PRACTICING JAZZHow to prepare for improvisation (defined as “To do or perform (something) without prior preparation or practice”)

At all stages add to your vocabulary from transcribed excerpts. Analyze the excerpts/determine applications/change,develop & personalize

I. MELODY

Practice the melody of a tune until you have it memorizedImprovise around the melody using common embellishment devices

II. HARMONY

A. TRIADS FOR GENERALIZATION1. Basic arpeggios & broken chords

All major triads, all minor triads.Practice all major around the circle/all minor around the circlePractice in relative pairs—C/Am, F/Dm, etc.—Around the circle

2. Apply neighbor tone patterns to triadsApply to two notes at a time/three notes at a time/full rangePractice LT, UNT, groupings,

3. Blues scale ideasMajor & minor

B. SPECIFIC

Begin with SMALL SECTIONS of tunes (ii7—V7 & iiø7—V7)

1. Play one pitch (3rd) per chord2. Precede 3rds with UNT (usually the 7th of previous chord)3. Use outlines to connect all chords4. Apply specific developmental devices to outlines. Practice for all ii7—V7 & iiø7—V7 with different

harmonic rhythms. Practice one key at a time. Practice all major keys around the circle. Practice allminor keys around the circle. Combine major and relative minor and practice around the circle.

5. Ideas to embellish the lines include: NT & PT patterns, Chromatic approaches, CESH, Pitch & Rhythmicdisplacement, Borrowed tones, 3-5-7-9 arpeggios with or without 8va displacement, Arpeggio tones(leaps, pivot or bouncing tones), delayed or anticipated resolutions.

6. Practice connecting chords in a progression using 3-5-7-9 arpeggios. Practice pairs of chords first,before trying the entire phrase.

7. Apply specific lines to specific places in tunes.

WORK THE ENTIRE PIECE

1. Decide what triads work where for generalization2. Find GTs lines3. Write out 5 pages (minimum) of outlines connecting entire form. Practice until perfect without reference

to page4. Practice combinations of outlines5. write out agendas—improvise following agendas6. write out agendas—write out composed solos following agendas

PRACTICING JAZZHow to prepare for improvisation (defined as “To do or perform (something) without prior preparation or practice”)

At all stages add to your vocabulary from transcribed excerpts. Analyze the excerpts/determine applications/change,develop & personalize

I. MELODY

Practice the melody of a tune until you have it memorizedImprovise around the melody using common embellishment devices

II. HARMONY

A. TRIADS FOR GENERALIZATION1. Basic arpeggios & broken chords

All major triads, all minor triads.Practice all major around the circle/all minor around the circlePractice in relative pairs—C/Am, F/Dm, etc.—Around the circle

&c

œœ˙

œœœœœœœ œ

œœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœ

œœœœ

œœœœœœœœ

&

œœœœœœœ

œœœœ

œœœœ œ

œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ

2. Apply neighbor tone patterns to triads

First line of KOKO solo:

&œ œ

œœ œ

œœœ

œ# œœœœn œ œ œ

j

œ

Fragments from KOKO:

&œ œœœ ˙

œ# œœœ ˙

œ# œœœ ˙

œ œœœ œœŒœ# œœœ œ œ Œ

œ# œœœ œ œŒ

Fragments from KOKO into longer line:

&

œ# œœœ œ œ œ# œ

œœ# œ œ œ œ

œnœ œ

œ œ# œœœ œ œ œ# œ

œœ œœœn œ

&œ# œœœ œ œ œ œ

œœ œ œ œ# œ

œœ œ

œ œ# œœœ œ œ œ œ

œœ œœ#œ œ

Apply to two notes at a time/three notes at a time/full rangePractice LT, UNT, groupings,

&Ó ‰ j

œ œ œ œœ œ œ# œ

œ œ œ# ˙‰J

œ œœ œœ œ#œ œœ œ#œn œœ œœ ˙

&Ó ‰ j

œ œ œ œœ œ œ# œ

œ œ œ# ˙‰

J

œ œœ œ

œ# œœ œœ# œœn œœ œœ ˙

&‰ j

œœ œœœ# œœœ# œœœ ˙ œ

œ œœ#œ œœ#œn œ

œœ œ

Ó

Triad with UNTs

&˙

˙˙

˙

œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ w

&œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œœ œ

œ œ œ œ œ

&œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ

œ œœ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

Triad with UNT Triad with LTs

&Ó Œ ‰ j

œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ

‰ J

œ# œœ# œœœœ# œœ# œœ œœ# œœ# œœ œœ# œœ# ˙

Alternating NTs applied to broken chord pattern:

&

˙˙

˙

˙˙

˙˙˙

Ó Œ ‰ J

œ œ

œ œœ œ

œ# œœ œ

œ# œœ œ

œ œœ œ

3. Blues scale ideasMajor & minor

&˙œœw

œ œ œ#œœ œœ .˙ Œ

˙˙

.˙Œœ œ œœ œ œ#œ .˙

Œ

&œ# œ

œ œ œœb œn œ

∑

œb œ œœ œb œ œb

œœb œ œb

œ Ó

Ornithology Triad idea #1 Transposed to Relative minor

&œ œ

œ œœœ œ

œœœ Œ Ó œ œ

œ œœœ œ

œœœ Œ Ó

Ornithology Triad idea #2 Transposed to Relative minor

&Ó Œ ‰ J

œ œœ‰J

œœœ# œ œ Ó Œ ‰ J

œb œœb‰J

œœœ œ œ

Ornithology Triad idea #2 applied to inversion Transposed to Relative minor

&Ó Œ ‰

J

œ œœ

‰J

œœœ# œ œ

Ó Œ ‰J

œ œœ‰J

œœœ# œ œ

Ornithology Triad idea #2 applied to inversion Transposed to Relative minor

&Ó Œ ‰ J

œ œœ ‰

j

œœœ œœÓ Œ ‰

J

œ œœ ‰

j

œœœ# œœ

B. SPECIFIC

Begin with SMALL SECTIONS of tunes (ii7—V7 & iiø7—V7)

1. Play one pitch (3rd) per chord2. Precede 3rds with UNT (usually the 7th of previous chord)

&

w

Dm7

w

G7

w

Cmaj7

Ó Œ

œ .˙œ

Dm7

.˙œ

G7

.˙Œ

Cmaj7

3. Use outlines to connect all chords

&

œ œ œ œ

Dm7

œ œ œ œ

G7

.˙Œ

Cmaj7

œœœœ

Dm7

œ œ œ œ

G7

.˙Œ

Cmaj7

&

œœœ œ

Dm7

œœœœ

G7

˙

Ó

Cmaj7

.˙

œ

Dm7

œœœœ

G7

.˙Œ

Cmaj7

& œœ

œœ

Dm7

œœ

œ œ

G7

.˙Œ

Cmaj7

4. Apply specific developmental devices to outlines. Practice for all ii7—V7 & iiø7—V7 with differentharmonic rhythms. Practice one key at a time. Practice all major keys around the circle. Practice allminor keys around the circle. Combine major and relative minor and practice around the circle.

5. Ideas to embellish the lines include: NT & PT patterns, Chromatic approaches, CESH, Pitch & Rhythmicdisplacement, Borrowed tones, 3-5-7-9 arpeggios with or without 8va displacement, Arpeggio tones(leaps, pivot or bouncing tones), delayed or anticipated resolutions.

6. Practice connecting chords in a progression using 3-5-7-9 arpeggios. Practice pairs of chords first,before trying the entire phrase.

7. Apply specific lines to specific places in tunes.

&

œ œœ œ œ œ œ#

œ

Dm7

œ œœ œ# œ œb œ

G7

œ œ œ# œœ œ œ# œ

Cmaj7

œ œ œ œœœ

Œ

&œ œ œ# œ

œ œ œ œ

Dm7

œœœ œ# œ

œœ œ

G7

œ œ œ# œœœ#

Cmaj7

œœœ œœŒ

&

œ# œ œœ œœœœ

Dm7

œ# œ œnœ# œœœœ

G7

œ# œ œœ œ#œœœ

Cmaj7

∑

WORK THE ENTIRE PIECE

1. Decide what triads work where for generalization2. Find GTs lines3. Write out 5 pages (minimum) of outlines connecting entire form. Practice until perfect without reference

to page4. Practice combinations of outlines5. write out agendas—improvise following agendas6. write out agendas—write out composed solos following agendas

SOLO with AGENDA

ÿTriad with NTs Outline No. 3

&‰J

œ ‰J

œ œœ œ

C

œ œ œb œ œœ œ#

Dm7 G7

.œ

j

œŒ ‰

œ œb

Cmaj7

œ

œœ œ# œ œ

œ œ

Dm7 G7

Guide tones:

&œ‰j

œœ œbœ œ#

C C7

œœ œœb œ œ

œ œ

F

w

C

Ó Œœœ#

Dm7 G7

ÿ3rds/Outline No. 1 Outline No. 3

&œ

œ œ œ# œb œ œ

C A7

œœœ# œ œb œ œ

Dm7 G7

œœŒ Œ ‰

œ œ#

Cmaj7

œœœ œ œ

œbœ œ#

Dm7 G7

Bluesy/Triadic

& œœ#

3

œœ œœœœ œ

C C7

œbœ œœœœ œb œ

F

œ œœ# œœ œ

œ

C

∑

ŸOutline No. 2 Outline No. 3

&œ# œ œ# œ

œ œ œ œ

Bm7

œ#œœ œ œ# œ

‰j

œ#

E7

œœn œ#œ œœ œ#œ

Em7

œ œnœ œ œ#

Œ

A7

Sequence from above:Outline No. 2 Outline No. 3

&‰j

œœ# œœœ œœ

Am7

œœ œ œ#

Œ ‰j

œ#

D7

œœœn œ

œ#œ

Dm7

œ œnœ œ# œ

œŒ

G7

ÿMinor Blues Idea:

&œ œb

œœœ œ#

C A7

œ œn œb œœœœ

Dm7 G7

.œj

œ#

j

œÓ

Cmaj7

Ó ‰j

œ œ# œ

Dm7 G7

KOKO idea follows GTs Diatonic triads

&œ œœœ œœœbœ#

C C7

œœ ‰ j

œœb œ#œœ

F

œœœœœœ

C

œœœœœœ œ