By Ed Byrne
Harmony and Jazz Theory
Music scholars view jazz as a style of Western Art Music (read classical music--classical, however, is really the style of a given a period). All jazz harmony comes from that tradition, while the rhythms come from Africa. The vast bulk of the jazz repertoire employs European harmonic progressions and forms.
What is unique about jazz is the marriage of these European characteristics with African rhythm, and a unique Afro-American style of inflections, articulations and vibratos. The only pitch collection used in jazz that is unique to Western Art Music is the blues scale (on C it would be as follows: C, D#, F, F#, G, Bb, C), which is the result of African Americans fusing of slurs and sliding pitches (a characteristic also of African music) onto the tempered major/minor European tonal system.
Since jazz has traditionally been characterized by the fusion of the salient characteristics of the two cultures, and the harmony comes from Europe, it is therefore misleading to describe anything as jazz theory or jazz harmony. Even the 12 bar blues is comprised of a tonal European chord progression (I, IV, and V, however it may be dressed up with other European harmonies. Call it what you like, it's still all European harmony.
Jazz texts merely codify what jazz composers stylistically choose to use from the entirety of the European pallet--and much has unfortunately been left out, or rather not yet assimilated, such as most of the music of the Twentieth century.
Therefore, you are better off going to the source, which is to classical harmony texts. French composer and theorist Jean-Philippe Rameau published the first definitive text on harmony in 1722. Books will only, by the way, prepare you for the real business of score analysis, which is where you will find the real pertinent information: in practice, where it is the most revealing.
As stated above, the blues scale is the only pitch collection unique to Western Art Music. While it is true, for example, that the added minor seventh to the tonic chord in a 12-bar blues constitutes a harmonic inclusion of a blue note, it nonetheless does not change the function of that chord in the progression, or change the fact that it is a European progression. While jazz is unique from European music due to its use of African rhythm, the rhythm does not alter how progressions behave.
In the Twentieth century, many European composers began to write chord successions that did not necessarily have a primary key (atonality), but this has not been incorporated into the jazz style very much as yet. Jazz musicians and their audiences are unfortunately mired in old European harmonic practices and forms. Indeed, most have not even fully digested the music of French Impressionist composers Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.
It is helpful to understand a little music history in order to better understand the various styles that emerged. In a nutshell, it goes like this: In the West, the music was modal until the late Sixteenth century, at which time the music became tonal (based on chord progressions aimed at culminating in a cadence to the tonic chord).
The tonal system prevailed until the Twentieth century, when much of the music tended towards atonalism (no primary key). In atonalism, chords are arranged in successions that have no functionality in a tonal sense, but are used for their color and interest alone. Jazz, however, is basically still rooted in the harmonic practices of the classical and romantic periods (18th and 19th century harmony).
Mark Levine's popular book, Jazz Theory, is a good illustration of jazz pedagogists’ very limited understanding of music history. It basically runs down the Berklee College system of applying chord scales and modes to chord progressions.
This makes it necessary to theorize in order to arrive at which of these (arbitrary at best) scales are to be applied. In this way, Greek modal names are applied to a tonal chord system that is in no way modal. Indeed, the European composers, whom jazz musicians emulate, did not employ modes in tonal music: they used non-harmonic tones to propel their lines forward.
This is, I hope, an interesting tidbit of history: A few years ago, while writing my doctoral dissertation, I interviewed Jerry Coker, who was one of the very first to hold a full-time positon as Jazz Professor in a college or university.
He admitted to me that he used this modal system--with its Greek names--to impress the classical administrators that dominated the music department—so that they might take jazz education seriously. (They have been in the colleges for well over 100 years, while jazz education was only begrudgedly admitted fewer than 50 years ago.)
Coker explained that had he taught a more direct, common sense traditional approach to this extemporaneous art form, it would have gone right over their heads. They don't like us. The only reason jazz exists in higher education is because of enrollment: Students demand jazz courses.
The Fastest and Easiest Ways to Learn Improvisation:
ByrneJazz Improvisation Books
ByrneJazz Online Lessons
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ed Byrne
Thursday, December 13, 2007
The Most Important Secret to Becoming a Monster Jazz Musician
By Chris Punis
Let’s face it, you didn’t get into music because your best friend told you about this hip new thing called “practicing scale patterns” or “ear training interval drills.” You got into music because you heard something that made you stop dead in your tracks and say, “Damn that sounds good.” It made you want to dance, shout, and jump around your room like a fool (or am I just weird?).
There was something different about this music. You connected with it. It lit a fire in your belly, which, despite the world’s best efforts to extinguish it, is still burning, or else you wouldn’t be reading this email.
Then a few years later—while trying to simultaneously learn to voice lead, play Trane’s solo on “Giant Steps,” transcribe the head to “Ornithology,” groove in 7, swing at 350 BPM, understand the Lydian Chromatic Concept, play a bossa nova, memorize scale patterns #1-76 from your chain-smoking, coffee-chugging teacher’s book and learn to play a second instrument—you realized that something wasn’t working.
And to make matters worse, you haven’t seen your girlfriend/boyfriend in a month, done your laundry or paid your electric bill (hope you play an acoustic instrument). If this sounds familiar, then your values may be out of whack. In fact, you might have no idea what a value is, let alone what yours might be.
Your values are your priorities in life. They determine what’s important to you. They determine what you believe, who you are and, most importantly, what you do. All great musicians (and great people in general) know who they are and what they want. Their actions reflect it. They practice the important things, take the right chances, meet the right people and experience success and great achievements.
For instance, think about Thelonious Monk. Was he known for his ability to play at breakneck tempos? How about virtuosic piano technique? Then he must have been known for his beautiful voicings, right? Wrong. He wasn’t known for any of those things. He was known for his completely original sound and approach.
Nobody played rhythm like Monk, composed like Monk, or played as “colorfully” as Monk. He knew what he wanted his music to sound like and he played it that way. Imagine if Monk thought he had to have chops like Art Tatum, improvise in 5/4, or play funk. Luckily for us he didn’t. He played “his thing” only and he did it better than anyone else.
Whether they thought about it or not all of the masters played with great integrity and an intense code of values. Just think about Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Eric Dolphy, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Elvin Jones, etc. They all stuck to their values and played the music that was important to them, even in the face of intense criticism from the audience, the press and their peers. And in doing so they became monster jazz musicians. They created and transformed the art-form of jazz.
Here’s a sports analogy for you. Have you ever heard of an athlete who was a pitcher, catcher, outfielder, 1st baseman, shortstop, quarterback, center, goalie, fullback, gymnast, sprinter and a square dancer? Yeah, me too. We call them elementary school gym teachers, not world class athletes. Now, don’t get me wrong.
Gym teachers have a noble profession. But they don’t fit into the world-class athlete category. Or the “monster” category, for that matter.
Disclaimer: it is very important to expose yourself to a wide range of music, play different styles and learn different concepts. But you come to a point where you must focus more and more on music that’s truly important to you.
“But I’ve only been playing jazz for a year,” you might ask. “How can I choose my values?” Very good question. Your values will change as you learn and progress. Determining your values is an ongoing process. It never stops. Your values—and then your goals, and then your actions—become clearer and clearer as you go. And when this happens you progress faster and faster and become more and more productive. Choosing your values now brings focus to your practicing, listening and all of your musical activities. You’ll change and rearrange them over and over again, each time picking up speed and progressing faster.
To quote the great twentieth century spiritual master Mr. Rogers, “You’re special.” He was right. You are. Each of us has a unique set of experiences, dreams, goals and values. If you are true to yourself, and live by your own code of values, you are destined to become a truly individual and original voice in jazz. Faster than you ever thought possible.
Action Step 1:
Write down the names of your favorite players. What do you like about these players? What qualities in their playing are you drawn to? What could you do to develop those qualities in your own playing? Your answers will give you some big clues as to what’s important to you. Use these answers to decide what to practice, who to study with and who to play with.
Action Step 2:
Plan out your practice session before you start to practice (more about that in a few days). Then, as you go down the list, ask yourself, “Is that the most important thing I could be practicing? Is that skill important to me? Will it help me make the music that’s important to me? Or is it something I think I’m supposed to practice?” Again, use your answers to make choices about what to practice, who to play with.
Soon your practicing will be more focused, much more productive, and you’ll be sprinting to the practice room with a smile on your face (not to mention that you’ll also get more gigs).
Chris Punis is an active jazz musician in the Northeast. He is a co-founder of the critically acclaimed group Gypsy Schaeffer and a member of renowned saxophonist Charlie Kohlhase's group The Explorer's Club. Chris is also an accomplished jazz educator. For more information about his teaching methods visit www.learnjazzfaster.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Punis
Let’s face it, you didn’t get into music because your best friend told you about this hip new thing called “practicing scale patterns” or “ear training interval drills.” You got into music because you heard something that made you stop dead in your tracks and say, “Damn that sounds good.” It made you want to dance, shout, and jump around your room like a fool (or am I just weird?).
There was something different about this music. You connected with it. It lit a fire in your belly, which, despite the world’s best efforts to extinguish it, is still burning, or else you wouldn’t be reading this email.
Then a few years later—while trying to simultaneously learn to voice lead, play Trane’s solo on “Giant Steps,” transcribe the head to “Ornithology,” groove in 7, swing at 350 BPM, understand the Lydian Chromatic Concept, play a bossa nova, memorize scale patterns #1-76 from your chain-smoking, coffee-chugging teacher’s book and learn to play a second instrument—you realized that something wasn’t working.
And to make matters worse, you haven’t seen your girlfriend/boyfriend in a month, done your laundry or paid your electric bill (hope you play an acoustic instrument). If this sounds familiar, then your values may be out of whack. In fact, you might have no idea what a value is, let alone what yours might be.
Your values are your priorities in life. They determine what’s important to you. They determine what you believe, who you are and, most importantly, what you do. All great musicians (and great people in general) know who they are and what they want. Their actions reflect it. They practice the important things, take the right chances, meet the right people and experience success and great achievements.
For instance, think about Thelonious Monk. Was he known for his ability to play at breakneck tempos? How about virtuosic piano technique? Then he must have been known for his beautiful voicings, right? Wrong. He wasn’t known for any of those things. He was known for his completely original sound and approach.
Nobody played rhythm like Monk, composed like Monk, or played as “colorfully” as Monk. He knew what he wanted his music to sound like and he played it that way. Imagine if Monk thought he had to have chops like Art Tatum, improvise in 5/4, or play funk. Luckily for us he didn’t. He played “his thing” only and he did it better than anyone else.
Whether they thought about it or not all of the masters played with great integrity and an intense code of values. Just think about Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Eric Dolphy, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Elvin Jones, etc. They all stuck to their values and played the music that was important to them, even in the face of intense criticism from the audience, the press and their peers. And in doing so they became monster jazz musicians. They created and transformed the art-form of jazz.
Here’s a sports analogy for you. Have you ever heard of an athlete who was a pitcher, catcher, outfielder, 1st baseman, shortstop, quarterback, center, goalie, fullback, gymnast, sprinter and a square dancer? Yeah, me too. We call them elementary school gym teachers, not world class athletes. Now, don’t get me wrong.
Gym teachers have a noble profession. But they don’t fit into the world-class athlete category. Or the “monster” category, for that matter.
Disclaimer: it is very important to expose yourself to a wide range of music, play different styles and learn different concepts. But you come to a point where you must focus more and more on music that’s truly important to you.
“But I’ve only been playing jazz for a year,” you might ask. “How can I choose my values?” Very good question. Your values will change as you learn and progress. Determining your values is an ongoing process. It never stops. Your values—and then your goals, and then your actions—become clearer and clearer as you go. And when this happens you progress faster and faster and become more and more productive. Choosing your values now brings focus to your practicing, listening and all of your musical activities. You’ll change and rearrange them over and over again, each time picking up speed and progressing faster.
To quote the great twentieth century spiritual master Mr. Rogers, “You’re special.” He was right. You are. Each of us has a unique set of experiences, dreams, goals and values. If you are true to yourself, and live by your own code of values, you are destined to become a truly individual and original voice in jazz. Faster than you ever thought possible.
Action Step 1:
Write down the names of your favorite players. What do you like about these players? What qualities in their playing are you drawn to? What could you do to develop those qualities in your own playing? Your answers will give you some big clues as to what’s important to you. Use these answers to decide what to practice, who to study with and who to play with.
Action Step 2:
Plan out your practice session before you start to practice (more about that in a few days). Then, as you go down the list, ask yourself, “Is that the most important thing I could be practicing? Is that skill important to me? Will it help me make the music that’s important to me? Or is it something I think I’m supposed to practice?” Again, use your answers to make choices about what to practice, who to play with.
Soon your practicing will be more focused, much more productive, and you’ll be sprinting to the practice room with a smile on your face (not to mention that you’ll also get more gigs).
Chris Punis is an active jazz musician in the Northeast. He is a co-founder of the critically acclaimed group Gypsy Schaeffer and a member of renowned saxophonist Charlie Kohlhase's group The Explorer's Club. Chris is also an accomplished jazz educator. For more information about his teaching methods visit www.learnjazzfaster.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Punis
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