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JAZZ
GUITARISTS DREAM
The
Mystery of Jazz Harmony:
THIS METHOD OF COMPOSITION CONSISTS OF KEY SIX-VOICE PATTERNS
THAT CONTAIN HARMONIC EXTENSIONS UP TO THOSE EQUAL 13TH
CHORDS.
THE METHOD OF COMPOSITION USES CIRCLES OF FIFTHS, WITH
GENEROUS CHORD SUBSTITUTION, AVAILABLE POLY-CHORDS,
LINE-PROGRESSIONS AND MELODIC POTENTIAL. THROUGH THE SYNTHESIS
OF CHARTS BASED ON JAZZ HARMONY IN MAJOR ARISES A 'COMMON
DENOMINATOR' (so to speak) THAT ALTHOUGH SHARED, IN ESSENCE,
BY ALL MAJOR KEY PROGRESSIONS IN JAZZ, IS NOT CLEARLY DEFINED
IN A FORM THAT IS READILY ACCESSIBLE THROUGH MOST INSTRUCTION
METHODS. A CLEAR REFERENCE TO THIS CORRELATION IS MADE UNDER
THE
THEORY
LINK IN THE MAIN MENU.
THE "COMMON DENOMINATOR"
IT IS SIMPLY THE CONVENIENT ALIGNMENT OF UPPER CHORD TENSIONS
ON THE FRET BOARD WHEN A COMPOSITION IS BUILT FROM
PROGRESSIONS OF CHORDS WHO'S ROOTS ARE BASED ON A PHRYGIAN
(rather than diatonic) OR MORE ACCURATELY DEFINED, AN "INTERVALLICLY
INVERTED DIATONIC SCALE & WITH THE ROOTS OF THE 'i' THROUGH
'VII' CHORDS DESCENDING THROUGH THE SCALE, RATHER THAN
ASCENDING".
(copyright©1999-2002
Frank Spagnolo)
FOR THE IMPROVISATION SYSTEM DESCRIBED HERE, THIS HARMONIC
CONVENIENCE IS APPLIED TO WHAT'S MORE OBVIOUS, THE GRAPHIC
NATURE OF THE GUITAR FRET BOARD. TOGETHER, THESE FURNISH
ACCESSIBILITY TO HARMONICALLY COMPLEX JAZZ IMPROVISATION WITH
POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT TO MUSICIANS WITHOUT FORMAL MUSIC
EDUCATIONS.
MAJOR, MINOR, DOMINANT, AND A VERY EXTENSIVE VARIETY OF CHORD
TYPES ARE UTILIZED BY THIS SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY. HOWEVER, IT
SHOULD BE NOTED THAT COMPOSITION IN MINOR "KEYS" IN
JAZZ COULD NOT BE READILY ORGANIZED IN SUCH A CONCISE FASHION.
TO THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY, EXPERIENCE, DEXTERITY, EAR, RHYTHM & TASTE ARE INDIVIDUAL
MATTERS.
IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT THIS SYSTEM OF JAZZ IMPROVISATION WILL
BE, AT THE VERY LEAST, OF SOME INTEREST TO ANY TECHNICIAN OF
THE GUITAR FRET BOARD WHO IS INSPIRED BY AMERICAN JAZZ AND WHO
HAS NOT YET MASTERED JAZZ GUITAR THEORY (I think that would
include most of us). "Jazz Guitar Improvisation in ONE
Lesson!" IS DESIGNED FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO
IMPROVISE TRUE JAZZ BUT WHO ARE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, NOT
LIKELY ACHIEVE THIS LEVEL OF IMPROVISATION BY STUDYING THEORY
IN THE TRADITIONAL FASHION.
THOUGH THIS METHOD OF LEARNING IS NEW, THE SYSTEM IS BASED ON
TRADITIONAL AMERICAN JAZZ HARMONY.
Comments & Criticisms are welcome,
Frank Spagnolo frank@musician.org
IT IF YOU'VE READ ALL OF THIS, IT IS PROBABLY ALREADY OBVIOUS
TO YOU THAT THESE DIAGRAMS AND SURELY NOT A FRET BOARD GRAPHIC
STYLE SYSTEM FOR THEIR APPLICATION ARE NOT FOUND JUST ANYWHERE
IN A CONCISE FRAMEWORK AS IT IS PRESENTED HERE. TRUE CLASSICAL
AMERICAN JAZZ IMPROVISATIONAL SKILLS ARE WITHIN REACH.
Certainly this system for improvisation can be enjoyed
along with the study of jazz theory. Even though the latter
may take more years than many will actually be willing to wait
for results, extensive study of theory is quite interesting
and knowledge also improves listening skills and pleasure.
Sincere thanks for your interest.
Best of Life to you, friends!
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