lesson with nino_rajacic

nino_rajacic is a classically trained musician.. he has knowledge about jazz and wants to increase his skills on orchestration, complex harmony and so on.

in this lesson we will start with basic harmonic and scalar concepts but in a jazz perspective... nowadays most musicians learn harmony, counterpoint and theory at college, later on in life they either take it too serious or forget about it at all... my focus on today's jazz is about balance, finding your self in lost situations.. in order to accomplish this, we need to feel lost... for example... playing GIANT STEPS at 200 without knowing the tune but with a lead sheet as a reference... it's like trying to read a map while in the freeway.. you dont have too much time, but for sure you can get something out of it.... although this is a performance issue... I have done exercises myself about "composing motifs" over lead sheets such as giant steps... it is almost the same challenge as performing it...

nino_rajacic will finish an assignment that i posted under "lesson with smarty" that smarty never submitted... we will start from there..

This is the lesson you will be continuing from the other threat... i will be using sibelius, i am no longer a finale user... but if you want to work with finale then post the midi files and PDF...


We are going to start with basic Modes while we get used to learning keys...

Modes are variated scales that are related to a scale.. depending on the scale and degree of the scale you are in...

a Major scale (tonal) can be studied in many ways..

C major is the best example...

1,2,3,4,5,6,7 (all white keys in a piano)

between C and D there is a whole step.. because C and D share C#...

E to F dont share anything so there is a half step in between..

I guess you know all of this but I want to make sure that is explained well before we go on...

So, a mode would be, if we start a scale from a degree.. lets say the 2nd degree of C is D (or second note of the scale)... so if we start a D scale without changing the key, we would still have C major but starting with D.. that is called D dorian

Dorian would be 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7

notice how we use flat numbers but in classical writing there are no flats, it is just a way of saying that if we had to play a 3rd note starting on D, it would be F... and F is a minor third if we think in D...

this is how it would be if we are in the key of C:

C = C, D, E, F, G, A, B = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Ionian
D = D, E, F, G, A, B, C = 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7 Dorian
E = E, F, G, A, B, C, D = 1, b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7 Phrygian
F = F, G, A, B, C, D, E = 1, 2, 3, #4, 5, 6, 7 Lydian
G = G, A, B, C, D, E, F = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7 Mixolydian
A = A, B, C, D, E, F, G = 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7 Aoelian
B = B, C, D, E, F, G, A = 1, b2, b3, 4, b5, b6, b7 Locrian

dont get confused with scales... a D scale contains F# and C#, so a D mode in C does not contain any accidental...

the circle of fifths are perfect fifth intervals starting with C

so..

C does not have accidentals

the 5th of C is G

G contains F#... how do we know that??

we start by going from C.. so after that... whatever comes after would have an additional note that is previous to the previous note... I know it sounds complicated but it is not

This would be a circle: F, C, G, D,

so, G has a C previous, you dont change that but the previous to the previous would be F... so now you need an F#

so, D, has a G previous, we dont change that but the previous to the previous would be C, so now we add F# and C#... and so on..

Circle of fifths:

C (___)
G (F#)
D (F#, C#)
A (F#, C#, G#)
E (F#, C#, G#, D#)
B (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#)
F# (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#)
C# (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, B#)

right now i want you to focus on the circle of fiths and later on we will work on 4ths..

learn the circle of fifths...

so... your assignment would be the next:

I have attached a PDF and .MUS (finale file).. and a MIDI file... check out the PDF first if you cant open it in finale...

in the PDF I use the C scale through the whole circle of fifths... it starts going to C# instead of C when the circle hits D..

I also added what C is as a mode in every tonality (or Key or scale, however you want to call it)

So, write on Midi or Finale, the D scale using it through the whole circle of fifths the same way i did with C major.. and when you are done.. do all the other ones until C#

dont use flats, unless your sequencer dont let you use sharps for some reason.

if you can, write here or anywhere else, what function is the scale doing

example D in the key of G would be the fifth degree, therefor it should be called a D mixolydian

Here it is. I hope I understood well this task. I wasn't going on G#, D#, A#, E#, and B# (which is enharmonically C) because I supposed that is what we'll do with circle of 4 and scales with flats.

Hardly waiting next assignment.

hi nino, great job... E# is great enharmonically because of the key signature, so dont worry...

the assignment is exactly what i asked for... congrats

since i dont know the procedure of how you work with your software i want to make it clear for future reasons.

1- always, always, ALWAYS sing the notes you write or play when practicing a exercise or song...

2- be aware of each interval without using tricks like "ok, in the key of G there is an F# so i just need to write the scale of white notes and add an F# and I have my mode done"... because you would only trick yourself and if you dont know every single thing you do, then later on it wont become natural.

3- i dont think you do this but just in case.. ... if i ask you to write something in different keys do not use the "transpose" option on your midi sequencer, hehehe

so, nino, i think you did a great job and you already told me you were going to sing the lessons, everything is great.. i will be posting your new lesson soon.

lesson #2:

Flat keys.... most sax players prefer to read flat keys in a paper instead of sharps.... this happens because of the nature of their instrument... I am a guitar player and i love to play sharp keys instead.. but everytime i had to read a lead sheet or big band sheets back in my college years, i would always read in Flat Keys, because jazz is abundant of saxophones... sometimes i had to transpose myself or sometimes it was already transposed... either way... flat keys happen, whether or not you play jazz or classical music..

basic concept:

if the circle of fifths goes up perfect 5ths... it must come down with perfect 5ths... but, when you go down an interval of the same length it becomes it's parallel or relative interval, like a 5th down means an interval of a 4th... I assume you know this..

Example:
starting with C, down a fifth is F... F in C is an interval of a 4th...

fact:

C
F (Bb)
Bb (Bb, Eb)
Eb (Bb,Eb,Ab)
Ab (Bb,Eb,Ab,Db)
Db (Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb)
Gb (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb)
Cb (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb)

so, we build up intervals of 4ths, or down intervals of 5ths (however you see it)...

this system works like this:

*F is the 4th of C.. F has an accidental with the following 4th interval which is Bb....

*Bb carries his accidental which is Bb followed by the next 4th interval which is Eb

*Eb carries from the first altered note of the circle which is Bb.. F is not being altered from the beginning so it is not touched yet..
so it carries Bb, Eb and the following 4th note is Ab

it goes like that until it hits Cb because Cb already has all the 7 notes flatted...


Assignment is... the same as the first one,... write all the modes starting with Bb, Im using the F as an example, i will be posting a PDF with the example...

the catch this time is:

1-DONT USE A KEYBOARD...

2-try to sing each note and interval separation... if you get stuck or think you are out of pitch then play the first note of the scale/mode with the keyboard....

3-at the top of each note, write its function numerically:

1, 2, 3b,4, 5, 6, 7b
D, E, F, G, A, B, C

i will be posting the 3rd lesson in a couple of hours

lesson #3

now that we have seen and studied the modes with a jazz perspective let's apply this to a jazz situation...

I will add a typical jazz progression of chords... in it, i will be improvising on paper...

The art of improvising comes from many decades, but the fact about improvising on paper and knowing how each notes functions comes from the Romantic Impromptus... Pieces written at the moment.. improvised themes and variations, mainly for piano...

I have focused on Franz Schubert's impromptus's regarding this situation.

if you can, listen to any of his 8 impromptus... this is not homework, it is just a suggestion.

.................................

How does it work?

you have to keep in mind all the knowledge you have in order to improvise at your highest level... there is no THE BEST IMPROVISER OF THE WORLD... but there is the highest level of improvisation within each person's knowledge...

If a young 4 year old kid only knows C, D, E, F and does not know about G, A, B, or flats or sharps... he can improvise rhythms, structures or play really dynamically with those 4 notes (C, D, E, F)

in jazz there are not limitations in your creativity when it comes to improvising.. but there are limitations in skills, knowledge, and human aspects...

example: a guitar player cannot play a chord of 10 notes... a pianist can... so, if you are improvising and feel like playing a C MAj 9 with a sharp 11th and b15 you are going to have to leave some notes out...

in this lesson we will learn how to deal with this shortcuts and find a way out when stuck in traffic...

Traffic:

lets take a chord.. such as... C maj

C Maj is a major 3rd chord, with a fifth

that means C maj = C, E, G,

E min is a minor chord with a fifth

that means E min = E, G, B

lets put C maj and E min together...

C maj (C, E, G) + E min (E, G, B) = C maj7

ok, that is basic basic basic harmony... substitutions of chords, imposition of the third degree, relative major, however you learnt it in college..

but... in a jazz situation, we are going to actually superimpose notes from the extension, even if they are not there... that means, adding D, or F as C maj9 or C maj11......

how do we know what extensions to add?

answers:

1-based on the tonality or key signature
2-based on how the voices will resolve in the next chord
3-using escape notes or neighbor/passing tones to create chromaticism.

which one should we use?
ALL OF THEM... in order..

in real life, you use more than 3.. like advanced substituions, secondary leading tones, outside playing, bitonality, but we will get into those in lesson 5 or 6...

for this assignment lets focus on those

Example for assignment:

I will create a progression

Em7, A7, Dm7, G7, Cmaj7, Bm7, Em7, Am, D7, G Maj.

ok, in what key are we in???

at the beginning it looks like C maj7....

why?


because Em7, belongs to C maj, so does Dm7, and G7 is the dominant/mixolydian chord that really tells us what to do...

note: everytime you want to analyze a piece, try to target the dominant chords first to see where and how many times or where in the piece they hit an ionian chord... if the piece ends with ionian, it is most likely that this is the key signature...

what happens with A7?...

well, it is just a secondary dominant chord functioning as a passing chord to Dm7 which happens to be the second degree or dorian mode of C maj...

We will have a whole chapter for secondary leading tones, chord tones, secondary dominant chords, secondary diminished chords, etc in next lesson, but before we do that we have to find ourselves lost, remember that.. this is jazz, not classical training.

so, if the first 4 bars are in the key of C and it ends with Gma7, maybe they modulate.. remember Cmaj is an ionian mode in the key of C but is also a lydian mode in the key of G..

I will explain

there are basic chordal with extended 7th functions in tonal music...

those are:

Maj7 (usually the first and 4th degree of every major scale)

min7 (usually the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th degree of every major scale)

7 or Dom7 "stands for dominant 7 chord" (always the 5th degree in major tonal music)

min7b5 or half diminished (7th degree in major scales)


so, we started with Em7, and end with Gma7, we could think we are in the key of G, except for the fact that Em7 goes to a chord that resolves to Dm7... that chord is A7, the fifth degree of Dm and Dm7 does not belong to the key of G.... therefor Em7 belongs to C maj

this will all make sense as you continue working on it...

Assignment:

in order to correct and see what to do with this i will encourage you to write a phrase of quarter notes over each chord

Em7, A7, Dm7, G7, Cmaj7, Bm7, Em7, Am, D7, G Maj.

try to stay tonal, and make sense out of it... you can apply classical music rules like "resolve the leading tone up a leap", Target 3rd, no parallel fifths, etc

but, if you are going to do this tell me, so i can correct this, otherwise it will still be considered improvisation..

1-post a PDF file and a MIDI file with the notes you are using...

2-on top of each note, write the function of the note related to the chord, example: if you play over Em7 the notes G, F# you should write 3, 2

3-do it only once.. i will correct them and we will do several more but i need to correct them before we advance...

finally it is explained...

good luck.

Originally Posted by eldeni

Flat keys.... most sax players prefer to read flat keys in a paper instead of sharps.... this happens because of the nature of their instrument...

Yes I know that trumpet literature is mainly in flat keys (not counting C trumpet). And Bras ensemble gives best sound when playing in flat keys. Therefore most of brass players roll they eyes when see sharps in the score

Originally Posted by eldeni

the catch this time is:

1-DONT USE A KEYBOARD...

2-try to sing each note and interval separation... if you get stuck or think you are out of pitch then play the first note of the scale/mode with the keyboard....

3-at the top of each note, write its function numerically:

1, 2, 3b,4, 5, 6, 7b
D, E, F, G, A, B, C

i will be posting the 3rd lesson in a couple of hours

1. I used only Speedy tool in finale with sound turned off

2. I did that. Although I still hear modes as minor/major scaled with alterations. Maybe that's ok for the beginning?

3. Check.

Here are the files:

Originally Posted by nino_rajacic

Yes I know that trumpet literature is mainly in flat keys (not counting C trumpet). And Bras ensemble gives best sound when playing in flat keys. Therefore most of brass players roll they eyes when see sharps in the score



1. I used only Speedy tool in finale with sound turned off

2. I did that. Although I still hear modes as minor/major scaled with alterations. Maybe that's ok for the beginning?

3. Check.

Here are the files:

great job, now that we have covered the basics in just a few hours let's get to the fun part,

finish lesson 3 and we will do some jazz...

NOTE: however you hear modes is fine, you dont have to hear them the way other people do... it is what works best for you.. as long as you do the work..

Ok. Here it is. I'm not sure that this was the task.

You are great teacher! We're on third lesson and you got me totally "lost" as you intended.

hahaha, well, getting lost is good, getting confused is not.. so please tell me if you are confused..

anyways.. i saw the assignment.. It is well done harmonically, but musically it can get a little more interesting... lets go bar per bar..

1st bar:

you start of with E and G for E min7.. that is great

F# and E for the next chord A7... great

E and D for Dm7.... it is good, but watch for the registers... in real life it would sound better an octave higher.. but it is still good.. in fact i would do the same there..

G and B for G7... that is great.. althouh i would have gone to F to target the 7th instead.. then i would have resolved to E when we hit the C maj chord... it makes it smoother and not too scalar..

you repeat the same melody C, B, A, G for 2 bars... there is a problem with this... when we write jazz we want to repeat phrases, not scales.. and if we repeat scales we would rather do 8th or 16th notes.. and most likely we would start on an off beat...

it is not bad harmonically but in a jazz concept this should not happen..

the last bar D7 to G maj i also found a problem... you end the tune like a classical piece.. targeting 5-1 and 1... this would work in a romantic symphony, not really in jazz...

for most jazz players.. the end is the release of climax and we always add a little tension to say "ok, we went thru all this difficult changes and finally we are in the tonal center but it was not too easy.." so you leave a little off note there.. like.. try to end on the 9th, or #11, or 7th... even 3rd, but not the 1... and the D7, when we do our last dominant chord we really throw a nice tension.. like a b9 or 9, or 7th, not 5-1...

remember, it is not mandatory, but if you want your music to sound jazz then add more tension to the endings... it helps

overall, you did the assignment, and didnt have wrong notes or anything.. i saw some nice resolutions with suspensions and passing tones.. really nice..

i will give u your next assignment this weekend.. it is going to be a little longer but before i do it i will post a lesson about this that i just explained...