Enclosure is a melodic technique where a target note is approached by playing notes both above and below it before landing on the target. Think of it like surrounding or "enclosing" a note before playing it. Jazz musicians use enclosures to create tension and add interest to their solos. For example, to enclose the note C, a player might play D, B, and then C (approaching from above and below).
Change running refers to the technique of playing lines that smoothly connect chord changes by highlighting the changing notes between chords. Rather than jumping to new chord tones, the musician creates a bridge between harmonies. This approach helps create fluid, connected solos across chord changes.
Motivic development is the practice of taking a short musical idea (a motif) and transforming it through various techniques while keeping it recognizable. These techniques include changing the rhythm, altering intervals, inverting the direction, or fragmenting the motif. This creates unity and development in improvisations or compositions.
Pentatonic refers to a musical scale comprising five notes per octave, derived from a selection of notes within the full diatonic scale. Pentatonic scales are characterized by their simplicity and versatility, often used in various musical traditions around the world, including folk, blues, rock, jazz, and traditional Asian music.
Call and response refers to a pattern where one musician or group (the "call") presents a musical phrase or idea, which is then answered or echoed by another musician or group (the "response"). This technique fosters dynamic interaction and dialogue within the music, commonly found in various genres including jazz, blues, gospel, and traditional African music, facilitating improvisation, conversation, and engagement between performers and audiences.
Improvisation is spontaneous creation, central to jazz where musicians spontaneously compose melodies, and it's also found across music, theater, dance, and visual arts as a means of creative expression without prior planning.
A digital pattern is a sequence of notes identified by numbers that represent scale degrees rather than specific pitches. Musicians use these number patterns to practice and transpose ideas to different keys easily. For example, the pattern 1-2-3-5 can be played in any key by using the first, second, third, and fifth notes of that key's scale.
In jazz improvisation, a substitution refers to the practice of replacing one chord or harmonic structure with another while maintaining the overall harmonic function or progression of the original composition.
Harmonic generalization is an approach where musicians simplify complex chord progressions by grouping them into broader harmonic areas. Instead of thinking about each individual chord, the player identifies the overall tonal center or harmonic function. This allows for more freedom when improvising over challenging chord changes.
Learn how to use a fundamental part of the jazz language, enclosures, by referencing how Clifford Brown uses them in his solos.
If you’re like me, then there always seems to be a gap between the time you spend transcribing and your growth as an improviser.
Improvisation is an essential skill in today’s musical landscape. Professional musicians of all kinds are often expected to improvise whether on a “classical”, “jazz”, or “commercial” gig.