I stumbled upon this site looking around for a jazz standard harmonic analysis database. For anyone planning on teaching a jazz take on improvisation, this resource is for you.
http://jazzstandardsvisualaid.com/html/introduction.html
It simplifies and breaks down jazz standards in a clearly explained and visual manner, showing and explaining how to easily memorize many of the standards by following a system of "jazz building blocks," and how to properly organize [and better transfer] the information.
Included are a list of "chord Legos," popular chord progressions which build most bebop standards, and how these legos are put together to make a jazz head. The progressions are all in Harmonic Analysis (roman numerals), as opposed to the usual lead-sheet symbols, so that the progressions can be transferred into any key.
I like this website because it provides a neat and tidy visual stimulus to study while listening to a recording. Many jazz standards, not just the ones listed, can be broken down into these progressions, with smaller 2-3 chord-long phrases in between.
The next resource I've found is a link to an ONLINE FAKEBOOK. For those of you who don't know, a fakebook is a compilation of popular jazz standards with lead-sheet chord-symbols for easy improvisation. I encourage many of you to check it out, search for your favorite jazz standard - it's likely there.
http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0788174606&id=vlP2sv6GuJIC&pg=PP17&lpg=PP17&dq=jazz&as_brr=1&sig=btWRRcE0yVxKxy00k3etaMrMSmI
These jazz resources seem really helpful. I am interested in checking them out especially considering the fact that my goal is to become a music educator and there is a possibility that I might need to teach a jazz group. Could you include the links so I can check out these sites you are talking about?
ReplyDeleteI also really liked the jazz links! As a high school music student, I didnt get much exposure to jazz music, and if I was I wasn't really taught the actual theory behind it. It it is really important as a music educator to learn all the different realms you may be teaching and jazz being a weak spot for me, it would be good to get some more knowledge in the subject.
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ReplyDeleteOh, nice! It's good to know there's a place to get all the Fake Book material online. Thanks for linking this - it's a great find, especially if for any reason we need to show the music via projector or something like that, it saves a lot of potential scanning. I also really like the "Chord Legos" idea. Very fun and worthy collection of resources.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post. You gave a nice overview of the features, how it would be used to teach, and provided a link. Good job!
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