Workout
A bass clef boot camp for
Jazz Trombone
The slide trombone is a fabulous instrument but the way it works is pretty non-intuitive.
Sometimes, when a note goes down, the slide may go down, too, or it might go up, or stay
where it is for two or three notes in succession before moving down, or up. Thank heaven it
doesnt move sideways as well! When you add to that the importance of alternate positions
and the fact that some notes are out of tune, requiring shortened slide positions, the
difficulties are increased.
All this creates knobbly-bits in the instruments execution and the purpose of these
exercises is to smooth them over. The exercises wont turn anyone into a jazz soloist, but
playing them over and over (and over!) again will help a player achieve the level of
technique and mental agility needed.
The choice of octave is left to the players discretion in places some exercises may be too high or
low for comfort. Exercises can also be extended beyond the given range.
Many examples are in an open key where the key changes every bar or half-bar.
MODES
In case anyone needs to be told this, the ecclesiastic or church modes are all tonal
displacements of the major scale. Starting on middle c and using only white notes for
simplicity, moving up a step each time, the modes in the order they appear, are:
Ionian (major scale); Dorian; Phrygian; Lydian; Mixolydian; Aeolian (natural minor)
and Locrian. The accuracy of transposing any scale to another root can be verified by
referring to its intervallic structure (semitone = 1). For example the major scale structure is
2212221.
The Dorian mode is a favourite with jazz musicians. It retains its structure when inverted,
whereas inverting other scales can be a useful way of writing a contrasting but related
section in a composition. For example, the complementary scale to C major is not its relative
minor or the scale on its dominant but its inverse, a Phrygian mode with a
four flats signature.
There are 36 seven unit scales comprising notes with different letter names.
A full list appears on page 122 of the composer/arranger:
http://www.arranging-composing.com
Each of these scales has its own set of modal derivatives, although some will resemble
conventional scales. (For example, the fourth displacement of scale #1 in the above list is
identical to the scale of G major.) Every scale furnishes its own set of *diatonic chords, some
of which lie outside the usual families of chords used in jazz and popular music.
RELATED SCALES
An important aspect of harmony in jazz improvisation is the matter of related scales.
All diatonic chords are served by the notes of the particular key or mode.
The 3rd and 7th functions of a chord are most characteristic and will acquire emphasis in
melodization where it is desired to reaffirm the underlying harmony. The 5th acquires
significance in diminished, leading note 7th and augmented chords.
Melodization has to accommodate both the chord itself and the prevailing key, which may
be in the form of the nominal key, temporary modulation or a tonal cell (the llm7 > V7
progressions that abound in jazz and standard songs).
Modal harmony will tend to avoid using chords foreign to the scale that destroy its purity so
the forms of melody/harmony correlation will be mainly diatonic, except where altered
upper functions occur (e.g.9, #9, #11).
With chromatic chords, the related scale will generally be the one from which the chord is
borrowed so that, for example, a Bb7 chord will probably be related to the scale of Eb
major, in which it forms the dominant chord.
(If we play the scale of Eb beginning on Bb, which may not necessarily be the case in real
music, we obtain the Mixolydian mode which is another way of viewing the subject.)
Augmented triads and the many variations of the augmented 7th chords are related to one
of the two forms of the whole tone scale (exercises 41/43).
Diminished 7th chords are often melodized by a scale comprising alternating whole tones
and semitones (exercise 37). String of Pearls is probably the most appropriate name for
these scales. Since dim7 chords resemble flattened ninth chords with roots omitted, the
scales can be used with these chords, also. Just as there are three dim7 chords, there are
three of these scales, too.
Some writers have attempted to define a related scale for all chords, no matter which.
In my opinion, those who advocate extending the list of scales are rebels without a cause
because we already have the option to use notes in continuity or in simultaneity. In other
words, if we take the notes of a chord and spread them through time we produce a melody,
or scale, and if we take the notes of melody, or a selection from the melody, and use them
in simultaneity, we produce a chord. Of course, neither of the results will necessarily be
acceptable in their raw state but that doesnt alter the principle.
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But, rather than dismiss the idea out of hand, lets look at it in more detail.
Two notes in continuity or simultaneity form a melodic or harmonic interval respectively.
Three or more notes of different pitch moving stepwise in the same direction are required
to generate scalewise motion.
An online search using related scales as a search term quickly reveals a bewildering
number of scale/chord associations. The problem is that we may require up to 6 notes of
different pitch, the exact number depending on the starting point and the number of
degrees in the scale, to define a scale type (i.e. before the characteristic note or notes
occur). In addition, most tunes regularly feature chord changes at the bar or half-bar,
placing severe constraints on the space available to incorporate such differently identified
scales in a melodic line whilst, at the same time, ensuring smooth harmonic connections
(which may already have required the insertion of unessential notes).
Tunes intended to be played at a fast tempo (e.g. Limehouse Blues) have less active
harmonic changes (thereby providing more musical space) but the velocity itself will
become our enemy, anyway, because rapid changes in tonality are difficult to listen to and
the subtleties of the additional scale identities will become lost.
Another important fact, thats often overlooked, is that our awareness of tonality exists
both simultaneously and continuously so that the tonality of the approaching bar (or halfbar) may sometimes be anticipated (you might, for example, play a b as an **unessential
note over a G7 chord if the note plays a prominent part in the approaching bar). Anyone
who has attempted to play jazz lines over a chord sequence will have experienced the
occurrence of notes in the melodic line that contradict the harmony, and the difficulty of
avoiding them without destroying melodiousness (and performing theoretical back-flips in
order to justify their actions).
Because of the above considerations I concluded that the best solution was to limit the list
of related scales when I produced the scales/chords document but I am open to debate.
Regarding the absence of the various minor scales: the modes, including the Aeolian
(natural minor) occur during the stepwise permutations in the major scale exercises. Jazz
lines are concerned with the tonality of the underlying harmonies and, when we add to that
the many factors involved in playing solo lines that are musical in effect, jazz musicians will
rarely avail themselves of the different forms of the minor scale in creating their music.
Master your instrument, master the music and then just play Charlie Parker.
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It need not have any tonal relationship to what follows and can be set at almost any interval
above or below the target note, although intervals that are too wide may cause the
auxiliary note to become detached.
Virtually all other unessential notes are present or potentially present in the harmonies.
Auxiliary notes may be in double, triple or multiple forms.
Pages 73/83 of the composer/arranger describe unessential notes in more detail.
http://www.arranging-composing.com
Exercise 44: Parallels bars or phrases that are repeated at equal intervals (usually
semitones) are common in jazz over chromatically ascending or descending chords.
Exercise 45 is a sample of a 4 bar phrase over a C major chord with a brief analysis of the
thinking behind the music. Again, these ideas wont turn anyone into a great jazz star and
music cant actually be created this way but an awareness of structure does help stitch
music together (IMHO).
Exercise 46: These are suggested patterns to be adapted
maj/min; 7th/m7th on various roots. There are many other patterns.
Care in the choice of accidentals can greatly simplify written music. However, where the
tonality changes within the bar, it is difficult to rationalize the use of accidentals without, for
example, having both a# and b flat in the same bar, which is to be avoided where possible.
Other solutions would mix sharps and flats very rapidly in successive bars which, too,
is often unhelpful.
MUSIC NOTATION
I used MuseScore, a free music notation software program, to create these exercises.
It performed extremely well, especially when transposing, where it proved to be very stable.
There were no incidences of unwanted or illogical accidentals, especially the double sharps
and flats that can be a curse with some programs.
As far as I have been able to see, it doesnt permit changing key signatures without
preceding each successive signature with a cancellation but it did allow me to opt out of the
courtesy cancellation at the end of each previous line in these exercises.
Once selected, this option stays on by default.
The programs use of text isnt ideal, but I did push reasonable expectations a little,
especially on page 55. It doesnt recognise the Alt/numeric chart of symbols in text but
these can be selected from a keyboard icon in the lower left of the screen, together with
other useful symbols.
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Selecting the natural sign produced a generic square, which happens with some point sizes.
(It happens with the notation in tempo markings, too.)
Cutting and pasting text doesnt work either but it works well with notation. It would be
useful to be able to select an entire line of a multi-page score without shift-selecting the
first and last bars by using the end key to get to the last page. My other program allowed
this simply by double-clicking just before the first bar.
Text selection is rather hit-and-miss and can require huge amounts of patience.
Playback is OK, too, with a wide range of instrument sounds. The native sound font is poor
because the programs creators obviously cant predict each users computer power.
Its easy to add other sound fonts. I replaced mine with GS Musescore v 1.44 which is a
marked improvement. When I experimented with larger sound fonts, some instruments
improved but others got worse. Brass and saxophone sounds are the biggest problem.
John Morton 14 February 2015
*Diatonic: Indicates that the notes of both harmony and melody conform to the tonality of the particular scale
in use, not merely the major and minor scales.
** b can, of course, occur over a G7 chord as an extension but it has to be sustained or accented in some
way to acquire this status.
***Minor seventh chords: One likely reason is that, in the Gm7 > C7 progression, for example, the notes d and
f in the Gm7 chord were derived from double suspensions (especially after Mozart) resolving to the c and e of
the C7 chord. Although the m7 chord sounds pretty tame to us, it is a dissonant chord and was rarely sustained
in isolation. The world of straight music had to wait for Debussy to use m7 chords with greater freedom,
especially those featuring higher extensions.
****Pentatonic scales: The pentatonic scale notated in this document is the conventional scale obtained by
playing the black notes on a piano, transposed to other roots.
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vii
2) Each descending group moves down in diatonic steps:
3) Each ascending group moves down in diatonic steps:
4) Each descending group moves up in diatonic steps:
5) Ascending and descending groups. Each bar moves upwards in diatonic steps, with inserted unessential notes:
7) as 5)but inverted:
10
11
12
8) as 6) but inverted:
13
14
9) Scale pattern with inserted sixth interval:
15
10) Scale pattern with inserted fifth interval:
16
17
11) Scale pattern with inserted fourth interval:
18
12) Scale pattern with inserted third interval:
19
13) as 12) but inverted:
20
14) as 11) but inverted:
21
15) as 10) but inverted:
22
23
24
17) Groups of thirds ascending in diatonic steps:
25
18) as 17) but inverted:
26
19) Unessential notes inserted in each group:
27
20) as 19) but inverted:
28
29
30
22) as 21) but inverted:
31
23) Pattern of thirds preceded by auxiliary note at interval of a semitone:
32
24) as 23) but inverted:
33
25) Crabwise scales in thirds:
34
26) Crabwise scales in fourths:
35
27) Crabwise scales in fifths:
36
29) Exercises 25/28 inverted:
37
38
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30) 'Triplet' figures (written in 12/8 for clarity):
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31) llm7>V7 linked by cycle of fifths. Cycle closes efter 6 bars:
B7
Fm7
Bm7
A7
D m7
G7
Am7
D7
Gm7
C7
E m7
E7
E m7
B7
D m7
A7
Bm7
Am7
E7
Bm7
40
B7
E7
Gm7
D7
Fm7
G7
C7
E m7
Am7
A7
D7
G7
Gm7
C7
D m7
Fm7
B7
E7
Bm7
Fm7
Fm7
B7
Bm7
Fm7
B7
D7
A7
Am7
E m7
E7
D7
A7
Am7
G7
C7
D m7
E m7
Gm7
A7
Am7
E7
Bm7
E m7
E7
D m7
D7
Am7
B7
Bm7
A7
E m7
G7
Gm7
C7
D m7
G7
Gm7
C7
G7
D m7
D7
C7
Gm7
F7
B7
B7
E7
A7
E7
A7
G7
D7
D7
G7
C7
41
Inverse of previous pattern with alternate m7 chords and inserted unessential notes:
Fm7
B7
A7
E m7
Bm7
D m7
Am7
E7
G7
Gm7
D7
C7
F m7
Cm7
A7
Em7
F7
B m7
G7
Dm7
A m7
E7
D7
F m7
Em7
B7
Cm7
B m7
F7
B7
Cm7
F7
E7
F7
Cm7
42
D7
Em7
Dm7
A m7
E7
G7
D7
A7
Em7
B m7
A7
B m7
B7
F m7
A m7
F m7
G7
Dm7
A7
G7
Dm7
E7
A m7
D7
B7
F m7
Cm7
Cm7
Cm7
B7
F7
A7
Dm7
A7
D7
Dm7
E7
G7
A m7
Em7
B m7
E7
G7
D7
A m7
Em7
B m7
F7
Dm7
E7
B m7
B7
F m7
F7
F m7
A7
Em7
A m7
G7
D7
B7
F7
C7
A7
E7
G7
D7
B7
F7
A7
E7
D7
B7
F m7
Cm7
F7
A7
Em7
B m7
E7
G7
Dm7
A m7
D7
43
Gm7
C7
B7
Fm7
G7
D m7
E m7
Bm7
E7
Fm7
C7
E m7
A7
B7
Bm7
D m7
D7
Am7
Gm7
A7
Am7
E7
G7
D7
Gm7
C7
D m7
Gm7
D m7
Gm7
D m7
44
Fm7
G7
B7
Bm7
E m7
C7
B7
Fm7
Fm7
G7
Bm7
Am7
E7
Bm7
B7
E7
D7
A7
E m7
G7
C7
Am7
E7
A7
E m7
Am7
D7
A7
D7
Gm7
D m7
Gm7
D m7
Fm7
C7
C7
D7
G7
B7
Bm7
E7
B7
D7
A7
Am7
D7
E m7
A7
E7
A7
E7
B7
F7
A7
Am7
E7
Fm7
G7
E m7
Bm7
G7
C7
G7
B7
D7
Gm7
D m7
C7
Fm7
G7
Bm7
B7
E7
E m7
Am7
A7
D7
(in each case the relevent diminished seventh chords are shown):
Adim7
Edim7
45
Edim7
Bdim7
Bdim7
Adim7
Adim7
Edim7
Bdim7
46
Edim7
Bdim7
Adim7
Adim7
Edim7
Bdim7
Adim7
Edim7
Bdim7
Adim7
Edim7
Bdim7
Adim7
Edim7
Bdim7
Adim7
Edim7
Bdim7
Adim7
Ascending groups:
Edim7
Bdim7
Adim7
Edim7
47
Edim7
Bdim7
Bdim7
Adim7
Adim7
Ddim7
Cdim7
D dim7
G dim7
B dim7
Bdim7
Cdim7
E dim7
Edim7
Fdim7
G dim7
Fdim7
Edim7
E dim7
Ddim7
D dim7
Bdim7
B dim7
A dim7
Gdim7
Fdim7
G dim7
Ddim7
E dim7
Gdim7
A dim7
Adim7
Cdim7
Bdim7
Fdim7
D dim7
G dim7
48
Gdim7
Adim7
Edim7
B dim7
Adim7
Edim7
E dim7
B dim7
Bdim7
Cdim7
Gdim7
Ddim7
D dim7
A dim7
Ddim7
E dim7
Gdim7
A dim7
Adim7
43
D dim7
Cdim7
G dim7
Bdim7
Fdim7
B dim7
Edim7
Edim7
Fdim7
G dim7
B dim7
Bdim7
Cdim7
Adim7
A dim7
Gdim7
Ddim7
D dim7
E dim7
49
50
40) llm7>V7 (Bars descending in semitones. Cycles now close after 12 bars Ref: 31), 33), 35):
B7
Fm7
Dm7
G7
E7
Gm7
B7
A7
E m7
Cm7
F7
Am7
D7
Fm7
Dm7
Bm7
Cm7
F7
F m7
A7
E7
C7
A m7
Am7
F m7
B7
G7
E7
Em7
D7
B7
A7
G7
E7
D m7
B m7
D7
E m7
B m7
D7
A7
G7
D m7
Bm7
A m7
Em7
Gm7
C7
51
43
4
Gm7
Em7
D m7
B m7
C7
F m7
A7
E m7
B7
A7
G7
E7
52
Dm7
B7
G7
E7
Am7
Bm7
F7
Cm7
D7
Fm7
A m7
D7
43) Whole tone scale, altenating patterns:
Inverse of above:
Inverse of above:
Inverse of above:
Inverse of above:
53
54
45) 4 bar solo over Cmajor
Bar 1:
b and d are sometimes called 'changing notes' They 'surround' the target note, c.
They could equally be called 'auxiliary notes'. f# is an auxiliary note set a semitone away from g.
The final b in this bar is chordal (Cmaj7) or it could be regarded as a 'passing note'.
Bar 2:
The a, d and b are also chordal but are used here as diatonic auxiliary notes.
Or, we could insist on calling the a and d chordal (6th and 9th respectively) if, perhaps, the surrounding orchestration
demanded this, and define the g and c as being 'lower neighbouring notes'.
Bar 3:
b is used here which could be a 'blue' note but the b would have tended to resolve upwards to the c anyway.
d# is another auxiliary note.
Bar 4:
a and f# surround the target note g. f would have tried to resolve down to e.
We might call them 'double auxiliary notes'. d is another example of a 'lower neighbouring note'.
*The final b is chordal (maj7) because of its emphasis. After-notes that stop suddenly often acquire an implied accent.
Despite the chromatic notes and the variety of forms, this jazz extract remains firmly anchored to the chord
of Cmajor. Playing around with this kind of thing, over various chords, is a fun way to practise.
55
46) Basic chord patterns to be adapted to all types (major; major 7th; minor; minor 7th; 'dominant'7th;
'leading tone' 7th; diminished; diminished 7th; augmented):
Major chord
'Dominant' 7th
128
Major chord
'Dominant' 7th
56
Ascending:
57
This page in the document represents progress to date. Comments are welcome with the possibility that
suggestions may be incorporated into future amendments.
John Morton
perform@blueyonder.co.uk
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