Course Syllabus

Course: MUSC 3306

Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
Department: Music
Title: Jazz Improvisation I

Semester Approved: Fall 2022
Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2027
End Semester: Summer 2028

Catalog Description: This course is designed to teach musicians the basics of jazz improvisation, especially with regards to the performance and understanding of historical jazz vocabulary, chord/scale relationships, rhythmic interaction within the ensemble, stylistic concepts of melodic interpretation, and the rhythmic interpretation of scales. Exercises will include performing required scales in a variety of rhythms, performing major and minor ii-V-I jazz vocabulary licks in all twelve keys, performing required jazz standards by memory, and transcribing and performing several historical jazz solos, both written out and memorized. This course is required for instrumental performance majors in the Bachelor of Music in Commercial Music degree program.

Semesters Offered: Fall
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 2; Lecture: 2; Lab: 0
Repeatable: Yes.


Prerequisites: Admission to the degree program

Justification: This type of course is being offered at most of the four-year institutions in the State of Utah and is a regular course offering throughout the country. It is usually offered as part of a student's music major elective courses at institutions where there is no specified major in jazz studies and as a major course at institutions where there is a major in jazz studies. This course typically transfers as elective and/or major credit.


Student Learning Outcomes:
Students will learn assigned scales, including Pentatonic, Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian, Bebop Dominant, Bebop Major, as well as select modes of the Jazz Melodic Minor scale, in all 12 keys. Students will perform assigned scales verbatim in class, and demonstrate their understanding of these scales by using them to improvise over standard jazz song forms.

Students will learn assigned scale degree and chord tone patterns in all 12 keys. Students will perform assigned scale degree and chord tone patterns verbatim in class, and will demonstrate their understanding of these patterns by using them to improvise over standard jazz song forms.

Students will learn jazz standards as assigned throughout the semester, approximately 6-12 per semester. Melody, chord symbols, chord arpeggios and form will be learned and memorized. Students will perform assigned jazz standards (repertoire) in class as a "jazz combo", in various keys, styles, tempos and meters, as assigned by the professor.

Students will have midterm and final transcription assignments, which must be written out, memorized and analyzed by notating scale degrees and chord symbols. Students will hand in a written copy of the transcription, with notated scale degrees of each note, corresponding to the chord symbols in each measure. They will also perform the transcription from memory in class.

Students will complete short transcription assignments throughout the semester. These must be written out, memorized and analyzed by notating scale degrees and chord symbols. Students will hand in a written copy of the transcription, with notated scale degrees of each note, corresponding to the chord symbols in each measure. They will also perform the transcription from memory in class.

Students will learn the history and place of their specific instrument within jazz, and learn about important jazz artists from the beginning of jazz to the present. Students will be given listening assignments and articulate what they learned from those assignments in class.


Content:
This course will include the following topics:Scales: Pentatonic, Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian, Bebop Dominant, Bebop Major, as well as select modes of the Jazz Melodic Minor scale, in all 12 keys.Scale Degree and chord tone patterns.Jazz Standards as assigned. Both traditional American Songbook standards as well as bebop hard-bop classics will be included in course repertoire.In class performances with other students.Listening Assignments.Short Transcription assignments (20-30 seconds).Midterm and Final Transcription assignments (1-2 minutes).Course will explore the historically significant stylistic components of jazz improvisation. Students are encouraged to express their unique background and cultural heritage via musical improvisation.

Key Performance Indicators:
Scale & Scale Pattern Assessment 25 to 30%

Repertoire 20 to 25%

Transcription Assignments 25 to 30%

Historical Listening Assignments 15 to 20%


Representative Text and/or Supplies:
Jazzology, by Robert Rawlins and Nor Eddine Bahha.Current Edition.


Pedagogy Statement:
Each student's ability and level of experience will vary. This course is split into two sections: beginning and advanced. The beginning section will deal more with the basics, i.e. scales, stylistic detail, authentic jazz language. The advanced section will delve into more of the intricacies and nuances of jazz improvisation within a jazz performance setting, i.e. playing songs in a variety of keys, styles, tempos, and meters. The course is designed such that it can be tailored specifically to a given student group's needs. Specific song names, transcription assignements, listening assignments, and scales/scale degree patterns will vary from class to class, depending on specific needs. This course cannot be a one-size-fits-all solution, and thus, the instructor must take into account the individual needs of the student group, and even the individual student. Students of all backgrounds and abilities are encouraged to explore their artistic and expressive interests.

Instructional Mediums:
Lecture

Maximum Class Size: 20
Optimum Class Size: 12