Jazz Festivals » Chord Symbols

What is a Chord Symbol?

admin2 — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 02:12:25 +0000

Frequently used as a form of notation, chord symbols are used primarily utilized in many forms of modern music and even some jazz styles. The main difference between these types of notation is that the chord symbols do not display the function of the chord. If you look at classical music, the Roman numerals can often be difficult to read, especially if the piece contains a lot of changes.

The Root

The root is what points the musician in the direction, of, obviously, the root of the chord. You must also bear in mind that chord symbols also take into account inverted chords. It may also be the case that under some circumstances the chord will have a root that is NOT the base note. As an example, in the E6 chord, the root will be E. If, however, there is a diagonal slash below the original symbol, then the chord’s symbol note will differ from the root note.

Quality

This will tell you whether the chord you are looking at is major, minor, diminished or augmented. As an example: in the symbol Cmaj7 – the maj is telling us that the C chord is a major chord. As you might expect, the abbreviations relate directly to the type of chord: maj, min, dim and aug.

The Extension

The extension is what tells the player whether or not the chord differs from a triad (a third chord). If you take the example above, Cmaj7, you will see that the chord is a seventh. When there is no number in this position, the player is to assume that the chord is indeed a triad.

Alteration

(no fifth) – the chord must be played with the fifth tone removed.

(sus) – signifies that the musician is to play the fourth scale note over the third. Sus is simply an abbreviation for suspension.

(-) – usually followed by a number, the minus sign refers to the lowering of a chord tone.

(+) – the opposite of the minus sign, and therefore refers to the rise of a particular chord tone.

Alterations are there to give any specific (and often seemingly irregular) instructions to the musician as they play the chord. The alteration is always written in parenthesis after the extension. The above is a brief breakdown of some of the most common alterations. The alterations in chord symbols are a bit like the appendix in a book – and it serves much the same purpose.

When you look at a piece of sheet music, instead of seeing the music note for note, you will be able to understand more of the direction in which the music is going. Even better is the accompanying ability to improvise and make your own sounds – the beginning of a wonderful relationship between you and your music. Being able to read these chord tones will serve the musician in much the same way as a legends list on a map serves a lost navigator.

By: Lauren Paltrow

What is Jazz?

admin — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 03:23:48 +0000

HOW JAZZ MUSIC WORKS
Jazz is like a musical language. When the musicians play, it’s as if they are talking to each other in jazz language. Most jazz music is based on a tune or a theme. The tune might be made up specifically or it might be based on a popular tune. A jazz group, or line-up has two parts: the rhythm section and the front line.

THE FRONT LINE
Front-line instruments are the ones that play solos during a jazz piece. They are given this name because the players usually stand in front of the rhythm section. Front-line instruments include the clarinet, trombone and the right-hand side of a piano.

THE RHYTHM SECTION
The rhythm section is a part that keeps a steady pulse. It also plays harmonies for the front-line instrument to improvise over. Rhythm section instruments include the bass guitar, double bass, drums, and the left-hand side of the piano.

RHYTHM AND SYNCOPATION
Most rhythms have a regular pulse or beat. Normally the stress, or accent, comes on the first beat, in a measure. In Jazz, the stress sometimes comes on the second beat, or in between the main beats. This is called syncopation. A tension is created between the steady pulse and the syncopated rhythm.

JAM SESSIONS
When musicians get together without an audience and experiment with tunes, it is known as a jam session. It is during sessions like these that most Jazz evolves.

COMPOSING JAZZ
Although jazz involves lots of improvisation, there are some fixed elements in a piece. Instead of writing down every note, jazz composers provide a rough outline, usually consisting of a tune and the chords that go with it. Chords are two or more notes played or sung together. They are usually written as chord symbols, which tell the musician which chords accompany a tune. The musicians improvise around this hotline. Most jazz composers base their work on music they come up with during jam sessions.

By: Diana Rogers

How To Play Jazz Piano With Style

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:25:58 +0000

The piano is an important musical instrument for jazz bands since the origin of jazz music and it can be played in the style of a solo performance or as part of a band. Like the guitar, the piano is one of the few musical instruments in a jazz band which can play chords as well as notes instead just single notes only instruments such as the saxophone, trombone, trumpet or even the vibraphone (1 or 2 notes together).

Gone were the days when a jazz pianist’s role is just to keep tempo with repetitive chord combinations. Nowadays, the pianist is free to choose any technique or style to accompany a band or a singer using both short and sustained chordal and melodic fragments called comping.

An accomplshed jazz pianist must not only be good at sight-reading as well as good at improvising chord symbols but also must be able to adapt to the different playing styles of various bands he jams with. Jazz pianists must balance this interpretation and improvisation to the musical style the bands are playing.

The jazz pianist is indeed a happy musician because of the extended range of the piano. The piano offers the pianist with a much greater number of choices and techniques for improvisation, much more so than any other instruments in a jazz band.

In a jazz musical style known as “striding”, the left hand of the pianist alternates positions very quickly playing notes in the bass register and chords in the tenor register. The right hand will usually play the melody, but might also play harmonic content, chordally or even in octaves.

Jazz pianists play the solo with 3 basic objectives to fulfill simultaneously. The techniques are as follows :-

a) To provide a clear and swinging rhythm. This style is usually done by striking a beat with the right hand just after a weaker beat with the left hand. The objective of this technique is to mimic the combination of a cymbal ride as well as the walking bass. This technique can also be executed deftly with the left hand alone, by imitating the weaker beat preparatory swing note that is played by a bassist just before he strikes some of the notes of the bass phrasing.

b) Play the melody or solo improvisation with the right hand.

c) Establish the guide tones for chord changes.

One method commonly used by jazz pianists for tackling this triple situation simultaneously is to hold the hands together in a fork-like shape with the index and the third finger joining the thumbs to form a central group, whilst the fourth and fifth fingers are spread outwards.

This is done so that the pianist can use the left branch fingers to play bass notes, the middle fingers to moderate the guide tones and the right branch fingers to play the upper lines of the melody.

It is indeed challenging for the pianist to meet all these demands at the simultaneously. However these skills are inherent in most competent jazz pianists.

What is commonly called the ‘circle of fifths’ is also an important element in playing jazz piano because it provides harmonic diversity through a well guided harmonic phrase. Playing the circle of fifths technique is very much related to chord “planing” techniques which shift a chord, often voiced in fourths, up the scale, while implying a repeated harmonic pattern of tonic-dominant-tonic-dominant.

If you intend to be a good at playing jazz piano, then mastering these styles and techniques is a required skill.

By: Chris Chew

Play Jazz Piano In Style

admin — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 14:16:22 +0000

By: Chris Chew

Jazz Piano and Style

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:42:34 +0000

The piano or keyboard is an instrument that can be played in a solo performance or it can be part of a band. Jazz bands make heavy use of pianos since jazz began. The reason for this is that pianos along with guitars are some of the few instruments in a jazz band that can play chords in addition to a melody or counter melody.

In the past, a jazz pianists main role was to keep tempo with a combination of repetitive chords, but in recent years this has changed. Jazz pianists now days are able to select from a multitude of styles and techniques that they will use to accompany a band or singer. Short and sustained chordal or melodic fragments are used.

Experienced jazz pianists are not only great at sight-reading, but can also improvise chord symbols and adapt to the various playing styles of jazz bands. A jazz pianist must balance this improvisation and interpretation with the music style of the band.

The extended range that the piano provides also helps a jazz pianist with creating unique sounds that other instruments in the jazz band can not create.

Jazz pianists have 3 goals that they aim to achieve while they are playing. The first is to provide a clear rhythm and swing. The second is to play a melody or improvised solo with the right hand. Jazz pianists are also expected to help guide the band into chord changes with the help of notes leading up to the chord change.

It is quite a challenge for pianists to meet these 3 demands at the same time. Most jazz pianists are quite skilled in this art and are able to maintain this while planning unique improvisations.

If the intend to be great at playing the piano in a jazz band, you need to master these styles and techniques.

By: Mary Nicole Hicks

Immerse yourself in Jazz – Let it Seep in to the Soul

admin — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:20:40 +0000

Read, write, discuss and debate over Jazz. In simple words, love Jazz. Perhaps it is the best way to learn and play Jazz better. Never limit your experimentation during the phase of learning. The more you would experiment, the more you would be exposed to different styles and techniques of jazz. The more you’d be exposed to the styles and techniques, the brighter are the chances of attaining mastery over Jazz.

But while delving over the emotion of Jazz, keep in mind the fact that emotion is intrinsic in nature and no book can teach you to capture it. Your belongingness and affinity enables to master the emotion and help a lot to learn to play Jazz faster. This article comprises some necessary tips on mastering Jazz.

First step of Jazz learning is assessing your self potential. As a beginner you are advised to listen to as many Jazz tracks as you can. Maintain a judicious balance between the all time hits and the current trends. Try to understand the basics and implement it to lay the foundation of Jazz learning. After it learn and try to have proficiency in all 12 major scales. Your exposure and expertise in all the scales helps a lot in future.

In the next step you can buy a Jazz book published by any reputed publisher to make your learning easier. While buying a book, go for that where chord symbols or guitar tabs are written above the melody line. Then master major 7th, minor 7th, and dominant 7th, half diminished and diminished chord of every key. Once you master these, stop taking the help of the book and start playing on your own. With passage of time and experience, learn chord inversions, playing CM7, pentatonic scale, 3, 6, 2, 5, 1 progression, chromatic and diatonic harmony to add to your skill and expertise.

By: Akhila Choudhary

Jazz Piano and Style

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:38:55 +0000

Jazz Piano Lessons – A Whole New Approach

admin — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:37:05 +0000

Jazz. Just the word alone sounds musical. If you’re looking for jazz piano lessons and a new way to play jazz piano, read on!

For the most part, jazz piano lessons begin with the study of chords. And that’s a good thing! But chords alone will not help you make music. Sure, chords are important. But so is the other half of learning piano improvisation and that has everything to do with TRUSTING YOUR INTUITION!

This is where the usual jazz piano lesson routine falls apart. You’re taught chords yes. But what do you do with these chords? You create music with them.

Now, most jazz students have as their goal, the ability to comp. They want to be part of a trio or duo or some other combination of musical group. The most common of these is the jazz trio. Here we have keyboards, bass, and drums. And this makes a very nice combo. But if you’re interested in playing solo, you have a different problem.

The solo jazz pianist has to not only know how to play chords, but how to read from a lead sheet. A lead sheet gives you the chord symbols and the melody line and that is all you need to create your own arrangements.

There are many fine books out there for the aspiring jazz pianist to learn the art of soloing. But one thing most of these books don’t teach you is how to improvise and compose YOUR OWN MUSIC!

It’s no surprise that there’s a shortage on this kind of instruction. It’s not in high demand. As I mentioned before, most jazz pianists in training want to learn how to play in a group setting. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to learn how to compose your own music?

If you understand and can play 4 and 8-bar phrases, you’re already aware of the importance of repetition and contrast in music. Repetition and contrast are the cornerstones of composition.

Listen, if you’re already taking jazz piano lessons and want to learn the art of composition on your own, study and learn how to play in 4 and 8-bar phrases. It will serve you well in the long run.

By: Edward Weiss