Additional Music Theory Notes Flashcards
To calculate tempo
Look at watch and count how many beats in 15 seconds, then multiply this by 4 (e.g. 25 x 4 = 100 bpm)
Identify a change in tonality
Major to minor visa versa
Three differences between the style of piano playing gate Swing and Bebop Era’s
- Bebop piano playing more in forefront of the band
- Emphasis on Bebop piano playing to be more horn like.
- Bebop piano playing used more intricate phrasing and motif development
- Comping became more interactive and percussive in Bebop piano playing
- Bebop piano playing used extended harmonies and dense voicing.
Explain the role of a ‘cabaret card’ during the Bebop era?
A cabaret card was a permit required by musicians to perform in the clubs of New York.
Anthropology - name the composers of this work ?
John Birks Gillespie and Charlie Parker
Anthropology; tempo, chord structure, melody?
Tempo - Very fast, 300 bpm
Chord Structure - many chord substitutions and chord extensions.
Melody - intricate phrasing, chromaticism, virtuosic, harmonic extensions.
Name one other famous Bebop Meldoy based upon the harmonic progression of I Got Rhythm
- Passport
- Thriving From a Riff
- Moose the Mooche
- Constellation
- Shawnuff
Stylistic role of piano, double bass and drums in bebop era.
Piano - the role of the piano is to comp interactively behind soloists or play extended harmonies or play horn like solos.
Double bass - play walking bass lines in a 4 feel to outline time.
Drums - play time on cymbals or interact rhythmically with snare drum figures or ‘Drop Bombs’ with bass drum (to accent unexpected syncopated hits) or provide solos or trade 4s or 8s with front line.
Outline the significance of Minton’s Playhouse in the development of Bebop
- Minton’s Playhouse was a nightclub in Harlem frequented by Jazz musicians who would jam there after hours.
- Jazz musicians experimented with new concepts at Minton’s Playhouse, which became the basis of the Bebop style.
Two historical factors that contributed to the development of Bebop
World War 11 affected the American economy which lead to Jazz music being financially more viable for smaller combos rather than larger more expensive big bands.
- Musicians such as Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie wanted to create a style of Jazz unique to the African American heritage to reclaim their music from the white dominance of the swing era.
Origin of the word ‘Bebop’
The word ‘bebop’ derived from nonsense syllables used in scat singing.
Guide Tones
3rd and 7th scale degree of a chord.
Used to aid in harmonization of a melody or to facilitate more technically proficient soloing and improvisation.
• Main musicians of this era:
o Dizzy Gillespie (Trumpet) o Miles David (Trumpet) o Charlie Parker (Saxophone) o Sonny Stitt (Saxophone) o Art Pepper (Saxophone) o Bud Powell (Piano) o Charlie Christian (Guitar) o Philly Jo Jones (Drums) o Charles Mingus (Double Bass) o J.J.Johnson (Trombone)
What was bebop?
• Bebop was a reaction against the rules imposed by the popular Swing Bands, and saw this music as a return to the original, improvised nature of early jazz.
Define Contrafaction
- Contra-faction was a popular technique whereby the chord (or harmonic) progression of a popular tune was taken and a new melody was created to suit.
- This was a way of ‘taking back’ the music of the white swing bands, and also one of guaranteeing an audience by using a popular and well known harmonic progression.
Examples of contrafaction;
“Whispering” “Shaw ‘Nuff”
“I Got Rhythm” “Anthropology”
“How High The Moon” “Ornithology”
Turnaround Phrase:
Finishing a piece or phrase on a V chord. Typica types of turnarounds include ii, V, I’s; vi, ii, V, I’s,; iii, vi, ii, V, I: etc
Tritone Substitution:
The substitution of the V chord (typically within a ii, V, I progression) for the tri-tone of the V. Making the chord progression ii, bII, I.
Vamp:
A repeated section, typically played over and over whilst waiting for a vocal or instrumental entry.
Rhythm Section:
The name given to the Piano, Bass and drums. Sometimes includes a guitar – but not always.
Frontline:
Name given to the single line, melody instruments in a bop combo.
Combo:
A small group – typically containing Piano, Bass, Drums and some frontline instruments (Trumpet, Saxophones ec)
Circle of Fourths:
A chord progression that cycles through a progression whereby each chord is a 4th away from the chord previous. Can be diatonic (according to scale/mode) or chromatic – or sometimes a combination of both. (e.g. C – F – Bb – Eb – Ab - Db – Gb – B etc etc)
Surround Technique
A technique whereby the desired note is approached by playing both above and below it. The jazz equivalent of a mordent.
Tonic Avoidance:
The technique by which the tonic note of each chord is NOT played. This makes soloing more difficult and therefore fits in better with the bebop ideal.
Jazz Standard:
- A jazz work that is considered one that everyone must play. Literally a ‘standard piece in the Jazz repertoire’.
SCAT singing:
Singing or improvising a solo using made up, often nonsensical syllables. First made famous by artists such as Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald (who famously ‘forgot’ the words to many songs).
Open Voicing
When the Bass note of the piano part/chord and the uppermost note in the treble are in the space of more than an octave.
Close(d) Voicing:
When the Bass note of the piano part/chord and the uppermost note in the treble are in the space of less than an octave.
Rhythm Changes
- The chords to the George and Ira Gershwin Tune “Ive Got Rhythm”. The chord progression employs an AABA form and is written out below:
a. A section: A series of ii, V, I’s in Bb Major – Including 2 ‘common tone’ chord substitutions (Eb7 and Ab7) in bar 6
b. B section: A III, VI, II, V turnaround phrase.
Modes;
Ionian
Dorian
Phrygian
Lydian
Mixo-lydian
Aeolian
Locrian
Whole-tone
Blues
Bebop
4
Major
b3, b7
b2, b3, b6, b7
b7
b3, b6, b7
b2, b3, b5, b6, b7
1, 2, 3, #4, #5, #6, 1
1, b3, 4, #4, 5, b7, 1
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7, #7, 1
Concert Pitch Instruments:
- Piano
- Guitar
- Flute
- Recorder
- Trombone (Bass Clef)
- Bass Guitar (bass clef written one octave higher)
Bb Pitch (Transposing) Instruments
- Soprano Saxophone
- Tenor Saxophone
- Clarinet
- Trumpet
- Corne
- Flugelhorn
Eb Pitch (Transposing) Instruments
- Alto Saxophone
* Baritone Saxophone
