/r/jazztheory

Photograph via snooOG

A place to discuss jazz theory.

A place to discuss Jazz Theory, and its applications in music.

Apart from the rules that apply to any subreddit, this sub has only one additional rule:

All posts must be related to jazz theory.

Posts that aren't may be removed without notice. See this post for details.

/r/jazztheory

26,237 Subscribers

1

Can anyone give me jazz theory recource recommendations?

2 Comments
2024/11/01
10:44 UTC

4

Looking for some insight into how to carefully solo on these changes

I am an electric bass player and one of the tunes I have a solo on at an upcoming gig has some odd changes that I can’t seem to quite nail.

I have solo’d over these changes at a past gig but never feel like I wind up playing anything that really contextualizes the chords.

Looking for any thoughts advice or insight on how to approach these bad boys. Each chord is held out for a whole measure, and the last two for half a measure.

C# m11, B maj6, A maj13, Gm7, F#7

Thank you!

7 Comments
2024/10/31
18:00 UTC

1

Just Friends Jazz Etude Bossa Nova

0 Comments
2024/10/31
01:13 UTC

6

How to know what extensions to use for the tritone sub?

Whenever jazz pianist play tritone substitutions, they rarely just play the dominant 7th chord. Usually they add 9ths, 11ths and 13ths, which can be either sharp or flat. How do I know what extensions to play?

9 Comments
2024/10/29
01:03 UTC

4

Guitarist new to Jazz, where should I start?

Hii! I’ve been really getting into Jazz music recently and would love to play and improvise over stuff, but I don’t know where I should start to progress my playing.

I’ve been playing guitar for around 2 years almost every single day (missed a few here and there unfortunately) and have progressed decently I think :)

Any help would be appreciated, thank you!

17 Comments
2024/10/28
12:53 UTC

3

Everybody's Somebody's Fool - Red Garland Intro, Head, and Solo Transcription & Performance

1 Comment
2024/10/28
00:49 UTC

1

Notation Help/Review

So l've been challenging myself with notating difficult things. I wrote a little something over some chords to see if I could then notate it properly. Pen ran out of ink and I screwed up near the end but this is what I got.

I'd really appreciate help critique and assistance thank you.

1 Comment
2024/10/28
00:05 UTC

1

Millers Moonlight Serenade

Hi there,

This is quite specific, but I was wondering if anyone has any info to share on the analysis of Millers Moonlight Serenade? I’m looking specifically for elements of music (form, harmony, chord structure, progressions, rhythm etc.). I’m doing a project on this and there really is very little info on the harmonic elements of the tune. Websites seem to focus on the songs historical/societal impact rather than the ins and outs of the structure. Any info would help!

Thanks.

1 Comment
2024/10/26
19:48 UTC

1

can anyone help me with the chords on this?

12 bar form, all I can hear is a series of ridiculous ii-vs, but it’s unbelievably pretty.

2 Comments
2024/10/26
09:42 UTC

2

Are there any resources on comping for early jazz/bebop?

4 Comments
2024/10/24
15:36 UTC

20

How do you know key changes by ear?

And how do you transition smoothly? Cus my brain still hears it in the original key during the change

I'm trying to get better at playing by ear, so I'm trying to practice on different kinds of songs, but when I play things like "didnt we" by frank sinatra, the key changes sooo much and I don't know how to know whick key it changed to or if it even changed at all.

Do I have to be good at chords first, or is this a completely different skill? I can only do melodies because I thought I've thought I should master melodies before I start them. Is this a good idea, or should I learn them at the same time? (Btw im talking about by ear, not chords like Cmaj, rather III chord etc)

Also, sometimes the key doesn't even change, but it feels like it's switching between major and minor

7 Comments
2024/10/24
02:52 UTC

3

Advice for amateur organ solo over simple groove!

Hi everyone, I’m playing keys (CK88 with an organ effect) in an amateur band, and we’ve got a section where the singer will introduce us for solos. We’ll be playing over a simple progression—E minor to A7— (a full 4/4 measure each) repeating with a groove similar to Santana’s style.

I’m not super comfortable with improvisation, so I was wondering if anyone had tips or simple licks I could use? I’m looking for something basic but effective that fits with the vibe. The concert is in 3 days.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

5 Comments
2024/10/23
01:07 UTC

10

Grading difficulty of lead sheets specifically from the perspective of a harmonic rhythm player.

I’m a graduate student doing early research into my specific skill area, which is jazz guitar education. In particular, I’m interested in studying the challenges of working with ‘novice compers’ who are tasked with being handed an entirely new language to learn (sight reading chord symbols on lead sheets). One of my most vivid pain points in my under grad was being tasked with this new skill and having to just struggle to support my ensemble for years before I learned the language enough to swim confidently.

I’ve been reflecting on this, and I’m interested in learning more about existing resources or teaching materials that ‘grade’ lead sheets specifically on their difficulty to comp harmonically. Obviously, in practice a working musician can simplify or lay out changes as needed to support thr music; I am specifically examining this from an educational ensemble perspective for a novice who is very new to the role of comping for a rhythm section. Are there any teaching standards or organizations that do work in this specific aspect?

7 Comments
2024/10/19
20:27 UTC

2

What is this Brazilian Groove?

My teacher is positive that this groove's 1 is on the 16th pickup-sounding note to that guitar riff in the intro. If you turn up the volume way in the start, there's brushes for a few measures that do line exactly up with that note which would suggest it's the 1. This means the chord hits are on the e of 2 and 4. I slowed it down and listened and, I think that's ultimately right. It makes some of the sketchier vocal rhythm make more sense (not perfect imo, but still).

It's pretty intuitive to play that guitar riff. However... teacher plays the drum kit and I keep defaulting to like a backbeat groove thing that lines up the 2 and the 4 on the chord hits. So in addition to what's the groove... how do you all practice a groove that isn't as intuitive? Thanks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z5KPuJOdbw

3 Comments
2024/10/18
05:48 UTC

15

how does moving major keys around by major thirds work?

I was playing a song that moved from an A5 chord to a Bflat5 chord and playing dmajor on the A5 and Bflat major on the Bflat5 seemed to work, but when trying to work this out i also came across the idea that Dmajor7 moving to Bflatmajor7 just works really well and i cannot work out why! Also i found that Dmajor7 TO Bflat major 7 TO Gflat major7 creates like a cycle that repeats forever and sounds really good.

9 Comments
2024/10/16
04:08 UTC

3

Weird jazz group

Hey I am very new to jazz and me and my freinds want to know if this set of instruments can play jazz well

Flute Tap shoes Bass guitar Keys Trombone Any advice is appreciated

5 Comments
2024/10/13
15:37 UTC

1

A Gal in Calico - Red Garland Intro and Solo Transcription & Performance

3 Comments
2024/10/13
12:38 UTC

21

Quartal voicings

I'm a new jazz enthusiast here, please excuse me if this is a silly question. Quartal voicings for chords sound really rich when i hear pianists play it my i cannot seem to be able to properly form these chords myself. Spacing notes by perfect 4ths end up including many chord extensions but not the essential tones.

Is there a correct way to do this? Can u point me towards a book or a video that demonstrates the process? Thank you in advance

9 Comments
2024/10/09
09:47 UTC

0

Was bebop

The first “Africanized” African American genre with no European influences?

24 Comments
2024/10/08
23:08 UTC

4

more improvisation oriented question but how do i apply language over modal tunes

specifically night in tunisia. every time i play it i usually revert back to playing the same thing which is basically versions of the d minor pentatonic or harmonic minor over the a sections. the problem is i want to be able to use enclosures and bebop language over the a section but i dont know how since the chord changes every measure. maybe this is just a hard thing for me to do. but how would i practice this?

5 Comments
2024/10/08
03:13 UTC

2

I know I’m using layman’s terms when I say this especially for jazz I wanna hear some that has a heavy use of minor / harmonic minor / diminished flavors that dark spooky jazz sound.

If you know of any songs or players that use a lot of minor / harmonic minor / melodic minor / augmented / diminished sound send some tracks my way. Especially for this Halloween season! Anytime I lookup Halloween jazz it’s just the lyrics that talk about spooky stuff the music itself doesn’t sound match it.

19 Comments
2024/10/06
06:27 UTC

0

What European techniques

Are in modal jazz and cool jazz

0 Comments
2024/10/06
05:54 UTC

1

Kenny Kirkland Transcription on The Ballad of Chet Kincaid

1 Comment
2024/10/04
19:02 UTC

1

What to practice to play fast lines like this?

5 Comments
2024/10/03
22:01 UTC

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