Associate Prof. Lance Van Lenten

NA 339-793-0204

2L Wed 9-10, Thurs 11-12, 12-1

Please use a 3 ring notebook, it will be checked periodically. No cell phone use in class.

Bring your instrument, class participation is an important part of your grade.

A grade of A or B will be applied to the Berklee Elective.

Email: lvanlenten@berklee.edu

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**Additional texts include: "Berklee Jazz Harmony" Book by Joe Mulholland and Tom Hojnacki;"Comprehensive Technique for Jazz Musicians and "Connecting Chords with Linnear Harmony"by Bert Ligon; "Creative Jazz Exercises" Vol 1, 2, 3 by Lance Van Lenten; Hal Crook and Jerry Bergonzibooks, and other sources; supplemental class materials will be shared via Google Drive

2015  Theory  in  Performance  Syllabus    Week  1a,  Course  overview,  handout,  approaches  for  improvisation,  chord  scales,  UNT/LNT,  analysis,  assignment,  Intro  Quiz    Week  1b,  Ligon  outlines,  intro  to  melodic  minor  and  harmonic  minor  modes,  minor  harmony,  assignment    Week  2a,  continue  melodic  minor,  start  pentatonic  scales,  assignment    Week  2b,  continue  pentatonic  scale,  harmonic  development,  melodic  development,  assignment    Week  3a,  continue  pentatonic  scale,  diminished  scale,  melodic  development  continued,  assignment      Week  3b,  continue  melodic  development,  symmetrical  shapes,  constant  structure,  assignment    Week  4a,  modal  interchange    Week  4b,  minor  harmony    Week  5a,  modal  harmony    Week  5b,  final  quiz      

Approaches for Improvisation “Approaches”, such as those listed below, can be used to initiate and develop an improvised solo. They are described with text, charts and exercises in this book.

A solo Approach can be practiced as a technical exercise until it becomes a subconscious part of Improvisation. Space between phrases, varied articulations

and dynamics should be applied to all improvisation Approaches.

Horizontal Playing – Simplifying chords and progressions to a general tonality and common tones; altering pitches in basic scales to fit changes; using rhythm, repetition, space, etc to make small amounts of material interesting.

Vertical Playing – Relating to the differences within chords in a progression; use guide tones and tensions to let the listener know that you can navigate through the song progression. Resolve phrases into target notes such as the 3rd, 5th and resolve tensions.

Patterns – Creating motion using patterns; “draw the listener in” with a pattern sequence; imply tonality (such as II-V pattern, blues lick, etc), imply tonality or raw chromaticism as an effect (also known as intervallic improvisation) – usually end on a chord tone or tension to complete a phrase.

Melodic Development (Motives) – Using a melodic/rhythmic motive or multiple motives (or intervals) to engage listener (material from the song is effective); embellish with approach notes; create melodic variation using contour, transposition, extension, fragmentation, etc. Creating "call and response" phrases.

Color (Tensions/Non-harmonic Notes) – Using tensions and non-harmonic notes to “brighten” or “darken” melodic lines (for example: Lydian brightens Major chord, Phrygian darkens minor chord); use super scales (different root from chord – for example B minor pentatonic on CMaj7); and super chords derived from extensions and non-parallel sources.

Pedals (Pitch and Rhythm) – Emphasizing a common tone or pivot note is very effective in rock, blues and modal music; repeated rhythmic figure (such as a hemiola) to interact with rhythm section – commonly done on modal songs.

Harmonic Development –Implying more harmonic movement such as adding mini-progressions (passing and substitute chords), substitutions, super chord progressions; anticipation chords/progressions, secondary dominant chord cadences, etc.

Rhythm – Focusing on the center of the beat, laying back (tail end of beat), pushing the beat against the rhythm section (forward motion); adding chromatic approach notes and tension/resolution to create a sense of moving forward.

Vocal Phraseology – Using vocal effects; rhythm of lyrics or verbal phrase; use pitch shaping, emotion, dynamic contrast, articulations, “bluesiness” space.

Sound Painting – Treating the rhythm section sound as a canvas; impressionism; atonality; shading and density – “sound as a color” rather than a harmonic unit; think of images, nature, emotion, etc.

Styles and Effects – Using: stylistic interpretation based on the genre of music (rock, blues, bluegrass, avant garde jazz, etc); use range to create interest; effects unique to your instrument; use varied articulation, bends, vibrato, growls, etc. Creating “peaks” and “valleys” in your solo.

3

Scales and Their Relative Chord Types Scales have a recognizable shape that can be manipulated by the improviser. The placement of approach notes to chord tones within a scale and the resolution of color (tension) and passing (harmonic and non-harmonic) tones to chord tones create motion and interesting shapes.

Scales that are both parallel (from root of chord) and non-parallel (different root than chord) fall in three general categories:

Tonic sound (T) – This type of scale “sounds” like the given chord because it includes many chord tones along with some tension tones (color tones) and no or just a few passing (non-harmonic) tones*.

Color sound (C) – This type of scale contains enough color tones (tensions and passing tones) to give it different degrees of brightness or darkness. The resolution of color tones creates a variety of shapes and temporarily shifts the focus on tones other than the root of the given chord.

Passing sound (P) – This is a scale that is especially dissonant against the given chord because it primarily contains passing tones. It works in weak harmonic stress areas such as a V7 that resolves into a target I chord, the transition of a modal progression section or as a passing scale in combination with a tonic or color scale.

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