jazz – Page 8 – Modern Music Theory Improvisation and Application

A Natural Minor Scale/Chords/Arpeggios:

Posted on January 19, 2024February 10, 2024 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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A Natural Minor Scale/Arpeggio:Basics

Please watch video above for detailed analysis:

Hi Guys,

Today a quick look at the Chords,Scale and Arpeggios of the A natural minor scale.

To begin with this scale is exactly the same as the C Major scale but starting on the 6th degree:

Chords of Major

Chords of A natural minor

Next we will play through and exploit and “Colour” the arpeggios of the scale:

A minor

B Diminished

C Major 7th

D minor

E minor

F Major

G Major

We will now descend in broken chords in groups of 4 notes.

Exploiting the arpeggios over different chords of the scale:

Here are a few examples of playing a different arpeggio over a different chord of the scale:

arpeggios-c-major-scale-superimpositions

Scale ideas:

Here is a basic way of breaking up the scale by employing triplets:

First we will do this on one string:

Now we will cross all 6 strings:

This time we will employ 16th’s in 4 note groupings of “Tetrachords” creating a double time smooth pentatonic line.

tetrachords-a-natural-minor-scale-example-pentatonic

We can change the Dominant [minor] chord in the A natural minor scale and make it Major:

With this in mind we realise that the G natural is now a G# and so we can employ the A Harmonic minor scale to play over it.

Here is a simple 2 finger fingering:

a-harmonic-minor-scale-dominat-chord-example

Now, let’s extend this:

We could also use the E7 Arpeggio:

Finally, we have a lick with an arpeggio [that also implies a triad pair] going to a pentatonic phrase:

PDF DOWNLOAD:

a-naural-minor-scale Download

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12 tone jazz/fusion 20c classical quartal/quintal lines

Posted on October 21, 2023November 1, 2023 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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12 Tone Jazz/Fusion Quartal/Quintal improvising and composing concepts

Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today, a look at employing 12 tone rows for Quartal and Quintal improvising and composing.

Here is the first row: Notice the movement of 5ths and 4ths.

Now, we will play it backwards with retrograde motion or reversal: Also, notice the use of changing register.

Full 2 bars:

In this next example we will employ Triadic movement and semitone connections.

In the following part we connect triads directly:

Finally, we will add some non 12 tone notes to complete the phrase:

From here we will exploit the tone row and make 4 bars of music from it: Here is the 12 tone row:

We will now copy it and change register: Notice that the last four notes descend:

Now, that we have this we will reverse both bars and create another 2 bars of music:

Lastly we will join together 2 different rows: We will break these up a bit with the first part acting more like a vamp:

The second part employs quintal and quuartal movement once again:

PDF DOWNLOAD:

12-tone Download

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The Practice Notebooks Of Michael Brecker: Book Review

Posted on July 17, 2023July 30, 2023 by Modern Music Theory and Application

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The Practice Notebooks Of Michael Brecker: Book Review

IMPORTANT: Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today I am reviewing the amazing collection of entries from Michael Brecker’s practice notebooks. With over 700 entries there is a lot to choose from.

Okay, let’s get started.

This book goes through the different decades of Michael Brecker’s musical life, starting from 1967 through the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and up to 2002.

There are six books within this:

In order to do justice to this collection of entries I will analyse a few.

From this it is revealing and in many cases surprising because Michael Brecker starts with such a simple seed, an almost childlike simplicity which is then expanded on with many of his trademark improvisational techniques.

This in turn opens the door to Michael Brecker’s improvisational mindset, self study and developmental nature:

EXAMPLE/ENTRY 1:

michael-brecker-practice-notebooks-book-review-examples

Here, we can see a ii V7 I which becomes a turnaround: [Notice the employment of Dominants]. The Am7 chord slides up a semitone to the Bb7 chord which then moves in the cycle of 4ths to Eb7 to Ab7 which then slides down a semitone again to the tonic key G.

But, what makes this line unique is the connecting of the solo line: Because the harmonic rhythm is moving at such a fast rate [1 chord per beat] the solo line needs to connect seamlessly.

And so it does. Above we see the G to Ab to G back and forth employing the same smooth semitone connection which finally resolves an octave lower.

Joe Henderson Line

The next example is from an entry that Michael Brecker took from Joe Henderson:

This example is interesting because we see one of Brecker’s trademarks, “Sidestepping”.

This little line starts off with a simple piece of scale that then incorporates side stepping,

This then connects to a scalic bebop style lick which then cadences beautifully with a minor 6th interval.

MODULES

The next example demonstrates Michael Brecker’s use of 4 note modules.

This module is exploited in a short line.

Below we can see the module that then connects to a simple minor 7th arpeggio.

This then slides down a semitone to connect the module again. Finally, finishing with a lick

COUNTDOWN

The last example is a phrase from the classic jazz repertoire “Countdown”.

This again is unique due to its structuring with simple triads and motifs/modules:

Below we see the modules/motifs repeated, but, moving down in Major 3rds.

Next, we see the filling out with the simplistic employment of basic triads:

Below, we see the minor 7th arpeggio, triads and final rudimentary cadential lick.

CONCLUSION

This was just a quick look at a few entries that Michael Brecker would expand on, play in all 12 keys and use a as basis for extemporisation, composition and improvisation.

This book is for the serious student of improvisation, wether a beginner or pro and anyone seeking to get into Michael Brecker’s mind and understand his ways of working/practicing as an improviser.

Lastly, I would like to thank all the people at Sher.co music for putting me on to this amazing book!

Click Book Cover For Link