Additional Music Theory Notes

Question 1

To calculate tempo

Answer 1

Look at watch and count how many beats in 15 seconds, then multiply this by 4 (e.g. 25 x 4 = 100 bpm)

Question 2

Identify a change in tonality

Answer 2

Major to minor visa versa

Question 3

Three differences between the style of piano playing gate Swing and Bebop Era’s

Answer 3

• 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.

Question 4

Explain the role of a ‘cabaret card’ during the Bebop era?

Answer 4

A cabaret card was a permit required by musicians to perform in the clubs of New York.

Question 5

Anthropology - name the composers of this work ?

Answer 5

John Birks Gillespie and Charlie Parker

Question 6

Anthropology; tempo, chord structure, melody?

Answer 6

Tempo - Very fast, 300 bpm

Chord Structure - many chord substitutions and chord extensions.

Melody - intricate phrasing, chromaticism, virtuosic, harmonic extensions.

Question 7

Name one other famous Bebop Meldoy based upon the harmonic progression of I Got Rhythm

Answer 7

• Passport
• Thriving From a Riff
• Moose the Mooche
• Constellation
• Shawnuff

Question 8

Stylistic role of piano, double bass and drums in bebop era.

Answer 8

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.

Question 9

Outline the significance of Minton’s Playhouse in the development of Bebop

Answer 9

• 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.

Question 10

Two historical factors that contributed to the development of Bebop

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

Origin of the word ‘Bebop’

Answer 11

The word ‘bebop’ derived from nonsense syllables used in scat singing.

Question 12

Guide Tones

Answer 12

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.

Question 13

• Main musicians of this era:

Answer 13

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)

Question 14

What was bebop?

Answer 14

• 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.

Question 15

Define Contrafaction

Answer 15

• 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.

Question 16

Examples of contrafaction;

Answer 16

“Whispering” “Shaw ‘Nuff”
“I Got Rhythm” “Anthropology”
“How High The Moon” “Ornithology”

Question 17

Turnaround Phrase:

Answer 17

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

Question 18

Tritone Substitution:

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

Vamp:

Answer 19

A repeated section, typically played over and over whilst waiting for a vocal or instrumental entry.

Question 20

Rhythm Section:

Answer 20

The name given to the Piano, Bass and drums. Sometimes includes a guitar – but not always.

Question 21

Frontline:

Answer 21

Name given to the single line, melody instruments in a bop combo.

Question 22

Combo:

Answer 22

A small group – typically containing Piano, Bass, Drums and some frontline instruments (Trumpet, Saxophones ec)

Question 23

Circle of Fourths:

Answer 23

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)

Question 24

Surround Technique

Answer 24

A technique whereby the desired note is approached by playing both above and below it. The jazz equivalent of a mordent.

Question 25

Tonic Avoidance:

Answer 25

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.

Question 26

Jazz Standard:

Answer 26

1. A jazz work that is considered one that everyone must play. Literally a ‘standard piece in the Jazz repertoire’.

Question 27

SCAT singing:

Answer 27

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).

Question 28

Open Voicing

Answer 28

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.

Question 29

Close(d) Voicing:

Answer 29

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.

Question 30

Rhythm Changes

Answer 30

1. 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.

Question 31

Modes;

Ionian

Dorian

Phrygian

Lydian

Mixo-lydian

Aeolian

Locrian

Whole-tone

Blues

Bebop

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Concert Pitch Instruments:

Answer 32

• Piano
• Guitar
• Flute
• Recorder
• Trombone (Bass Clef)
• Bass Guitar (bass clef written one octave higher)

Question 33

Bb Pitch (Transposing) Instruments

Answer 33

• Soprano Saxophone
• Tenor Saxophone
• Clarinet
• Trumpet
• Corne
• Flugelhorn

Question 34

Eb Pitch (Transposing) Instruments

Answer 34

• Alto Saxophone

* Baritone Saxophone