoyable and useful p art of m usical education ,1 and,
increasingly, teach ers are incorporating im provisation into th eir curriculum s.
In resp o n se to th is in terest, a num ber of publications h av e ap peared in th e
la st half-century, w ritten from b o th th e "non-jazz" an d th e "jazz" perspectives:
m ethods, articles, books for teach ers, dissertations.
A t th e sam e tim e, jazz-based m aterials have found a secure place in
th e m usic program s of A m erican public schools, esp ecially through th e
w idening popularity of "stage bands" (now often called "jazz bands" or "lab
bands") since th e 1950s. T hese ensem bles, usually u sin g "big band"
instrum entation, are now found in m any Am erican h ig h schools and m iddle
^ e e , for exam ple, W ollner (1967), Schafer (1976), Villiam y and Lee (1976), or
Lanfer (1979).
schools. The "stage band m ovem ent," b o th a sym ptom and a cau se of rising
in te re st in jazz, helped create a n eed for instructional m ethods in
im provisation, since th e jazz b an d literatu re, an d indeed th e jazz tradition,
require th a t a t le a st som e players b e ab le to im provise solos.
D espite th e profusion of jazz-based m usic and m ethods, an d th e
w idesp read in tere st in introducing im provisation to beginners, few
im provisation m ethods are geared to th e beginning instrum entalist, an d none
of them seem s to adequately tak e adv antage of th e opportunity to offer a
teach in g m ethod th a t w ould serve a s an introduction to both im provisation
and th e blues/jazz/rock idiom .2 This th e sis is a step in the direction of
filling th e n eed for such a m ethod.
Purpose
The in ten t of th is project is to provide a workbook for introducing
im provisation to th e beginner in a m anner th a t is easy, pleasurable, and
inform ative. N eeds of th e beginning player w ill b e evaluated, an d stren g th s
and w eak n esses of previous m ethods considered, in an effort to form ulate a
series of lesso n s th a t will co n stitu te a successful beginners m ethod.
Im m ediate goals of th e m ethod are to introduce beginning perform ance an d
theory, to provide som e fam iliarity w ith th e blues/jazz/rock idiom , an d to
2T his stu dy w ill consider b lues, rock, an d jazz as partially se p arate b u t

largely overlapping "idioms." Taken to g eth er th ey form a m ore g eneral
blues/jazz/rock idiom; w ithin each are found various "styles."
3
help develop m usical technique and understanding through im provisation.
Beyond th e se are th e larger goals: to foster in th e stu d en t higher levels of
self-expression, com m unication, confidence, aw areness of tradition, and
creativity .3
Lim itations
T his th e sis to som e extent is b o th a research project and a creative
work. A s research, it involves (a) exam ining existing literature, (b) finding
u sable com m on rang es for beginners on various instrum ents, and
(c) evaluation of th e lessons developed, by field-testing w ith approxim ately
fifty stu d en ts, in b o th individual lesso n and class settings. (However, no
attem p t h a s b een m ade a t statistical evaluation .)4 As a creative project, th is
th e sis en tails (a) developing guidelines for a new m ethod, (b) form ulating a
series of lesso n s covering th e desired m aterial, (c) w riting blues m elodies
and "sam ple solos" appropriate for th e an ticipated level of student, an d
(d) placing th is m aterial in a clear and u sab le format. The m ethod w as
produced n o t only in concert key, b u t in Bb and Eb transpositions, not
included here. Supplem entary m aterial for th e instructor w as also produced,
^ o r a d iscussion of th e correspondence betw een artistic im provisation and

basic creativity, see N achm anovitch (1990).
4A ttem pts a t statistical evaluation of th e effectiveness of jazz im provisation
teach in g m ethods are found in th e d issertatio n s by B um sed (1978) an d D am ron
(1973).
4
and is found a t th e en d of th e m ethod. This w orkbook is intended prim arily
for u se by young beginners (grades four to eight), under a teach ers
guidance, in either an individual lesso n or classroom situation. Secondarily,
it could b e useful to adult beginners a s a self-tutor.
M ethods P resently A vailable

H istorical O verview
Im provisation, or th e creation of a m usical w ork . . . a s it is being
perform ed ,"5 is surely a practice "as old a s m usic itself ."6 Throughout th e
history of W estern "art music," im provisation h a s alw ays ex isted in som e
form, horn th e im provised iubilus of early chant, to m odem avant-garde
concert pieces. Instruction books, from th e tenth-century M usica enchiriadis
to m odem w orks, docum ent th e evolving n atu re of "classical" im provisation.
T he developm ent of m usical notation, polyphony, and concert m usic
w ere accom panied by a gradual, b u t increasing, separation of com poser and
perform er. By th e tw en tieth century, perform ers rarely com posed or
5Im ogene Horsley, M ichael Collins, Eva Badura-Skoda, and D ennis Libby,
'Im provisation," in The N ew Grove D ictionary of M usic and M usicians, ed.
Stanley Sadie (London: M acmillan, 1980), IX: 31.
Emest T. Ferand, Im provisation in Nine C enturies of W estern M usic
(Cologne: A m o Volk Verlag, 1961), p. 5.
im provised, an d im provisation had becom e a fairly eso teric discipline,

surviving m ainly in th e trad itio n of church o rg an ists .7
The rise of b lu es an d jazz a s com m ercial m usic, beginning in th e
1910s and 1920s, occurred w ith th e aid of pow erful n ew m edia: th e
phonograph record an d radio. Though b lues and jazz u sed stan d ard
instrum ents and stru ctu ral resources, th e origins and route to popularity of
th e se new g enres lay in areas culturally distinct from traditional W estern art
m usic. B ecause of th is cultural separatism , m aintained by "serious"
m usicians non-acceptance of th e new g en res ,8 b lu es an d jazz (and later,
rock) developed a s idiom s largely sep arate and d istin ct from W estern art
m usic. In th e tw e n tie th century, blues, jazz, an d rock have b een th e
strongholds of m usical im provisation in N orth A m erica .9 A w id espread
in te re st in learning to perform in th ese idiom s h as b een an sw ered by th e
publication of m uch instructional literature.
A tw entieth -century revival of im provisation in th e "non-jazz" W estern
tradition m ay b e tra c e d in certain m usic education m aterial, including th e
w ork of Emile Jaques-D alcroze (beginning c. 1910) and Carl Orff (beginning
c. 1924). In m ore recen t y ears, th is current h a s led to th e w ell-know n book
7Horsley e t al., p. 50.

Graham Villiamy an d E d Lee, P o p M usic in School (Cam bridge: Cam bridge
U niversity P ress, 1976), pp. 33-47.
BHorsley e t al., p. 51.
by G ertrude Price W ollner (1963). Since th a t tim e, th e stu bb orn exclusivity

b etw een th e "jazz an d "non-jazz" w orlds m ay have b eg u n to b reak dow n, a s
m ay b e seen in, for exam ple, th e approaches of Konowitz (1973) an d
Ham aker e t al. (1979).
E valuation of Existing M ethods

The focus of th is th e sis is on producing an optim ally effective
im provisation m ethod for beginners, using b lu es-b ased m aterials. In
preparation for th is task, a num ber of m odem teach in g m ethods w ere
exam ined. M ost are w ithin th e 'jazz" tradition, though som e oth ers w ere
considered. Follow ing is a chronological listin g of relev an t w orks, w ith a
description of each, and an evaluation of stren g th s an d w eak n esses. This is
n o t a com prehensive listin g of m odem im provisation m ethods, b u t rep resen ts
th o se w orks available a t th e tim e of th is w riting, eith er com m ercially or a t
th e San Jo se S tate U niversity library.
Im provisation in M usic. G ertrude Price W ollner (1963)

This work, a m odem classic in th e non-jazz tradition, is in th e form at
of a guide for teach ers. W ollners program begins w ith rhythm stu d y via
clapping and conducting exercises. N ext com e, in order: m elody-m aking,
u sin g th e concepts of m elodic curves and m otives; scale resources; u se of
mood; ear training; an d form study. A fter th is beginning, rath er free and
unconventional for its tim e, th e book se ttle s into stan d ard chord study and
analysis of Bach and B eethoven p ieces for their "m usical logic." The closing
ch ap ters involve im provisation u sin g im agery, an d su g g estio n s for teaching
beginning group im provisation.
W ollners book incorporates m any valuable tech n iq u es. It is prim arily
for p ian istsn o t for young stu d en ts, b u t for th eir teach ers. T he book
com pletely n eg lects jazz-related resources, though occasional lip service is
p aid to th e discipline of jazz im provisation.
Im provising Jazz. Jerry Coker (1964)

Coker is one of th e handful of prolific w riters resp o n sib le for m uch of
th e jazz im provisation instructional m aterial produced from th e mid-1960s
through th e mid-1970s. This pioneering little book, still valuable today, is
aim ed a t th e college-level stu d en t. It lean s heavily on chord stu d ies,
including also chord-related scales, u se of m otives, role of rhythm section
players, and th e concept of "sw ing. B lues is considered a s a harm onic
progression, an d is p resen ted early on. O ther books b y Coker, especially
P attern s for Jazz (1970), focus o n acquiring th e tech nical to o ls for selfexpression by practicing m yriad perm utations of scalar, chordal, and m elodic
figures, in all keys. This approach, n ecessary for th e d ed icated older student,
h as little value for orienting an d m otivating th e young beginner.
8
P attern s for Im provisation. Oliver N elson (1966)
In a brief introduction, N elson sta te s h is b asic prem ise: "as long as
th e original p a tte rn is correct, any irregularities w hich m ight ap pear in its
sequence are justified . .
This w as th e first "patterns book. It differs
from Cokers 1970 w ork in th a t p attern s are p resen ted m ore a s id eas th a n as
note-groups to b e exhaustively practiced. N elsons p attern s range from
Hanon-like diatonic p h rases, to bebop m elodic lines, to tw elve-tone row s.
M any of th e se p attern s are in evidence in N elsons ow n recorded saxophone
solos. A gain, th e "perm utations" approach is inappropriate for beginners.
How ever, N elson is also attem ptin g to com m unicate th e elem en ts of h is ow n
jazz style. The "idea book approach is one th a t could b e usefully ad ap ted for
beginners.
A N ew A pproach to Jazz Im provisation. Jam ey A ebersold (1967-1990)

A ebersolds "new approach" is th e play-along record, w ith
accom panying booklet. A recorded rhythm section provides a background for
stu d en t exercises an d im provisations. While th is kind of accom panim en t is
m ore realistic and enjoyable th a n a m etronom e, it does have th e draw back of
encouraging an approach to im provisation th a t is m echanical and lacking th e
elem ent of com m unication th a t is b asic to a "real" jazz group. A ebersolds
Oliver N elson. P attern s for Im provisation (Los A ngeles: N oslen M usic,

1966), p. i.
9
m ethod h as enjoyed g reat success an d popularity, an d h a s b een extended to
forty-five volum es a t th e tim e of th is w riting. Volume 1 of th is series
em phasizes exercises using dorian, m ajor an d m inor pentatonic, an d chordrelated p attern s, and p attern s for n-V-I chord progressions. The am ount of
m aterial p resen ted in Volume 1 is too d en se for th e young beginner. Volume
2, Nothin* But Blues (1971), is m ore m anageable, useful for younger stu d en ts
if they are m otivated and have a te a c h e r's help. This volum e approaches
blues soloing through th e "blues scale" (l-b3-4-#4-5-b7-l) and chord-related
scales. R ecorded tu n es include b lu es of various ty pes, including m in o r, slow
and fast stan d ard sw ing, rock (minor), and "Parker changes," in various keys.
An em phasis on dorian tonality is evident. Volume 3 w orks w ith th e n-V-I
progression, and su b seq u en t volum es are nearly all concerned w ith
providing a recorded background for practicing "standards." This rem arkable
and very useful series is conspicuously m issing a volum e for young
beginners, in a clear an d sim ple form at.
A G uide to Im provisation. Jo hn La P orta (1968)

Tw elve lesso n s are p resen ted in th is m ethod, w ith each lesso n broken
into four parts: "theory," "rhythm training," "instrum ental ear training," and
"performance." A n accom panying record is u sed for th e ear training and
perform ance sections. The perform ance section of each lesso n involves
playing an original piece by La Porta, w ith sp ace for an im provised solo. La
10
P orta u se s th e Bb m ajor pentatonic scale a s a startin g point, adding th e blue
n o tes h3 and b7 in L esson 2. He places im portance on proper jazz (sw ing)
phrasing, and utilizes call-response ear training. L ater lesso n s involve
playing in th e keys of Eb, F, an d C; w orking w ith th e concept of m otivic
developm ent; an d com m on-tone soloing. This m ethod is a m odel of good
pacing and clear organization. Presum ably it w as w ritten for u se w ith
college stu d en ts (La P orta is a central figure a t th e Berklee C ollege of M usic,
and th e m ethod w as pu blished by Berklee P ress), b u t it could b e u sed w ith
younger stu d en ts. La P o rta's u se of th e m ajor p entato nic w ith add ed b3 and
b7 is an idiosyncratic, b u t sensible, w ay to s e t p aram eters for soloing th a t
reflect m ainstream practice w hile lim iting resources so a s to provide security
for th e stu d en t. T here is no m ention of any rhythm ic sty le except sw ing in
th is m ethod.
T echniques of Im provisation: Vol. 1. D avid Baker (1968)

This book is rep resen tativ e of th e m any publications by Baker, one of
th e m ost prolific authors of instructional m aterials for jazz im provisation.
Baker u se s lydian-related scales to gen erate p attern s, to b e practiced in all
keys. Bakers Im provisational P atterns: th e Blues (1980) b egin s w ith an
inform ative essay, follow ed by listing s of b lues chord progressions, original
tu n es by Baker, b lu es p h rases, b a ss lines, and piano voicings. T hese books
are overly tech nical for th e beginner, b u t th e "idea book" concept is, again, a
11
useful one. A nother of Bakers books, Jazz Im provisation (1983), is a
com pendium of p attern s, technical devices, and good advice to th e relatively
advanced im proviser. To b e useful to th e beginner, th e se concepts w ould
require considerable distillation.
A dventures in Im provisation a t th e Keyboard. G lenn M ack (1970)

Keyboard an d band instrum ent pedagogy are largely independent
fields, for obvious reasons. Band instru m ents are n o t self-accom panying, and
pianos are not u sed in school concert or m arching bands. Instructional
literatu re for keyboard im provisation is th u s n o t generally applicable to
single-line instrum ents. M ack's book u se s a n approach built around
fingering p a tte rn s and rhythm ic figures. M odes, various pentato nic scales
(black-key and others), w hole-tone scales, and related chords are p resen ted
a s resources. A ch ap ter on 'building blocks" em phasizes m otivic
developm ent and phrasing. O ther su b jects covered are harm onizing a
m elody an d im provising for dancers. No jazz m aterials w hatsoever are
included.
M usic Im provisation a s a Classroom M ethod. Bert Konowitz (1973)

In th is book, p resen ted a s a teach ers guide, Konowitz recognizes
th re e "phases" of teaching: exploratory or "loosening up" activity, expanding
skills, an d "developm ent and involvem ent." T h ese sta g e s are applied to
w orking w ith voice, instrum ents, and keyboard, in turn. Konowitz outlook
12
values positive attitu d e form ation, th e expression of em otion, and
im provisation a s its ow n rew ard, above building tech nical facility. A lthough
h e does n o t show a d eep concern w ith or understanding of jazz, h e does
em ploy som e jazz-related resources. Konowitz h a s also authored tw o
beginning im provisation books for p ian ists, unavailable for th e p resen t study.
Jazz E xpressions. Phil H ardym on (1975)

Though packaged a s a series of arrangem ents for beginning jazz band,
Hardym ons work, in th e han ds of a com petent teacher, co n stitu tes a form of
jazz im provisation m ethod. C harts include solo opportunities, in w hich
stu d en ts are d irected to w ork w ith a few n o tes derived from a pentatonic
scale ("solo-notes"). A ccom panying teach ers m aterial su g g ests call-response
exercises a s ear-training an d a s a preparation for im provising. R anges are
m oderate, an d non-standard instrum entation is m ade possib le by sim ple
harm onizations an d p a rt doubling. T hese arrangem ents are an outgrow th of
H ardym on's "Berkeley Jazz Project in th e Berkeley (California) public schools,
beginning in 1966, and are currently in w ide use. Positive features include:
(a) an em phasis on "doing rath er th a n on theory, (b) a gradual, non
th reaten in g introduction to im provisation, (c) playable ran g es for m iddle
school stu d en ts, an d (d) a form at su ited to practical public school situations.
13
Blues and th e Basics. Dominic Spera (1975)
T his booklet, w ith cassette, is a blues-based im provisation m ethod
aim ed a t younger stud en ts. Speras approach is chord-oriented, utilizing a
Bb b lu es progression and chord-related (mixolydian an d m ajor pentatonic)
scales, w ith added blue n o tes (b3, b5, and b7). The "blues scale" a s a
concept is avoided, though th e practical resu lt of adding blue n o tes to a
m ajor pentaton ic scale is a ty pe of blues scale. Visually, th e form at is
som ew hat cluttered. W hile strong on ear training, theory, an d sw ing
interpretation, th is m ethod h as som e draw backs: no b e a ts excep t sw ing,
overem phasis on theory, and m aterial too densely presen ted.
B asic Rhythm s and th e A rt of Jazz Im provising. Jo e T arto (1976)

D espite its title, th is is not exactly an im provising m ethod, b u t rather
a collection of idiom atic m usical exam ples, particularly rhythm drills. Brief
w ritten sectio n s on im provising and on blues contain som e d eb atable
statem en ts (e.g., "when im provising m odem jazz in th e key of C th e following
related scales C G and F can all b e u sed w ith th e follow ing chords. C 6 ,
CMaj 7, C7, C9, C ll, and C13 (sic]."11) This book is b e s t considered a s a
collection of sw ing- and dixieland-related exam ples.
Jo e Tarto, Basic Rhythm s and th e A rt of Jazz Im provising (New York:

C harles Colin, 1976), p. 26.
14
Im provisation S y llab u s a n d Guide. E dith H am aker,
C larice Lincoln, M arilynn Thalm an (1979)
This m ethod w as produced b y th e M usic T eachers A ssociation of
California, for u se w ith piano stu d en ts. The progression of its lesso n s is
intended to correspond to th e MTACs C ertificate of M erit program . The
approach com bines theory study w ith im provising, also u sin g variations on
folk tu n es, and im agery. In an effort to n o t neg lect jazz elem ents, th is
m ethod introduces chord ch arts and b lues early on. M elodic resources for
blues im provisations include m ajor pentatonic scales an d blue notes.
B ecause of th e d en sity of m aterial, em phasis on theory, and len g th of th is
m ethod, it w ould probably succeed only w ith th o se few stu d en ts w ho enjoy
w orking w ith theory. T he m ethod is notew orthy becau se of th e auth ors'
sincere efforts to incorporate jazz elem ents into a m ethod produced by, and
for, teach ers w ho w ork m ostly in th e classical tradition.
"The Blues: A P ractical Project for th e Classroom," P iers Spencer

This essay, p u b lish ed a s a ch ap ter in P o p M usic in School (Vulliamy
and Lee, 1980), is a te a c h e rs guide for a structured p resen tatio n of b lu es in
th e classroom . S pencer b eg in s w ith riffs usin g m ajor pentato nic a n d m in o r
pentatonic scales. C all-response gam es centered on rhythm (clapping or
percussion) are ex ten d ed to creating rhythm ic resp o n ses, th e n m elodic
responses, to th e te a c h e rs ph rases. Before proceeding to 12-bar blues,
Spencer su g g ests playing arrangem ents of Negro sp irituals incorporating
15
sho rt (2 -8 m easure) im provised sections. N ext, stu d en ts are ask ed to listen
to an d w rite b lu es lyrics. Spencer th e n h a s th em tak e a large step , to
exam ining th e
1 2 -bar
chord progression, and finally d irects stu d en ts to w rite
th eir ow n 12-bar blues m elodies. In its early sta g e s (riffs, im itation, first
im provisation), Spencers curriculum m akes se n se for th e beginner, b u t th e
pacing an d content of later activ ities (w ords, spirituals, chord study,
com position) are perh ap s n o t a s p ertin en t to developing b e g in n in g stu d e n ts
im provising skills. Spencer p o in ts o u t a relationship b etw een Orff
"Schulwerk" m ethods and h is own.
Everybody C an Plav th e Blues. Don H am ilton (1984)

Brevity is a virtue of th is book. It consists of sev en p ag es of te x t and
four tu n e s to play (one of th em is Ellingtons "Dukes Place," w ithout title or
attribution). C all-response ear training is u sed a s a startin g point, w ith a
p ag e on chords. T unes are p resen ted in a lead -sh eet form at, w ith chords
spelled o u t on a staff below th e m elody, and a b lu es scale show n a t th e to p
of th e p ag e in th e key of th e tu n e. C larity of form at is th e books m ain
strength; incom pleteness is its m ain w eakness.
Jazz/R ock Trax. W ill Schm id (1985)

T he aim of th is m ethod is to introduce im provisation to th e young
player b y using a m odem b lu es-related idiom ("jazz/rock") exclusively. A
c a sse tte ta p e contains perform ances of w ritten exam ples nri recorded
backgrounds. All m aterial is straig h t-b eat rock, played on th e ta p e by

synthesizer and grow l-tone saxophone. Im provisation is introduced by
having th e stu d en t experim ent first w ith four n o tes selected from an F minor
pentato nic scale (C-Eb-F-Ab), over a recorded background, w ith lists of "solo
licks" to u se a s id ea sources. Chord construction is avoided. A n explanation
of how to construct pentatonic scales is given, b u t is som ew hat confusing;
otherw ise, th e form at is quite clear an d w ell-considered. This m ethod
should b e practical to use w ith th e beginner. However, it h a s inherent
w eaknesses: (a) sw ing, or any other b e a t th a n w h at m ight b e called discofunk rock, is n o t m entioned, (b) although m inor pentaton ic n o tes are u sed
over m inor and dom inant chords, th ere is no m ention of blue n o tes or blues
scales, (c) no atten tio n is p aid to tradition, an d (d) im provisation is tau g h t as
a m onochrom atic product, to b e tu rn ed on or off w ith ou t reference to th e
m elody or character of th e tune. Indeed, th e m ethod d o es n o t u se tu n es as
vehicles, b u t rath er u ses chord progressions. T his m ethod com es very close
to b eing a good one by virtue of its form at, pacing, an d practicality, but
th e se q u alities com e a t th e co st of disregarding som e im portant elem ents of
jazz.
Leamin* th e Blues. Jo sep h Lilore (1986)

A s is th e case w ith th e previous work, th is book h a s a unique m ixture
of positive an d negative asp ects. H ere, trad itio n is resp ected ; th e book
17
includes a sh o rt history of b lu es (its accuracy is another question), an d a
listing of "great b lu es 8313818" a s recom m ended listening. Soloing is
approached through a b lu es scale (l-b3-3-4-5-b7-1). The form at is m ostly
clear, including succinct an d useful w ords of advice. The key of Bb is
explored first; chord ch arts for b lues in all other keys are included later.
Each of th e se ch arts b ears a n ote on "suggested style" (latin, reggae, etc.),
b u t contains n eith er m usic p ertin en t to th a t style (melody or rhythm ), nor
explanation of th a t style.
O ther Works
The follow ing te x ts w ere also exam ined, b u t w ere not considered
applicable to th e p resen t study b ecause of th eir level of com plexity:
Jazz Im provisation. John M ehegan (four vols., 1959-1965).
The Encyclopedia of Basic Harm ony and Theory A pplied tn Trrmrnv-i ggtion on
All Instrum ents. Dick G rove (1971).
P entatonic S cales for Jazz Im provisation. Ramon Ricker (1975).
Im provising an d A rranging on th e Keyboard. Jam es O estereich and Earl
P ennington (1981).
The 21st C entury W av to N ew Sounds. Rudolf Schram m and Doug Freuler
(1981).
T he Basic E lem ents of Jazz. Jim Progris (1986).
C reative Jazz Im provisation. Scott Reeves (1989).
18
G uidelines for a Successful
Beginners M ethod
G eneral C riteria
The n in eteen m ethods review ed above all have th e sam e goal: to
develop th e stu d en ts skill in im provised m usical self-expression. However,
th e m eans em ployed vary considerably. Basic elem ents of th e n in eteen
approaches include (a) theory instruction, (b) ear training activities,
(c) exercises for technical developm ent, (d) vehicles for im provisation, and
(e) exercises and advice aim ed a t developing im agination an d a positive
attitude. T hese elem ents, not m utually exclusive, are em phasized to a
greater or lesser degree by each of th e m ethods. To b e optim ally effective, a
new m ethod for beginners w ould balance th ese elem ents in a w ay th a t
w ould enhance th e effectiveness of all of them .
For teachin g beginners, a special balance is required. By far, th e m ost
im portant elem ent for beginners is developm ent of a positive attitude.
A ctivities m u st sen d th e underlying m essage, Anyone can do this. It is easy
and fun." B ecause b lu es is a pervasive influence in m odem popular m usic,
blues-based m aterial is ideal for developing m otivation. S tudents perceive
th e idiom a s enjoyable and relevant. A blues-based im provisation m ethod
h as a m otivational advantage inherent in its nature.
To encourage a positive attitu d e in th e beginning stu d en t, early
success is essential. This can b e achieved by participatory activities in
19
carefully chosen form ats, a t gradually increasing levels of difficulty. By
m axim izing playing tim e, techn ical developm ent can b e pu rsued
sim ultaneously w ith other activities. C all-response gam es are a commonlyu se d an d effective w ay to approach ear training. Even theory co n cep ts can
b e approached through participatory activity.
Theory is th e m ost problem atic elem ent. Ideally, theory facilitates
understanding. Too often, how ever, educators over-em phasize th eo ry in th eir
p resen tatio n s, and th ereb y d isto rt its significance. Not only do es th is error
lead to an incorrect an d sterile view of m usic, b u t if can alienate th e average
stu d en t, w ho is generally n o t m entally disposed or equipped to w ork w ith
th eo retical concepts, or to u n d erstan d th eir relevance. In a book for
beginners, theory concepts should b e reduced to sim plicity.
Specific Inform ation to Cover

D raw ing from th e positive featu res of existing m ethods, an d
considering th e n eed s of beginning stu d en ts a s discussed above, certain
specific featu res em erge a s desirab le for inclusion in a new b eg in n er's
m ethod:
1. A m axim um of participatory activity.
2. A broad sam pling of different sty les w ithin th e idiom, including
various "beats" (not ju s t sw ing or rock).
20
3. E ssen tial theory concepts (blue n otes, blu es-related scales, chords,
form) p resen ted w ith clarity an d sim plicity.
4. Technique p resen ted a s subservient to expression.
5. T radition tre a te d w ith resp ect, a s a b ase to bu ild on.
6.
C all-response gam es, a s ear training and a s p reparation for
im provising.
7. A level of difficulty appropriate for th e in ten d ed audience.
8.
W ell-w ritten, idiom atic ("funky") exam ples an d vehicles for
im provisation.
9. A gentle, non-threatening introduction to first im provising efforts,
aim ed a t guaranteeing early success.
10. A clear form at, giving each "element" a b alan ced em phasis.
11. A n orientation th a t does not exclude oth er ty p es of m usicth a t is,
th e skills acquired by th e stu d en t should b e extendable into other idiom s.
Explanation of L esson P lans

The booklet com prising C hapter 33 of th is th e sis, Blues and Jazz for
B eginners, is th e resu lt of an effort to im plem ent th e above guidelines in an
effective series of lessons. Follow ing is an explanation of th e reasoning th a t
led to th e specific content and order of lesso n plans.
21
Levels
F ifteen lesso ns, grouped into th re e levels," w ere produced. Level 1
(L essons 1-5) u se s four-bar riffs, w ith a background of stan d ard
1 2 -bar
blues
supplied by teach er or c a sse tte tap e, to orient th e stu d en t and to introduce

b asic concepts. Prim ary em phasis is placed on participation, an d theory
concepts are dow nplayed. The m ain in ten t h ere is to gen erate an early
feeling of comfort. To th is end, ran ges are narrow ; rep eated four-bar riffs are
used; soloing is approached carefully. Im provisation is p resen ted a s a
m atter of w orking w ith m elody, rhythm , and mood. The introduction of scale
an d chord approaches is p u t off until Level 2.
Level 2 (Lessons 6-9) p resen ts b asic theory concepts: blue notes,
scales, chords, an d how th e se elem ents in terrelate w ith m elody an d w ith
each other. Theory is a delicate subject: th e stu d e n t w ould b e ill-served by
a com plete avoidance of chord-building or blues scales, y et th e se topics can
easily com e across a s dry an d boring. In addition, th eoretical structures
should n o t b e p resen ted to beginners a s th e la st w ord in how m usic
(especially im provisation) is organized. Therefore, th e se concepts are only
pu rsu ed to th e ex ten t th a t th ey w ill aid th e stu d en ts perform ance and
com prehension. "Sample solos are u sed m ore extensively in Level 2 (in
Level 1, th e riff-tune m elodies served th e sam e purposes). T hese exercises
provide: (a) exam ples of th e application of concepts b ein g discussed, (b) a
participatory asp e c t to w orking w ith theory, (c) practice in reading idiom atic
22
m usic, an d (d) m ental in pu t of idiom atic m usical ideas, for later u se in
im provising.
Level 3 (L essons 10-15) co n sists of a series of tu n e s w ritten in
different b lues-related styles. This section is inten ded to provide vehicles for
im provisation using concepts learn ed in Levels 1 an d 2, w hile conveying a
sen se of th e w ide and rich tradition s associated w ith blues, jazz, an d rock.
It is n o t m eant a s a com prehensive catalog of styles. R anges an d general
difficulty are in creased som ew hat.
A final chapter, T h e N ext Step," su g g ests directions for continued
study, an d a glossary for stu d en ts en d s th e m ethod. A th ree-p ag e section of
advice to other teach ers w ho m ight u se th e m ethod is included, follow ing
th e glossary.
L essons
L esson 1 - E asy B lues in G
T he purpose of th is lesso n is basic orientation. R ange is m inim al,
using only th re e n o tes (G, F, an d D, or 1, b7, an d 5, in G). T his range w as
arrived a t by com paring stan d ard b an d m ethods for various instrum ents; it is
w ithin th e overlap of ran g es a t th e point w here eighth n o tes are introduced.
A ccom panim ent by a teach er (or recording) is assum ed. S ubjects include
concept of sw ing b eat; exam ples in straig ht and sw ing, a t various tem pos;
an d th e b asic concept of arrangem ent.
L esson 2 - Im itation n a m e s
This is a participatory activity serving b o th a s ear trainin g an d a s a
preparation for first solos. In fact, call-response gam es p resen t th e b asic
elem ents of im provisational soloing (pre-hearing; production of im agined
sound), ex cep t th a t th e decisions concerning n o te and rhythm choice are left
to th e instructor. A creative teach er could u se th e se gam es also to p resen t
concepts of developm ent and variation, in th e p h rases chosen for im itation.
Like th e sam ple solos, th is activity serves a s in p u t of idiom atic m aterial for
later stu d en t u se. One further asp ect of value in preparing th e stu d e n t for
soloing: im itation gam es com pletely b y p ass th e p rin ted page.
L esson 3 - Im provising Your Own Solo

Im itation gam es are extended to "trading fours" w ith th e teach er or
w ith another stu d en t, still using only th ree n o tes, th en to playing a
1 2 -bar
chorus. M otivic playing, w ith ideas derived from th e m elody, is p resen ted as
good im provisational technique. A sam ple solo is provided for illustration,
for reading practice, an d a s a n id ea source.
L esson 4 - B lues in F
R ange is extended slightly; a n ew key is introduced. A three-note
concept u sin g 1, h3, b7 is em ployed for exam ples. The la st tw o exam ples
add scale ste p s 5 and i f 7. Practice w ith soloing from th e m elody is
continued.
24
L esson 5 - E xpressing Y ourself
To com plete Level 1 a s a basic orientation section, additional m eans of
expression are explored. S tudents are ask ed to select an earlier exercise and
to play solos usin g different m oods, n ote d en sities, an d levels of volume.
The in ten t h ere is to e sta b lish em otion and tex tu re along w ith m elody and
rhythm a s b asic elem ents in im provising. Scale an d chord co n cep ts (to
follow) m ay th e n b e se e n in proper perspective: a s techn ical m eans to th e
m ore b asic en d of expression, not as an sw ers in them selves.
L esson
- Blue N otes
This lesso n b egin s Level 2, in w hich essen tial theory co n cep ts are
p resen ted . Blue n o tes are p resen ted a s th e low ered 3, 5, an d 7 of a key.
Illustrations show blue n o tes ag ain st C, F, an d G m ajor scales. This
p rep ares th e ground for L esson 8 , a b lu es in C u sin g C7, F7, an d G7 chords.
Thinking of n o tes a s related to a m ajor scale, u sin g num bered scale step s, is
an in tegral p a rt of th is lesson. The id ea of bend ing n o tes (a concept related
to "blue notes") is p resented.
L esson 7 - B lues Scales

T hree of th e scales m ost commonly encountered in jazz im provisation
m ethods are show n h ere in th e key of F. T hree are u sed b o th in order to
ed u cate th e stu d en t an d to avoid em phasizing any one of th e th re e scales.
All th ree scales w ill sound" ag ain st d o m in a n t, chords on I, IV , an d V. The
25
stu d e n t is asked to w rite th e se scales out in C an d G. A sam ple solo is
given th a t u ses id eas related to th e se scales. This exam ple is w ritten in
changing scale areas; th e purpose is to show th a t scales are only one of
m any organizing forces. The prim ary technique of organization in th is and
oth er sam ple solos is extension and expansion of m elodic-rhythm ic m otives.
L esson
- Chords an d "Dukes Place"
Students are show n how to build dom inant chords b y using ste p s 1, 3,
5, b7 of a m ajor scale. Several goals are accom plished here: (a) chord
building is introduced, (b) chords are p resen ted a s related to scales, a useful
persp ectiv e for th e im proviser, an d (c) dom inant (mixolydian) scales are
introduced. The stu d en t is now equipped w ith b lue note, scalar, an d chordal
concepts, applied in C, F, an d G. This should provide a strong background
for dealing w ith "Dukes Place," a b lues in C by Duke Ellington. U sing th is
tu n e provides a reference to jazz history an d te ach es stu d en ts a p iece th a t is
considered stan d ard repertoire.
L esson 9 - A Full A rrangem ent

T raditional roles of instru m ents in a jazz ensem ble are discussed. A
typical jazz com bo arrangem ent form at is applied to "Dukes Place."
26
L esson 10 - The R eal T ruth
U sing a sh o rt idiom atic p h rase a s an exam ple, th e p o in t is m ade th a t
th e p h rase could b e explained theoretically several different w ays, b u t th a t
th e "real truth" is th a t it is a p h rase in a m usical language. T his is an
explicit statem en t of th e subservience of theory to expression. W hile
stu d en ts m ust b e given a w orking know ledge of theory concepts, they
should develop a natural, intuitive approach to im provising th a t u se s theory
concepts m ore as tools for u nd erstanding th an a s prim ary devices of m usical
organization. T his lesso n concludes Level 2, th e section m ean t a s a practical
introduction to essen tial theory concepts. Six item s of advice for im provising
are added here.
L esson 31 - Bo Diddlev B eat

L essons 11-15 co n stitu te vehicles for practicing im provisation; no new
theory concepts are p re se n te d in Level 3 except th o se encountered in
playing th e tu n es, w hich are w ritten in various styles. The p iece in th is
lesson u se s a rhythm ic p a tte rn found in m any 1950s rhythm an d b lues (early
rock) tunes. A lthough th e m elody u se s six teen th notes, th e ran ge should b e
easy, and chords for soloing are virtually th e sam e as th o se for "Duke's
Place."
27
L esson 12 - Chicago Stvle
The key of G is re-introduced; chords include G7, C7, an d (for th e first
tim e) D7. The piece is w ritten in one of th e "Chicago" sty les asso ciated w ith
M uddy W aters, Howlin Wolf, etc.
L esson 13 - N ow 's th e Time

This is another p iece in th e stan d ard jazz repertoire, providing th e
opportunity to introduce th e "bebop style an d an altern ate stan d ard blues
chord pattern. The key of F, already fam iliar to th e stu d en t, is used; one new
chord is introduced (G-7).
L esson 14 - Slow B lues in Bb

The m elody of th is p iece u se s som e very traditional p h rases, and th e
chords are in a traditional, b u t slightly m ore difficult, progression. N ew
chords include Eb7, C-7, A7, an d Ab7 (the la st tw o chords are optional). The
tem po should b e com fortably slow . This key is, of course, com m only u sed
for instrum ental blues. It w as n o t included earlier in th is m ethod b ecau se
th e narrow ran ge chosen a s a startin g b a sis seem ed to tra n sla te b e tte r into
th e keys of G an d F. Theory concepts in C led naturally to "Dukes Place" (in
C, an d u sin g C7, F7 and G7 chords). N evertheless, Bb an d F are th e m ost
com m only-encountered keys for b lu es in m ainstream jazz.
28
L esson 15 - Jazz M amho
W hile n o t exactly a b lues form, m am hn w as sele cted a s th e style for
th e la s t piece, for several reasons: (a) b ecau se b lue n o tes, especially b7, are
a p a rt of th is style, (b) b ecau se latin " sty les are frequently u sed b y jazz
players, (c) to convey th e idea th a t im provisers can function in a variety of
idiom s, an d (d) to u se another organizing fram ew ork b esid e s
1 2 -bar
blues,
nam ely layered rhythm s.

The N ext Step
For th e stu d en t in tere sted in further developing im provising skills and
know ledge of th e idiom , th is chapter provides su g g estio n s for directions of
future study, an d p artin g w ords of advice.
CHAPTER n
BLUES AND JAZZ FOR BEGINNERS
29
TO THE STUDENT
Blues, jazz, an d rock are different sty les of m usic th a t have a lo t in

common. T here are even different kinds of b lues (country b lues, Chicago
blues, etc.), jazz (big band, bebop, fusion, etc.), rock (1950s rock, heavy
m etal, etc.). O ther related sty les include rhythm an d blues, soul, funk and
rap. But all of th e se ty p es of m usic have som ething in common: th ey all
depend very m uch on "blues" sounds, and th ey all u se im provisation.
In th is book you w ill learn w h at th e se blues sounds are, and how to

u se them to m ake u p your ow n m usic (or "improvise"). This book is intend ed
to b e easy to u se an d fun to play, and w ill help you to u n d erstan d how th is
sort of m usic is p u t together. Have fun, an d b e creative!
31
LEVEL 1
GETTING STARTED
You could think of b lu es, jazz, an d rock a s m usical lan g u ag es th a t are

closely related. To learn th e s e languages, you should w ork on b o th reading
and expressing yourselfin th is case, w ith n o tes an d p h rases rath er th an
w ords and sentences.
T his section w ill introduce you to b lu es, jazz, an d rock through

reading, im itating, an d im provising.
32
LESSON 1
E asy B lues in G
In th is lesson, you w ill play som e easy b lu es u sin g 4-m easure "riffs" as
m elodies (a riff is a short, rep eatin g m usical idea).
All of th e se riffs are in th e key of G. This m eans th a t G is th e hom e

note, or "tonic."
F irst, play Exam ple 1 by itself. N ext, liste n carefully w hile th e rhythm
sectio n (teacher or recording) plays a 12-bar blues. T his is th e kind of
background w e w ill vise throughout th is book.
Exam ple 1
3x
N ow play Exam ple 1 th re e tim es, w hile th e rhythm section plays a

b lu es background. This w ill m ake a b lu es m elody, or "head." Try th is
several tim es.
33
Note: "Swing" b e a t m eans th a t every p air of eig h th n o tes is played
long/short, like this:
II r ir ir ir ill
Som etim es sw ing b e a t is w ritten
though it really sounds closer to
J73
in stead of
I""J
. In th is book, w e w ill say
"rock 1 w hen w e m ean straig h t (regular) eighths.
Now play each of th e following 4-bar riffs:
Exam ple 2
Exam ple 3
3*
( c t l& tx)
34
Exam ple 4
Exam ple
/7 s b v o * *
^c: J \ \
n p g ^ - .j 3 - ^ j
\-[
3x
- 1
You can m ake a short arrangem ent out of any of th e se m elodies by

p u ttin g a
1 2 -m easure
solo in th e m iddle, w ith th e h ead a t th e beginning and
th e end. For now , le t th e teach er play a sim ple solo, or have th e rhythm
section fill th e m iddle 12 bars. L esson 3 will show you how to m a k e up your
ow n b lu es solos.
35
LESSON 2
Im itation G am es
T hese ear training gam es w ill help you to know your instrum ent, and
to th ink m usically. The id ea is th a t th e lead er (teacher) m akes u p a m usical
idea, an d th e class im itates it as exactly a s possible. S tart w ith ju s t th e note
G, in any rhythm , for one m easure, like this:
Exam ple 7
e \* 4 J
\
tUu
\cM
"P
das _____________
A s you g e t b e tte r a t th is gam e, add th e n o tes F an d D; th e n try tw o-
m easure p h rases. For exam ple.
/f
\.uhtf
tltff
t'
You can practice th is gam e on your ow n w ith ju s t tw o stu d en ts,

taking tu rn s a s lead er an d im itator.
Try playing a t different tem pos, and w ith different b e a ts (rock or

sw ing). Keep th e rhythm steady!
LESSON 3
Im provising Your Own Solo
To w arm up for th is lesson, here is a different version of th e im itation

gam e, called "trading fours." T he teach er w ill play a four-bar ph rase, using
G, F, an d D. This tim e, stu d en ts w ill answ er individually, n o t by im itating,
b u t w ith four m easures of anything else th ey feel like playing, usin g any
rhythm th a t com es to mind.
W hen you feel com fortable trading fours, pick one of th e riffs from
L esson 1 to u se a s a "head. Play th e m elody (repeating th e riff th ree tim es)
over a
1 2 -bar
b lu es background, b u t th is tim e continue by making up short
solos, still u sin g th e n o tes G, F, an d D. E ach stu d e n t should try to fill up 12

m easu res.
Your solo should fit w ith th e tu n e you are playing. O ne w ay to do th is

is to s ta rt w ith an id ea from th e head. For exam ple, h ere is a 12-bar solo
th a t could go w ith th e first tu n e in L esson 1:
38
Exam ple
g - _ j_
lll.iL..
^ = j = T
j j
JOL
In th e sp ace provided below , w rite a few id eas th a t you m ight w an t to

u se in a solo for Exam ple 4.
39
LESSON 4
Blues in F
N ext, try th e se riffs in th e key of F. Play each one a s a tu ne, w ith th e

h ead a t th e beginning and end, and solos in th e m iddle. B ase your solos on
id eas from th e m elody.
Exam ple 9
3*
Exam ple 10
Exam ple 11
trS iS iu #
_________________________________
I J \ J
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Exam ple 12
Exam ple 13
faimt/..
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LESSON 5
E xpressing Y ourself
C hoose one of th e riffs from L esson 4 to u se a s a head. For th is

lesson, you w ill play it a s a com plete tu n e (head-solos-head), a s many
different w avs a s p o ssib le.
H ere are som e variations to try:
1. U se a different b eat.
2. Play w ith different em otions: angry, peaceful, nervous, friendly, etc.
3. Soft or loud.
4. F a st or slow .
5. Solos w ith lo ts of silence.
6.
Solos w ith lo ts of notes.
7. A ny com bination of th e above.
A fter you have played th e tu n e a s m any w ays a s p ossible, decide

w hich variations "fit th e tu n e best" (or ju st, "which w ay you like most"). Then
play it one m ore tim e th a t w ay.
42
In th e m usical language, th ere are m any different w ays to express
yourself. M usicians should explore all kinds of expression. T his is one of th e
m ost im portant lesso n s in th is book!
43
LEVEL 2
CONCEPTS FOR IMPROVISING
T here are th re e b asic approaches to im provising th a t are often u sed

by blues, jazz, an d rock m usicians:
1. Play off th e m elody (you have already tried this);

2. B ase your id eas on a scale th a t relates to th e piece; an d /o r
3. U se n o tes from th e chords in th e accom panim ent.
In th is section, w e w ill explore th e "scale" an d "chord" approaches.

You w ill learn w h at th e se scales an d chords are, and how to u se them .
44
LESSON 6
Blue N otes
W hat m akes m usic sound "bluesy or "funky?" P art of th e reaso n is
th a t blues, jazz, an d rock often u se "blue notes." Blue n otes are th e flat 3, 5,
an d 7 of a key.
H ere are th e b lu e notes in th e key of C, w ith a C m ajor scale for

com parison.
C m ajor scale:
Blue n o tes in C:
H ere are th e blu e n otes in G, w ith a G m ajor scale for com parison. Go
back to L esson 1 an d circle all th e blue notes.
G m ajor scale:
SZ
i j, 3 *f r 6
Blue n o tes in G:
Vp feg:
-W V3
*7
A nd below is th e sam e thing, in th e key of F. Go back to L esson 4

and circle all th e blue notes.
F m ajor scale:
ff-
bo
it.iv
r 6 -) i
Blue n o tes in F:
j rz r
T *
bo1W
b3
46
You can g e t a bluesy feeling in a solo by "bending n o tes. This m eans
b ittin g th em low in pitch, th e n bringing them up to norm al pitch. This is
especially effective w ith th e th ird scale ste p (see below ). B ent n o tes are
show n like this:
m .
Play th e following exam ple:
Exam ple 14 (in F)
47
LESSON 7
B lues Scales
To g e t a bluesy sound, m usicians often b ase solos on scales th a t
include blue notes. T hree of th e m ost popular of th e se are show n below in
th e key of F, w ith an F m ajor scale for com parison. Play each scale through
several tim es, up and dow n, to check its sound.
F m inor pentatonic:
i n
*f r
*7 t
F blues:
'
'
F dorian:
48
Com pare to:
F major:
%
To m ake sure you u n d erstan d how th e se scales w ork, w rite o u t th e
following:
C m inor pentatonic:
C blues:
Reproduced witn p e n n o n ot the copyripn, owner. Funner reproduction p r o n g e d witnou. permission.
49
C dorian:
G m inor pentatonic:
G blues:
G dorian:
Now play Exam ple 9 again a s an arrangem ent (head-solos-head), w ith

solos b ased on one or m ore of th ese scales.
50
Exam ple 9
You should also play through th e sam ple solo below , w hich could go
w ith Exam ple 9.
Exam ple 15
deria.
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52
LESSON 8
C hords and D uke's Place*
The chords in th e b lu es accom panim ents you have u se d so far are all
bu ilt th e sam e w ay. This ty p e of chord is called a "dom inant seventh" (or
"dominant") chord. Play th e se chords:
You w ill often se e chords w ritten th is way:
Of course, only in stru m en ts like piano or guitar can actually p lay all th e
n o tes a t th e sam e tim e.
Chords an d scales are closely related. You can build any dom inant
chord by im agining a m ajor scale bu ilt on th e nam ed note, low ering th e
seventh step , th e n leaving out every other note:
53
"Duke's Place," by Duke Ellington (a fam ous jazz pian ist, com poser,
and b an d leader), is a p iece th a t u se s only d o m in an t, chords: C7, F7, an d G7.
Try playing it, w ith solos b a se d on th e chords in th e accom panim ent, or on
th e scales th a t go w ith th em (this kind of scale, like m ajor b u t w ith a b7, is
called a "dominant" or "mixolydian" scale).
You w ill have to keep your place and change chords a t th e right tim e!
Play thro ugh th e sam ple solo for an exam ple of how to u se th e chord
to n es an d dom inant scales.
54
D u k e 'S
P la c e
fr--- -A.,
#-i-i-#-1-(jV
^---5----
C
l -
a ->-
Duke Ellington
" rr/
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-*(J
y',-'i.,:.---- -------------/------------
^
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S--- y1-\f=
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---0^ ,0 -^
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55
Exam ple 16
Sam ple solo for "Dukes Place," using chord to n es an d dom inant scales:
G -1
m
i3 =
56
LESSON 9
A Full A rrangem ent
Next, w e w ill play "Dukes Place" a s a full arrangem ent. Traditionally,

each in stru m en t plays a certain role in th is sty le (sw ing jazz, w hich sta rte d
in th e 1920s):
M elody in stru m en ts (clarinet, trom bone, flute, etc.): Play th e melody,

m aybe w ith harm ony n o tes added.
Rhvthm sectio n:
Piano or guitar: Play chords u sing sho rt rhythm ic figures in sw ing
b e a t (this is called "comping").
Bass: Play stead y quarter n o tes (this is a "walking pattern).
Drums: Keep a stead y sw ing b eat.
All in stru m en ts: M ay play solos.
Try th is arrangem ent:

H ead (all in unison)
H ead (add rhythm section, harm ony p arts)
Solos (any approach)
57
Trade fours
H ead (including rhythm section, harm ony p arts)
For ad d ed in terest, try having players w ho are not soloing play

background riffs during solos. H ere is one exam ple; you can m ake u p other
riffs on your own:
Exam ple 17
Harm ony n o tes for th e h ead are show n below . A s you can see, they
form p a rt of th e chord, p laced below th e m elody note:
58
Exam ple 18
Dukes Place
------ ----------- 1 t - 99--------- f *---------
bT 'T
\fTT
TT
b-
I --
I1
LESSON 10
The R eal Truth
Look a t th e following phrase, from th e very first lesso n in th is book:
W here did it com e from? From a chord? From a scale? Actually, you
could explain it several w ays:
1. P art of a G m inor pentatonic scale.

2. P art of a G b lu es scale.
3. P art of a G dom inant scale.
4. P art of a G dorian scale.
5. P art of a G7 chord.
But th e real tru th is sim ply th a t it is a phrase in th e m usical language

w e call b lu es (or jazz, or rock). Theory exists to explain m usic. M usic com es
first, n o t theory.
60
H ere is som e m ore advice for im provising:
1. P ractice im provising, by yourself or w ith others. You can do th is

w ith your instrum ent, w ith your voice, or in your head.
2. Keep your ears open. You can g et m usical ideas from th e sounds
around you. In a group, th is m eans listening to th e other players and fitting
your id eas to theirs.
3. Dont b e afraid of m istakes. J u st "go for it."
4. Rem em ber th a t in terestin g rhythm ic id eas are a t least a s im portant

a s m elodic ideas.
5. W hen you are im provising, le t your solo tak e its ow n direction.

You dont n eed to stick to one se t of notes, u n less th a t is th e sound you
w ant. Any no te can b e m ade to sound "right," by th e w ay it is used.
6.
Dont forget th e value of using em otion or m ood in your playing.
61
LEVELS
SONGS AND STYLES
In th is group of lesso n s, you w ill b e able to try im provising on songs

th a t u se som e of th e im portant sty les of blues, rock, an d jazz. T hese are
sty les th a t a m odem m usician should b e aw are of.
You w ill b e ab le to try out id eas th a t you have already learnedfor

exam ple, im provising w ith id eas from th e m elody, different scales, or b en t
notes.
62
LESSON 11
Bo D iddley B eat
T his b lu es u se s a rhythm th a t is found in q u ite a few 1950s rock

songs, an d is still popular today. It is usually called a "Bo Diddley" b eat
b ecau se a "rhythm an d blues" singer and g u itarist nicknam ed "Bo Diddley"
(Elias M cDaniels) u se d it in so m any of h is songs.
The b e a t goes like this:
T his b e a t is k ep t b y th e drum s, and gu itar or piano.
N otice th a t th e chords are a stan d ard b lu es progression in C, alm ost

exactly like "Dukes Place." Play it w ith a b asic arrangem ent (head tw ice,
solos, head , coda). T his is a good song for a drum solo.
63
B o D id d le y B e a t
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64
LESSON 12
Chicago Style
"Chicago blues" is a sty le th a t developed w hen m any b lu es a rtists
m oved from th e South to Chicago, and beg an playing th eir m usic on electric
guitar an d b ass. The rhythm p attern in th is tu n e is ju st one of th e b e a ts th a t
is u sed in Chicago blues.
This style h as b e e n a heavy influence on rock m usic, an d w a s a t its

stro n g est from th e la te 1940s through th e 1960s. Fam ous "Chicago blues"
m usicians include M uddy W aters (McKinley M organfield) an d H ow lin' Wolf
(C hester Burnett).
65
C h ic a g o
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S ty le
^7 *______________ "7 s
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^ j ~ 'r
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5 1 _ ^ ______________
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67
LESSON 13
"Now's th e Tune*
The ty p e of jazz th a t th is song rep resen ts is called "bebop,* an d w as

developed in th e early 1940s by C harlie Parker, Dizzy G illespie, an d other
m usicians, b a se d in N ew York. In th is style, solos are m ore com plex th a n in
"swing," tem pos are often faster, an d certain n o tes are u sed m ore often
(especially b5 and 2). Try to u se chords and related scales in your solo,
rath er th a n ju s t th e F b lu es scales (use th ese, too).
68
N o w 's t h e
- C
Charlie Parker
T im e
"9 " S* '

------- 4-----------
jY F 1
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........ zkof*
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u * t.] v
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p* : ' . i _ : ....f . \A.
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p 1
,
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---------------------.-w-tf-------.
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F n
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- ---------------------------------------------------------
69
LESSON 14
Slow Bb B lues
Bb is one of th e keys m ost often u sed by jazz in stru m en talists
(especially on saxophone an d trum pet). T his tu n e u se s som e very traditio nal
ph rases, an d a slight variation in th e chord progression. Chords show n in
p aren th eses are optional.
N otice th a t w h en you play sw ing b e a t a t a slow tem po, it sou nd s like

12 .
8
'
Try playing solos for tin s tu n e th a t u se "traditional" phrases. You

know p len ty of th em b y now . Then, if you like, try to b e a little m ore
m odem p erh ap s w ith m ore n o tes in th e solo, or by u sin g n otes o u tsid e th e
key.
C hords in p aren th eses are optional. Omit th e la st chord for th e en d of

th e piece.
70
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....... ............t
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72
LESSON 15
Jazz Maxnbo
Jazz is influenced by m usic from all over th e w orld. T he m am bo

sta rte d in C uba an d becam e popular in th e U nited S tates in th e 1950s.
To play th is style, you w ill add p arts in layers, until th e y form a

"groove." S tart w ith th is p a rt (usually played on piano, an d called a
"montuno"), a t a m edium tem po:
frmpi'riTrrnTi
A fter
m easures, ad d th e drum s, playing a straig h t b e a t w ith th e se
accen ts (the accen t p a tte rn is called a "clave"):
>
n
/
>
>
>
>
A fter
b ars, ad d th e b a s s p art (you could su b stitu te anoth er
instrum en t if you dont have a bass):
Then, after
bars, add th e m elody, played by bom s (melody
instrum ents) and piano (sw itching from th e m ontuno to th e melody).
L t> ) *
s
"bvw&-3
-m-------------- 5-------
yJ v
JL L
z ^ c & tr ia fe tz .
* The Bb7 an d Db7 chords are optional. If you u se them , th e b a ss w ill have
to play an Ab under th e Db7 chord, in ste a d of a G.
Play solos over th e m ontuno, b a ss, an d drum p a rts (C dorian, b lu es, or

m inor p en tato n ic scales are good here). If you like, m ake up riffs to ad d
behind th e soloist.
To en d th e song, play th e head again, and sto p a t th e "fine.
74
LESSON 16
The N ext Step
If you enjoy im provising jazz, blues, an d rock, an d w an t to learn m ore,

h ere are a few su g g estio n s for future projects:
1. "Jam" w ith other m usicians w henever you possib ly can.

2. L isten to recordings of g reat players like C harlie Parker, John
C oltrane, M iles Davis, Louis A rm strong (jazz); Chuck Berry, Jim i Hendrix,
Rolling S tones (rock); M uddy W aters, Howlin Wolf, B essie Sm ith (blues)th e
list goes on an d on.
3. Work w ith o th er teach in g m ethods, especially th e Jam ey A ebersold
play-along series.
4. Go to live con certs of all kinds of m usic, to check out how th e
"pros" play.
5. W rite your ow n tu n es.
6.
Be open-m inded. Try to play, and listen to, a s m any different kinds
of m usic a s possible.
Good luck, an d sta y funky!
T he End
75
GLOSSARY
bebop (or bop): A style of jazz th a t started in th e early 1940s, in N ew York.

bending notes: H itting n otes below pitch and th e n sliding u p to norm al
pitch, a trick often u sed in blues.
blues: A n A m erican form of m usic th a t is also an im portant p a rt of jazz and
rock; also, a particular 1 2 -bar chord progression.
blue notes: The flatted 3, 5, an d 7 of a scale.
Bo Diddley beat: A particular b e a t found in m any rhythm an d b lu es an d rock
tu n es.
Chicago blues: A style developed in Chicago in th e 1940s u sin g electric
instrum ents.
chord: Several n o tes played a t th e sam e tim e.
clave: A rhythm ic p attern u sed in Latin A m erican m usic.
coda (-^-): A special section of m usic added to end a piece.
dom inant chord: A chord bu ilt w ith scale ste p s 1, 3, 5, and b7.
dom inant scale (or m ixolydian scale): A m ajor scale w ith a b7.
fine: The en d of a piece (Italian for "finish").
funky: Very blues-like.
groove: A sm ooth, in terestin g and satisfying rhythm .
head: The m elody, played a t th e beginning and end of a song.
horns: Jazz term for m elody instrum ents (like trom bone, saxophone, flute,
etc.).
im provise: To m ake up your ow n m usic a s you play,
jam : Playing m usic w ith other people.
76
jazz: A style of m usic th a t u ses im provisation and a b lu es-related m usical
language; jazz h as developed m any styles over th e la st hundred years.
m ambo: A style of m usic developed in Cuba in th e 1940s, u sin g a straigh t
b e a t and som e elem ents of b lu es and jazz.
m ontuno: A rep eated riff u se d in L atin A m erican m usic, usually played on
piano.
riff: A short, rep eatin g m usical idea.
rock: A style of m usic th a t grew o u t of b lues in th e 1950s.
rhythm section: In a band, th e b ass, drum s, piano, and/or guitar.
scale: A concept th a t p u ts a group of n o tes in a straig h t line, going up from
th e tonic note.
solo: W hen one instrum ent plays a lead part, or plays alone.
straig h t beat: A b e a t th a t u se s eigh th n o tes th a t have equ al value. M ost
rock, classical, and South A m erican m usic u se s a straig h t b eat.
sw ing beat: A b e a t th a t u ses eig hth n o tes th a t m ove in p airs of long and
short notes.
sw ing jazz: A style of jazz th a t developed in th e 1920s an d 1930s, often
played by 'big bands" of about fifteen instrum ents, including sections
of trum pets, trom bones, saxophones, and a rhythm section.
tem po: Speed of th e m usic.
tonic: The hom e note.
trad in g fours: A w ay of soloing in w hich m usicians tak e tu rn s im provising
for four b ars each.
w alking: A b a ss p attern u sed in sw ing an d bebop, w ith th e b a ss playing
stead y quarter notes.
77
TO THE TEACHER
The purpose of th is book is to provide w ritten m aterials, in a

program m ed form at, th a t w ill b e useful in teaching im provisation to
beginners on any instrum ent, in eith er private lesso n s or sm all classes.
N aturally, you w ill a d a p t it to your ow n needs. The book itself w ill n o t do
th e teaching, an d in fact it assu m es th e presence of a teach er a s bandleader,
an d probably a s a p ian ist.
If you can t already play through a sim ple b lu es in G, F, or C, usin g

dom inant chords, th is m ethod w ill provide you w ith th e opportunity to learn.
Your in terp retatio n could b e a s sim ple as root position block chords, or it
could u se a left-hand b a s s line an d b e tte r right-hand voicings, if ability
perm its. You m ight w a n t to incorporate u se of a drum m achine, a sequencer
for b a ss lines, or a recorded background a s teaching aids.
The m ethod assu m es th a t stu d en ts are beginning-level

instru m entalists. If th is is indeed th e case, th en keyboard, guitar, and drum
se t players could all u se th e sam e m elodic line m aterial a s everyone else,
p erh ap s until chords are introduced in Level 2. If your rhythm section
players are m ore advanced th an th is, th ey m ay b e in stru cted to play their
78
traditional ensem ble roles a t a n earlier point. H ere are som e rem arks on
b a ss an d drum p arts:
B ass
S tudents can b e assig n ed ensem ble p a rts fairly early on, if th ey seem
ready. A w alking p a tte rn (for sw ing) can b e m ade out of eith er chord tones,
or l-b7-5 (the n o tes u sed in L esson 1). Rock p a rts could b e rep eated blu es
m elodic p attern s. B ass p a rts m ay b e covered by keyboard, electric or
acoustic b ass, guitar, or even b a ss clarinet or tu b a; or th ey could b e left out
entirely.
Drum s
In th e ab sen ce of a tra p s e t player or drum m achine, th e b e a t (sw ing
or straig h t eig h th n o tes) could b e kept on a cym bal or hi-hat alone. This
concept, w ith appropriate accen t p attern s, w ill serve even on th e "Bo
Diddley (use six teen th notes) an d "Jazz Mambo" p ieces. To sim plify th ese,
play accen ts (clave) only.
You (the teach er) should rem em ber th a t th e purpose of th is project is

above all to build a positive attitu d e in stu d en ts to w ard th eir ow n creative
efforts. All your com m ents on th eir im provising should b e positive,
uncritical, and reinforcing. T he p oint is to develop th e creative process, not
79
to w ork u p p ieces for a concert. If th is teach in g m ethod seem s to w ork for
you, h ere are a few suggestions for augm enting or expanding it:
1. U se p lenty of call-response drills, a s in L esson 2. You m ake up th e

drills, an d ad ju st th e level of difficulty a s necessary.
2. A pply th e concepts from L esson 5 in other p laces (em otion,
density, dynam ics).
3. E xpand arrangem ents (im provise w ith form).
4. Bring in jazz stan d ard s (e.g., W aterm elon M an, Blue B ossa, Blue
Monk, C antaloupe Island).
5. Bring in recordings of jazz, rock, blues, salsa, etc. This is p erhaps
b e tte r done after stu d en ts have tried playing th e se tu n e s or styles. Take th e
opportunity to say a few w ords about th e players, style, or history of th e
recording.
CHAPTER m
CONCLUSION
W estern m usic in th e tw en tieth century h a s seen a grow ing in te re st in

th e art of im provisation. In th e "classical" tradition, th is art h ad b een allow ed
to lap se nearly into extinction by th e early p a rt of th is century. It is now
being revived in w ays th a t are pertin ent to b o th avant-garde an d historical
styles. In th e jazz w orld, m usicians have becom e increasingly skillful in
codifying an d articulating perform ance practices of th e g reat im provisers, for
u se in teach ing future generations.
This project rep resen ts an attem p t to fill a perceived g ap in available
teaching m aterial: nam ely, th e lack of a b lu es-b ased im provisation m ethod
for beginning in stru m en talists th a t p resen ts m usical elem ents in proper
focus. The m ethod developed here stre sse s participation an d th e form ation
of view points th a t m ight later prove valuable to th e stu d en t. U se of
expression an d m usical intuition is em phasized, w hile theory co ncep ts are
p resen ted a s tools for understanding rath er th an a s prim ary organizing
concepts.
This m ethod does n o t create new teaching techniques, b u t utilizes
com ponents of proven efficacy. T hese include th e u se of b lu es m aterials to
80
with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
81
introduce th e blues/jazz/rock idiom an d im provisation; call-response drills;
idiom atic w ritten exam ples; theory study; an d a careful, reinforcing approach
th a t g en erates su ccess w ith first im provising efforts. W hat is n ew in th is
w orkbook is th e sequence an d balance of th e se teach in g devices.
In reality, teach in g "m ethods" ex ist n o t so m uch on p ap er a s in th e
actual practice of th e p erso n s eng ag ed in teaching (or m ethod w riting).
B lues and Jazz for B eginners is a w ritten m anifestation of th e p resen t
authors ow n m ethod, a t th e tim e of w riting. It w ill b ear continued and
en d less revision. Its real u sefulness, it is hoped, w ill b e a s a visual aid for
stu d en ts, to supplem ent th e auth ors teaching; and p erh ap s a s a su g g ested
sequence of activities for other teachers.
B esides refinem ent of th e m ethod, th ere is th e p o ten tial for its
expansion. Several directions are possible: (a) into a m ore com plete survey
of blues, jazz, and rock sty les, (b) into a m ethod addressing know ledge of
theory and developm ent of technique, and (c) into th e stud y of other idiom s,
w ith a le ss ethnocentric focus (or b etter, w ith other ethnocentric focuses).
The first of th e above p o ssib ilities could lead to a "kids fakebook,"
w ith playable versions of stan d ard an d original pieces, in various styles. The
second possibility, theory an d technique, h as b een explored by a num ber of
books already. The third, expansion into other cultural traditions, is perhaps
th e area w ith th e g reatest potential, b o th for th e stu d en t an d for th e a rt of
m usical im provisation.
82
Jazz h as, b y its nature, defined itse lf a s a m usic th a t exploits a fusion
of cultural resources. It b eg an a s a com bination of A frican and European
elem ents; la te r developm ents incorporated Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian, and
Indian (A sian) m usical languages. M uch w ider expansions for th is
im provisional idiom are clearly on th e w ay; th is is inevitable d ue to
increasing cross-cultural aw aren ess via th e m ass m edia. T here is enough
m usical culture on th is p lan et to keep m usicians sup plied w ith fresh input,
for m ore th a n a few years to come.
83
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abell, Alicia. A Survey of M ethods for T eaching Keyboard Im provisation.
M asters th esis, San Jo se S tate U niversity, 1988.
A ebersold, Jam ey. A N ew A pproach to Jazz Im provisation. 45 vols. N ew
Albany, Indiana: author, 1967-1990.
Baker, David. Jazz Im provisation. V an Nuys, California: Alfred, 1983.
__________. Im provisational P atterns: th e B lues. N ew York: C harles Colin,
1980.
__________. T echniques of Im provisation. Vol. I. Chicago: M aher, 1968.
B um sed, C harles V. The D evelopm ent and Evaluation of an Introductory
Jazz Im provisation Sequence for In term ediate B an d S tu d e n ts Doctoral
dissertation, U niversity of Miami. A nn Arbor: U niversity Microfilms,
1978, no. 7901829.
Coker, Jerry. Im provising Jazz. Englew ood Cliffs, N ew Jersey: PrenticeHall, 1964.
__________; C am pbell, Gary; C asale, Jimmy; an d G reene, Jerry. P attern s for
Jazz. Lebanon, Indiana: Studio P/R, 1970.
Damron, B ert L. T he D evelopm ent and E valuation of a S elf-In stru ctio n al
Sequence in Jazz Im provisation. D octoral dissertatio n, Florida S tate
U niversity. A nn Arbor: U niversity M icrofilms, 1973.
Ferand, E rn est T. Im provisation in N ine C enturies of W estern Mmsir
Cologne: A m o Volk Verlag, 1961.
Grove, Dick. The Encyclopedia of Basic Harm ony and Theory A pplied to
Im provisation On All Instrum ents. 2 vols. Studio City, California:
F irst Place M usic, 1971.
H am aker, Edith; Lincoln, Clarice; and Thalm an, M arilynn. Im p ro v isatio n
Syllabus an d G uide. M usic T eachers A ssociation of California, 1979.
Ham ilton, Don. Everybody C an Plav th e B lues. H ialeah, Florida: Studio 224,
1984.
H aidym on, Phil. Jazz E xpressions. Orinda, California: W ynn M usic, 1975.
H orsley, Im ogene; Collins, M ichael; Badura-Skoda, Eva; an d Libby, Dennis.
"Improvisation," in th e N ew Grove Dictionary of M usic an d M usicians.
ed. Stanley Sadie. London: M acm illan, 1980.
Konowitz, Bert. M usic Im provisation a s a Classroom M ethod. N ew York:
Alfred, 1973.
Lanfer, Helen. The M usic W ithin U s. H ebrew A rts M usic, 1979.
La Porta, John. A Guide to Im provisation. Boston: B erklee P ress, 1968.
Lilore, Joseph. Leamin* th e Blues. Secaucus, New Jersey: W arner Bros.,
1986.
M ack, Glen. A dventures in Im provisation a t th e Keyboard. Evanston,
Illinois: Summy-Birchard, 1970.
M ehegan, John. Jazz Im provisation. 4 vols. New York: W atson-G uptill,
1959-1965.
N achm anovich, Stephen. F ree Plav: Im provisation in Life and A rt. Los
A ngeles: Jerem y Tarcber, 1990.
N elson, Oliver. P attern s for Im provisation. Los A ngeles: N oslen M usic,
1966.
O estereich, Jam es, and Pennington, Earl. Im provising an d A rranging on th e
Keyboard. Englew ood Cliffs, N ew Jersey: Prentice-H all, 1981.
Progris, Jim . The Basic E lem ents of Jazz. Miami: Studio 224, 1986.
R eeves, Scott D. C reative Jazz Im provisation. Englew ood Cliffs, N ew Jersey:
Prentice-H all, 1989.
Ricker, Ramon. P entatonic Scales for Jazz Im provisations. Lebanon, Indiana:
Studio P/R, 1975.
Schafer, R. M urray. C reative M usic Education. New York: Schirm er Books,
1976.
Schmid, Will. Jazz/R ock Trax l . W inona, M innesota: H al Leonard, 1985.
with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
85
Schramm, Rudolf R. A., and Freuler, Doug. The 21st C entury W av to N ew
Sounds. N ew York: C am erica M usic, 1981.
Sloboda, Jo h n (ed.). G enerative P rocesses in M usic. Oxford: C larendon
P ress, 1988.
Spera, Dominic. B lues and th e B asics. W inona, M innesota: H al Leonard,
1975.
Tarto, Joe. Basic R hythm s an d th e A rt of Jazz Im provisation. N ew York:
C harles Colin, 1976.
Vulliamy, G raham , an d Lee, Ed. P od M usic in School. C am bridge:
U niversity P ress, 1976.
W ollner, G ertrude Price. Im provisation in M usic. Boston: Bruce H um phries,
1963.

A Blues-Based Improvisation Method For Beginning Instrumentalists

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A Blues-Based Improvisation Method For Beginning Instrumentalists

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INFORMATION TO USERS

T he m ost advanced technology has been used to photograph and

University Microfilm s International

Order N um ber 1342737

A b lu es-b ased im p ro v isatio n m eth o d fo r b eg in n in g in stru m e n ta lists

Copyright 1990 by Spitzer, Peter A. All rights reserved.

300 N. Zeeb Rd.

A BLUES-BASED IMPROVISATION METHOD

In P artial Fulfillm ent

APPROVED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC

APPROVED FOR THE UNIVERSITY

Lim itations .........................................................................................

M ethods P resently A vailable

H istorical O verview ...................................................................

Evaluation of E xisting M ethods ..............................................

G uidelines for a Successful Beginners

G eneral C riteria ...........................................................................

Specific Inform ation to Cover ...................................................

E xplanation of L esson P l a n s ..........................................................

BLUES AND JAZZ FOR BEGINNERS

TO THE STUDENT ...........................................................................

LEVEL 1 - GETTING STARTED

E asy Blues in G....................................................................

Im provising Your Own Solo ............................................

LEVEL 2 - CONCEPTS FOR IMPROVISING ................................

Chords and "Dukes Place" ...............................................

A Full A rra n g e m e n t...........................................................

The Real T ruth

LEVEL 3 - SONGS AND STYLES ...................................................

Jazz M ambo ........................................................................

The N ext S t e p .....................................................................

Beginning-level instrum ental instruction, usually in grades four to six,

2T his stu dy w ill consider b lues, rock, an d jazz as partially se p arate b u t

^ o r a d iscussion of th e correspondence betw een artistic im provisation and

M ethods P resently A vailable

im provised, an d im provisation had becom e a fairly eso teric discipline,

7Horsley e t al., p. 50.

by G ertrude Price W ollner (1963). Since th a t tim e, th e stu bb orn exclusivity

E valuation of Existing M ethods

Im provisation in M usic. G ertrude Price W ollner (1963)

Im provising Jazz. Jerry Coker (1964)

This w as th e first "patterns book. It differs

A N ew A pproach to Jazz Im provisation. Jam ey A ebersold (1967-1990)

Oliver N elson. P attern s for Im provisation (Los A ngeles: N oslen M usic,

A G uide to Im provisation. Jo hn La P orta (1968)

T echniques of Im provisation: Vol. 1. D avid Baker (1968)

A dventures in Im provisation a t th e Keyboard. G lenn M ack (1970)

M usic Im provisation a s a Classroom M ethod. Bert Konowitz (1973)

Jazz E xpressions. Phil H ardym on (1975)

B asic Rhythm s and th e A rt of Jazz Im provising. Jo e T arto (1976)

Jo e Tarto, Basic Rhythm s and th e A rt of Jazz Im provising (New York:

"The Blues: A P ractical Project for th e Classroom," P iers Spencer

chord progression, and finally d irects stu d en ts to w rite

Everybody C an Plav th e Blues. Don H am ilton (1984)

Jazz/R ock Trax. W ill Schm id (1985)

backgrounds. All m aterial is straig h t-b eat rock, played on th e ta p e by

Leamin* th e Blues. Jo sep h Lilore (1986)

Specific Inform ation to Cover

C all-response gam es, a s ear training and a s p reparation for

W ell-w ritten, idiom atic ("funky") exam ples an d vehicles for

Explanation of L esson P lans

supplied by teach er or c a sse tte tap e, to orient th e stu d en t and to introduce

L esson 3 - Im provising Your Own Solo

jtuu9 t&ch (or /o r. f f (?h*&)