Here's a musical concept nobody taught me at school. While analyzing 1000+ jazz tunes for The Jazz Standards Progressions Book, I noticed a great number of songs in major keys tonicize the IV degree at the beginning of the bridge. It's usually preceded by the V/IV, landing on the IV at the beginning of the... Continue Reading →
Since the release of The Jazz Standards Progressions Book where I analyzed 1000+ songs I have been asked many times for a list of essential jazz standards. I do not want to promote uniformity in repertoire nor do I believe in programatic lists. Jazz is a personal intuitive journey. What I do believe in is finding... Continue Reading →
Can we map tonal harmony in a coherent landscape that includes all possible harmonic functions, cadences and expected paths? https://youtu.be/-CYUFipJ0tU It’s all in Mapping Tonal Harmony Pro. Learn More here...
Let's say you want to find all scales that contain a major third, followed by a half step, follow by a minor third (M3 H m3) Use the search button in Tessitura Pro and you will get all scales that contain those intervals in that order These are the named structures found You can include all... Continue Reading →
There are 4 ways you can represent a scale's intervalic formula: Degrees Chord-Tones and Tensions Roman Numerals Melodic Intervals Degrees Here's the major scale (Ionian) as degrees. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (all degrees al major) Chord-Tones and Tensions The major scale as chord tones (1 3 5 7) and tensions (9 11 13)... Continue Reading →
Almost every musician knows how to use the circle of fifths (and what it is), but there are a few countries and music schools that teach the order of the notes in the circle going the other way. This is called the Circle of Fourths and not many musicians talk about it anymore. Here are the... Continue Reading →
Remember when you have to look for good sight-reading examples at your level to improve your sight-reading? Pieces that fit your instrument's range in different key signatures, time signatures, with different rhythms, syncopations or subdivisions, etc. ... and how hard it was to evaluate your performance? Am I playing this right? Did I miss a note...?... Continue Reading →
