Catalog Description
- Transfer Status
- CSU/UC
- Prerequisite
- MUS 3
- Unit(s)
- 3.00
- Lecture: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
- Total: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
Course Description: This course delves into the realm of jazz theory and explores diverse jazz styles from a practical perspective. Through the studies of jazz harmony and melody construction in improvisation, students learn how to arrange and compose for jazz ensembles. Covered topics include historical awareness of the subject, terminology, chord symbols, clear lead sheet notation, transpositions, and scales, rhythms, and harmonies commonly used in jazz and popular music.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
- Identify and construct all diatonic triads and 7 chords
- Recognize chord progression patterns
- Re-arrange a song through harmonic reconstruction
- Compose a melody and arranging it for a jazz ensemble
- Discuss the social and cultural contexts shaping jazz
Course Content
Topic Titles / Suggested Time Topic
Lecture
| Topics | Lec Hrs |
|---|---|
Brief introduction to jazz: How does jazz work? | 3.00 |
How improvisation works in jazz | 3.00 |
Rhythmic notation and considerations in composition and improvisation | 3.00 |
Intervallic series and modes | 3.00 |
Transposition and scoring for wind instruments | 3.00 |
Chord types and allowable scales | 6.00 |
How to improvise on your instruments | 3.00 |
Harmonization and extended harmony | 6.00 |
Split chords and upper tension triads | 6.00 |
Scoring for big band: Intro, chorus, solo sections, and coda | 6.00 |
Part extraction and full score arrangement | 3.00 |
Experiments in jazz | 3.00 |
Jazz and intercultural collaborations | 3.00 |
| Total Hours: | 51.00 |
Methods of Instruction
- Class Activities
- Collaborative Group Work
- Group Discussions
- Guest Speakers
- Homework: Students are required to complete two hours of outside-of-class homework for each hour of lecture
- Instructor Demonstrations
- Lecture
Methods of Evaluation
- Quizzes
- Oral Presentation
- Projects
- Class participation
- Written Assignments
- Music composition and notation
Examples of Assignments
Reading Assignments
- Please read the introduction section of Kei Akagi's book, and prepare to discuss what jazz is in our next class meeting.
- Please read Aakash Mittal's "A Universal Music" and contribute to this week's discussion board by writing a paragraph on how do you think genre and labels affect creativity in music.
Writing Assignments
- Compose and notate an 8-bar melody for alto saxophone and transpose it correctly. Include the concert pitch score.
- Compose and notate a lead sheet on Old McDonald song. Include a 500-1000 word paragraph explaining your process and how you made decisions throughout the process.
Out-of-Class Assignments
- Analyze the given chord progression using lead sheet symbols and be prepared to discuss in class.
- Compose and arrange a piece for a jazz ensemble. Your piece must include an intro, chorus, solo sections for at least 3 soloists, and outro. Ensure to create individual parts for each instruments and be prepared to discuss in class.
Recommended Materials of Instruction
Gary Lindsay. (2004). Jazz Arranging Techniques. Staff Art Publishing, 1st. 978-0976027300.
Other Learning Materials
A "Seriously Short Introduction to Jazz Theory" by Kei Akagi (April 2015)
Minimum Qualifications
Music (Masters Required)