Rehearsal Strategies for Intermediate Jazz Bands 1 Rehearsal Strategies for Intermediate Jazz Bands A Clinic by Mike Steinel Professor of Jazz Studies (Emeritus) – University of North Texas How can I get my band to the next level? Lay a solid foundation by doing the eight things great music teachers do: Break it Up – Rhythm, Pitches, Expression and Style Show where the music comes from – History Show how it works – Theory Model – Sing and Play Show how great music can be – Recordings and Video Find words students can understand Have Fun Then go to the next level: Review/Reinforce, Explore, Make it “Real”, Engage Minds, Improve the Improvisation, and Have Fun To clarify: Review and Reinforce the Basics of Jazz Style/Reading Explore the Nuance of the Music (Rhythm, Expression, Harmony, Tone and Tuning) Make the Experience Real through Modeling Engage the Mind – Theory Expose All to Improvisation and…Let the Fun Happen Where is your band: Intermediate, Advanced, or still Beginning?
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Rehearsal Strategies for Intermediate Jazz Bands
1
Rehearsal Strategies for Intermediate Jazz Bands
A Clinic by Mike Steinel Professor of Jazz Studies (Emeritus) – University of North Texas
How can I get my band to the next level?
Lay a solid foundation by doing the eight things great music teachers do:
Break it Up – Rhythm, Pitches, Expression and Style Show where the music comes from – History
Show how it works – Theory Model – Sing and Play
Show how great music can be – Recordings and Video Find words students can understand
Have Fun
Then go to the next level: Review/Reinforce, Explore, Make it “Real”, Engage Minds, Improve the
Improvisation, and Have Fun
To clarify:
Review and Reinforce the Basics of Jazz Style/Reading Explore the Nuance of the Music
(Rhythm, Expression, Harmony, Tone and Tuning) Make the Experience Real through Modeling
Engage the Mind – Theory Expose All to Improvisation and…Let the Fun Happen
Where is your band: Intermediate, Advanced, or still Beginning?
Rehearsal Strategies for Intermediate Jazz Bands
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Four Questions:
Is your band aware of the basics of jazz style? Is your band aware of the basics of jazz theory?
Are your members able to improvise on a basic Blues? Does your rhythm section have a clear understanding of their individual
roles (Piano, Bass, Drums, and Guitar)?
Review is always good – Make it part of your daily routine
A Quick Review of Basic Jazz Style
Rehearsal Strategies for Intermediate Jazz Bands
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A Quick Review of Basic Jazz Theory
A Quick Review of the Blues and Blues Scales
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Explore the Rhythmic Nuance of Swing 8ths versus Straight 8th
Developing a softer first attack is challenging.
For wind players a steady air stream is required. Brass and Saxophone players can work to incorporate more nuance in the
articulation.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Jazz attacks are softer – Tah and Duh attack can sound very non-jazzy.
Experiment and Explore This Continuum:
Tu…Du…Chu…Zu…Yu…Oo..
Rehearsal Strategies for Intermediate Jazz Bands
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Explore Jazz Expressions - They Add Personality.
Singing the syllables is key to internalizing the sound.
Notice how the repetition of these melodies are made more interesting with the variety of expressions
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Explore the Three Basic Chord/Scale Flavors: Major, Mixolydian, and Dorian.
Explore the most common Exotic Scale: Harmonic Minor
Can your students sing these melodies?
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Explore the Nuance of Swing Feel
In reality swing 8ths vary greatly depending on the player, the tempo, and the style period. This is from Richard Rose’s 1985 article.
Rehearsal Strategies for Intermediate Jazz Bands
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Explore Tuning – More Than Just Tuning Up
Good Intonation is Contagious Poor Intonation is Contagious It is developed in Community
Intonation in the Jazz Ensemble is
much different than in the Concert Band.
Concert Band = Many On A Part Our pitch awareness is focused on
UNISONS.
In The Jazz Ensemble
Often one on a part Fewer “shared” notes
Intonation must focus on the HARMONY
The “role” the note plays in the Harmony And that focus must be on TUNING DOWN
To the lower or lowest Instrument.
Solution?
Practice Tuning Scales against a drone on the 5th. Practice Playing Scale Duets in 3rds.
Isolate trouble chords and tune isolated notes in this order: 5ths and 4ths, 3rds, then 2nds.