If at all possible, choose scales in the key or mode of one of the pieces you plan on rehearsing.

Written Resources

Printed scale exercises are available from a number of sources. The warmups in the Standard of Excellence Jazz Ensemble Method include all the scales used in the charts for the method, as well as the related arpeggios. First Place for Jazz takes players through major, mixolydian, dorian, and blues scales in three different keys. 

These activities warm up the fingers and prepare the ears for what is coming next.

Ear Training and Internalization

In place of reading, another approach is to teach the scales or chords by ear alone. While this process takes more time, the scales become much more internalized. Begin by teaching the root of the scale or chord, and gradually add more pitches until the students know all the relevant pitches. Depending on available rehearsal time, you may wish to add only a note per day or only two notes per day until the entire scale or chord is learned. 

Putting Scales and Chords to Work

Apply what students learn immediately by having them improvise with the scale, chord, or with the notes that they know. This can be out of time, or your drummer can add any kind of groove you or the students choose! 

Do not neglect the rhythm section. Guitar, piano, and bass can do this exercise along with the winds. Drums can either play vibes or another mallet instrument if they are not playing different grooves under the scale exercises.

MakeMusic Cloud includes great jazz repertoire, too. Try it free for 30 days.

Make It Manageable

Remember, you don’t have to learn everything in all 12 keys in one rehearsal! Keep everything bite-sized and take the long view. Persistence is key. Be creative and have fun!

The post Quick Rehearsal Tip: Creative Warmups for Jazz Ensembles appeared first on MakeMusic.

Once students have an internal sense of how the music is supposed to sound, realizing it on the instruments becomes much easier.

But Ella Fitzgerald Isn’t In My Class

It is important to remember that this kind of rehearsal technique is focused on rhythm and articulation. While singing to match pitch has wonderful benefits, pitch matching is not the purpose of this kind of singing.

Students should not attempt to sing their parts at pitch (an extremely difficult task especially for inner parts) but should instead develop an inner sense of the sound, feel, and direction of the music.

Every note has a beginning, a middle, and an end. The attack is the beginning of the note. The middle is the sustain and the end is the release. Rhythm and phrasing is most defined by the attack and release of the note. Tight rhythm and phrasing are products of the ensemble playing attacks and releases consistently together. Full sounds and good intonation are the products of consistent sustain.

Using Syllables

Reproducing instrumental phrasing with the voice requires the use of syllables. Syllable choices should mimic the articulation and phrasing desired, and should take into account the attack, sustain, and release of the notes. I like to use syllables that also encourage good use of the tongue and airstream so when players return to their instruments the transition is a little bit more seamless.

Attack

Syllables that begin with a “D” sound provide the most accurate representation for most attacks. Even though the “T” sound is often taught to beginners and may be more familiar to young players, I have found that this produces a very choppy and over-articulated feel – especially on passages with moving notes. A good firm “D” allows for both a solid attack as well as smooth connectivity between notes.

Sustain

Sustain should be an open vowel sound. Just like at the doctor’s office, “AH” keeps the throat open but still relaxed and encourages the free movement of air. Combined with a “D” attack, the “DAH” syllable provides a clean start to the note with a full sustain.

Release

The release of a note is just as important to the rhythmic feel as the attack. Jazz releases are often abrupt and tongued to fully realize the rhythmic intensity. While this kind of articulation is rarely used in the concert band (I can still recall my director telling me “Don’t stop the tone with the tongue!”), it is very much a part of jazz vernacular. For this kind of sound, the “D” is usually a little too soft. Stopping the air with at “T” sound provides the cleanest possible release.

Accents and Note Lengths

Even if we understand how to play the beginning, middle, and end of notes, there is more to consider for a satisfying musical performance. Musical elements can be studied and dissected to extreme degrees. Think about the difference between p, pp, and ppp. That’s three degrees of soft! Sometimes, trying reach that level of detail can be overwhelming.

I prefer to keep things much simpler. Either a note is long or short, and accented or not accented. Using this rubric, we can create a series of syllables that can be used in most situations.

From First Place for Jazz, © 2011 Kjos Music Press, Neil A. Kjos Music Company, distributor. Reprinted with permission.

Most of these syllables speak for themselves (pardon the pun). I use ALL CAPS to indicate accent or emphasis. The “T” is used at the end of notes with a defined release. It is important to remember that all vowel sounds should be the open “AH” regardless of the vowels used to spell the syllables.

Short notes (dut and DUT) should still be considered shorter versions of “daht” and “DAHT.” I chose this spelling over “dat” as I did not want to encourage the more spread vowel sound that would rhyme with “cat.”

Swing

The other syllables in the table are used when playing triplet subdivisions—which most of the time means swing! Phrasing 4 eighth notes as “da-da-da-da” with a triplet subdivision creates a swing feel that is solely based on rhythm placement.

Swing is somewhat about that, but true swing feel comes more from the slightly different emphasis of each eighth note. Just sing “da-ba-du-da” and then “da-da-da-da” and you will hear precisely what I am talking about.

Try these out in your rehearsals. Encourage students to sing how they want to play. They may feel a little awkward at first, but that will pass the more that this becomes a part of the rehearsal fabric. Give it a try, and let me know how it goes!

The post The Jazz Band That Sings Together Swings Together appeared first on MakeMusic.

As a uniquely American creation and something that has influenced music, visual arts, and society at large, I believe jazz deserves an honored seat at the head table of the artistic bounty. Here are just a few of the life lessons I have learned from this music.

1. Play Well With Others

Jazz is an example of what happens when a group of individuals comes together to create something that is greater than the sum of their individual parts. Every contributor in a jazz band brings a unique skill set, a unique part, a unique responsibility. Success will only happen when all of these elements work together.

Participants must be willing to offer what they can while accepting what others can give. Sometimes they need to dial back their individual desires for the good of the whole, while at other times they need to assume a leadership role. All of this happens in a dynamic environment that requires trust and support from everyone.

When it all comes together, there are few things on Earth that are more beautiful.

2. Listen, Then Speak

“I always learn more when I am talking than when I am listening,” said no one ever. There is a reason we have two ears and only one mouth.

We are more reasoned and empathetic when we take the time to better understand the world around us before we express ourselves. Jazz is an aural music. It was developed, shared, and grown by players listening to and imitating sound.

It is impossible to be a jazz musician and not be a good listener. Jazz musicians must constantly listen to those around them. It is the only way the music works. If jazz musicians are not listening to one another the only end result is pandemonium and musical inertia. Jazz demands careful listening from both the performers and the audience. Anything that encourages listening before talking is worthy of our attention.

3. Share

Jazz is the ultimate social music. Its roots are in group improvisation and dance. If a jazz musician does not share with other musicians or the audience, the end result is again going to be disappointing.

Sharing applies to many contexts. A musician can have the greatest and most creative ideas in the world but they will go nowhere without the support of others. A performer must be willing to share these ideas with others in order for them to reach their full potential.  While there are certainly many examples of superb solo performers, most jazz music is performed in groups and these groups only work when all players are willing to share their technique, musical skills, and other talents.

Jazz musicians share their very lives as well, because life experience plays such a role in how they express themselves. Everyone has something to offer, and when we share with others we make the world a better place for everyone.

4. Respect Everyone

Jazz musicians draw inspiration from across the musical spectrum. Its very beginnings blended slave songs with European form and harmony. It is difficult to imagine two more disparate lineages to bring together.

Jazz musicians have always been open to reaching outside of themselves to further the art and are the most respectful of styles and genres different from their own. Two well-known examples include Dizzy Gillespie blending Cuban music with jazz and Miles Davis fusing jazz and rock.

Contemporary performers like Esperanza Spalding and Norah Jones bring jazz techniques and sensibilities to their creative performances. Even if we may struggle at times to define styles of modern music, labels are far less important than quality.

Duke Ellington said, “There are two kinds of music, good music and the other kind.” Jazz musicians avoid “the other kind” by respecting and borrowing from across the musical spectrum. We would do well to do likewise.

5. Be Yourself

Jazz is the ultimate self-expression music. Jazz music thrives on the individuality of the performers, even if it is performed in a group. The improvising soloist is the obvious example of this, but many of the great bands that have come to define the music were unique collections of individuals.

Duke Ellington famously wrote his players’ names on their parts for his band. Most arrangers simply write “Alto Saxophone 1” implying that the part could be played by anyone. Ellington named the individual player for his parts (in the case of Alto 1 he would write “Rabbit,” meaning Johnny Hodges). These parts were not written for a generic alto player, Ellington had Hodges in mind for the entire piece, not just for the solos Hodges would play so beautifully.

All of us have something unique to share with the world and the world is a better place because of it. Jazz music exemplifies this.

CODA

Upon further review, I realize these aren’t ways to appreciate jazz, they’re reasons why we should appreciate jazz.

To make good on the promise of my title, here are five ways we can appreciate jazz:

1. Buy a jazz recording
2. Attend a live jazz performance
3. Read “Music is my Mistress” by Duke Ellington
4. Join your local jazz society
5. Help crowdfund a new jazz project by a local jazz artist

I also encourage you – and your students – to honor jazz this month (and every month) by playing the music.

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