Jazz Improvisation Unit 01

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YAKIMA VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE MUS 198 Jazz
Keyboard Fall 2008 Lenny Price Unit 01
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Review Syllabus Course Schedule
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Instructor

• Lenny Price
• Kendall 113
• [phone]
• lenny_at_lennyprice.com
• Office By appointment
• Class 510-600pm MW

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Required Text Marohnic, Chuck. Jazz Keyboard
Study. Rottenburg, Germany Advance Music, 2000.
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Description

• Introduction to keyboard fundamentals, harmony,
  and jazz chord voicing. Course is primarily
  designed for non-pianists.
• Prior successful completion of MUS 102 (Music
  Theory I) and MUS 107 (Beginning Class Piano) are
  strongly encouraged.
• Two hours coaching per week. May be repeated for
  credit.

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Course Objectives
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Objective 1

• Write major scales in all 12 keys and perform on
  the piano with at least one hand

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Objective 2

• Perform guide tones on the piano in all 12 keys

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Objective 3

• Aurally recognize, read, write and perform on the
  piano ii-V7-I progressions in major

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Objective 4

• Perform chord progression of jazz standards using
  3-note voicings on the piano

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Requirements

• Attend class regularly this is mandatory and
  necessary for success in jazz keyboard class.
• ALWAYS have a pencil.
• All assignments should be completed prior to the
  beginning of class on the day that they are due.
  Unless a prior arrangement has been agreed upon,
  late work will receive a failing grade.
• Written assignments should be neatly copied using
  correct notational techniques.

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Grading

• In-Class Playing Assignments 35
• Quizzes 20
• Midterm Comprehensive Playing Test 1 20
• Final Comprehensive Playing Test 2 25

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Absences / Tardies

• 3 unexcused tardies 1 excused absence
• 3 unexcused absences final grade being lowered
  one full grade
• Excused absences only for health (doctors note
  required) or emergencies (personal or family)

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Evaluation

• Evaluation is constant throughout the term
• Records of progress will be based upon completion
  of written assignments and performance of
  assigned exercises and tunes

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Playing Tests

• These tests will occur two times during the
  course of the quarter and are cumulative
• The midterm exam and playing test 1 covers all
  material covered prior to Week 5, whereas the
  final exam and playing test 2 are comprehensive
  with an emphasis on material covered after Week 5
• These tests are mandatory and will be
  administered in Kendall 120 during the regular
  class time

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Performance Standards

• Grading for playing tests will follow the
  guidelines of the YVCC Jazz Jury Rubric

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Course Schedule
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Course Schedule

• Sep 22, 24
• Introduction, Harmonic Elements, Voicing Errors,
  Major Scales, Guide Tones
• Sep 29, Oct 1
• Take Home Assignment
• Oct 6, 8
• 3-Note Voicings, ii-V7-I Progressions
• Oct 13, 15
• Standard Type Tune
• Oct 20, 22
• Autumn Leaves
• Oct 27, 29
• Review Midterm Playing Test 1

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Course Schedule

• Nov 3, 5
• Embellishing the Core
• Nov 10, 12
• Harmonic Enhancement
• Nov 17
• Bb Blues
• Nov 24
• F Blues
• Dec 1, 3
• All the Things You Are
• December 8-10
• Final Exam Playing Test 2

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Introduction
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Introduction

• The purpose of this course is to acquire
  fundamental jazz keyboard skills. The ONLY way to
  successfully achieve the goals is daily practice
  using the following method
• Learn and understand the theory
• Learn the feel of the skill being mastered
• Learn the information by hearing (aural
  recognition)

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Elements of Harmony
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Elements of HarmonyMelody

• The most important of all elements, it takes
  precedence over all other elements

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Elements of HarmonyCore

• The 3rd (or 4th) and 7th. This represents the
  quality of the chord

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Elements of HarmonyFundamental

• Usually the root and occasionally the 5th. This
  element gives a foundation to the harmony.

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Elements of HarmonySupport

• The most creative area of harmony. Color notes
  are added in support of the melody. They can be
  in the form of additional notes to a given chord
  or they can be in the form of a counter melody,
  or both.

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Common Voicing Errors
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Common Voicing Errors

• There are several reasons why chords end up
  sounding incomplete or even wrong.
• The most common reasons are as follows

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Common Voicing Errors

• Incorrect 3rd or 7th (or both)

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Common Voicing Errors

• Incomplete core when either the 3rd, (4th), or
  7th is missing

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Common Voicing Errors

• Chord is out of balance. This usually happens
  when the intervals are space too far apart.

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Common Voicing Errors

• The inside b9. For example, if the chord is a
  major 7th with the root in the melody, the 7th
  and the melody create the interval of a b9. To
  correct this, pianists often substitute the 6th
  for the major 7th.

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Keyboard Awareness
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Keyboard Awareness

• The standard keyboard, shown above, has groups of
  2 black keys and groups of 3 black keys.

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Keyboard AwarenessExercise 1

• To be done by feel only, with no looking or
  glancing at the keyboard
• With the right hand at the top of the keyboard
  (far right), find a group of 3 black keys. Play
  these 3 keys simultaneously (block style). Then
  moving down the keyboard, crawling and feeling
  the keys as you move, find and play each group of
  3 black keys block style. When you reach the
  bottom of the keyboard, reverse direction and
  continue the exercise back up to the top.

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Keyboard AwarenessExercise 2

• To be done by feel only, with no looking or
  glancing at the keyboard
• With the left hand at the bottom of the keyboard
  (far left), feel and play block style each group
  of 3 black keys up and down the keyboard.

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Keyboard AwarenessExercise 3

• To be done by feel only, with no looking or
  glancing at the keyboard
• With the right hand at the top of the keyboard
  (far right), follow the same procedure as in
  Exercise 1 but this time with the groups of 2
  black keys.

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Keyboard AwarenessExercise 4

• To be done by feel only, with no looking or
  glancing at the keyboard
• With the left hand at the bottom, of the keyboard
  (far left), follow the same procedure as in
  Exercise 2 but this time with the groups of 2
  black keys.

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Next Class

• More Keyboard Awareness
• Major Scales
• Guide Tones

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Reference

• Heerema, Elmer. Progressive Class Piano. 2nd ed.
  Van Nuys, CA Alfred Publishing Company, 1984.
• Marohnic, Chuck. Jazz Keyboard Study. Rottenburg,
  Germany Advance Music, 2000.
• Palmer, Willard A., Morton Manus, and Amanda Vick
  Lethco. The Complete Book of Scales, Chords,
  Arpeggios Cadences. Van Nuys, CA Alfred
  Publishing Company, 1994.

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