Drive Through Jazz Theory

A Crash Course in Jazz Improvisation and Theory

What you'll learn

The student will begin by learning about the V, then the ii, over the vehicle of the 12 Bar Blues, then add the I over a full on ii-V-I

The student will then navigate the I, and ii7b5-V7b9-i, then utilize a preliminary version of Autumn Leaves to put both tonalities into practice.

The student will then assemble all prior explorations into a full on iii7b5 - VI7b9 - ii7 - V7, eventually using it over Rhythm Changes

In the final legs of this course the student will apply the iii7b5 - VI7b9 - ii7 - V7 to both the Fully Formed Bop Blues and Improved Autumn Leaves

Requirements

TSW need to have an intermediate level of mastery over their instrument, and be fluent with the both the Major and Harmonic minor scales in various keys

Description

In this highly effective tutorial, the 12 Bar Blues, Autumn Leaves, and Rhythm Changes are used as vehicles to rapidly yet thoroughly explore Jazz Theory and Beginning Improvisation.  This course will rapidly equip the student with a deep understanding of the most common, universal, underlying concepts of Jazz Theory, as well as train them in some basic and highly idomatic improvisational approaches (licks) to utilize over those core chord progressions.It should be noted that this fast-paced course is designed for serious, Intermediate and above level musicians.  A certain amount of instrumental mastery, and experience with both the Major and Harmonic minor scales (in several keys) is required, to make effective use of the information and techniques found herein.  The student will begin by exploing the Major side of Jazz Theory by first meeting the "V7" (and the seed lick "Indiana Bebop"), then the "ii7" (which is added to Indiana Bebop to make a "real" 2-5 lick), over the 12 Bar Blues.  We will use the most basic of Blues (the "Elvis Blues") …knowing that this progression forms the taproot of all American music.   We will then branch out into the "I Maj7", transitioning into a full on "ii7 - V7 - I Maj7", one of the basic building blocks of Jazz.  A combined Generic Lick is learned, to fit over/"realize" this full on, atomic progression.The "ii7b5 - V7b9 - i7" progression is the minor counterpart to the "ii7 - V7 - I Maj7",  and is built using same theoretical approach, except on the Harmonic minor scale.  This dark new progression will then will enable us to perform a simplified version of Autumn Leaves, and a new Generic Lick is learned, mirroring the one we knew from Major, to actualize this new tune.By assembling both the Major and minor "ii7-V7's", a fully fledged "iii7b5 - VI7b9 - ii7 - V7" is formed.  This concept is quite complex, and is broken into three separate lessons.  In the first lesson, the underlying concepts of both the Major and minor 2-5-1's are revisited, then recast into the complex chimera known as a 3-6-2-5-1.   In the next lesson, the student will learn the "3-3's", the "generic lick" to use over this complex and fleet-footed progression.  In the third lesson dedicated soley to this concept, those "3-3's" are put into real-world use over Rhythm Changes.  In our final two lessons, the skills we gained on Rhythm Changes, and with the 3-3's lick, are used as we revisit the 12 Bar Blues - now a fully formed Bop Blues - and the Complete Version of Autumn Leaves.  After taking this course, the student will be conversant with the underlying theoretical tenets of Jazz Theory, and also functional as an Improvisor in a basic fashion over all those ideas and settings.

Overview

Section 1: Drive Through Jazz Theory 1 - Groundwork

Lecture 1 Introduction

Section 2: Drive Through Jazz Theory 2 - The V

Lecture 2 The V

Section 3: Drive Through Jazz Theory 2 - the ii

Lecture 3 The ii

Section 4: Drive Through Jazz Theory 4 - the V goes with ii

Lecture 4 The V goes with ii

Section 5: Drive Through Jazz Theory 5 - The I (and Th-DA tonguing)

Lecture 5 The I (and Th-DA tonguing)

Section 6: Drive Through Jazz Theory 6 - the ii7b5 - V7b9 - i

Lecture 6 The ii7b5 - V7b9 - i

Section 7: Drive Through Jazz Theory 7 - Autumn Leaves, Part 1

Lecture 7 Autumn Leaves, Part 1

Section 8: Driver Through Jazz Theory 8 - iii7b5 - IV7b9 - ii7 - V7 - I the Discussion

Lecture 8 iii7b5 - VI7b9 - ii7 - V7 - I the Discussion

Section 9: Drive Through Jazz Theory 9 - iii7b5 - VI7b9 - ii7 - V7 - I the Application

Lecture 9 iii7b5 - VI7b9 - ii7 - V7 - I the Application

Section 10: Drive Through Jazz Theory 10 - Rhythm Changes, Part 1

Lecture 10 Rhythm Changes, Part 1

Section 11: Drive Through Jazz Theory 11 - Rhythm Changes, Part 2

Lecture 11 Rhythm Changes Part 2

Section 12: Drive Through Jazz Theory 12 - Bop Blues

Lecture 12 Bop Blues

Section 13: Drive Through Jazz Theory 13 - Improved Autumn Leaves

Lecture 13 Improved Autumn Leaves

This Crash Course is designed for those beginning their exploration of Jazz Theory and Improvisation (specifically on the Saxophone, but it is applicable to ANY instrument)