Jazz Pedagogy
*These are the basic skills you'll need to have (at minimum) to best benefit from your rudimentary Jazz studies (i.e. there's not much you can do without them!)
Pre-Jazz*Basically, you're pretty much wasting your time if you don't have these basic skills under your fingers before starting off learning Jazz.
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Pre-Beginner Syllabus (Recommended Prerequisites Before Starting the Course):
1. Basic Piano Skills:
2. Basic Music Notation:
3. Suggested Resources:
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Reading MusicDiscussion: How much reading is required to play Jazz?
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Learning Jazz doesn't require mastery of classical pedagogy; however, you will need basic basic fake book level reading skills in order to understand basic learning materials as well as to (eventually) survive on bandstands where simple lead sheets may suddenly be dropped in front of you. Once you learn the basics of reading simple melodies, you should spend time each day going through your fake book and reading the simplest tunes you can find, starting first in keys with few sharps and flats, then little by little working your way up the key centers. The keys C F Bb Eb and G will be particularly helpful at first.
Classical Pedagogy: The Complete Book of Scales, Chords, Arpeggios & Cadences Progressive Sight Reading Exercises for Piano Hanon: The Viruosos Pianist Clementi: Sonatinas, Op. 36, 37, 38 (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics, Vol.40) |
Beginner's Melodic Repertoire |
There are a handful of tunes that almost all Americans are expected to know. Besides using them for purposes of ear training, practicing site reading and developing other essential skills (transposition included), some will be useful for keeping you out of embarrassing spots (*like having just finished Giant Steps but having to pull a lead sheet on Happy Birthday at a social event.)
As a general rule, you should be able to play as many tune as this possible, meaning your aim should be to quickly memorize as many melodies such as the ones below as possible. Sample "must know" melodies:
*Also make it your hobby to also know popular TV jingles and theme songs that everyone knows depending on the audience you're playing for! The Classical Music Fake Book
The Easy Children's Fake Book: 100 Tunes in the Key of C Your First Fake Book Disney Fake Book (etc.) |
*Jazz represents a lifetime of learning; however, these are the basics that all students need to get down in order to become functional journeymen...
The Basics*A good teacher should be walking you through just about all of this in your first 3-6 months of Jazz study. Once you have it nailed, you can actually do a lot on your own!
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1. Basic Foundations:
2. Intervals and Scales:
3. Essential Scales:
4. Diatonic 7th Chords:
5. Essential Chord Structures:
key center harmonization with 4 way close 6. Resolutions and Extensions:
7. Voice Leading Principles:
8. Dominant Chords, Alterations, and Augmented Triads:
10. Basic Cadences and Progressions:
11. Blues and Counterpoint (Walking Bass Lines):
12. Melodic and Harmonic Analysis:
*Student must become adept at identifying the distance between notes.
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Scale Syllabus & Modes?
The Aebersold Scale Syllabus over time, but scales are always integrated within the context of tunes that allow for meaningful practice and exploration.
The Aebersold Scale Syllabus over time, but scales are always integrated within the context of tunes that allow for meaningful practice and exploration.
*This is not an exhaustive list of tunes. That said, it is important to learn how to recognize and play as many melodies such as this as soon as possible in order to move forward in your studies. Think of these tunes as your template of progress...
Melodic Repertoire |
This is a list of frequently called tunes that have relatively simple melodies and essential chord structures. You can start learning the melodies even before you're ready to nail the chord structures.
Bebop heads: Donna Lee, Ornithology, Scrapple from the Apple, Confirmation, Yardbird Suite, Au Privave, Billie's Bounce, Grooving High, Salt Peanuts, Oleo, Straight No Chaser, Now's the Time, Moose The Mooche |
Transcription? |
Many students ask about the role of transcription in studying Jazz. Transcription can definitely serve a valuable role in your studies, but is best done after getting the basics down.
To decide if you're ready, ask yourself:
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Transposition? |
Transposition is an important performance skill, but it's not something you need to master right away. Early on, it's much more beneficial for you to focus on building a strong repertoire of tunes. By learning a wide variety of standards, you'll get exposed to different melodies, progressions and performance techniques that will help you grow as a musician. As you become more comfortable with learning tunes quickly, whether from sheet music or by ear, you can then start incorporating transposition into your practice.
To summarize this answer: If you can do it and already have those facilities in place, sure: do it, but don't let it be a distractor. Questions to ask:
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Very Basic Voice Training |
Ear training begins with (very ) rudimentary voice training. People will tell you this over and over again, but it probably won't be until years later in your studies that you'll get it. If you can can sing it *and play it* odds are you can hear it. This book did a lot for me: The New Voice
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Connecting Chords with Linear Harmony, Bert Ligon
Harmonic Foundations for Jazz and Popular Music, Jimmy Amadie
How To Learn Tunes, David Baker
Charlie Parker Omnibook
Harmonic Foundations for Jazz and Popular Music, Jimmy Amadie
How To Learn Tunes, David Baker
Charlie Parker Omnibook
