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Just What is “Jazz” Ukulele
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Wikipedia defines Jazz as a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions. The style’s West African pedigree is evident in its use of blue notes, improvisation, polyrhythms, syncopation, and the swung note.
At a minimum to explore jazz or contemporary music on a ukulele you need a core set of chords and scales to start. It is this foundation or core that you can build on.
View or download the PDF file for the complete lesson.
Technique
Technique is the physical control and coordination needed to play an instrument or sing. It is involves position, efficiency of motion and effort, as well as exercises to develop specific physical skills.
Theory
Theory is the body of principles behind music. It includes scales and chord building, intervals, progressions, resolution, harmony, motion, power, color, chord substitution, keys and time signatures, rhythm, melody, etc.
Ear Training
Ear Training is the development of the active and passive capacity to relate to music aurally. It includes the ability to regains melodic and harmonic intervals, chords, chord progression, rhythm, melody and harmony.
Reading
Reading is the ability to reproduce music from written notation. It includes five phases; note recognition / alternate note locations, rhythm recognition, fingering considerations, communication terminology and interpretation.
Repertoire
Repertoire includes the songs within the performance ability of the student. These songs maybe memorized or read. They may be literal reproductions or creative interpretations.
Improvisation
Improvisation is the ability to spontaneous to create melody over a predetermined chord progression. It involves scales, alternate fingerings, arpeggios, intervalic development, sequences, embellishments, superimposition, rhythm, motifs, development techniques and idiomatic considerations.
Musical Idioms
Musical Idioms is the study of music musical style it involves well developed categories as; Rock, Blues, Country, Jazz, Bluegrass, Classical, Folk, Urban and Fusion. It also includes subdivisions of specializations.
Songwriting
Songwriting is the creation of original music based on a single melodic line with a chord progression. Lyrics may or may not be included.
Arranging
Arranging involves the choice of instruments, tempo, rhythmic feel, form, intro, ending, interludes, solos, harmonies, and instrumental accompaniment of a song.
Composition
Composition is the creation of original music based on multiple simultaneous and compatible melodies. It historically involves the classical forms but frequently includes more sophisticated levels of contemporary music.
Orchestration
Orchestration involves the choice of instruments for a composition. This choice is based on the ranges and colors of the instruments which best represent the mood and creative intent of the composer.
Interpretation
Interpretation involves the ability to perform a song or composition in a unique and personal way. These skills involve a interrelated set of disciplines which include, theory, ear training, technique, dynamics, embellishments, phrasing, and rhythmic flexibility.
The Fingerboard
If there is one thing that really opens up the ukulele. It is really, and I mean really knowing the notes of the ukulele fingerboard. This needs to be second nature with no conscience thought.
This is separate from learning to read standard music notation. Which, is an essential skill to develop.
Jazz Chords
Regardless of the style of jazz that you venture into. You need a core foundation of chords and scales. Open position, movable form chords and just plain old knowing the notes of chords and scales.
Building a solid chord foundation is essential in your development as a musician and jazz musician - ANY instrument.
Jazz Scales
There are seventeen essential jazz scales.
From the major and natural minor scales you can build theses essential scales.
Just What is “Jazz” Ukulele
Printable Lesson PDF: FREE
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Related Lessons for: Jazz
Here a few lessons that might be of interest to the topic and principles covered in this lesson.
23 Lesson(s)
Lesson content icons: | |||
 | Alternate Fingerings for F7Alternate fingerings for F7 in C tuning. The same fingerings would apply to C7 in G tuning and G7 in D tuning. These are taken from the Ukulele Chord of the Week lessons presented 2007. UL118: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:34 pm | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
 | Alterted Seventh Chords on UkuleleBeyond basic open position chords, basic movable form chords and a core set of 4-part chords. There are just too many chords shapes too memorize. Learning the principles of how chords are constructed and the ukulele ..... UL102: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:06 am | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| An Introduction to Creating Solo Ukulele ArrangementsCreating a solo ukulele chord arrangement is as simple as harmonizing a melody by playing a chord that has the melody note as the top note of the chord. This style of playing is called Chord Melody or Melody and Chord. ..... UL125: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:32 pm | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Building a Solid Jazz Chord Foundation for UkuleleBeyond learning basic open position ukulele chords. Most ukulele players struggle with advanced chords. These more sophisticated voicings, commonly called jazz chords, find a wide use in all forms of music and styles. ..... UL103: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 8, 2012, 12:46 pm | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Classic Endings for UkuleleTwo Feel, bVImaj7 bIImaj7, Basie Ending, Single, Double and Triple Tags, Chromatic, Take the 'A' Train Ending, Shave and a Hair Cut, Lawrence Welk Ending, . . . These are common songs ending that are used over and over in ..... UL03: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:16 am | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Cool Ukulele ChordsCool Chords - These are the chords that don't typically show up in chord dictionaries or song books. They might show up in software programs that produce chords based on some underlying computer ..... UL34: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:09 am | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Cool Ukulele Chords - G7A cool chord is most likely a Free Form chord. These free form chords typically include open strings, wide stretches, displaced chord tones and or chord voicings. Plus they just sound cool. Here is a cool sounding ..... UL105: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:09 am | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Core Chords - Creating the Big Six from F7, 1st VoicingTaking a movable F7 chord, you can derive each of the 'big six' essential chords. 7, maj7, m7, m7b5, dim7, and aug7. UL42a: Published: September 18, 2011, 11:21 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:15 pm | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Core Chords - Creating the Big Six from F7, 2nd VoicingTaking a movable F7 chord, you can derive each of the 'big six' essential chords. 7, maj7, m7, m7b5, dim7, and aug7. UL42b: Published: September 18, 2011, 11:25 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:15 pm | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Core Chords - Creating the Big Six from F7, 3rd VoicingTaking a movable F7 chord, you can derive each of the 'big six' essential chords. 7, maj7, m7, m7b5, dim7, and aug7. UL42c: Published: September 18, 2011, 11:27 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:15 pm | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Core Chords - Creating the Big Six from F7, 4th VoicingTaking a movable F7 chord, you can derive each of the Big Six core chords. The core chrods are: maj7, m7, m7b5, dim7, and aug 7. UL42d: Published: September 18, 2011, 11:28 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:15 pm | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Core Chords - The Big Six - Building a Solid Chord FoundationCore Chords is a series of lessons for building your 4-part chords. These chords commonly called jazz chords, are really just 4-part chords used in a wide range of musical styles. The Big Six chords ..... UL42: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:14 am | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Creating Introductions and Turnarounds for UkuleleIntroductions are a composed or improvised piece of music that introduces - sets the stage for - a song or composition. Introductions, or intro for short, are used in all types of music. In this ..... UL01: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:16 am | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Diminished Scale for Ukulele - C TuningThe Diminished scale is a symmetrical scale with a repeating pattern of whole steps and half steps. You only need to learn the Diminished scale in three keys to cover all 15 keys. UL25b: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 8, 2012, 12:52 pm | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Exploring Jazz UkuleleWikipedia defines Jazz as a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European ..... UL123: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:32 pm | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Naming Chords on UkuleleA Chord can have alternate names based on how it is being used. A chord's function is an important determining factor in naming a chord. So unless you know the harmonic function you might not be able to ..... UL20: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:13 am | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Practice Cycles and SequencesSequences and cycles for practicing scales, intervals, melodic sequences and arpeggios. These sequences also help in learning where any interval is of a given note, the chord tones of chords and aides in ..... UL18: Published: January 6, 2011, 11:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:31 pm | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Six Essential Scales for UkuleleThe six essential scale are: Blues, Major Pentatonic, Mixolydian, Dorian, Aeolian, and Ionian. There are two scales that can be the memorized and all other essential scales referenced from these two. These two ..... UL04: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 14, 2012, 8:48 pm | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| The Major ScaleThe Major Scale or Ionian scale is a diatonic scale, made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first one octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables "Do, ..... UL124: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:32 pm | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Transposing ChordsTransposition is the process of moving note, chord, scale or any musicial passage from one key to another key. All music can be transposed, from a single note to a complex musicial score. This lesson ..... UL05: Published: January 6, 2011, 11:00 am | Updated: March 12, 2012, 8:32 pm | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Upper Partial Chord TonesUpper Partials or extensions are the 9th, 11th, and 13ths of a chord. The 9, 11 and 13 can be altered chord tones depending on chord type: examples b9, #9, #11, b13. UL109: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 9, 2012, 9:13 am | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| What is the different between a Scale and a Mode?A scale and mode can contain exactly the same notes. So when it is a scale and when is it a mode? This lesson explores the content that determine when a scale is a mode. UL110: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 12, 2012, 7:48 pm | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
| Whole Tone Scale for Ukulele - C TuningThe Whole Tone scale is a symmetrical scale with an equal distance been each note or scale degree. Each scale degree is a whole step from the previous. You only need two whole tone scales to cover all ..... UL25: Published: January 2, 2005, 12:00 pm | Updated: March 8, 2012, 12:52 pm | Author: Curt Sheller | ||
Lesson Info
I constantly read online and hear. "Is, where, what site, what software is there for this or that chord or all the chord voicings." Well camper! It's not here. Chord dictionaries, software, web sites are not the answer. Even chord theory does not offer any insight into unraveling the complexity of chord voicings.
Learning basic open position chords and the basic movable form chords presented in the Chord of the Week Lessons I presented in 2007 will set you up for the more advanced chords, typically called “jazz” chords.
These Movable Form Chords lessons have been updated, enhanced and now reside in the Members Subscription area for all basic and Members.
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All book sizes are 8.5" x 11" unless noted and music stand friendly, "lay flat" coil binding.
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* The fingering principles in the books are suitable for ANY ukulele tuning.
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Lessons, TABS and Songs are intended FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
Portions of copy regarding particular songs is from WidipediA, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.
Thanks for visiting and checking out the site!
Content is always being added and updated. So check-in often. Thanks, Curt
MPRS-FW1 - UL123_JAZZ_UKULELE.PHP | Updated: Friday, 30th March, 2012 @ 04:36pm