Questions tagged [jazz]

An original American music style that originated in the early 20th century by improvisation and syncopation.

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When to use Blues scales in jazz

I looked it up and found that the key shows you what blues to use during solos. But I find songs with a key of C but using A blues. Does this mean the key doesn't show when to use specific blues ...
Rhyming Rocky's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
108 views

Strange chord notations in piano sheet: Twisted by Annie Ross

I have to play Twisted with a jazz singer and I came found this lead sheet where the chords are written strangely. Is this the standard notation? Eg., is B'6 = Bbmaj7? Does anyone know where I can get ...
Alezigl's user avatar
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8 votes
5 answers
872 views

When do you include the bass note of a chord if the bass is the b9?

I'm writing chords for a pop piano part (so definitely want to follow what is more intuitive for pop/jazz players rather than sticking hard to the music theory books). The chord in the right hand is a ...
Aaron's user avatar
  • 81
3 votes
1 answer
256 views

What should I play over this rhythmic slash notation?

(I'll work on getting a better picture) I'm playing as the pianist for a jazz ensemble and Ive encountered a specified rhythm in slash notation, however there are no specified chords. This is a ...
violetorigin's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
222 views

What does the phrase “a bar for nothing” mean?

I’ve heard this phrase most commonly used when counting off a song in a jazz context. The MD will say “I’ll give you a bar for nothing” and then count off the song. What does it mean?
Tim Hargreaves's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
118 views

How should I start studying jazz standards? [closed]

I am beginning to learn guitar itself. I can read music sheet, have studied music theory well enough to understand chord progressions. But I have not played much other than Bach's Bourree and some ...
Sean's user avatar
  • 187
6 votes
3 answers
1k views

Can saxophones be in orchestras, not just like the symphonic jazz orchestras/big band?

I'm arranging a game piece from Minecraft called "Alpha" (aka end credits theme). I thought the idea of merging school band and orchestra would be a cool idea, but I don't know if writing ...
mikechad's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
79 views

Help me to understand more interesting improv techniques [duplicate]

Question for all, doesn't have to be specific to jazz. I love to improvise, and I'm definitely not new to it. This is something that I have been doing for many years. I'm in a bit of a rut at the ...
Alfy's user avatar
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7 votes
4 answers
2k views

How do I memorize the jazz music as just a listener?

I want to get into jazz but I have a small (?) problem: most of the jazz music sounds same to me. How do I learn to distinguish different songs? With salsa it was easier as songs had some lyrics there....
1 vote
1 answer
101 views

How to interpret this awkward runs and base chord? La La Land Mia & Sebastian's Theme runs

In the last section of Mia and Sebastian's Theme from La La Land, there were a lot of quick runs. Upon transcription I found the relationship of the scale and the base chord is rather unusual. First ...
dz902's user avatar
  • 183
2 votes
1 answer
307 views

Bass line and chord mismatch - Afternoon in Paris

In Lewis and Sacha Distel version of Afternoon in Paris, Distel only played section A and repeat when his solo ends at 4:41, then was the break. After the break, Lewis picked up the rest of the ...
dz902's user avatar
  • 183
4 votes
3 answers
496 views

Invert open voice chords

when playing open voiced chords, do I still want to invert them so they fit each other? Or isn't open voiced chords as common to invert? And when I play chords with my right hand, and bass note with ...
music5475's user avatar
  • 237
-1 votes
1 answer
125 views

Adequate chord progression for an intimate "bolero"-"jazz" song?

I am trying to compose an intimate song to be played by an acoustic guitar (and a piano at most) related to the genre of "bolero" or "jazz", perhaps with traces of "fado"....
vengaq's user avatar
  • 107
4 votes
5 answers
560 views

Chord change timing in lead sheet with two chords in a bar

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find it all. In this example, and in general I wonder. Im not sure I can upload photo of the example due to copyright. But in this bar there's an A ...
music5475's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
94 views

Why do some of the chord choices in measures 18 through 20 of "Study #1 William Leavitt - Melodic Rhythms For Guitar" sound... "wrong"?

prior research: I was given this link by my guitar teacher. When I first raised the issue that this sounded funny I was told it was fine, and "there's no 'wrong' in music." But this still ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 637
1 vote
0 answers
71 views

Has anyone attempted to study the history and evolution of specific jazz "licks"?

Has anyone attempted to study the history and evolution of specific jazz "licks" ? For example, Louis Armstrong played this phrase or snippet or riff. Here is how it evolved...here is how ...
Bruce Kamolnick's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
302 views

String/Strap attached to Christian McBride's bass?

I've seen some images/videos where his bass has a black string wrapped around it and was curious if anyone knows what its purpose is: Video:
cuppajoeman's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
176 views

How to get better at jazz quickly? [closed]

I play the piano and guitar and I'm learning to read sheet music. All I can do to make my playing sound more jazz is occasionally add flat and sharp notes that are outside the major/minor scale, play ...
user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
140 views

1 b3 4 Triad in A Love Supreme?

In the Acknowledgement of A Love Supreme, this motif seems to be two stacked 1 b3 4 triads—what would you call them? Super-diminished?? Or is there a better way to understand this motif chordally than ...
aj26's user avatar
  • 117
4 votes
2 answers
172 views

Did anybody try to analyze Strange Meadow Lark by Dave Brubeck by functional analysis?

I was trying to understand the chord progression in Strange Meadow Lark, but it comes to a point where the changes are a little bit blurry of what is going on. Did anybody try to? Maybe we can discuss ...
pbriquet's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
734 views

What is rude jazz?

In a lecture supporting his new book Stomp and Shout, Northwest rock historian Peter Blecha mentioned a genre from the 1940s or 50s called rude jazz. I have never heard of this before, and it might be ...
Matt's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
240 views

Help in Understanding Modes

Just wanted some clarification and guidance in my attempt to understand the use of modes. I am a bass player involved in playing pop, rock, alt and indie genres; I am not a Jazz/Bebop bassist. My ...
user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
727 views

What is this descending riff of notes referred to as?

In this battle song from Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Future Redeemed, between 1:09 and 1:13, there's a jazzy piano riff of notes that steadily descend. Something about it really sticks out to me, and ...
chausies's user avatar
  • 295
2 votes
4 answers
100 views

How to transition back and forth between relative major and minor 2-5-1?

I'm experimenting with nicely transitioning between a major and minor 2-5-1, at this point I'm purely interested in harmony. The 2 progression I'm trying to transition between (technically 1-2-5): ...
Balázs Édes's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
46 views

Is there a transcription of the exact chords of this recording? [closed]

I've been listening to this recording of Dave McKenna for months now, and I've been stuck trying to learn/figure out the exact chords he's playing at around 40:30 to around 41:20. I have a very good ...
Rowan McJimsey's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
151 views

Chords building blocks

Are chords the same building blocks as notes in a song? Like do every song consist of certain chord progressions? You can reharmonize a song by changing the chord progression can't you? But you can't ...
Musiclover678's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
121 views

Misty - Rupert Austin Fingering

I'm taking on the task of learning this piece and I'm not too familiar with jazz chords or fingerings. Can someone help with the following passage, or at least give tips on how to figure out proper ...
Wgw327's user avatar
  • 187
1 vote
3 answers
115 views

What to play as auxillary percussion in "Take the A Train"?

I'm the auxiliary percussionist in my school's jazz band, and normally there's a part for me, or I double a melody on the vibraphone, if there isn't. Right now, we're doing the song "Take the A ...
Justin Cheng's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
98 views

How do I play these chords? (Parentheses around chord symbols) [duplicate]

How do I play the chords I marked with red dots? First, in measure 4, can I alternatively play C#m7 and F#7? Why does it sound off with the melody then? Second, the chords in measures 8, 9 and 10, how ...
silvy1051's user avatar
  • 155
7 votes
1 answer
334 views

How is augmented major seventh chord functioning? (Gadd9/B Ebmaj7#5/B Cadd9)

In this excerpt from a gospel arrangement of Amazing Grace, how is the Ebmaj7#5/B chord functioning? Is it a version of a tritone sub, but we've just decided to make it augmented major seventh? Seems ...
Stevie's user avatar
  • 173
5 votes
2 answers
328 views

piano jazz using rootless chords in common progressions

Can one use rootless chords along with rooted chords when constructing common chord progressions.
Doug's user avatar
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2 votes
3 answers
124 views

In Jazz, on a minor chord symbol like "C-" - does one play the 6, the 7, or the major 7?

When I see a major chord symbol like C that does not specify the sixth/seventh, I mostly treat it as C6 or CMaj7 when accompanying. I am however unsure about sixth/seventh-less minor chord symbols ...
Evgeniy Berezovsky's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
122 views

Is there a name of the stacked fourths melody which appears frequently in Jazz music?

E.g. in Paul Desmond's "Cecilia", around 0'48" (linked below) there is a brass melody consists of the notes C F Bb Eb Ab A, of which the first five notes are stacked fourths. I find ...
hillin's user avatar
  • 778
3 votes
3 answers
156 views

How do I write down a suspended chord with a minor 6?

I have a chord with the notes G C D Eb. I wonder how I write it down in a jazz notation. First, something like this comes to mind: G-6(sus4). But 2 things confuse me about this. First, I've never seen ...
andelse's user avatar
  • 33
4 votes
2 answers
485 views

Piano comping in a jazz ballad

I'm having trouble when comping over a jazz ballad with a singer/solo instrument. In my case I also have drums and bass playing with me. I'm mainly stuck between playing sustained chords to fill out ...
Arsan Ezzat's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
971 views

How should I approach getting used to a wonky syncopation?

Disclaimer My question is part general, and part specific, because I'm having a hard time with a specific song, but my question is on how to approach the more general problem. Background I'm learning ...
Alec's user avatar
  • 406
1 vote
0 answers
94 views

Can't really find some chords in this song, are they that hard or i'm the noob? [closed]

Every time i hear a song or a version of a particular song i like i try to get it by ear but there is something here that is odd, i really can't get to sound like the girl in the following video.
Vincenzo Gargano's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
146 views

How do I start learning to play ragtime on the guitar?

I would really like to learn how to play ragtime on the guitar. As a teenager I took guitar lessons. I learned to sight-read and basic chords, but not much beyond that. Years later, I am learning ...
user89449's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
125 views

What's this flat squiggly line below the notes at the end of this clarinet jazz solo?

This is from cuphead. Youtube link here: It kind of sounds like vibrato.
SlightyBurntPorkChop's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
172 views

Jazz Piano: Progressing to hand independence

I can improvise relatively freely over standards when using a moderate variety of voicings in the left hand. I can improvise basslines reasonably well over right hand voicings. Given I'm a ...
Futilitarian's user avatar
5 votes
5 answers
2k views

Best approach to count Seven Four Signature (7/4)?

I listened Pink Floyd "Money" from the album "Dark Side of the Moon" for a while break after and started to think about Seven Four (7/4) time signature in music theory and how to ...
Jere_Sumell's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
521 views

Why is a soloist using an E major triad over a G major 7 chord?

I've just transcribed the trumpet solo in the following recording: http://www.sierramusicmp3.com/mp3/newmp3s/Heat%20of%20the%20Day,%20The%20(UNT).mp3 At around 5:20 the soloist plays an E major triad ...
Tim2357's user avatar
  • 49
0 votes
1 answer
72 views

Oscar Peterson I've got it bad and that ain't good bar 10: Dm7 flat 5 flat 11? [closed]

This chord is played over a bass player on a d, it's coming right after a dm7. From the bottom up F# Ab C F Ab Is that F# a flat 11? Is the Ab a flat 5 or a sharp 11? Or is this a passing chord that ...
danjfoley's user avatar
  • 101
8 votes
4 answers
1k views

What do we call a chord progression that consists of descending by one semitone? Is there any notation for jazz grid?

I was wondering if there was either a name or a notation for a chord progression that consists of the same chord played one semitone lower each time. Here are some examples to clarify my question: ...
thibaultm's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
989 views

"Playing cornet in open style"?

I am reading a jazz book, "Really The Blues" by Mezz Mezzrow, in which a 1920's cornet player, Bix Beiderbecke, was referred to as playing his horn mostly " open". He played ...
Clovenhoof81's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
69 views

Half step modulations in music [closed]

I'm looking for cllasical/Jazz music pieces with half step (semitone) modulations. I'm assuming that this type of modulation could appear in the form of enharmonic modulation- when the pivot chord (...
Shir Nishri's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
153 views

Arranging Pop and Jazz Songs into Piano

What is the first step in arranging a jazz or pop song into piano? I find composing classical is a little easier, but I would like to try jazz and pop. I'm a little bit confused because I don't know ...
user87626's user avatar
  • 785
1 vote
1 answer
235 views

Jazz Harmonic Analysis of "The Way You Look Tonight" [closed]

So I was asked to do an analysis of The Way You Look Tonight, but we didn't need to include the roman numerals. Just the symbols. Apparently it still isn't right, so is there anything I'm missing? In ...
Andrew's user avatar
  • 11
2 votes
4 answers
182 views

How do I identify chord scales? (Chord scale theory)

I'm confused with how to identify chord scales because there are a lot of modes and combinations I have to consider. For example, Cmaj is C Ionian, and C13 is C Mixolydian, etc., right? Basically ...
silvy1051's user avatar
  • 155
9 votes
7 answers
1k views

Is it really necessary to learn the Number System in Music?

I've been playing the bass for several years now and want to learn how to play jazz. I started out learning classical music because before the bass, I played the violin, so it just came easier for me. ...
Jazz Neophite's user avatar

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