Jazz improvisation

Jazz improvisation is an important aspect of jazz. Basically, improvisation is composing on the spot and coming up with melodies off the top of one's head. Traditionally, jazz improvisation was distinguished from other forms of music improvisation by its chordal complexity, often exhibiting ii V progressions in multiple keys. However, since the release of Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, jazz improvisation has also come to be associated with modal harmony and improvisation over static key centers. The connotation of jazz improvisation changed again with the emergence of the late period work of John Coltrane, which featured jazz improvisations that are arrhythmic, "out-of-key," formless, and avant garde. There are several techniques that jazz improvisers utilize, many of which apply to multiple types of jazz:

Modes

Main article: Musical mode

Modes are the all the different musical scales derived from various chords. Musicians can use these "modes" as a pool of available notes. For example, if a musician comes across a C7 chord. The natural mode to play over this chord is a "C mixolydian" scale.

These are various chord derivations: C7 → C mixolydian C-7 → C dorian Cmaj7 → C Ionian (natural major) Cmaj7#4 → C Lydian mode Csusb9 → C phrygian C- → C Aeolian mode (natural minor) CØ/C-7b5 → C Locrian

Targeting

One of the first concepts of jazz improvisation is targeting. The main idea of targeting is basically landing on the important tones of a chord. A chord is built up of the 1,3,5,and 7th degree of the scale. These are the "most important" tones in the chord. There are a number of ways to target a chord tone. The first is by ascending or descending chromatic approach. This means playing the note above or below one of the chord tones. In the key of C, the notes in the chord are C(1),E(3), G(5), and B(7). So by playing an E flat at the end of a line then resolving to an E, this would be one basic example of targeting and would be targeting the third of the chord(E).

"Flat 9" theory

Another approach to improvisation is known as the three to flat nine theory. This is a very Be-Bop approach to improv, just like targeting. This technique is just using the third of the chord (in c it would be E), and playing the flat nine of the chord with it in various ways (in c the flat nine would be D flat). This technique has a very distinct and unique sound to it.

Pentatonics

Pentatonics are a more advanced method to improvisation. John Coltrane used pentatonics extensively. Most scales are made up of seven notes: (in the key of C – the major scale) C D E F G A B). The pentatonic scale comprises only five notes of the major scale (C pentatonic scale is C D E G A). Pentatonics are useful in pattern form and that is how they are usually played. One pattern using the pentatonic scale could be 3 6 5 2 3 5 (in C: E A G D E G).

Cells and lines

Lines (also known as licks) are pre-planned ideas the artist plays over and over. Lines can be obtained by listening to Jazz records and transcribing what the professionals play during their solos. Transcribing is putting what you hear in a record onto music paper. Cells are basically the same things as lines, but they are shorter.

Phrasing

Phrasing is a very important part of Jazz players set of improvisational skills. Instead of just playing a collection of notes that would work based on the chords, harmony, etc., the player builds an idea. The player makes a melody. Great examples of this are found in classical music. In Beethoven's fifth symphony the first idea is played and then again with a slight variation.

See also

• Chord-scale system

External links

• Philosophy and Jazz Improvisation