Q. iv been trying to understand jazz theory ... X 8
i can play some jazz but only stuff that iv learned from the internet. its seems very difficult to improvise and keep the same sound, or to stay in the same key.. unlike rock and metal.
but then i keep asking myself what is jazz? and it seems like when i ask people i always get a different answer. nobody seems to completely agree on what jazz is. whats your opinion? any tips on writing it?
A. Hey, I play/listen to jazz, and I hope I can answer your question. Jazz (like all forms of music) has many variations. There is jazz fusion, which has artists like Return to Forever, Pat Metheny (JF guitarist who happens to hate the term jazz fusion) and the Mahavishnu Orchestra.
One of the main characteristics of Jazz is the "swing feel". I don't know what your level of theory is, but instead of playing eighth notes "Straight", as they are in 90% of music, play them with a dotted eighth note then sixteenth note kind of feel. The faster the notes, the less they swing. some sound clips, I am sure they are out there. Now that we have the rhythm down lets get to the form of a song.
Jazz charts usually look something like this -http://www.schoonmanjazzquartet.nl/wp-content/uploads/alice_in_wonderland_c.jpg
Looks pretty confusing, huh? Let me break it down. At the beginning we have the clef (treble), A symbol that shows that the first part of the song is repeated, and a time signature of 3/4 (3 beats of quarter notes per measure). The notes dictate the melody of the song. This is the classic tune, "Alice in Wonderland" Go ahead and play the melody, I am sure you will recognize it! At the top of each bar are the chords. These indicate to the melodic players, what notes should be played during those three beats. There are different ways to write chords (for example, that triangle inbetween the C and the 7 in bar three means major 7, which is sometimes written as Cmaj7), and everyone has their own preference, that is something that you will have to research to master.
These chords seem to be really "jazzed up" since the original that I have in a real book starts with D minor 7 and G7. They are basically adding suggestions for extensions to make it sound a little more interesting.
Another aspect of playing jazz is "comping". This is playing a chord, or inversions of a chord during the melody, or when someone is taking a solo. Comping is an art in itself, and everyone has their own style, but I suggest listening to piano greats like Thelonius monk, Bill Evans and Oscar PEterson to get a few good ideas of what you can play rhythmically with your guitar.
The last aspect is possibly the greatest part of jazz- soloing. This is the part that really drives people nuts, and makes my girlfriend tell me to turn my Eric Dolphy solo down. This is basically you, or another member of the band, play your OWN melody over the chords on the chart. There are a TON of ways to approach this, but perhaps you can start by playing something similar to the original meldody, but with a few changes to make it your own. A good idea is to incorperate some of the unique notes of the chord, like the flat 5, sharp 11, etc. in the bar that represents them.
As far as writing it goes, it is easier said than done! There are a couple of ways you can aproach this. One way (reccomended to you, from me) is to find a chord progression that you are happy with. Now that you have a good canvas, it is time to start painting! Record your chords however you can (band i a box is an invaulable tool for this).Try to sing a melody along with the chords, and then mimic them with the guitar.
Above all, listen to as much jazz as you can, and keep an open mind! A flute solo will end up sounding as beautiful as David Gilmour ripping over "Comfortably Numb".
Jazz 2-5-1 Chord Progressions?
Q. I need to transcribe a jazz solo for trombone but the solo needs to be based on a 2-5-1 chord progression. Can someone help me by giving me a list of charts based on this chord progression with a soloist. The soloist can be on any instrument (except the rhythm section like drums, piano or bass) but it would be better if the solo was on trombone. Thanks!
A. satin doll by ellington starts out with 2-5 patterns
you are to beautiful-by rodgers
cute by hefti
how high the moon
laura
these songs have 2-5-1 variations
Bossa Nova chords anyone?
Q. Hi guys!
My dad loves Brazilian/Bossa Nova music, and I'd love to learn a few chord progressions for the Bossa Nova or Brazilian jazz genre so we can work out a few improvisations on piano.
Would anyone be willing to share some?
Thanks so much! :)
THANKS to you both! :)
A. Your question does not make a lot of sense to me, but since bossa nova and Brazilian music are my favorites I'll attempt an answer. First, let me say that Antonio Carlos Jobim is the best, most influential composer since Beethoven! There is a lot of manuscript of his songs available on the net, many for free. You may want to listen to ACCUJAZZ radio http://www.accujazz.com/ which has a separate channel for Jobim compositions or AOL radio http://aolradio.slacker.com/?aolid= which has a Brazilian channel. You click on a song you like and that will lead you to more information about the song. I have downloaded several Jobim charts for free at WIKIFONIA http://www.wikifonia.org/ .
Listen to bossa a lot and learn what makes a song a bossa nova. ANY song can be played as a bossa. It is a "style" of playing. Pick a song which you like and already know the chord progression. There is no separate, defining bossa nova chord progression-- as listening to the Jobim channel will prove to you. Happy listening . . . and happy playing.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
Title : any jazz guitarist out there? or people who listen to jazz? jazz experts? jazz fusion players?
Description : Q. iv been trying to understand jazz theory ... X 8 i can play some jazz but only stuff that iv learned from the internet. its seems very d...