Basics of jazz improvisation and theory, Open Uni

A student who has completed the unit is expected to:

• be familiar with the basic concepts and general terminology of African-American music
• be able to read and write chord symbols
• identify the most common types of scale (major and related modes; melodic minor and related modes; harmonic minor; symmetrical scales)
• be able to associate a scale with a chord symbol
• identify the most common types of structure used in jazz pieces
• know the melodic language of jazz improvisation through analysis of transcriptions and listening to examples
• be able to devise tonal solo lines
• be able to devise chord progressions with expanded voicings
• be able to harmonise melodies in a style-appropriate way.