Jazz Improv/ Ear Training Course Syllabus

Jazz Improv/ Ear Training Course Syllabus

Mr. Richardson 566-5352

Major portions of this course will focus on the following:

Ear training: Listening to musical examples with the goal of learning to "hear" information from the music around you. For example: Key, mode, rhythm, and harmony

Improvisation: Develop the ability to spontaneously create music. This skill will develop hand in hand with your ear training and your instrumental technique.

Technical skills: Working with scales, chords (arpeggios), and other melodic patterns to help develop "chops" and your ability to play your instrument.

Jazz Theory and History: We will take time to examine how/why jazz works as an art and how we arrived at Jazz in its current form.

Transcription: Some time will be devoted to this area of musical study. One of the common ways of learn jazz is to learn from famous performances from the past. Opportunities will be given to learn famous solos and study them!

Singing will be involved in this class!!

Assessment will be tied to instruction. It could take the form of a playing test, written evaluation, class presentation or a singing performance. Notice will be given of these assessments so that you can prepare appropriately.

Improvisation is a skill! Like many other skills, this one can be developed. Some people are innately better at it than others, but with work, everyone can develop their skill level. The more you do it, the better you get at it. As Duke Ellington said "If it sounds good, it is good".