Chapter 1

• Backbeat


  beats two and four of a bar measured in four beats. Usually accented in swing rhythm
• Bar/Measure


  repeated groupings into which beats are organized. Most music has four. Some have two or three or even more like five, six, or seven
• Changes 


  chord progression but in jazz referred to as changes
• Call and Response 


  a melodic phrase played or sung by one performer that is answered by the rest of the group
• Chord


  fundamental building block of harmony created when three or more notes are played simultaneously
• Chord Progression


  sequential order of the chords of a tune. “Changes” refer to chord progression
• Chord Symbol 


  notational references of chords, or a kind of short-hand used to quickly communicate the harmonic content of a chord
• Chorus


  each statement of form. The melody is almost always played in the first chorus
• Comping


  chords that accompany the melody of the song, in a syncopated and interactive manner
• Digital Sampler 


  digital recording of a sound or musical phrase that is used in the performance or creation of a musical piece
• Dissonance


  non-harmonious musical notes, tension. Can be subtle or very pronounced
• Doubling Instrument


  an instrument such as a flute or soprano saxophone that is occasionally used as a second instrument by a musician
• Double Time 


  in an improvised solo, the technique of playing rhythmically twice as fast as the established tempo
• Downbeat


  beat one of each measure
• Dropping Bombs 


  when a drummer plays a spontaneous, syncopated accent on the bass drum to add energy to the performance
• Embellishment/Ornamentation


  improvised decoration or “jazzing up” of a melody
• Fake Book 


  a book made up of tunes in lead sheet form (jazz standards)
• Form 


  the basic structure of a musical piece
• Gig


  a jazz performance
• Harmony


  a set of chords that accompany the melody
• Head 


  the melody of a song
• Hot soloist


  tends to add a lot of drama to his solo, plays lots of notes, plays high in the instrument's range
• Cool Soloist


  plays more laidback and relaxed
• Improvisation


  simultaneously composing and performing
• Improvised Solo


  only one musician solos at a time and the others stop playing (“lay out”) or play to support the solo
• Interaction


  musicians need to carefully listen to each other. Since many are improvising, communication needs to be open and honest.
• Jazz Ensemble


  group of musicians that perform together. Typically all have a rhythm section
• Jazz Interpretation


  unique way that musicians produce sound, slur/bend notes, a pianist may “crush” two notes together
• Jazz Performance Form 


  format of head-solos-head
• Jazz Standards


  a jazz or pop tune that is widely known by jazz musicians and is played often
• Lay Out


  stop playing
• Lead Sheet 


   a notated roadmap of a tune using only the melody and chord symbols. Gives only basic information so performers have maximum leeway
• Lyrical


  a melody that is very singable or melodic. Cool soloists tend to play more lyrically than hot soloists
• Melody


  succession of notes that are played or sung in a specific order and rhythm
• MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)


  allows musicians to create all kinds of sounds from a single keyboard and connect to computer sequencer software to create music
• Phrasing 


  the combining of melodies with silence, or rests. Use of pauses. Can be fast tempo with few pauses, or slow with many pauses, or other
• Polyrhythm


  using two or more rhythms simultaneously
• Pulse


  fundamental beat driving the music that creates the tempo
• Rhythm


  relationship of notes and sound with time. Gives music forward motion. Measured in beats
• Rhythm Section


  usually consist of a bass player, a drummer, and a pianist (or guitarist)