The Blues: Understanding and Performing an American Art Form
ofrecido por
The Blues: Understanding and Performing an American Art Form
University of Rochester
Acerca de este Curso
4.8
312 calificaciones
The blues is an American art form and the most important musical form in jazz. Although there are other formal paradigms of the blues, such as 8-bar or 16-bar, this course focuses on different incarnations of the 12-bar blues. There are considerable differences between Early Jazz blues, Swing blues, Bebop blues, Modal blues, and Post Bop blues. Each type has its unique harmonic syntax, melodic vocabulary and, associated with them, improvisational techniques. While other aspects of jazz performance practice have been constantly changing from one stylistic convention to another, the blues has never lost its identity and expressive power, and continues to exert a powerful influence on the harmonic and melodic syntax of jazz.
This seven-week course explores important aspects of the blues, blues improvisation, basic keyboard textures, jazz harmonic and melodic syntax. Topics include: (1) Blues Progressions; (2) Blues and Other Scales; (3) Improvisational Tools, and others. This course will also cover valuable theoretical concepts enabling the student to master the art of jazz improvisation. Each topic will be introduced from a practical perspective with the clearly stated goal: to improve one’s improvisational skills. Jazz improvisation is rooted in spontaneity, creativity, self-expression and, at the same time, self-control and order. A unique pedagogical approach based on a one-to-one musical interaction conducted with different instrumentalists will help to reinforce many of the concepts introduced in this course and realize its stated objectives.
Habilidades que obtendrás
MusicChordJazzJazz Improvisation
Programa - Qué aprenderás en este curso
Week
1Blues Progressions – Theory and Practice
Lesson 1 focuses on foundational aspects of the blues, examining its history, innovation, and evolving harmonic structure. At the end of this lecture, students should have a firm understanding of the harmonic structure of the basic, generic, and minor blues forms, as well as a familiarity with the A A’ B phrase-structure of the blues.
7 videos (Total: 50 min), 1 quiz
7 videos
Lesson 1 Introduction4m
Historical Overview (12:00)11m
Generic Blues (6:25)6m
Basic Blues Progression8m
Minor Blues (6:49)6m
AA’B Phrase Structures (5:54)5m
1 ejercicio de práctica
Quiz - Lesson 124m
Week
2Blues Scales
Lesson 2 dives into what makes the blues tick, beginning with an examination of the blues scale and the basics of jazz rhythms and blues riffs. Students will then explore call and response techniques and application of the blues scale in improvisation through demonstration with a live musician.
6 videos (Total: 57 min), 1 quiz
6 videos
The Blues Scale (8:08)8m
Jazz Notation and Jazz Rhythm (12:34)12m
Blues Riffs (11:40)11m
Call and Response (6:34)6m
One-Scale Improvisation and “East Main Blues” (13:22)13m
1 ejercicio de práctica
Quiz - Lesson 222m
Week
3Keyboard Realization
Lesson 3 introduces the concept of guide tones and its association with invertible counterpoint. Four-part and five-part chords are discussed in detail by exploring their construction and function, as well as techniques to facilitate good voice-leading between chords using chordal inversions.
7 videos (Total: 65 min), 1 quiz
7 videos
Guide Tones (8:53)8m
Invertible Counterpoint (4:20)4m
Charleston Rhythm (10:04)10m
Four-Part Chords (9:35)9m
Five-Part Chords (9:43)9m
Comping Texture (18:58)18m
1 ejercicio de práctica
Quiz - Lesson 326m
Week
4“Bird” Blues and Other Blues Progressions
In lesson 4 students analyze harmonic progressions from 3 jazz standards: “Now’s The Time,” “Billie’s Bounce,” and “Blues For Alice.” Practice techniques are discussed, including ear-training strategies, rhythmic displacement, and voice-leading exercises.
7 videos (Total: 52 min), 1 quiz
7 videos
“Now’s the Time” Progression - Analysis (5:45)5m
Ear Training Strategies (9:11)9m
“Billie’s Bounce” Progression - Analysis (4:49)4m
Rhythmic Displacement (10:34)10m
“Blues for Alice” Progression - Analysis (6:06)6m
Practical Tips (13:01)13m
1 ejercicio de práctica
Quiz - Lesson 420m
4.8
83%
Principales revisiones
por DB•Oct 8th 2016
Such a great course! Even though I am a bass player this course has made me understand patterns and ways in which the Blues can be taken to. Thank you very much for such an amazing experience.
por DZ•Mar 4th 2017
This is very practical and useful course. I really learned something from it! I love this courser and I strongly recommend this course to everyone who is fascinated in Blues.
Instructor
Dariusz Terefenko
Associate Professor of Jazz Studies and Contemporary MediaEastman School of Music
Acerca de University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is one of the nation's leading private universities. Located in Rochester, N.Y., the University provides exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty through its unique cluster-based curriculum. Its College, School of Arts and Sciences, and Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences are complemented by its Eastman School of Music, Simon School of Business, Warner School of Education, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, and the Memorial Art Gallery.
Preguntas Frecuentes
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
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