Jazz Basics for Students

This is an introduction to basic jazz concepts. It has been designed for students who have been playing for 3-4 years but as yet have no specific knowledge of how to play jazz or how to interpret music in the jazz style. The following sections deal with various aspects of performance which are indispensible for the correct interpretation of the music we call "jazz".

The most basic element of jazz is rhythm. Therefore a good sense of rhythm is imperative when playing jazz. The most common feature of jazz rhythm is called "swing". This requires the player to perform all pairs of eighth notes (and pairs of dotted eighths and sixteenth notes) as uneven rather than even as in classical music.

The first eighth note of a pair (the one on a downbeat) will be equal to two parts of a triplet while the second eighth note of a pair (the one on an upbeat) will be equal to one part of a triplet. In other words, the first eighth is twice as long as the second eighth. Since most jazz is written in 4/4 (or common) time, swing rhythm is equivalent to changing the meter from 4/4 into12/8. Thus all rhythms in swing fit neatly into triplet patterns. However, swing rhythm affects only eighth notes (and dotted eighths and sixteenths). It does not change any other note values (such as whole notes, half notes, or groups of sixteenth notes) (ex.1a &1b).

Just as in classical music, articulation in jazz is very important as it contributes to the overall style of the music. In general, most notes in jazz (unless otherwise marked) are played long (full value). This concept applies to music in all tempos.

To this legato articulation concept, the music is further refined by the addition of various markings such as dots (staccato style), dashes (legato style), sidways V's (long note accents), inverted V's (short note accents), lifts and spills (fingered slides), glisses (noteless slides) and other signs such as bends and flips.

It is convenient when teaching jazz to use various syllables to represent the rhythms and articulations (such as "do" and "dah" for long, "dot" for short, "dit" for a short accent and the combination "do-be" for swing eighth notes).

An inverted V (rooftop) indicates a note that is to be both accented and played somewhat short ("dot"). An inverted vee with a dot means to play an accented staccato note ("dit") (ex.5).

A lift (up) or spill (down) is a fingered scale (chromatic or diatonic) and is indicated by a jagged line. A gliss (up or down) is a smooth noteless slide (similar to the sound a slide whistle makes) and is indicated by a straight line. Lift, spills and glisses are always slurred (ex.6).

Bends are indicated by a sideways C. This sign indicates that the note is to be bent slightly by dropping the jaw pressure thereby changing the pitch (the beginning and end of the note will be the correct pitch but the middle of the note will be flatter in pitch) (ex.7).

Flips (which are somewhat equivalent to turns in classical music) are indicated by a sign similar to a cursive V or a sideways S. These signs have slightly different realizations depending on the surrounding intervals and rhythms but generally indicate that one or more slurred notes are to be added between two written notes(ex.8).

Chord symbols in jazz indicate the underlying harmony of the music. These symbols designate specific chords which are used by the performers to improvise new and different melodies over an existing harmonic foundation. Jazz musicians study these chords (and scales which fit in with these chords) so that they can effectively improvise together.

A major chord is indicated by a letter only (G) or by a letter and a large M (GM). A minor chord is indicated by a letter and a small m (Gm) or by a letter and a minus sign (G-). An augmented chord is indicated by a letter and a plus sign (G+). A diminished chord is indicated by a letter and a circle (Go) (ex.9).

More complex chords such as sevenths, ninths, elevenths and thirteenths are indicated by a letter and a number (G7, G9, G11, G13). The number indicates the specific note present above the root of the chord. (In practice, all notes of the chord do not have to be present but that is a subject for a more advanced lesson.) (ex.10).

The most salient feature of jazz is improvisation. It is quite simply the most important aspect of the art form. Improvisation happens when jazz musicians put their spontaneous musical ideas through their instruments (or voices). This is usually done by following a series of chords (chord progression) which acts as a basic blue print or plan for the music. This chord progression is usually indicated by a set of symbols (letters and numbers) over a given number of measures. In the case of a well known (standard) piece of music, the melody and chord progressions in the piece would be common knowledge to the players and written music as such would not be needed.

1) a thorough knowledge of scales and arpeggios (including major, minor, augmented, diminished, wholetone, pentatonic and other modes such as dorian, mixolydian and the blues scale),

This last aspect is the most important of all to possess. It can best be attained by listening to other fine players (both on recordings and live) and by long hours of well structured practice.

It is also suggested that the aspiring jazz musician study privately with a good jazz performer and to find a group in which to play on a regular basis (such as a school big band or combo).

One of the most standard styles in jazz is called the "blues". The most common blues form is the 12-bar blues. This consists of a series of chords (or chord progression) over the span of 12 measures in 4/4 time. The chord progression usually involves only a very few chords and therefore is an ideal place to start for the aspiring young musician wishing to play jazz and to learn how to improvise. Of course this requires the performer to have a good knowledge of basic scales, chords and their accompanying symbols (ex.11).

One of the best ways to learn improvise is to buy one or more of the many instructional materials which include play along recordings. These materials have been designed specifically to train musicians how to play jazz and present a kind of lesson format which the musican can use over and over at home to improve his/her jazz improvisational skills.

There are also many study books available of jazz exercises, etudes and solos which can yield very productive results when used as part of a daily practice routine. Some of these materials are listed below.

Progressive Jazz Studies by James Rae. An introduction to basic jazz concepts. Includes progressive jazz exercises and etudes. Ideal for use with junior high students. Specify clarinet or saxophone. Book I (easy); Book II (Intermediate). Available from Faber Music, London Email: sales@fabermusic.com

Jazz Conception for Saxophone by Lennie Niehaus. A four volume series of progressive jazz exercises and etudes. Vols. I and II (Basic); Vol. III (Intermediate); Vol. IV (Advanced). Published by the Try Publishing Co. Distributed by the Professional Drum Shop, 854 Vine St., Hollywood, CA.

Jazz: Anyone Can Improvise by Jamey Aebersold. A two-hour long instructional DVD. One of the best jazz teaching aids on the market. For all instruments. Available from Jamey Abersold Jazz, P.O., Box 1244, New Albany, IN 47151-1244.

*In addition, any of the materials (over 50 volumes) by Jamey Aebersold are highly reccommended including Vol. 1 (How to Play Jazz), Vol. 21 (Major and Minor) and Vol. 54 (Maiden Voyage).

The scales a jazz musician needs to know are many including major, minor, wholetone, diminished, dorian, phrygian, lydian, mixolydian, pentatonic and the blues scale. The chords (arpeggios) a jazz musician needs to know are also numerous including major, minor, augmented, diminished, half-diminished and the various added note chords such as 7ths, 9ths, 11ths, 13ths.

When practicing these scales and arpeggios, use swing eighth notes and long (legato) articulations to help create the jazz syle.. Use music at first (write them down if needed) and then keep on practicing until you know them from memory.

Establish an ordered system for practicing scales and arpeggios, e.g. play each successive scale or arpeggio up a perfect fourh (circle of fourths) or up a perfect fifth (circle of fifths) or up 1/2 step (chromatically). This will result in a more perfect knowledge and command of your scales/arpeggios and will also help to train your ear.

3.) Use (or create) some jazz riffs. Memorize them and then play them by ear. Use the circle of fourths (up a perfect fourth for each successive repetition) until you have played them through in all twelve keys.

4.) Begin a systematic study of chords and their symbols. Take a piece of staff paper and draw a treble clef sign on each staff. On the first staff write out all of the major chords. These chords will have three different notes each (e.g. C Major = C, E, G, C). Start the first chord on middle C. Then continue up chromatically by half step for all twelve chromatic notes.

In order to learn the most common enharmonic equivalents, duplicate each chord that starts on a sharp note with its equivalent that starts on a flat note. The resulting 16 chords will start on the following tones: C, C#-Db, D, D#-Eb, E, F, F#-Gb, G, G#-Ab, A, Bb, B.

Write each chord in root position (e.g. C-E-G-C, C#-E#-G#-C#, Db-F-Ab-Db, etc,). Write each chord vertically with the root as the lowest tone, then the third, then the fifth, then the octave. Write the appropriate chord symbol over each chord as you go.

5.) Find (or create) a 12 bar blues (with melody and chord symbols). Start by playing the melody several times. Then memorize it if you can. Then look closely at the chord symbols. Play each successive chord several times (as arpeggios). Then play the accompanying scale for each chord several times. The first time through play just the first three notes of each scale. The second time through play the first five notes of each scale. The third time through play all seven notes of each scale. Then memorize the chord progression if you can.

Now you are ready to play the entire blues again with some improvisation. You might start by making minor note and/or rhythmic alterations to the melody. Then begin to depart more and more from melody by using the only chord symbols as a guide for your musical imagination. Always be careful to keep the proper time (tap your foot or use a metronome) and to change chords on the measures indicated by the chord symbols.

6.) Spend time working with any of the many music-minus-one type recordings available for purchase which are designed for the purpose of teaching improvisation. These are good because they allow you yo play along to the accompaniment of a rhythm section. This is an ideal way to improve your listening skills and to gain a good sense of jazz style - and besides, it's fun!