Questions tagged [jazz]
An original American music style that originated in the early 20th century by improvisation and syncopation.
406
questions
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3answers
86 views
Is it acceptable to use a Maj7#5sus4 chord? Avoid note/interval clarification
I have been looking through possible triads over bass notes and found an odd one.. F minor triad over B bass note. I rearranged the notes to give me a particular 7th chord 1 4 #5 7. Basically a Maj7#...
5
votes
1answer
291 views
Meaning of slash chord without anything left of the slash
In chord charts what does it mean when it says /c#. I know what slash chords are, but what if it doesn't show the first part. An example of what I'm talking about is here.
1
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3answers
87 views
Meaning of one chord on top of another
What does it mean when there are two chords one on top of the other in a chord chart. An example of what I'm talking about is here.
1
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2answers
54 views
Where is F7 in Elevation of Love by E.S.T. coming from?
I was looking at their official songbook. The key of the song is C minor. The progression goes Ab∆ (VI) C-7(I) Fsus4 (IV major???) F7 (IV dominant??) Ab∆.
The F in C minor is F-7, and F7 is neither ...
1
vote
1answer
123 views
How do I teach myself guitar (as a high level pianist)?
I'm pre-noting this with my background as I understand it is easy to see why this could be a repeat question and I do not want to do this. I have an extensive background in music theory, I've taught ...
11
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4answers
984 views
Keeping track of theme when improvising
Improvisations in jazz is done over the song itself, typically. However, I don’t hear the theme in plenty of recordings, the harmonies and solo are so far away that I can’t see the connection to the ...
0
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3answers
162 views
What are “Benson Chords”?
George Benson was a jazz guitarist well before he became known as mainly an R&B vocalist and guitarist. His guitar playing style incorporates distinctive chords sometimes called "Benson Chords" ...
3
votes
1answer
75 views
How does Pat Martino's Minor Concept relate to his Diminished Concept?
How does Pat Martino's Minor Concept relate to his Diminished Concept? Are they completely unrelated or are melodic minor scales and diminished chords related in some way?
0
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1answer
94 views
How do you construct triad superimpositions in the style of Steve Khan? [closed]
Steve Khan had a theory of triad superimposition and substitution he called Contemporary Chord Khancepts. How do you construct triad superimpositions in the style of Steve Khan?
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1answer
118 views
What is Pat Martino's Minor Conversion Concept? [closed]
Is the basic principle of Pat Martino's Minor Conversion Concept anything more than simply altering melodic minor scales?
1
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1answer
107 views
What is Pat Martino's Diminished Concept? [closed]
Is the basic principle of Pat Martino's Diminished Concept for chord construction anything more than simply altering diminished chords?
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2answers
79 views
Jazz: Getting a feel for chords/harmonies
I have played the violin for several years so I have fundamental knowledge in some areas, however chords are currently opaque. For instance, I can play the melody line for any jazz standard by ear ...
2
votes
1answer
93 views
Jazz piano: accompanying oneself
My goal is to be able to by ear play a jazz standard, with improv sections.
When keeping an accompaniment in my left hand (say, a walking base or similar) while soloing with my right, then I stall. ...
10
votes
3answers
443 views
Giant Steps - Coltrane and Slonimsky
I've read several times that John Coltrane practiced extensively from the Slonimsky
Thesaurus of scales and melodic patterns and that Coltrane's Giant Steps is strongly influenced by or is even a ...
5
votes
2answers
54 views
Question concerning the integration of jazz solos into the rest of the ensemble
I am a relatively new jazz player. I do know a sizable amount of theory, though. My question was if there were any tips and advice you could give me concerning if and how soloists try to adjust their ...
3
votes
1answer
76 views
How to make jazz covers? [closed]
I'm pretty new to the genre of jazz and would love to arrange some popular songs as jazz covers.
One that I really like is this one:
Sadly you can't see so easy ...
2
votes
0answers
60 views
What is the best book on Jazz Harmony? [closed]
I would like suggestions for good books on Jazz Harmony that are easy to understand, thorough and have readily applicable principles for compositions. Thanks.
6
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3answers
605 views
Are modes in jazz primarily a melody thing?
I was wondering when jazz cats talk about how they'd use a Lydian scale to improvise over a major chord, or a Dorian scale to improvise over a minor chord they're mainly talking about the melody? So ...
12
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4answers
3k views
A♭ major 9th chord in Bach is unexpectedly dissonant/jazzy
Measures 21-24 in Prelude VII from Bach's Well Tempered Clavier I
I was looking at the Prelude VII by Bach and noticed that on the measure 23 Bach ended that phrase with a A♭ maj9 chord. I was ...
4
votes
1answer
94 views
What to improvise over “fake” ii V I and succession of dominant chords
I frequently see "incomplete" ii V I sequences in standards (like Satin Doll for example) where only the ii and the V are played and I'm always wondering what I can play there, since I find most of ...
4
votes
1answer
75 views
Goodbye Porkpie Hat - solo harmonic analysis
I have been untangling Goodbye Porkpie Hat, the original on Mingus Ah Um. The solo section has different chords to the head on this version. I have listened to the sax solo, and I am making notes, but ...
2
votes
1answer
57 views
Thoughtfully Voicing Chords
I've begun to experiment with arranging for jazz big band. Something I don't quite understand is how to thoughtfully voice chords.
I understand generally how instruments should be voiced in a chord. ...
4
votes
2answers
284 views
Improvising over quartal voicings
One particular jazz piano technique is to voice chords using quartal voicings. A quartal voicing is a chord built on fourths. For example, one might voice Cmin with the notes (in ascending order) F-B♭-...
2
votes
2answers
95 views
What is chord melody?
I've heard the term "chord melody" used by a jazz player acquaintance of mine, but I'm not really certain what he is describing or how it works. Would someone please give me a definition in easy to ...
2
votes
1answer
90 views
What was Art Tatum's practice routine?
Did he do exercises, or just work on repertoire and improvisation? Are there any anecdotes that may shed light on Tatum's routine?
4
votes
3answers
765 views
Do jazz musicians improvise on the parent scale in addition to the chord-scales?
I noticed that jazz musicians improvise on actual chords. This makes sense for modal jazz since the chords in the progression might not be related.
But for tonal jazz, say we have a "ii-V-I" ...
2
votes
3answers
127 views
Whole-step technique for figuring out jazz scales?
I was watching a tutorial on how this guy finds scales to play on top of jazz chords. And I was wondering if this a good method to use, and if not how do I know which scales to improvise on chords. Do ...
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3answers
67 views
Do seventh chords add vocal pitches not found in triads? [closed]
I was wondering what is it about seventh notes...
Fmaj7 Tall and tanned and young and lovely G7 The girl from ipanema
goes walking
&...
4
votes
1answer
2k views
Jazz greats knew nothing of modes. Why are they used to improvise on standards?
My understanding is before 1970, few Jazz players thought about modes. For certain, Charlie Parker, Colman Hawkins, Bud Powell, Art Tatum, Monk, etc never thought in modes.
Barry Harris shows how ...
7
votes
5answers
978 views
How does modal jazz use chord progressions?
I read that jazz uses the chord progression "ii V I" alot. But another thing I heard is that modal jazz doesn't think in chord functions instead it uses modes. Which made me confused.
Does that mean ...
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votes
1answer
79 views
How to analyze this melody in modal/Jazz theory? [closed]
Update: I've updated this for clarity and with some context regarding how I interpret this passage, but my fundamental question remains the same. I really hope someone could help me parse out this ...
2
votes
2answers
124 views
what is the difference between a flat 5 and a sharp 11
I was looking at the chords from Blue in Green and Misterioso and in one there is a B flat major 7 sharp 11 which can be played b flat, D,E,A (those are notes)
And in the other there is a B flat 7 ...
1
vote
3answers
61 views
Do I play my key signature for my instrument or on the paper?
If I'm auditioning for jazz for high school band and I play the flute, and my audition piece is for saxophone, do I play my key signature or the key signature on the sheet music?
2
votes
1answer
102 views
2/4 vs 4/4 time signature in Dixieland Jazz
I'm teaching on the IB Music Diploma Programme and am looking at an examiner's markscheme for a question about the Dixieland jazz piece "Tiger Rag" (similar to this version:
...
4
votes
3answers
111 views
Help Understanding Guitar Lick
My uncle is a jazz player and showed me a few licks while I was visiting him but never explained what context he would play them in. I'm not much of a jazz player but I love the sound of one lick in ...
9
votes
8answers
1k views
Can anyone precisely describe what it means (or feels like) to play exactly what your “inner ear” is hearing?
I've been improvising jazz and other styles on piano for decades, and yet there is still a very significant amount of my improvisation which is based on physical patterns developed over the years, ...
0
votes
3answers
178 views
Are Secondary Dominants related to Chord-Scales? [closed]
This is in relation to my last question about chord-scales. I was wondering if secondary dominants enable an application of chord-scale theory that would allow me to expand an existing chord ...
6
votes
1answer
408 views
What is this musical symbol?
First I thought it was a weird flat sign, but when I played the score it sounded odd. It looks a bit like a natural sign.
Here's the whole measure:
4
votes
5answers
181 views
How to turn each chord in a progression into separate scales?
I was jamming with some jazz guys yet I'm not so good in jazz so I made a bunch of mistakes. One of the things they told me is is how inside of a chord progression, you then spread each chord to its ...
2
votes
2answers
130 views
Melody over chords in advance [closed]
I'm trying to wrap my head around this concept which is really common in practice, but I only find references to it here and there in books and lessons.
E.g. you're playing a chord progression II-V-...
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vote
6answers
222 views
How to build chords from a single note? [closed]
I'm working on a simple theory to apply both in real life and in a computer program I'm writing.
Basically, I realized that we can create (or add) any chord above a melody (vocal track, e.g.), as ...
4
votes
2answers
239 views
Did Jeff Beck “play the changes” on Goodbye Porkpie Hat?
I have read several different accounts of Charles Mingus' reaction to Jeff Beck's cover of Goodbye Porkpie Hat. One account says he liked it and sent Jeff a note saying this while another says he didn'...
3
votes
1answer
111 views
Sibelius is playing the acciaccatura differently
I'm writing a piece in swing feel. When I use the grace note, Sibelius plays it differently than how I think it should sound but when I notate the same thing using a dotted 32nd, it plays the same ...
3
votes
1answer
88 views
Default left-hand piano voicing for Dbmaj7 Eb7-9 Abmaj7
I came across a lead sheet for a jazz tune ("Haunted Ballroom" by Victor Feldman) in which the following chord symbols appear:
Dbmaj7 Eb7-9 Abmaj7
I'm a bad amateur jazz saxophonist and an even ...
1
vote
2answers
56 views
Where does the Eb diminished 7 in I Wanna Be Around come from and how to play over it?
I am interested to know where the Eb diminished 7 in the first 4 bars of jazz standard I Wanna Be Around come from? My guess was that it relates as being a sort of tritone substitution for the V of ...
4
votes
2answers
72 views
How does Rainbow's End by Peter Weniger work?
This is Rainbow's End, composed by German saxophonist Peter Weniger. It first sounds like a straightforward 12-bar Blues in F, The melody sounds pretty normal, but as soon as it comes to the solos, ...
1
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5answers
271 views
How do you build a blues scale?
Hi I am doing grade 8 theory (Trinity).
I need a quick and easy way to remember/ know of how to build blues scales.
TIA
1
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1answer
239 views
Solo Scales to Blue Train (John Coltrane)
Blue Train (John Coltrane) is a blues in Eb. What are the best options for soloing to it (Trombone)? major pentatonic?
It feels somehow strange... the F minor pentatonic seems to fit quite well also.
2
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3answers
120 views
Studying artists like Erroll Garner, Oscar Peterson, Monk - how can I improve in this style
I am currently taking jazz piano lessons from a jazz pianist. I am very fascinated by this music style, and listen to it a lot. I found out that I really like the traditional kind of jazz piano, ...
0
votes
2answers
81 views
What would be needed beat and synthesis wise in order to make something like this?
I'm really concerned on how they did the piano and clarinet echo (if that's even what it is), because I've been looking for tutorials on YouTube for stuff like how to make a "boombape type beat" or "...
