Jazz Composition: Theory and Practice

✍ Scribed by Ted Pease

• Publisher: Berklee Press
• Year: 2003
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 254
• Edition: Pap/Com
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

(Berklee Press). When you think of jazz composers, who comes to mind? Jelly Roll Morton, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Bob Brookmeyer. This book is about what they (and many others) do. Jazz composition has evolved into a disciplined art that often evidences great emotional depth and breadth of sophistication. Berklee College of Music legend Ted Pease demystifies the processes involved in writing jazz tunes and in composing episodic and extended jazz works. Jazz Composition: Theory and Practice is a by-product of Pease's 25 years of teaching jazz composition. The accompanying audio files help demonstrate melody, harmony and rhythmic elements of jazz and also includes a variety of music-writing exercises focused on learning these same elements to help you begin producing your own effective jazz compositions.

✦ Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction
What is Jazz?
What is Jazz Composition?
Prerequisites: What Do I Need to Know?
Acknowledgments and Thanks
How to Use this Book and CD
Review
Scales
Modes
Tensions
Approach Notes and Other Embellishments
Anticipation and Delayed Attack
Guide Tones
Chapter 1. Melodic Considerations
Definitions
Melodic Rhythm
Melodic Rhythm Density as a Function of Style
Scale Resources
Interval Patterns
Melodic Variation via Modal Interchange
Melodic Devices and the Rudiments of Form
Motifs Based On Intervallic Patterns
Melodies Based On Guide Tones
Embellishing A Guide Tone Line
Melodies Based On Compound Lines
Antedecent And Consequent Phrases
Pitch Contour And Range
Apex (Climax)
Melodic Tensions As A Function Of Style
Source Material - Melodic Considerations
Chapter 2. Harmonic Considerations
Tonal Harmony (Major Key Orientation)
Tonal Harmony (Minor Key Orientation)
Modal Harmony
Inverted Voicings in Fourths
Modal Approach Chords
Modal Melodies
Harmonic Variation via Modal Interchange
Chromatic Harmony
Harmonic Rhythm (and Density)
Modulations
Inversions and Other “Slash” Chords
Pedal Point and Constant Structures
Pedal Point and Pandiatonicism
Harmonization
Reharmonization
Source Material - Harmonic Considerations
Chapter 3. Blues and Song Form
Form
The Blues
Blues: Harmonic Form
Blues: Melodic Form
Source Material - Blues
Rhythm Changes
Source Material - Rhythm Changes
aaba Form
Source Material - aaba Form
abac Form
Source Material - abac form
Ostinatos (Revisited)
Source Material - Ostinatos
abca Song Form
Through-Composed Tunes
Source Material - Through-Composed Tunes
Chapter 4. Arranging and Formatting Considerations
Getting Your Music Played
Two-Part Soli Writing
Background Writing/Deriving Counterpoint from Guide Tones
Intros, Interludes, and Endings
The Arranger’s Chorus
“Group Effort”
Source Material
Chapter 5. Metric Considerations
Metric Modulation
Source Material
Chapter 6. Fusion
Fusion Melody
Fusion Harmony
Fusion Rhythm
Fusion Instrumentation
Chapter 7. Episodic Form
“In Celebration of Saxophones”
Source Material - Episodic Compositions
Chapter 8. Motivic Composition
Internal Form for Motivic Compositions
“Dynamic Duo”—Internal Form
Source Material for Motivic Compositions
Chapter 9. Exended Works
Motivic Continuity in Extended Works
External Form for Extended Works
Internal Forms for Extended Works
Suite for Jazz Band
Bibliography

✦ Subjects

Jazz