Improvisation Jazz Music Theory Harmony Piano Techniques Chords Scales

Free online resources on the Art of Improvisation : www.musilosophy.com

FREE online resources on the Art of Improvisation

(Piano) Improvisation Technique by Musilosophy

www.musilosophy.com

Improvisation means real time composing.....

1


“I know of knowing knowing nothing” nothing” ( Socrates )

Music is based on harmony Harmony is based on chords and scales Melody and improvisation are based on chords and scales Accompaniment is based on chords and scales s cales Chords are based on scales Scales are based on physics,mathematical physics, mathematical principles and musical tradictions Musical tradictions are based on human perception,technology,economy,history,religion…

2


“I know of knowing knowing nothing” nothing” ( Socrates )

Music is based on harmony Harmony is based on chords and scales Melody and improvisation are based on chords and scales Accompaniment is based on chords and scales s cales Chords are based on scales Scales are based on physics,mathematical physics, mathematical principles and musical tradictions Musical tradictions are based on human perception,technology,economy,history,religion…

2


SUMMARY

1. Keys    

Key awareness Major Minor Scale harmonization

2.Chords       

th

Major 7 th Minor 7 th Dominant 7 th Half diminished 7 th Diminished 7 Inversions Chord degrees

3.Other scales  Blues    

Whole tone Diminished Diminished/whole tone Pentatonic

3


4.Melody           

Melody building Chordal notes Turning note Passing note Leaning note Delaying note Anticipated note Chromatic note Double leaning note Mixed note “Wrong” notes

5.Phrasing  Beginning of phrase  Ending of phrase  Imitation

6.Rhythm    

Emphasizing offbeats and upbeats Syncopation Swing Polyrhythmics

7.Practice… Practice… Practice…  Generale practice  Progressive drills  Fondamental drills

4


About improvisation  Intervals

 Improvisation with perfect fourths

 Analysis of solos

 Lydian chromatic concept

 Main chordal progressions

 Main used forms

 Improvisation tips

 Inside, outside

 “Free” improvisation

 What you have to avoid…

 Improvisation goals

77


About other music subjects

 COMPOSING  EAR TRAINING  ARRANGING  ANALYSIS

78

jazz improvisation techniques : music harmony : theory

Home: jazz improvisation : pop b lues | Pop music videos | Pop blues jazz albums | Jazz improvisation - harmony | Lingua italiana | HELP - FAQ | Introduction on the Art of Improvisation Jazz improvisation and music harmony : Summary Piano improvisation technique : introduction q

Jazz improvisation, piano improvising, music harmony and theory

q

MIOP means Musilosophy Improvisation Open Project. Site menu Blues singer songwriter jazz pianist Pop music videos Jazz piano, tutorial videos Pop blues jazz albums Jazz pianist music stores Improvisation : MIOP donation q

"Improvisation means real time composing..... Improvisation means composing new ideas....".

q

q

q

Music bases on harmony.

q

q

Melody and improvisation base on chords and scales. Accompaniment base on chords and scales too.

Im provisation and music harmony : MI OP q

q

q

q

q

q

q

Jazz improvisation and music harmony : summary Music harmony concepts Scales, modes to improvise Blues improvisation Jazz melody and improvisation Swing jazz rhythm Jazz techniques : practice

Chords base on scales. Scales base on physic, mathematical principles and music traditions. Music traditions base on human perception, technology, economy, history, religion.

You need to know the following items to improvise and compose in a right and nice way: first you have to know all major and minor scales and relative keys and all chords in every keys. Then you must play all chord inversions and the building melody techniques. You have to practice so much so you can play right melodic lines with swing and without thinking about scales, rules, keys... Phrasing is the following step.

Other resources on jazz improvisation

You must learn to begin and finish melodic phrases from every point

http://www.musilosophy.com/jazz-improvisation.htm (1 of 5)06/02/2007 7.37.04


q

q

- The world of jazz improvisation - A jazz improvisation primer

of measure. Ear training, transcribing, music harmony, transposing, voicing, harmonization are other important and fundamental techniques to learn jazz improvisation and composing. These techniques can give you the skill for express the music you have inside. Learning jazz improvisation is not simple. The theory and harmonic concepts you have to learn are few and easy to understand but the fundamental concept is just one: to learn improvisation you have to play much and practice for a longtime! I used to compare improvisation with language. Improvisation is a language, you can express ideas, concepts and emotions and sometimes much deeper than language. So, as well as you have to study and practice a lot to learn English or French or Italian so you have to do the same with music improvisation. You do not need to understand difficult concepts but without doubts you must be patient. Here in this site I offer free resources to learn this art but be patient if my English is not perfect.

I have published also another site to learn music theory and harmony.

1. Music h armony : keys

Key awareness Major Minor Scale harmonization

2. Chord charts



Major 7th Minor 7th Dominant 7th Half diminished 7th Diminished 7th Inversions Chord degrees

3. More music scales

Blues Whole tone Diminished Diminished/whole tone Pentatonic

4. Melody and improvvisation lesson

Melody building Chordal notes Turning note Passing note Leaning note Delaying note Anticipated note Chromatic note Double leaning note Mixed note Wrong notes



^ TOP

More resources on music harmony and piano jazz improvisation

5. Musical phrase

Beginning of phrase Ending of phrase Imitation

6. Music rhythm and jazz swing

Emphasizing off beats and upbeats Syncopation Swing Polyrhythmic

7. Practice and improvisation techniques

General practice Progressive drills Fundamental drills Greatest piano improvisors

If you have troubles to understand what I write, or any concepts I try to explain, send me an email. I suggest also to visit this site on piano jazz improvisation.



^ TOP

Learning jazz improvisation and piano improvising

You can learn to improvise. If you know music harmony and you practice on your instrument one hour per day learning improvisation is easy. I think is one of the greatest, important Art. Remember to listen the greatest improvisers : Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Pat Metheny, Miles Davis and many, many others...

...and do not forget that Music must be pleasant.

©2005-2007 Paolo Parrella. All rights reserved


music phrasing : jazz improvisation : music phrasing

Home: jazz improvisation : pop blues | Pop music videos | Pop blues jazz albums | Jazz improvisation - harmony | Lingua italiana | HELP - FAQ | How to compose a melody Jazz melody and improvisation Jazz phrasing : imitation technique Music phrasing Music theory and mistakes q

Music phrasing in jazz improvisation

q

q

Practice to end the phrase on the different tones of a chord and to make the action I propose.

q

The fundamental element to build a good phrasing is that every phrase must be connected with the Site menu Blues singer songwriter jazz pianist Pop music videos Jazz piano, tutorial videos Pop blues jazz albums Jazz pianist music stores

previous ones.

q

1. Remember to vary the beginning and ending of a phrase:

q

q

q

q

Improvisation and music harmony : MIOP Jazz improvisation and music harmony : summary Music harmony concepts Scales, modes to improvise Blues improvisation Jazz melody and improvisation Swing jazz rhythm Jazz techniques : practice q

q

q

Practice to begin and to end the phrase in every point of the measure

q

q

B = Beginning tone

q

q

E = Ending tone

AVOID this bad habit : (Same beginning and ending points )

^ TOP

Ending of a phrase

Practice to end a phrase on different tones of a chord:

Tone 1

2

Effect

Style

Rest - Close the

Rock, Pop

You have to begin a new

phrasing

You

phrasing

Tension and unbalance

Jazz

http://www.musilosophy.com/music-phrasing.htm (1 of 3)06/02/2007 7.37.38

A ction

You have begin the following phrase from that note


3

Rest and strong

Any style

determination Tension, unbalance and

4

suspension

5

Rest and neutral

6

7

A bit of tension and coloured tone

Jazz, Blues Any style Jazz, Pop

A bit of tension and

Jazz, Blues

determination

Pop

No particular action Begin from that note and solve it to the tone below No particular action I suggest to begin the following phrase from that note No particular action

This aspect of improvisation is very important

^ TOP

Music phrase : phrasing development

Practise to end the phrase on the different tones of a chord and to make the action I propose.

Na = no particular action T = Tension Ba = Begin again S = Solving tone

Another example containing a wrong ending tone ( Tension is not solved or begun again).

E-mail Contact


© 2005-2007 Paolo Parrella All rights reserved


me


chord charts : scale harmonization : major : minor keys

Home: jazz improvisation : pop blues | Pop music videos | Pop blues jazz albums | Jazz improvisation - harmony | Lingua italiana | HELP - FAQ | Chords and music harmony q

q q

q

q

q

q

q

Music harmony, chord families Chord charts and keys Learn chord charts Major seventh Dominant chord chart Minor seventh chords Half diminished chords Diminished chord

Chord charts in all major and minor scales Musical chords derive from the scale's harmonization: it means superimposing notes over a scale's degree by thirds. Every scale can be harmonized, but western music bases above all on major and minor scales' harmonization.

Here are all chords of each Major and Minor (Natural, Harmonic, Melodic ) key Site menu Blues singer songwriter jazz pianist Pop music videos Jazz piano, tutorial videos Pop blues jazz albums Jazz pianist music stores Improvisation : MIOP donation

You must know and play them.

q

Music bases (above all) on these chords.

q

q

^ TOP

q

q

q

Major key chord chart

Major key has two major seventh chords on I and IV degrees; there are minor seventh chords on II, III and VI degrees while dominant 7 chord is on V. Half diminished chord is on

Improvisation and music harmony : MI OP Jazz improvisation and music harmony : summary Music harmony concepts Scales, Modes to improvise Blues improvisation Jazz melody and improvisation Swing jazz rhythm Jazz techniques : practice q

q

the VII degree of major key. I, II or IV, and V are the most used chords. Classical pop progressions are I - VI - IV - V or I - III - II - V. However, in music you can find every combination of all these chords.

q

q

Pay attention to IV degree (Major with augmented 4th )

q

q

q

q

Here are the major and minor scales with their chords

http://www.musilosophy.com/chord-charts.htm (1 of 8)06/02/2007 7.39.40




^ TOP

Harmonic minor key chord charts

Harmonic minor key is the classical minor scale; I think it is the true minor scale because the natural minor ones is similar to the major scale while melodic minor scale is less used. This scale has minor major seventh chord on the first degree; there are major chords on III and VI; half diminished chord is on the second degree, diminished 7 on VII and minor seventh is on fourth one. Dominant seventh chord is on V and it has also minor ninth and minor sixth!

q

Here is the harmonic minor chord chart





^ TOP

Melodic minor key chord chart

Melodic minor scale is less used than natural and harmonic scales but it is important. Pay attention to IV degree ( seventh chord with augmented 4th) and to II degree (min 7th )

q

Melodic minor chord chart



Pay attention to II degree ( half diminished ) and to VII degree ( diminished seventh ) ^ TOP

Natural minor key chord chart

Natural minor scale is much used in pop, dance, classical and jazz tunes. It has a catchy sound and many people love it! However, it has the same major scale's chords but they have different position. For example, in D natural minor key, C7 is on the VII degree while in F major key it is on V degree. Pay attention to V degree ( Minor 7th) and to VII degree (7th chord)

q

This is the natural minor chord chart





These chord charts are the harmonic base of classical, jazz and pop music. They derive, above all, from J.S. Bach but also other great classical composers.

^ TOP

Considerations on seventh chords and their key

Seventh chords are complete chords, in the sense that they have the main notes that determine the harmony of a chord. The fundamental, the third, the fifth and the seventh (said "chorda notes") does understand the key and the type of a chord. Besides they may determine, comparing with the chords near, to what key it belongs and then from what scale's degree is produced. In my pop blues music, I use nearly only seventh chords that have a complex but non too dissonant sound.

You can learn everything about improvisation reading articles, watching tutorial videos and listening solos published on the Web. Internet offers you a great resource to learn music harmony, theory and improvisation but the best resource is your passion for this art!

©2005-2007 Paolo Parrella .All rights reserved


jazz techniques : improvisation : general music practice

Home: jazz improvisation : pop b lues | Pop music videos | Pop blues jazz albums | Jazz improvisation - harmony | Lingua italiana | HELP - FAQ | Rhythm and swing Jazz techniques : practice Music techniques : coming soon articles Art of improvisation project General improvisation tips Music studying : general tips q q

q

Jazz techniques and practice for improvisation General jazz practice

q

q

Site menu Blues singer songwriter jazz pianist Pop music videos Jazz piano, tutorial videos Pop blues jazz albums Jazz pianist music stores q

q

I suggest these progressive exercises: Learn all major, minor and ... blues scales First play the scales for an octave just with the right hand, then with both hands; play for 2 and 4 octaves with both hands

q

q

Learn all chords of every key

q

Play the chords of every key with right hand then with both hand Im provisation and music harmony : MI OP Jazz improvisation and music harmony : summary Music harmony concepts Scales, modes to improvise Blues improvisation Jazz melody and improvisation Swing jazz rhythm Jazz techniques : practice q

q

q

Learn to analyze music Practice to analyze every music style with scores or if you want by ear. Write keys, chord types, degrees of the chords, modulations

q

q

(key changing) on the scores. Analyze melody and write the

q

q

harmonic role of every note (Chordal note, turning note, passing note......).

Arpeggiate all chords Arpeggiate all 7th chords with right hand (but not only) in their four inversions.

Begin to improvise just using the chordal notes Improvise only on a chord and using just the four chordal notes http://www.musilosophy.com/jazz-techniques.htm (1 of 5)06/02/2007 7.42.09


( also out of time ) Improvise just using continuous eighth notes, eighth-triplet notes, sixteenth notes. For pianists : improvise on a song using just the four chordal notes, moving the melody up and down the whole keyboard and playing the chord with the left hand. (You have to play this chord around C4 and moving the notes less possible when you change the chord )

Improvise using a melodic item one at time Practice a melodic item out of time and just on a chord Improvise using the suggestions on musical phrase

Practice a phrasing item out of time and just on a chord

Some important considerations

Mastering these jazz techniqu es needs many, many hours of playing but it is amusing and you can feel what creating music means. Besides, these techniques are the same of composing songs or any other music style. Composing is easier than improvising because you can correct your mistakes. However I will suggest you some easy techniques to 'correct'some melodic 'errors'. Sometimes many new and interesting ideas come from so called harmonic 'errors'.

http://www.musilosophy.com/jazz-techniques.htm (2 of 5)06/02/2007 7.42.09


^ TOP

Improving jazz practice and techniques

Ear training Use this free tool - Functional ear trainer Transcription - Powerful! Select your best songs or solos and transcribe them on paper using your piano or keyboard, then transpose them in all keys. I think this is the MOST IMPORTANT AND POWERFUL DRILL TO LEARN IMPROVISATION

Transposing Transpose some phrases in all keys Singing Sing the notes you are improvising

Search

www.musilosophy. Web

com ^ TOP

Listening great artists to analyze jazz techniques

Listening Every musical style but good music, that is great artists When you listen to music, analyze it!



Piano improvisors Listen to these masters of piano improvisation:

Bill Evans Keith Jarrett Herbie Hancock Chick Corea Ahmad Jamal Oscar Peterson Bud Powell McCoy Tyner Many others...

Improvisors Other instruments:

Miles Davis ( Trumpet ) Charlie Parker ( Alto Sax) John Coltrane ( Tenor Sax ) Pat Metheney ( Guitar )

^ TOP

Resources and jazz practice on the Art of improvisation

So, you need to work following several directions: studying music harmony, developing your hearing, listening great artists and above all playing many hours on your instrument: remember to play correct harmonic and melodic notes and above all do not play random sounds.



© 2005-2007 Paolo Parrella All rights reserved


http://www.miles.be/

welcome to www.miles.be probably the best FREE ear training resource on the internet Homepage of Alain Benbassat

table of contents

http://www.miles.be/ (1 of 3)06/02/2007 7.43.05


Ear T raining Products Download Functional Ear Trainer - Basic (freeware) Download Functional Ear Trainer - Advanced BETA2 (freeware) Functional Ear Trainer on Linux? Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

"This is a great and very useful tool. It's exactly what we practiced a lot at Berklee but I've never come across an application like this."

Ear Training Articles Ear Training: A Direct and Logical Path (by John Mark Piper) The Most Important Skill That Most Players Don't Have (by Tom Hess) Contextual Ear Training (by Paula Telesco) Transcribe, transcribe, transcribe! (by Ron Gorow) The 'Charlie Banacos' Exercise (by Frank Singer) "Oh you'll hear it" (by Peter Sprague) Perfect Pitch? (by Chris Aruffo) Making a Living as a Guitar Music Transcriber/Arranger (by Dale Turner)

Ear Training Books Books I Like Bird Song Ear Training Guide

About Me Who Am I? Who the Hell is Miles? My Music Links

Important note: a lot of virusses are spreading themselves by e-mail, using fake e-mail addresses. If you receive an e-mail from miles.be with an attachment, please do not open it and delete it! Such e-mails are not sent by me...

Copyright © 2004 - Alain Benbassat




The Home Page of Alain Benbassat

welcome to www.miles.be probably the best FREE ear training resource on the internet Homepage of Alain Benbassat

Back to table of contents

Ear Training Products

http://home.scarlet.be/~abenbass/fet.html (1 of 5)06/02/2007 7.43.29




Functional Ear Trainer is a critically acclaimed ear training suite containing two programs: s s

Functional Ear Trainer - Basic Functional Ear Trainer - Advanced



Both programs are different from the traditional ear training programs where you typically have to guess intervals, scales, chords, and rhythms. Functional Ear Trainer presents an original and very effective way to learn to recognize notes in the context of a key. This is a proven method that, with a little bit of effort, really works. Functional Ear Trainer Basic and Advanced are FREEWARE. If you want to support me, consider making a donation. Functional Ear Trainer is only available as a Microsoft Windows executable. It will NOT run on Mac. However, it runs fine on Linux using Wine. More info...

Functional Ear Trainer - Basic Principle The program establishes the key or tonality by playing a chord sequence, followed by a random note. The user has to guess what note was played. How? Every note has its own function within the key and wants to resolve to the nearest tonic. The help page describes a method to learn to hear this resolution to the nearest tonic, and so know which note was played.

System Requirements - Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP - Minimum 64MB of RAM - Minimum 10MB free disk space - Soundcard or MIDI device

User Comments "Great program, it helps me a lot for my hearing test at school!!! Thx man !" read more...

Independent Review Functional Ear Trainer got the rating 5 out of 5 from the emagazine Cyberfret.

License FREEWARE

read more...

Current Version Version 1.1 - 2 December 2002

Download Now right-click and select Save Target As... (approx. 1.5MB)

Functional Ear Trainer - Advanced Principle Based on the enormous success of Functional Ear Trainer Basic, the idea was expanded by playing two notes after the key or tonality has been established. The user has to answer 3 questions: 1) What was the first note? 2) What was the second note? 3) What is the interval both notes form?

The missing link between interval training and note-in-key ear training!


How? Try to hear how the two notes resolve to the nearest tonic using the method you learned in Functional Ear Trainer - Basic. Then

Improvisation Jazz Music Theory Harmony Piano Techniques Chords Scales

Recommend Documents