JazzImprovisationI

JZST60022credithours

SpringSemester
WillWedmedyk
RequiredText:
RequiredText:JameyAebersoldVolumes3and54Connectingchordswithlinear
harmony
JazzTheorybyMarkLevinandtheNewRealBook.
CourseDescription:
Acoursedesignedtounderstandandapplythefundamentalsofimprovisationalmusic.
ClassMeetings:
MWFat10:10am11:05amin1402
Objectives:
1.
Toimproveeartrainingandauralskillswithchordalextensions
2.
Tocontinuetoexpandtheknowledgeofscalesandmodesandtheirrelationships
tochords
3.
Todevelopfacilityinthemodesofmelodicminorandkeymelodicoutlinesand
patternsappliedtocommonharmonicsequences.
4. Totranslatetheknowledgeoftheoreticalprincipalsintoperformanceideas
5.
Tobeabletotranscribekeyartistssolosofmediumdifficultyandperformthem
6.
Tocontinuedevelopingcriticallisteningskills
Evaluation:
20%Classattendanceandparticipation10%ListeningLog10%2Quizzes20%2
Transcriptions
20%MidTermExam20%FinalExam,PerformanceandWrittenPortions
CourseRequirements:
3unexcusedabsenceswillloweryourgradeoneletter.Ifyouraretardy3timesbymore
then5minutes,thatwillequaloneunexcusedabsence.Youmustbepreparedtoperform
theassignmentsoutlinedintheclasscalendar.
TheTunescanbepracticedusingtheAebersold"MaidenVoyage"CDandother
sources.
TheQuizzeswillbewrittendemonstrationsofharmonicunderstandingofthecovered
material.
TheListeningLogwillbeturnedineveryMondayuntilSpringBreak.Nolatelogs
accepted.Thelogwillrepresentabookofnoteswrittenaboutjazzmusicthatyoulisten
to.Youarerequiredtolistentojazzandwriteaboutiteveryday.Yourcommentsneedto
includetheartist,CDtitle,personnel,whenitwasrecorded,andthetuneslistenedto.It
mustbetyped,nothandwritten.Further,youmustwritecommentaryaboutyour
listeningexperiencewithregardtotheimprovisation.Pleasenoteanydevicesthatyou
hearthatmayrepresentthingsyouhavelearnedorthatweareworkingon,like

sequences,particularscaletypes,etc...
TheTranscriptionsmustbewrittenout,analyzed,withchordchangesandturnedinon
theassigneddate.Don'tturnintheoriginal;makeacopytoturnin.Youwillperformthe
transcriptioninclasswiththeCDontheassigneddayaswell.Thetranscriptionmustbe
atleastone32barchorusor3chorusesoftheblues.
TheMidTerm:Writtendemonstrationofchordsandscales,chord/scalerelationships,
andauraldetectionofscalesandchords.
TheFinalwillbeto(1)performtuneslearnedduringthequarterand(2)written
demonstrationofthemodes/scales/extensions/tunescoveredinthequarter.
Thefollowingwillbecovered:
Memorizationoftunes.Major,minor,mixolydian,dorian,Lydian,LydianDominant,
DiminishedandDominantDiminished,WholeToneScale,altered,locrian,locriansharp
2,inall12keysDigitpatternsforharmonyonalltunes
.
Tunesmemorizedandperformed:
BilliesBounce
Oleo
AllTheThingsYouAre
ThereWillNeverBeAnotherYou
WhatIsThisThingCalledLove
HaveYouMetMissJones?
AloneTogether
AllOfMe
StellaByStarlight

Wk1
(M)PresentationoftheSyllabus,DiscussionoftheProcessofImprovisation
(W)Eartrainingintervalsandchordconstruction,symbols,nomenclature
(F)EarTrainingintervalsandrelatedtunes
Wk2(M)NoClassLaborDay(
W)Eartrainingchords(
F)Eartrainingmelodyandchords
Wk3(M)Quiz#1:Eartraining:intervalsandchords
(W)Themodesofthemajorscale
(F)TheModesofthemajorscale
Wk4
(M)Playingwithchordtonessatindoll
(W)Playingwithchordtonessatindoll
(F)Understandingpatterns/chordtonesSatinDoll
Wk5

(M)Applyingpatterns12keysSatinDoll
(W)ApplyingpatternsandchordtonesSatinDoll
(F)Improviseonsatindoll
Wk6
(M)IntroducetheBluesScaleandBluesProgression.PlaytheBluesScaleinall12keys
Understandthetonalityoftheblues
(W)PerformtheBluesScaleonBluesinBb,TenorMadness
(F)ApplyingChordtonestobluesinBb
Wk7
(MPerformtheBluesScaleonBluesinF,NowstheTime
(W)Applyingchordtonesolosontheblues
(F)Performthebluesinbbandfusingbluesscaleandchordtonesandpattern
Wk8
(M)Introducingbasicvoicings/voiceleading,newpatterns,guidetonelinesAutumn
Leaves
(W)Guidetonesolosonautumnleaves
(F)PerformAutumnLeaves
Wk9
(M)Minor25sandtheirmodesBlueBossa
(W)Chordtonesolosusingaltereddominantandhalfdim
(F)Guidetonelines,Chordtonesolos,blahPerformBlueBossa
Wk10
(M)UnderstandingupperstructuresExtensionsfrommajor,minor,anddominant7th
chords
(W)Performextensionsfrommajor,minor,anddominant7thchords
(F)Quiz:Guidetones,Upperextensions,Modes,BasicVoicings
Wk11
(M)UnderstandingBebopConnectingChordsBebopScalesandanalysisofapproach
(W)HomeworkdueAnalysisofparkersolo
(F)LearnlinefromConnectingChordswithlinearharmony
Wk12
(M)NoClassVeteransDay
(W)NoClassJazzBoards
(F)DeeperunderstandingofchordvoicingsHowtoaddupperextensions,overtone
series,etc.OnHaveyoumetmissjones?
Wk13
(M)Applyinglinesfrombebopstyleonmissjones
(W)Usingchordtones,guidetones,andbeboponmissjones
(F)NoClassThanksgivingbreak
Wk14
(M)Transcription2
(W)Transcription2
(F)Improviseonalltunesfromthequarter

Wk15
(M)Review:AllChordsaroundtheCycle
(W)Review:AllModes/ScalesaroundtheCycle
(F)PerformanceFinalExam
WrittenFinalwillbeattheassignedUniversityscheduledtimefortheclass

Second Semester
The following will be covered:
Memorization of tunes Diminished and Dominant Diminished Scales in
all 12 keys: Whole Tone Scales in all 12 keys Modes of Melodic Minor in
all 12 keys Augmented Scale in all 12 keys Digit patterns for harmony
on all tunes.
Rhythmic concepts. Motivic development
Calendar of the Course:
Wk 1
(M) Presentation of the Syllabus, Objectives for the semester
(W) Whole Tone Scale, Diminished Scale (1)
(F) Diminished Scale Understanding internal structures and patterns
Wk 2
(M) Billies Bounce analysis of parker solo
(W) Billies Bounce - applying patterns and structures
(F) Billies Bounce - applying patterns and structures
Wk 3 (M) No Class Martin Luther King Day
(W) Quiz #1: Diminished and Whole Tone Scales
(F) Altered Scale implied structures
Wk 4
(M) Altered Scale (W) All The Things You Are
(F) All The Things You Are

Wk 5
(M) Lydian Dominant
(W) There Will Never Be Another You
(F) There Will Never Be Another You
Wk 6
(M) Locrian #2 implied structures
(W) What is This Thing Called Love?
(F) What is This Thing Called Love?
Wk 7
(M) Transcriptions due Rhythmic studies Hemiolas and phrasing
(W) Rhythmic Studies 2/3 -4/3 -5/2 etc
(F) Rhythmic Studies
Wk 8 (M) Mid-Term Exam
(W) Understanding phrases in 16th, 8th, triplets
(F) Achieving over the bar phrasing
Wk 9
(M) Lydian Augmented Alone Together (using phrasing)
(W) Alone Together
(F) Alone Together
Wk 10
(M) Developing motives
(W) Developing motives - analysis
(F) Motives Analysis - 3 note motives
Wk 11 No Class Spring Break
Wk 12
(M) Motives Using shapes, chord tones, structures
(W) All of me - motives

(F) Blues - motives

Wk 13
(M) No Class Jazz Boards
(W) How to analyse/Approaching non functional changes
(F) How to analyse/Approaching non functional changes/implying new
harmony
Wk 14
(M) Transcription 2 analysis due
(W) Philosophical talk
(F) Improvise on all tunes from the quarter
Wk 15
(M) Improvise on all tunes from the quarter (W) Performance Final
Exam (F) No Class
Written Final will be
Wednesday, April 24 12:00-2:00 p.m.