1 Credit Hour

Office Hours: Posted at office. Arranged by appointment

A. Purpose/Objective:

To aid the student in her/his development as a jazz musician through an introduction to and familiarization with traditional avenues for self-advancement in improvisational techniques.

B. Outline:

 1.

Materials Needed:

a. Music manuscript notebook with soft lead pencils

b. Cassette player with several blank cassette tapes

c. Access to a piano

2.

Class Meetings:

 Class will meet Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1:00 - 1:50 p.m. Time in each class will be devoted to lecture and lab sessions

C. Class Procedures:

Each lecture will cover the topic listed and its application to melodic improvisation. Lectures will be conducted on a seminar basis. Labs will involve extensive playing and singing in the form of scales, arpeggios, patterns, jazz tunes, and improvising solos. Study of each tune will be accompanied by discussion, analysis, and listening to important recordings. Some items for study will be placed on reserve in the Media Resource Center. Some tunes likely to be covered include:

"So What", "Impressions"(32 bar AABA, minor key/modal)

Giant Steps" (32 bar ABAC Hardbop tune)

"All The Things You Are" (64 bar AA'BA'' Standard)

"The Blues"(primarily the 12-bar form with many different heads)

 D. Grading

1.

Attendance

Participation in each class is fundamental to developing an understanding of the material. Two unexcused absences will result in a reduction by one letter grade (from A to B for example). Tardiness will not be tolerated. Excessive tardiness will be treated as an unexcused absence. An excused absence may be defined as a lack of presence at a scheduled class because of: 1) a conflict with another required University function, or, 2) for compelling personal reasons such as a death in the family or a serious illness. When possible every effort should be made by the student to notify the instructor, personally, a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the absence.

2.

Evaluation

The final grade will be determined as follows:

Three transcription assignments constituting 35% of the final grade

A minimum of 4 tests, together constituting 15% of the final grade

A Mid-term Exam constituting 20% of the final grade

A Final Exam constituting 20% of the final grade

Class participation constituting 10% of the final grade

All tests and examinations will have either a written or playing component or a combination of both. This is a performance oriented class. It is expected that the student will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts discussed through her/his playing in class. Therefore, much outside preparation may be necessary

Three transcriptions will be done by the student in the course of the semester. The first transcription will be of a simple melody well known to the student. The second transcription will be accompanied by a written analysis. The third transcription will also be accompanied by a written analysis and will be referred to as the final project. The final project will consist of a solo transcription of a jazz artist by the student to be selected with the approval of the instructor. It will be accompanied by a 5 - 10 page typewritten, double-spaced paper analyzing the music and giving brief historical and biographical information on the artist.

E. Bibliography

 Improvising Jazz

Jerry Coker

 Complete Method for Improvisation

Jerry Coker

 How to Listen to Jazz

Jerry Coker

 Patterns for Jazz

Jerry Coker

 The Jazz Language

Dan Haerle

 A New Approach to Ear Training for Jazz Musicians

David Baker

 A New Approach to Jazz Improvisation

Jamey Aebersold