Sight reading is very important to all music. With jazz, it is important to not only sight read single line notes but to know how to read lead sheet chord changes.
For the sight reading of single line notes and written chords however, here's some techniques that may help you...
1) When you're sitting at a piano put a sheet or a towel between you and just below the music so that you can't see the keys. This will force you to look at the music and not the keys - Do your scales the same way.
2) Read the piece 3 times through for one practice session.
3) When working with a metronome start at 30% of suggested tempo mark and by the 3rd time, play at tempo. Or at least try.
4) Speak the notes in rhythm first and then play through a phrase or two to help you understand how the song goes.
5) Try playing the song with one click per measure on the metronome, and then 2 clicks per measure, and then 4 clicks per measure so that you can help your subdivding but play the piece at the same rhtyhm as when you started.
For reading lead sheet chord changes please continue with my blog as I make suggestions as we go along.
Thanks for reading
John
Friday, February 23, 2007
KEEPING AN OPEN MIND
Hoday!
Recently a person, who is just an owner a music store, came up to me and gave me their opinion of jazz music and jazz musicians. She said, "jazz musicians are scum of the earth people who are basically low life people who beg, steal, and cheat." Yep, she actually said that.
A closed mind does not fully understand what it attacks. And making random judgements against any form of music mostly comes out of ignorance and allows for prejudice, racism, and overall degradation of art itself.
If there is one thing my education taught me was to have an open mind about the music I didn't understand. For example, I used to hate, yes I hated Stravinsky. Why? Because I did not understand his music and his life. I used to hate John Coltrane. Why? Because I did not understand his music and his life. I used to hate a lot of music because I did not understand it. Note the words, "used to" and "hate" because after finding out more information, I came to not only understand Stravinsky and Train, but I literally fall over myself to understand everything I can about them. And I no longer "hate" any kind of music.
Don't let un-educated, watered-down, and mainstream understanding color your judgement it makes you look like a fool and exposes a terrible weakness about yourself. If you hate a certain style of music then educate yourself and understand it before you pass judgement on it. Make an educated decision whether or not to like it but don't just hate it, that's just stupid.
All forms of music including, and especially classical music have skeletons in their closet; Henry Cowell and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky just to name two. If you can't say anything productive then don't say it at all.
-John
Recently a person, who is just an owner a music store, came up to me and gave me their opinion of jazz music and jazz musicians. She said, "jazz musicians are scum of the earth people who are basically low life people who beg, steal, and cheat." Yep, she actually said that.
A closed mind does not fully understand what it attacks. And making random judgements against any form of music mostly comes out of ignorance and allows for prejudice, racism, and overall degradation of art itself.
If there is one thing my education taught me was to have an open mind about the music I didn't understand. For example, I used to hate, yes I hated Stravinsky. Why? Because I did not understand his music and his life. I used to hate John Coltrane. Why? Because I did not understand his music and his life. I used to hate a lot of music because I did not understand it. Note the words, "used to" and "hate" because after finding out more information, I came to not only understand Stravinsky and Train, but I literally fall over myself to understand everything I can about them. And I no longer "hate" any kind of music.
Don't let un-educated, watered-down, and mainstream understanding color your judgement it makes you look like a fool and exposes a terrible weakness about yourself. If you hate a certain style of music then educate yourself and understand it before you pass judgement on it. Make an educated decision whether or not to like it but don't just hate it, that's just stupid.
All forms of music including, and especially classical music have skeletons in their closet; Henry Cowell and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky just to name two. If you can't say anything productive then don't say it at all.
-John
Thursday, February 22, 2007
12 BAR BLUES
Ok I admit that the last section may have been a little complex but most of it is extended basically from the 12 bar blues.
I think the single most important development in jazz was the 12 Bar Blues because its theory defines the form of almost every song in jazz and blues. One reason it's so popuplar is because of its interchangable form and structure. In fact the chord progressions below should get you through, but not limited to, the following songs; St Louis Blues, Shake rattle and Roll, Hound Dog, and In the Mood by Glenn Miller.
For example the basis for the 12 blar blues is that it is written within 12 measures or bars and its content is based on 4 measures of the tonic (T), 2 measures of subdominant (S), 2 measures of tonic (T), 1 measure of dominant (D), 1 measure of subdominant (S), and 2 measures of tonic (T) and then simply repeated.
But you do not always have to follow that form as long as the extension of the chords are still used. For example if you use 7th chords the structure will look like this: (T7 T7 T7 T7) (S7 S7 T7 T7) (D7 S7 T7 T7) Just make sure the 7th chords are all dominant seventh chords.
There are alterations to the chords you can also use for example: (T S T T7) (S S7 T T7) ( D S T D7) just use triads and then add the 7th when suggested.
One thing to realize is that the blues gets old quickly and you have to use chord extensions and chord substitutions to keep the song interesting. Let's look at how Freddie the Freeloader works. It's basically a 12 bar blues. (T7 T7 T7 T7) (S7 S7 T7 T7) (D7 S7 T7 T7) But in the first ending the chord is Ab7. The Ab7 suggests a chord substitution for the last two chords of the 12 bar blues. It's actually (bVll7 bVll7). It is a chord substitution. A-flat in the key of Bb is the seventh interval so Miles Davis substituted the last two tonic chords of the 12 bar blues with (bVll7 bVll7) which sounds really hip!
Unfortunately the fake books do not give you suggestion to substituted chords. These are things that are learned through other books, lessons, and experience. One day, however these will be things that are taught in your jazz theory classes at school - it will, and already is happening.
Thanks for reading
John
I think the single most important development in jazz was the 12 Bar Blues because its theory defines the form of almost every song in jazz and blues. One reason it's so popuplar is because of its interchangable form and structure. In fact the chord progressions below should get you through, but not limited to, the following songs; St Louis Blues, Shake rattle and Roll, Hound Dog, and In the Mood by Glenn Miller.
For example the basis for the 12 blar blues is that it is written within 12 measures or bars and its content is based on 4 measures of the tonic (T), 2 measures of subdominant (S), 2 measures of tonic (T), 1 measure of dominant (D), 1 measure of subdominant (S), and 2 measures of tonic (T) and then simply repeated.
But you do not always have to follow that form as long as the extension of the chords are still used. For example if you use 7th chords the structure will look like this: (T7 T7 T7 T7) (S7 S7 T7 T7) (D7 S7 T7 T7) Just make sure the 7th chords are all dominant seventh chords.
There are alterations to the chords you can also use for example: (T S T T7) (S S7 T T7) ( D S T D7) just use triads and then add the 7th when suggested.
One thing to realize is that the blues gets old quickly and you have to use chord extensions and chord substitutions to keep the song interesting. Let's look at how Freddie the Freeloader works. It's basically a 12 bar blues. (T7 T7 T7 T7) (S7 S7 T7 T7) (D7 S7 T7 T7) But in the first ending the chord is Ab7. The Ab7 suggests a chord substitution for the last two chords of the 12 bar blues. It's actually (bVll7 bVll7). It is a chord substitution. A-flat in the key of Bb is the seventh interval so Miles Davis substituted the last two tonic chords of the 12 bar blues with (bVll7 bVll7) which sounds really hip!
Unfortunately the fake books do not give you suggestion to substituted chords. These are things that are learned through other books, lessons, and experience. One day, however these will be things that are taught in your jazz theory classes at school - it will, and already is happening.
Thanks for reading
John
Sunday, February 11, 2007
CHORD EXTENSIONS
Happy days,
Let's talk about chord extensions. In the last couple of blogs we discussed seventh chords. Well the seventh interval is simply an extension of the major or minor triad with a seventh scale degree added - basically.
A lot of students come to me and ask how to read Lead Sheet Chord Changes. Many times you will see chords written like Bb13, or Am7b5 (A-minor seven flat-five), or Dm7b9 (D-minor seven flat-nine).
I suppose the easiest way to explain this is that the composer is asking for the player to alter the basic structure of a major and minor chord and add in the interval of the chord's scale degree i.e., b13=13 steps of the scale of the chord and the make it flat. For example; Bb13 is made up of a Bb triad, Bb-D-F. Then you would add the seventh which is a Ab. Then you would add the 13 note of the Bb scale which is G. The only problem with this theory is that the chord is hard to play with one hand spread all over 13 notes and may not sound correct - so we have to learn what is called chord voicing.
Chord voicing is a way to select certain intervals and invert them in a way that will speak the language and interpret the voice leading that sounds satisfactory to the result. One of the advantages of jazz music is that it has the freedom of using multiple chord extensions to all of its music. In fact, it can become a kind of battle of the chords for jazz musicians to compete with each other to find the coolest sounding extension to the same music.
Note: Whenever you see chord extensions past the 7th you generally invert the chord and voice the chord to accomodate the larger range of the scale degree.
I know this is a lot of confusing stuff right now so here's a list of how to voice certain chord extensions of the song Freddie the Freeloader: The first chord asks for a Bb7. You could play the notes Bb-D-F-Ab, but it would sound better if you used a Bb13 using the notes Ab-D-G with a Bb in the bass - or better yet let your bass player play the Bb bass and just bounce your chord with the rhythm.
The next chord is a Eb7. You could play the notes Eb-G-Bb-Dd, but it would sound better perhaps if you played an Eb9 using the notes G-Dd-F with an Eb in the bass.
The next chord is Bb7 again. Notice how easy it was to go from Ab-D-G to G-Bb-F. Your fingers hardly had to move at all.
The next chord is an F7. Well you could fumble around and play F-A-C-Eb or you could hit an A-Eb-G with an F in the bass - this is called the F9 and your fingers hardly move again.
The next chord is an Eb7 so use the same one we just used before G-Db-F
The next chord is an Ab7 so play an Ab13 using the notes Gb-C-F with an Ab in the bass - Side Note: Here's a great opportunity to do an apreggio because the chord is held for two measures. The Gb major scale works great here so while you hold the chord with your left hand play a Gb major scale over 3-octaves real fast and keep the damper down.
Another advantage to jazz music is that it allows for the freedom of improvisation. So on a part where there is two measures or more of the same chord expore your creative side of making stuff up. You can use methods of rhythm, or scales, or learn some more complicated riffs to add to your riff-repertoire!
The rest of the song is just a repeat of the chords so try it out and have some fun improvising!
Thanks for reading
John
Let's talk about chord extensions. In the last couple of blogs we discussed seventh chords. Well the seventh interval is simply an extension of the major or minor triad with a seventh scale degree added - basically.
A lot of students come to me and ask how to read Lead Sheet Chord Changes. Many times you will see chords written like Bb13, or Am7b5 (A-minor seven flat-five), or Dm7b9 (D-minor seven flat-nine).
I suppose the easiest way to explain this is that the composer is asking for the player to alter the basic structure of a major and minor chord and add in the interval of the chord's scale degree i.e., b13=13 steps of the scale of the chord and the make it flat. For example; Bb13 is made up of a Bb triad, Bb-D-F. Then you would add the seventh which is a Ab. Then you would add the 13 note of the Bb scale which is G. The only problem with this theory is that the chord is hard to play with one hand spread all over 13 notes and may not sound correct - so we have to learn what is called chord voicing.
Chord voicing is a way to select certain intervals and invert them in a way that will speak the language and interpret the voice leading that sounds satisfactory to the result. One of the advantages of jazz music is that it has the freedom of using multiple chord extensions to all of its music. In fact, it can become a kind of battle of the chords for jazz musicians to compete with each other to find the coolest sounding extension to the same music.
Note: Whenever you see chord extensions past the 7th you generally invert the chord and voice the chord to accomodate the larger range of the scale degree.
I know this is a lot of confusing stuff right now so here's a list of how to voice certain chord extensions of the song Freddie the Freeloader: The first chord asks for a Bb7. You could play the notes Bb-D-F-Ab, but it would sound better if you used a Bb13 using the notes Ab-D-G with a Bb in the bass - or better yet let your bass player play the Bb bass and just bounce your chord with the rhythm.
The next chord is a Eb7. You could play the notes Eb-G-Bb-Dd, but it would sound better perhaps if you played an Eb9 using the notes G-Dd-F with an Eb in the bass.
The next chord is Bb7 again. Notice how easy it was to go from Ab-D-G to G-Bb-F. Your fingers hardly had to move at all.
The next chord is an F7. Well you could fumble around and play F-A-C-Eb or you could hit an A-Eb-G with an F in the bass - this is called the F9 and your fingers hardly move again.
The next chord is an Eb7 so use the same one we just used before G-Db-F
The next chord is an Ab7 so play an Ab13 using the notes Gb-C-F with an Ab in the bass - Side Note: Here's a great opportunity to do an apreggio because the chord is held for two measures. The Gb major scale works great here so while you hold the chord with your left hand play a Gb major scale over 3-octaves real fast and keep the damper down.
Another advantage to jazz music is that it allows for the freedom of improvisation. So on a part where there is two measures or more of the same chord expore your creative side of making stuff up. You can use methods of rhythm, or scales, or learn some more complicated riffs to add to your riff-repertoire!
The rest of the song is just a repeat of the chords so try it out and have some fun improvising!
Thanks for reading
John
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