improvisation using simple melodic embellishment.pdf
TRANSCRIPT
Improvisa*on,Using,Simple,Melodic,Embellishment,
Mike%Titlebaum%Director%of%Jazz%Studies%
Ithaca%College%%
©%2012%Copyright%Mike%Titlebaum%
Embellishment%Techniques%• Begin%with%a%straighForward%melody%• “DisHll”%this%melody%into%half%notes%and%whole%notes%• Using%this%disHlled%version,%we’ll%pracHce%applying%standard%melodic%
embellishment%techniques:%– Passing%tones%– Neighbor%tones%
• ConHnue%by%introducing%increasingly%chromaHc%(but%sHll%fairly%straighForward)%melodic%embellishment:%– Double%neighbors%– ChromaHc%Embellishment%
• Apply%these%techniques%freely%• Hopefully,%there%will%be%Hme%for%quesHons%at%the%end,%but%stop%me%
and%ask%for%clarificaHon%if%you’re%confused%• First,%we%sing…%
Oh,%When%the%Saints%Go%Marching%In%
• We’re%about%to%the%“ramp%up”%the%pace%a%bit%• But%the%tempo%will%not%increase%• Just%increasing%the%density/quanHty%of%melodic%embellishment%
• Get%ready…%
Is%this%going%to%keep%being%“simple?”%
That%was%a%li]le%harder…%
• Next%step%is%much%more%chromaHc%• Requires%an%enHre%pracHce%rouHne%• Technique%is%called%“chromaHc%embellishment”%(credit%to%Bill%Dobbins)%
• What%is%it?%
ChromaHc%Embellishment%
• DefiniHon:%Preceding/approaching%a%target%tone%with%chromaHc%pitches%above%and%below%the%target.%
• QuesHon:%What%percentage%of%great%improvisers%use(d)%chromaHc%embellishment?%
Answer:%100%%of%them!%Audio%examples%played%three%Hmes%each%(Once%full%speed,%then%twice%slowly)%
ChromaHc%embellishment%exercises:%Two%different%cases%to%pracHce%
%• Given%a%target%pitch%(for%example,%the%halves%and%wholes%in%our%disHlled%melody)%
• Determine%the%pitch%above,the%target%diatonically%
• Determine%whether%upper%diatonic%pitch%is%a%whole%step%or%half,step%above%the%target:%
ChromaHc%embellishment%%These%two%cases%turned%into%pa]erns%
ChromaHcally%%Embellished%Major%Scale%
ChromaHcally%%Embellished%Minor%Scale%
Freely%mixed%embellishment%techniques%
• Mixing%these%is%one%way%we%move%from%playing%exercises%to%making%music%
• Primarily,%everything%we’ve%worked%on%so%far%today%has%been%melodic.%
• Now%we%will%also%alter%rhythms%to%make%it%more%interesHng:%– Adding%syncopaHons%– Delaying%or%anHcipaHng%a%target%note%by%an%1/8%
Ways%to%use%these%techniques%• Compose%your%own%simple%line%of%halves%and%wholes,%and%then%embellish%it.%%Here’s%mine:%
• Apply%to%other%songs%• Let’s%try%it%with%“What%Is%This%Thing%Called%Love?”%
• First%we’ll%sing%the%song…%
Ways%to%use%these%techniques%
Playing%“What%Is%This%Thing%Called%Love?”%
• Note%the%AABA%song%form.%%%• We’ll%start%with%the%melody.%• Then%we’ll%play%a%simple,%newly%composed%melodic%line%of%half%notes%
• Apply%embellishment%techniques%to%the%new%melodic%line%quickly%8%bars%each)%and%without%pause%
• Spend%more%Hme%(a%full%32ibar%chorus)%chromaHcally%embellishing%the%new%melody.%
• Ready?%%Try%to%follow%along…%
If%there’s%Hme…%
• When%working%on%embellishments:%How%do%you%decide%which%is%the%right%note%to%be%DIATONICALLY%higher?%
• Should%you%choose%the%next%higher%note%in%the%KEY%OF%THE%PIECE,%or%the%one%in%the%CHORD%OF%THE%MOMENT?%
ConHnuum%of%melodic%content%%of%great%jazz%improvisaHon%
CHORD,OF,,THE,MOMENT,
KEY,OF,,THE,PIECE,
The%big%quesHon%really%is:%%Which%%is%more%important%for%the%improviser?%%