The Solo Section is a Part of the Chart Too! Making the Solo Section Work for Your Band Mike Conrad Doctoral Candidate University of Northern Colorado
Time spent on improvisation? Chart is about 5 minutes long Solo section is about 2 minutes long That s 40% of duration of the tune! Are you spending anywhere near 40% of your rehearsal time on improvisation/rhythm section playing??
written-out solos
This clinic will focus on: TOOLS you can give your students to play a confident and successful solo Picking REPERTOIRE with the difficulty of the solo section in mind Ways you can MODIFY or SIMPLIFY the solo section Ways to create more INTEREST and VARIETY in the solo section
GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT AWKWARD GREAT
Tools for Improvisation Let s help our students be successful!
Chord Scales At the very least, make sure the students are aware of which scales correspond to which chords D Major 7 = D Major Scale Bb minor 13 = Bb dorian scale
Guide Tones The basic chord tones that define the harmony 3rds and 7ths When the bass motion is in ascending 4ths/ descending 5ths, 3rds go to 7ths and 7ths go to 3rds
Pentatonics 5-note scales from which students can easily create melodies Can simplify otherwise complicated chord/scale relationships Bb Major Pentatonic sounds on Ab Maj 13 (#11) sounds great! Bb (9th), C (3rd), D (#11), F (13th), G (Maj 7)
One Note Different Rather than thinking about switching from one 7- note scale to another 7-note scale, just identify the note(s) that changed. Example: Bb Blues Bb7 to Eb7 NOT Bb Mixolydian to Eb Mixolydian (Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab to Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db) D to Db. Simple as that.
Solo Sheets Make a separate sheet for anyone in the group who is interested in soloing on any given chart. Include: Chord/scale relationships Guide tones Pentatonic scale options A couple of licks for them to get started (They can use these as a point of departure, expand on them, create their own, etc.)
Don t Forget the Recordings!!! If you re playing Mark Taylor s arrangement of Moanin by Bobby Timmons, listen to Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers with the kids! The BEST opportunity for them to build jazz vocabulary (and start to understand style)
We have to give students tools to be successful. We can t just throw them in the deep end with out a life preserver or swimming lessons. Good luck!
jazz vocab
Repertoire Think about the solo section!
What are the main things you consider when choosing music for your jazz band? Lead Trumpet Range Difficulty of Rhythms Length of Chart How does it fit in with the rest of my set? Does it showcase my best players? DO MY STUDENTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO SOLO SUCCESSFULLY ON THIS CHART? CAN MY RHYTHM SECTION PLAYERS PLAY THE SOLO SECTION CONVINCINGLY? can I teach them how?
Music with difficult solo forms (too advanced for the students) Three options: 1. Teach them how to play on that form 2. Simplify the solo section 3. Pick something else!
Vamps/Modal Playing solos on modal jazz tunes is more attainable for young students than playing changes Look for charts that have solo sections that use one or two chords/scales Gatito by Matt Harris Kind of Blue(grass) by Fred Sturm
Options for modification Make the solo section work for your band!
Rhythm Section Options Change Cymbal Change Comping Instrument Change Density, Register, etc. of Comping No Comping Chord Substitutions Change Groove 2 feel vs. 4 latin/swing
Rhythm Section Options Brushes! continued Drums Drop Out Bass Drops Out Stop Time/Hits Use Material in Arrangement (intros/interludes) as a vamp for soloists
Soloist Options Trading Collective Different Shapes/Energy Arcs Think about the big picture shape of the solo section
Ensemble Options Riff Backgrounds Improvised Long Note Backgrounds Call & Response with Soloist and Band Sing, Stomp, Clap (if stylistically appropriate)
Will the composer/publisher be ok with me modifying the chart? When in doubt ask!
Recap Give the students some stuff to work with in their solos Pick charts with the solo sections in mind Modify to fit your students to make things more interesting/fun!
Questions for me?
Mike Conrad mconrad@mconradmusic.com 563-940-5675 www.mconradmusic.com