MUSC 2117: Improvisation
Effective date
September 2013
Description
An intermediate level course focusing on jazz and Latin standards and some jazz fusion repertoire. Students gain facility with all scales/modes/arpeggios, key modulations, chord/plural substitutes, pan modal concepts and certain modes of the jazz melodic minor scale and their application to altered dominant chords. 2:0:0
Year of study
2nd Year Post-secondary
Prerequisites
Jazz Improvisation 1217, Materials and Structures of Music 1203, Kodaly Solfege 1201.
Corequisites
Jazz Theory 2115, CET 2100 .
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Play the 7 modes of the major scale in 12 keys
- Use the 7 modes of the major scale on standard chord progressions
- Play Maj7, Min7, Dom7 and Min7b5 arpeggios in 12 keys
- Use Maj7, Min7, Dom7 and Min7b5 arpeggios on standard chord progressions
- Apply Pan Modal and Plural Substitution concepts to improvisation on standard chord progressions
- Apply the Spanish Phrygian mode to Altered Dominant 7 chords
- Play in half time and double time feels
- Apply motivic composition and developmental concepts in improvisations
- Arpeggiate over several standard chord progressions
- Apply Diminished arpeggios to Dom7b9 chords
- Apply the Jazz Melodic Minor scale to Altered Dominant 7 chords
- Apply the Lydian b7 scale to "certain" chord progressions
- Apply the Super Locrian scale to ...
- Apply the Bebop scale to ii/V/I progressions
- Apply Rhythmic Modulation concepts in improvisations
- Compose three written assignments
- Improvise on selected standard repertoire
Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
None
Hours
Lecture, Online, Seminar, Tutorial: 2
Total Hours: 2
Instructional Strategies
Classroom demonstration and practical application in ensemble playing; assigned weekly practice.
Grading System
Letter Grade (A-F)
Evaluation Plan
Type
|
Percentage
|
Assessment activity
|
Quizzes/Tests
|
50
|
Weekly assessments
|
Assignments
|
25
|
Three written assignments
|
Final Exam
|
25
|
|
Course topics
- 7 major scale chord families
- 7 major scale modes
- Maj7, Min7,Dom7 and Min7b5 arpeggios
- Major and Minor Pentatonic scales
- Finger patterns on scales and arpeggios
- Analysis of standard chord progressions including Secondary Dominants
- Diminished 7th substitutions for Dom7b9 chords
- Rhythmic concepts
- Pan Modal and Plural Substitution concepts
- Harmonic Minor scale
- Spanish Phrygian mode to Dom7#5b9 chords
- Diminished 7th arpeggios to Dom7b9 chords
- Selected repertoire
Notes:
- Course contents and descriptions, offerings and schedules are subject to change without notice.
- Students are required to follow all College policies including ones that govern their educational experience at VCC. Policies are available on the VCC website at:
https://www.vcc.ca/about/governance--policies/policies/.
- To find out if there are existing transfer agreements for this course, visit the BC Transfer Guide at https://www.bctransferguide.ca.