I've been asked many times "Why do I need to learn and practice scales?" or "Why do I need to understand chords-scales and tonal harmony?" Some other people complain about the chord-scale theory, saying that they don't want to play scales, meaning they wish to play in the jazz vocabulary, licks, motives, playing rhythmically or... Continue Reading →
Here's a song by Billy Strayhorn that I've always loved and never fully analyzed until writing The Jazz Standards Progressions Book. I've been fascinated by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn compositions since the first time I heard an Ellington album, about thirty years ago. Since then I greatly enjoyed their rich harmonies, rhythmic vocabulary and... Continue Reading →
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 →
In the process of writing The Jazz Standards Progressions Book Series I realized the need to express a very common harmonic event with a new symbol. So far we had solid and dotted arrows and brackets to express II-V relationships and their resolutions. However there isn't any symbol to show a Major 7th chord that... 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 →
Sight-reading exercise in F# Major for alto saxophone using See Music Pro.Sight-read and get instant feedback of your performance.#sightreading #saxophone #SaxophonemusicMusic #Woodwinds #musiceducation #MusicStaff #MusicMajor #musiced #ReadMusichttps://t.co/pla21bBl7O pic.twitter.com/iDfLMZxh6O— mDecks Music (@mDecksMusic) June 8, 2018 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Kotska's Workbook Chapter 22 No. 3 in Mapping Tonal Harmony Pro.Mapping Tonal Harmony Pro visually reveals every function in tonal harmony.#tonalharmony #Chords #MusicEducation #TraditionalHarmony #Kostka #harmony #ClassicalMusic https://t.co/6NtgaepthJ pic.twitter.com/17705SAKXt— mDecks Music (@mDecksMusic) June 8, 2018 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
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