Lesson1: Starting Out

Alright! Hi everyone. This is the first installment of Josh Jones' Jazz theory lessons online. As you all know the actual lessons will begin the second week of school but I figured I might as well show you some stuff a head of time. This Lesson will be a list of things you should know for jazz band this year from the start. Please note most examples are in concert.

Scales for Improvising over "So What"

Our warm-up this year is going to be a miles davis tune called "So What" from his album "Kind of Blue". It is a modal tune which means the song is based mainly around two modes. The D and Eb Dorian modes. The form of the song is like this:

Dm7 [Dorian] x 16 bars
Ebm7 [Dorian] x 8
Dm7 [Dorian] x 8

[which is why you have to know both the D and Eb Dorian]

The dorian mode is the scale that starts from the second note of the major scale.

The modes used in so what are Concert D Dorian

D E F G A B C D [trombones and rhythm section]
E F# G A B C# D E [for trumpets and tenor]
B C# D E F# G# A B [for alto and bari]

and Eb Dorian

Eb F G Ab Bb C Db Eb [trombones and rhythm section]
F G A Bb C D Eb F [for trumpets and tenor]
C D Eb F G A Bb C [for alto and bari]

This scale is the most practical scale to use over the two "chords" in so what as both chords contain every note in their relating dorian mode.

In the A section the chords are E A D G B and D G C F A, and when re-arranged spell out
D E F G A B C D! The dorian mode. : ) Cool huh? As you probably noticed the two chords are not normal minor chords. They are in a quartal voicing. Which means the chord contains intervals of fourths instead of thirds like in normal [tertiary] harmony.

Visit: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=U4FAKRpUCYY&feature=related
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=PIVh2o9yKcs&feature=related

both of these recordings are way cool... check them out!

Pentatonic Scales

Another scale you should get hip to is the pentatonic scale. It has five notes. Boring! Right? Wrong. Everyone from Coltrane to miles to Parker to Herbie Hancock used them they are practical and sound great. Every major pentatonic has a relative minor.

F maj pentatonic is the same as D min pentatonic [which you can use over so what!!!!]

F G A C D and D F G A C

In fact, when you put the notes from the "So What Chord" in the same octave you get two pentatonic scales!

E min - E G A B D
D min - D F G A C

or in the B section:

F min - F Ab Bb C Eb
Eb min - Eb Gb Ab Bb Db

[Definitely practice improvising with those scales to play over so what]

You can also combine the two above mentioned scales to get... The Dorian Pentatonic Scale! It is a cool sounding scale and sounds great over so what.

D F G A B

Blues Scale

Is a minor pentatonic scale with a #4 or b5 added. It looks like this:

D F G G#(or Ab) A C

It is commonly used over a blues but in the right context will work over so what.

The Dorian Bebop Scale

This scale was used by bebop players like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gilespie in the forties. It is an eight note scale and was invented so the player could play it and not have the one land on an off beat. It looks like this:

D E F F# G A B C D
or
Eb F Gb G Ab Bb C Db Eb

[practice this one over so what too!]

I will review all of these things at the actual tutorial but I figured giving you some stuff over the summer wouldn't hurt.