Homework
This page shows the homework belonging to the
curriculum of the first year Jazz & Pop department of the Utrecht
Conservatory, 2011-2012.
Click here if you want to
study a whole year curriculum (2010-2011)
External participators: pleasy study these special remarks.
Web & Contact Your daily ear training
routine consists of: |
What are the assignments for the propaedeuse exam?1. Write a singable melody consisting ofa number of 8 bar phrases, with traditional elements like a verse and a bridge/refrain. AABA is a good starting form, but I'm open to different formats. Make sure the bridge behaves like a real bridge: contrasting, and connecting properly to the final A-part. In second instance you add harmony to this beautiful melody.
2. Write an AABA chord progression, 32 bars, containing at least a diminished chord, a secondary V of II-V, a spot with Modal Interchange. No blues, no rhythm changes please, and write in the format of the jazz standards. In second instance you add a singable melody to these progressions.
3. Write a solo on one of the classic jazz standards, like Stella, There'll never be another you, etc. No blues, no rhythm changes. The progression must contain harmonic movement, so it would be a good idea to show me first. Of course this solo must be worth listening to and not just fill up the space. We've practiced melodic development a lot, so I'd say you have the tools.
Hand in well readable scores. If computer programs don't notate what you want I'd rather see a good handwritten chart. Take care of good alignment of the bars, so it offers good overview. For instance: new parts of your song should start on a new staff.
Also hand in all three assignments as mp3 - this is for your own good. In class I'll show you how to do that in Logic (File > Bounce is the menu command). Choose clear names, like Peter-Melodysong.mp3, Peter-Harmonysong.mp3 or Peter-Solo.mp3, so that I don't have to figure out who's song it is. Drop them in the green colored folder named 'drop your mp3s here', which I created in the folder of students 2010-2011.
Some final remarks:
• Don't use too many roots in the melody. It is boring an causes ugly parallels;
• You have to add an analysis of the scale degrees of the harmony song and the melody song. This is for your own good. If it can't be analyzed it usually sounds bad...
• Please note that these assignments are style imitations, in the format of the standards.
• The assignments must be handed in on may 19 2011, preferably sooner.
Homework for week 08
This week I introduced the subject of shapes and solo building.
Relevant movies are found in Basics > Phrasing > Explanation > Items
6, 7 and 8. The page with Melodic Shapes (p. 32 in your book) on the
exercise page is a great and practical improv tool for all players and singers.
The homework for next tuesday is
to apply the technique demonstrated in the last movie (item 8). Below are some
suggestions for this roadmap, which has to be constructed without thinking
of any key.
Make a completely graphically designed solo. Somewhat 'pornographic' examples
of the double line technique can be found in Samba Bicycleta (Section
of Thematic Solos). In order to prevent too much complexity you must be able
to sing your roadmap for your fellow students and convince us with the clarity
of your ideas. Please
think medium swing. With complicated 16ths you may get into trouble when
we frame these idea's into a jazz chorus.
1. Make a short shape, repeat it, and the third time: extend it
2. Create three different elements. The connection between these is that the
last note of the previous shape forms an interval of a second with the next
shape.
3. Write 4 bars of double line technique (verkapte tweestemmigheid).
4. Write two phrases that are based on the same concept of articulation.
5. Write three elements in which an overall ascending line of seconds can be
observed (as found in thousands of standards)
6. If you have less than 32 bars, fill it up with connected elements of your
own.
Homework for next thursday
Improve and extend your PWYH-compositions in H205, and also 'remodel'
some of your phrases/shapes into different layers of the harmony. An important
subject, because it helps you to cut the crap and bring your idea back to
its essence.
Homework for ear training: work on your weak spots by doing dictations, Basic
Progressions, etc.
Homework for week 07
This week we continued with alterations. Serenade for Sara has been uploaded in the relevant folders in http://lichtemuziek.hku.nl/Bart as well as the great Booker Little song called Rounders mood (mp3 and pdf with multiple pages). Studying his melodic treatment of the weirdest possible alterations is worthwile. We also discussed the VMS song called Subway belonging to the TriSub section, as well as the amazing panflute solo by Bert. I recommend studying the structure of this solo in detail, because solo building will be the next subject.
Homework for tuesday febr. 14
Transcribe
How
deep is your love (melody and chords), a beautiful
song with a clearly audible bass line, some intelligent harmonies and various
rhythms. You can skip the intro and focus on the main material of the song
itself. Beware of sus4 chords!
Obligatory for everyone, but explicitely for
those who failed the ear training test...
Homework for thursday febr. 16
Compose more PWYH melodies as we did in the practicum room: compact phrases
with a clear concept, singable. Choose a variety of styles, write at least
8 of them, and also write down the chord symbols. One harmonic cycle is enough.
Some are easy,
some are tougher, all are good for functional hearing. It is impossible to
define what 'a good melody' is, but there are many examples available in
the PWYH trainer in the Fundamentals, and we discussed many other good phrases
already.
Path in H205: Documents H205 > Bart Noorman > Opdrachten studenten > Studenten
2011-2012 > Your Name > PWYH compositions > Logic file.
Homework for week 06
This week I treated the subject of alterations. Relevant
items to study:
The essay called alterations in your workbook on page 161-162.
Sections > Tritone Substitutions > Explanation > first three
items
Fundamentals > Play Whay You Hear trainer > P6 tracks 049-060
(locate in Start With mode)
Homework for tuesday febr.
7:
Add the chords to your transcription of the melody of Serenade
for Sarah, knowing
that it consists of many I-V-I constructions as well as lots of II-Vs, in
which pretty much all V7s are altered, and the alterations occur in the melody.
You can do it if you let your ears and your knowledge cooperate!
Analyze the One note samba on p104. febr. 07
Homework for thursday febr.
9:
Finish the de-altering exercise using the track 'Autumn altered' as we did
in class, most probably you're already finished.
In the next practicum class we'll do a lot of composing, using the grooves
from the PWYH trainer.
See the box of 'your daily ear training routine': I've added cat. 800 to the Basic Progressions, since it is relevant to the subjects we discussed. We have almost 5 months to master the remaining categories, so with a little systematic practice everyone will manage.
Homework for week 03
Please evaluate your exam results and draw your conclusions. We'll discuss the tests next week.
The program will be slightly different in the second semester.
The focus will be more on creative assignments. I won't
add so much extra theory since we discussed most of the building blocks, but
I will go a bit deeper with everything.
Please note: creative assignments are obligatory, so I strongly advise to join
all classes - by far it is the easiest way. Always bring your headphones to
thursday's classes. Tuesday's classes will also often involve a little ear
training.
Homework for tuesday
Next week I plan to start with the subject of Alterations, which is closely
related to TriSubs. A song that is really stuffed with alterations is Serenade
for Sarah, a great Michel LeGrand song. For reasons of
continuity I chopped out some parts in a brutal way - I apologize to the
makers. Please transcribe the melody of this song for tuesday januari
11. Later we'll add the harmony to that.
Homework for thursday
No homework, we'll do a practical exercise. Use the time to work on your weak
spots.
Homework for week 51
Next week is the final class before the exam, so it is
a good idea to ask any remaining questions. Check if you really know which
scales belong to diatonic scale degrees in major and minor, and what to do
with secondary dominants & II-Vs, modal interchange, diminished chords
and tritone substitutions. I will spend some time on summarizing things next
tuesday.
Homework for Theory:
- Study VMS > Basics > Vocabulary > Explanation > Notation and fill in p13.
- Analyze The days of wine and roses on p. 102.
Homework
for ear training / practicum
Many absents this week due to exams. The students that attended the last
class can skip it if they feel comfortable in this collection
of pages with swing phrases, typical of jazz and bigband. Other students:
please study its rhythms, especially the last 3 pages.
Homework for week 50
Those who need some additional memory training with scale
degrees can use
this.
This week I've introduced tritone substitutions (TriSubs). Fortunately
these are much easier to understand than diminished chords. Find a summary
on p. 96. In class we analyzed p. 105, would be good to catch up if you missed
it.
With TriSubs added, all games with tension & release are explained. P.
168 is a useful summary containing most of the functional and melodic principles.
Homework for Theory:
- Fill in the scale degree puzzles on page 99;
- Analyze the melody of If You Knew on page 98;
- Analyze the harmony of Body & Soul on page 101.
Homework for ear training / practicum
Work on your weakest skills! No specific assignments this week.
However: On
januari 10 I want you to hand in a transcription of Killing
me softly (real book style: melody and chords). No cooperations
please, you
have to do his by yourself. It is part of your exam note for eartraining. Feel
free to already work on it, it's good stuff to practice.
Homework for week 49
This week we discussed 'meaningful harmonies' in
the essay on p.16/17.
Oye was used to practice transcribing fast rhythms by lowering the tempo and
doubling the half note pulse. A useful ability!
Homework for Theory:
- Analyze p.89 Everything happens to me
- Analyze p.90 Easy living;
Homework for ear training / practicum
- Practice with Dictations in the Modal Interchange section of the ear trainer.
- Transcribe melody and chords of Takkenheks, a song about a witch. You might not like this song, but it is quite hard to find jazzier material that is easy to transcribe without a piano. This song is transparent, has a clear bass and contains exactly the clichees that you need to master. Tonic is F.
Homework for week 48
Last week I treated Diminished chords. Relevant items are
in the explanation page of the affiliated Section. Diminished chords are tough,
because:
- They involve more non-diatonic notes than normal secondary dominants;
- Defining the tone supply from the root of the diminished chord is impractical, due to the 4 possible inversions;
- Non-chord tones always conflict with neighbouring chord tones, so delicate phrasing is required.
Homework for Theory:
- I advise improvising on the chord progression of Diminished Diversity, using the slow track on the play-along page.
- Fill in page 86, scale degree puzzles with Diminished chords;
- Analyze Here's that rainy day on page 70 (read the notes at the bottom of the page);
- Analyze Desafinado on page 88.
Homework for ear training / practicum
- Transcribe the harmony of the song Oye, a good exercise in functional hearing, especially the bridge is relevant to the recent subjects. Check your work with the piano. Take a fast tempo (quarter = 240). Make a double staff system, because in class we'll also transcribe parts of the horns.
- Draw your conclusions from our mini-test and focus on your weak spots (e.g. Dictations, Basic progresions, Chet Baker stuff, etc.).
Homework for week 46
Please fill in the Barometer on http://digi-muziek.hku.nl/Pop_Jazz_2011 !
This week I treated the remaining items of the Modal Interchange
section, the Neapolitan6 and bII chord. The relevant explanatory movie is in
the explanation page, the summary is on page 63 in your book. Both songs of
this Section contain a Neapolitan chord and are worth checking out.
I've used the Theme from the Godfather is as
an example with a classic Neapolitan chord, used to modulate from major back
to the relative minor key. Worth listening to, worth transcribing, and not
too difficult.
Louis Prima's Buona
sera is a swinging example with typical Moll-Dur clichees.
Homework for nov 15
- Fill in page 66, scale degree puzzles with Modal Interchange, N6 and bII
- Analyze All the things you are on page 69. The song modulates quite a few times, in an interesting order.
- Transcribe Chet Bakers's solo on In your own sweet way which starts on1'43". 32 bars please. I'll discuss it on tuesday, not thursday.
Thursday nov 17:
We'll do a little pre-exam in the next class to see how everyone's flag is
hanging.
Homework for week 45
This week I started with Modal Interchange. Relevant items are in:
Sections > Modal Interchange > Explanation: the first 4 items
(Pdfs on p. 61 and 62)
Or come snow on the song page shows perfectly how one can dive into
minor to a greater or lesser extent. Worth studying in detail and playing on
your instrument.
Homework for Theory:
- Analyze Misty on page 68 (pretty easy).
Homework for ear training / practicum
- Practice intensely with the Eartrainer (VMS > Services >E.T.C.) categories 100-500, Basic progressions and Dictations. Try to speed things up guys!
- Finish the phrasing exercise we set up in the computer room.
Homework for week 44
This week we continued with the subject of phrasing. Sources to study are the essay called Sounding interesting (p. 165/166), the first four items of VMS > Basics > Phrasing > Explanation, Bert's solo on Secondary Thoughts, and the essay about Walking bass lines (p. 158). Please find the extra page with keywords of melodic analyses here.
Homework for Theory:
- Analyze the melody of Secondary thoughts (p. 46 & 47) with your common sense. Look for motives, lines of seconds, double line technique, developments etc. Try to apply these principles in your improvisations as well, so that your audience won't go to the bathroom during your solo.
- Study the solo on Sec. Thoughts with bad phrasings on p33 and find the many phrasing mistakes. Use a real piano. Do NOT watch at the movies about this assignment in the VMS, you'll spoil the exercise.
Homework for ear training / practicum
- Write/finish a walking bass line on Secondary thoughts, as we did in the practicum room. If you are behind on previous assignments, please catch up.
- Find the chords of Hotel
California. Its form is quite compact, I'd say 8 bars verse
and 8 bars chorus is enough to lay down the essence. A good exercise
if you have trouble hearing bassnotes. The song consists of only diatonic
scale degrees in Bm.
Homework
for week 43
This week we continued with secondary dominants, and I
also treated some essentials of melodic analysis and solo building (phrasing).
Relevant items to study:
- The explanation & song page in the VMS of the Secondary Dominants Section;
- The essay called Sounding Interesting (p165+166). Bert's solo on Secondary thoughts is a paragon of good phrasing.
Homework for Theory
- Page 55: Scale degrees and scales of Ceora (find the audio by clicking the link). I hope I made it clear that keys can be competing with each other and that you have multiple possibilities, especially on pivot chords. So please do this exercise not only 'mathematically' but also try the different possible tone supplies on the piano. Ceora is also an excellent song to practice Sec. Doms on your instrument.
- Page 54: Scale degree analysis of The Shadow of your smile (follow instructions at the bottom of the page).
Homework for ear training/practicum
ATTENTION: please bring your headphones in the practicum classes from now on.
- Write 4 phrases in various major keys and 4 in minor on II-V-I progressions, similar to the examples in the Play What You Hear trainer of the Fundamentals (cat. P6), as I showed in class. Singable, with clear and few concepts, and no alterations please. Making mistakes is allowed ;-). Scale degrees II and V last 1 bar, I lasts two bars.
- Go to Sections > Secondary Dominants > Ear training and make Dictations D301 till D304 plus D401 till D404 in various keys.
- Add categories 300 and 400 of the Basic Progressions of the Ear trainer to your routine.
Homework for week 41
This week I treated the subject of Secondary Dominants.
Relevant items to study:
- VMS > Sections > Secondary Dominants > Explanation > all 4 items.
- The essay about Sec. Doms is on pages 43, 44, 45 in your workbook, I did not treat the final page yet, please do this yourself.
- Page 48: Sec. Doms and scales: I don't expect you to learn the overview by heart, but see if you understand its origin by going through the movies in detail.
Please note: this Section is a fundamental one. Everything we're going to treat later is basically a variation of the same principle: connecting keys based on substitutions, common tones, leading tones, etc. If you study it thoroughly, the rest is easily comprehended.
Homework for theory
- Analyse the chords of Secondary Thoughts (p.46) using the Berklee system, and write down the guidetone lines of 1 chorus (32 bars). It would be good to play the song and the guidetone lines on your instrument as well. You can listen to the song on the play along page of the affiliated Section.
- Fill in page 49: puzzles with scale degrees level 1
- Fill in page 53 (and follow the instructions precisely): On the sunny side of the street
Homework for ear training
- Transcribe melody and chords of Janis Ian's The other side of the sun. Focus on the material from 0'16" till 1'23", preferably without using the piano too much. It is not my favourite song either, but hearing scale degrees and basses is quite new to some.
- Go to Services > II-V-I facilities > Play along. Practice singing the guidetone lines, learn to find the bass, scat freely with it, etc. Bridging the modulation is the biggest challenge. Of course you should also play this stuff on your instrument, and ideally (if not surely) your main subject teacher will also work with this fundamental improv technique. Helpful exercises start on page 145. Of course there is no need to master everything by next week! I just added the subject to offer you great and practical ear training material which also enhances your playing.
Homework for week 40
This week I treated two subjects related to the principles of voice leading.
Relevant items to study:
Workbook p.159: The essay about guidetone lines;
VMS > Basics > Basic Forces > Explanation > The I6/4 chord;
VMS > Sections > Seq. of Descending Fifths > Autumn
Comes
Ideally 3-7 & 7-3 lines are treated in your main subject
lessons too when dealing with improv.
Your piano teacher will also let you play them on the piano, most likely embedded
in II-V-Is in all 12 keys.
If you don't know chord types, scales and scale degrees belonging to the 12 major and 12 minor keys sufficiently: please pound it in!
Homework for theory
With your knowledge of the Tonic, SubDominant, Dominant and the I6/4 chord
you are ready to harmonize the melodies on page 25. Additionally you may
try to harmonize the melodies you finished yourself last week. If the melody
is good and balanced, harmonization will go by itself. Taking your findings
to piano lesson is not a bad idea at all.
Homework for ear training
Go to VMS > Services > Eartraining Centre > Eartrainer.
Put in Start With mode and make dictations D101-107 andD201-207. Imagine they
are in various keys. You already wrote a couple of these series, but now add
the chords to those.
Put the trainer back in Random mode and practice the Basic progressions of
the 100 and 200 series.
Don't forget to check the upper box with 'your daily eartraining
routine', because it was updated!
Homework for week 39
The Strollin' pdf is available in the lichtemuziek directory (see upper box)
This week I treated the Basic forces in harmony. Relevent
items to study:
VMS > Basics > Basic Forces > Explanation > items 1, 2, 3 and
4.
The Holy trinity (item 3) with the primary functions is on page 15
in your workbook.
The overview of all scales and scale degrees in major and minor on p 169/170
is has biblical qualities!
Make sure that you know these terms: pivot chord (Dutch: spil-akkoord), authentic cadence, plagal cadence, tertial substitute (Dutch: tertsverwantschap), sequence of descending fifths (kwintvalsequens), deceptive cadence (bedrieglijke wending / Trugschluss). The glossary (VMS > Services menu) might also be of help.
Homework for theory class
- Memorize the chord types belonging to each scale degree in major AND in minor.
- Fill in page 28 (easy) and 29 (tough) about Diatonic scale degrees.
- Finish the melodies on p19 in a normal, predictable and musical way, following the description of the exercise exactly.
Homework for ear training
Download Frank Sinatra's Fly
me to the moon.
Make a double staff system: the top staff is for transcribing the melody, the
lower one in bass cleff for the walking bass. See if you can find the chord
symbols based on the information from the bass and the melody together. You
will find a pretty predictable chord progression. Finish the transcription
till 1' 12". If you use a repeat sign you'll have less work. Don't use
the piano too much, but of course you can check your lines.
Please note that Frank's timing is a bit vague now and then, simply choose
something that comes close. Don't spend too much time on the rhythm, the goal
of the exercise is to find the harmony.
Add triads to your 'daily' ear training program (see top
box).
There is a movie in the Fundamentals (Theory menu > Explanation) called Harmony that
explaines the system and character, a summary is on p 172.
Homework for week 38
This week I treated the vocabulary of chord symbols and modal scales plus some interesting phenomenons on rhythm. Relevant movies:
- VMS > Basics > Vocabulary > Explanation > 03 Chord symbols
- VMS > Basics > Basic Forces > Explanation > 06 Modal Scales. I'll cover the part about use of modal scales in functional music later. Not played in class!
- Fundamentals > M&R > PWYS > Timing strategies explains syncopations and more.
Homework for ATV (theory)
- Fill in page 10 (seventh chords)
- Fill in page 26 (modal scales)
- Start learning all Dominant seventh chords by heart, following the circle of fifths (C7, F7, Bb7, Eb7 etc.). Ideally you do this on your instrument and in piano lesson too. In Fundamentals > H&T > Chord Memorizer you'll find help.
Homework for Ear training (solfege) - See the box above for details.
- Continue working with intervals.
- Add Scales level 1 (major/minor/modal) to your 'daily' ear training program.
- Transcribe the melody (the theme, 32 bars) of Chet Baker's Strollin'. You may use an instrument for this. It is in swing timing, so write 8ths instead of triplets. Listen to Chet's amazing internal drummer!
Note for external students: Miles Davis' Flamenco Sketches is a beautiful example of modal music. Try to recognize the modal scale of each block, start by finding the bass note. The band shifts every 4 or 8 bars, you'll easily hear that.
Homework for week 37
We discussed the circle of fifths and intervals.
Two relevant movies are in VMS >
Basics > Vocabulary > Explanation.
Alternately you'll easily find them
in Fundamentals > Theory menu.
Theory (ATV):
Fill in page 9 (intervals). At the 2nd half of the page: don't forget
to construct intervals below the given tone too.
Fill in page 12 (transpositions) in the workbook.
Write down all major and minor scales if you need the overview.
Learn the circle of fifths and the order of appearance of flats and
sharps by heart (p. 5 in your workbook).
Ear training (Solfege
practicum)
Study Fundamentals > M&R > Sing What
You See > Explanation > Sightsinging movie.
Additionally work a bit with the Sing What You See trainer too.
Work on intervals in Fundamentals > H&T > Harmony trainer.
Use your new knowledge about sightsinging for making dictations:
Transcribe the melodies of Dictations D101 (key of C), D102 (Bb), D103
(A), D201 (Cm), D202 (Dm), D203 (F#m).
You'll find them in:
VMS > Services > Ear trainer (put it in Start With
mode).
Please note: all dictations are in C major or in C minor, but since
you are not supposed to use the piano for them you might as well imagine
that they are in different keys. Think more in terms of functions instead
of distances, that makes it easier!
It is a good idea to find yourself an ear training buddy!
Good luck,
Bart
September 2011 - note to external students
Dear external students,
Before the real homework starts on september 9 I'd like to make a few
important remarks. Please study them carefully.
Target group
I write the homework page for my students, referring every now and
then to the things discussed in class. This means that you won't always
be able to follow exactly what I mean. I will try to keep things as
clear as possible, but please accept a certain percentage that you
won't be able to pick up. I am not unwilling to respond to e-mails
with questions, but don't be disappointed if you don't always get an
answer.
Workbook
I refer to pages in the workbook, which the students of the school
have to buy, since it's so much more practical in classroom situations.
You have the workbook as a big PDF in the Library (services column).
Piano lessons
The conservatory students have piano lessons - most likely you don't.
The piano offers a great overview, and of course you can play chords
on it. My own piano skills are pretty limited due to lack of motorical
talent, but I recall one exercise as extremely useful: playing II-V-Is
in a certain convenient voicing. When I skip through songs this is
the technique I use for it, playing basic seventh chords with left,
and melody or scales with right.
I have described it in the introduction of Melodies To Harmonize
Level 2, Section of Secondary Dominants (exercise page). I strongly advise
to invest in this basic skill and simply learn to play II-V-Is in all
12 (can't help it) keys as soon as possible.
Math vs ears
Doing analytical exercises in a way is mathemetical fun, since music
is structured so beautifully. However: your musical capabilities will
benefit much more from it if you also play the material on an instrument.
Knowing which scales to play on a certain type of chord progression
is pretty meaningless if you have no idea how it sounds!
Studying the movies
Studying a movie can be done in two ways: lean back and see if you
get the general message, or go through it bar by bar, checking if you
understand each scale, all remarks, trying out things on the piano,
making summaries, etc. This last approach gives the best results.
Mental matters
Finally: the curriculum is for people who want to become professional
musicians, and they follow an intensive program requiring a steep time
investment. Whenever you feel you loose track, never let this discourage
you! It is not a shame if you need more time for certain elements,
and even if you would pick up say 30% of the material, that 30% is
definitely worth the work. I'm not a psychologist, but I think you'll
get the message. Always remember this slogan:
With VMS you can study
music at your own pace with a teacher you can rewind!
Enjoy!
Bart