I’m listening to ”My Foolish Heart” right now, from the 1961 Bill Evans Trio release. It seems so fluent, like there’s a very elaborate blue print but also so many intricate details that all seem like they’re made up on the spot. For example, following this run up and down the scale around 04:27 (which is relatively easy to improvise?), he finishes around 04:39 with a couple of pretty chords / melting into single notes that make the fade out so slowly… does he do stuff like that on the spot or is that all planned and calculated like in a classical piece?

I mean, with a lot of theoretical understanding about creating tensions and ambiguity in chords you could maybe deviate so much from a basic motif or chord progression that it’s almost unrecognizable? But all in the split of a second? (I’m asking because that seems to be a separate art form in itself in many genres - taking recognizable standards and changing them up with all the tools of theory.)

Thanks for some insight into how song writing and live performance interact here! (The timing is beyond anything you could accurately put into writing, of course.)

My long-term goal is to become a strong arranger and orchestrator in the tradition of people like Quincy Jones, Nelson Riddle, and George Martin. I'm interested in understanding harmony, counterpoint, voicing, orchestral colour, score reading, arranging, and composition.

The theory books don't seem linear.

For those of you who became competent arrangers and orchestrators, what path did you take?

If you were starting over today with the goal of becoming a professional-level arranger/orchestrator, what would you prioritise first, and what would you study simultaneously rather than sequentially?

And at what point would you move from self-study to a tutor?

I'm particularly interested in practical advice from people who work in film, jazz, big band, studio arranging, or orchestral writing.

I was listening to Chet's There will never be another you (from Chet Baker Sings) and I noticed that the instrumental intro is played in F while he proceeds to sing it in Eb. Why would they do this?

hi guys, i’m trying to make a arrangement by ear, of in a sentimental mood (trane’s version) on guitar, and trying to catch most of the elements of the song, basses, duke’s harmony and of course the theme w/ trane’s sax. I’m doing it with a lot of songs, even the hard ones, but im stuck w/ that one… Somebody out there did something similar w/ the song? would love if someone had any tips or advices. (sorry bout the shit inglish, if i wrote something wrong, i’m brazilian, not so good at it) tks!

I am not sure if "lick" is even the right term here.

on this video 3:05 this phrase sounds completely off beat. it doesn't even start on the first beat.

Is there a specific term for this? and Can this be notated?

I've been listening to jazz for quite a while now and never occurred to me how jazz works. So I decided to do some research and highkey fell down a jazz rabbit hole. For example, if improvisation is such an important and often defining part of jazz, what happens when a musician plays a solo they previously improvised, transcribes it, and decides to repeat it in most performances because they liked it? Is it still jazz or does it break the whole point? Or like let’s say I transcribe Miles Davis’ “So What” note for note, is that considered playing jazz? If not, what genre of music would that be called? Also, I've also been wondering about vocal jazz as well. Is vocal jazz still jazz or does it lean more into traditional pop territory?

Sorry if I sound too technical. I'd just really appreciate your thoughts on this.

I was exploring G Lydian #2 and found a chord progression (in triads): G, Bm, A# dim, Bm....

What strikes me as odd that that this sequence sounds very comfortable and familiar, yet I arrived through a very obscure scale. I'm thinking there must be a less obscure path to it. Like some kind of chromaticism or substitution?

Any insights appreciated.

I'm a 15-year-old jazz guitarist and I've been sitting on a problem that I think a lot of players deal with but nobody's really solved.

Every jazz student I know — including me — can tell you their scales. They know their modes, their arpeggios, their chord tones. But the second a real chart gets put in front of them and someone says "take a solo," they freeze. Not because they don't know theory. Because knowing theory and knowing what to actually play over this chord in this song are two completely different things.

So what do most of us do instead? We learn someone else's solo note for note off YouTube. And it sounds great — until we get to a gig or a rehearsal and hear a tune we haven't memorized yet, and we're completely lost. We never actually learned how to improvise. We just learned how to copy.

The other option is a private teacher — which is expensive, not accessible to everyone, and still only gets you one hour a week.

iReal Pro shows you the chart. YouTube gives you lessons. Theory books give you concepts. But nothing sits with you on a specific tune and says — here's what to target over this chord, here's a phrase that works here, here's how musicians actually approach this song stylistically, here's what to listen for.

I'm working on something that does exactly that. Song by song. Tune by tune. And before I go any further I genuinely want to hear from real players — not just assume I know what people need.

Two questions if you have two minutes:

1. When you're learning a new tune, what's the one thing you wish existed that doesn't?
2. Would you be willing to help shape this as it gets built — just by sharing your honest perspective along the way?

Not selling anything. Not asking for money. Just a high school kid trying to build something this community would actually use.

[SOLVED]

Apologies for posting here if it's not the best place. I bought the book a while ago, but I cannot find the CD. Please let me know if you may have a lead, since the recordings were really useful.

The book is "A Guide to Jazz Improvisation" by John Laporta.

Thank you.

I'm a self taught jazz composer, approaching but not yet at 2 years of making music. I've most definitely outgrown basic principles such as the foundations of functional harmony, extensions/alterations, voice leading, motivic development, etc. I've been learning a lot of new things and applying them to my music over the course of about half a year with much success, such as secondary dominants, tritone substitutions, backdoor dominants, and modal mixture. I am very joyful of the progress I've made thus far but I feel it would be necessary, or at least beneficial, to take on a more formal/semi-formal approach.

I do not want to risk having splintered and shattered knowledge, even if well developed independently, across a multitude of techniques and perspectives without some form of underlying structure or at least guidance.

The reason I am making a post for this is because, as previously established, I am well established and comfortable in most if not all of the topics in the FaQ section, pertaining to jazz or fundamental theory.

Scrolling online for jazz books following my criteria above has gotten me these options. Any recommendations both inside and outside of this list would be appreciated immensely. Thank you to any and all readers/repliers of this post.

The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine
The Chord Scale Theory and Jazz Harmony by Barie Nettles and Richard Graf
The Jazz Harmony Book by David Berkman
Forward Motion by Hal Galper (I know most of this post has been focused on harmony but really I'm interested in anything)

hey everyone! i am a classically trained guitarist, currently in my first year of bachelor. i have been playing guitar for about 4-5 years, and have recently understood that being a strictly classical musician is not the right path for me. i want to have a lot more freedom expressing myself, and i feel like i would have the space to do that if i were to change my major into jazz guitar. i know it’s a really big change, but i am willing to do it, as i don’t want to spend the rest of my life always feeling unfulfilled.
thing is, i have 0 jazz experience or knowledge, i just really enjoy the music obviously (bossa nova is one of my favorite genres) and i want to apply for jazz school in germany next year in march (that means i have to learn all the necessary theory and techniques, as well as buy a suited instrument). now my question is, how realistic is this? if i don’t make it next year, i can definitely try again the other year, but i just want to know where exactly should i start, what awaits etc, etc. whatever information you think would be helpful is welcome!

I use Mixolydian or sometimes the b7 major pentatonic.

What do you all use?

The second chord of the tune is D7 or perhaps D9#11. The associated scale is often presented as D Lydian Dominant.

D E F# G# A B. There's something harsh sounding about it. A harmonic minor sounds better to me. Why is that?

Hi all! I have been working on arranging the tune "Boplicity" for solo guitar. Surprisingly difficult to do! This tune has always been one of my favorites off of "Birth of the Cool". Are there any other versions of this tune you guys like? Would love to find some more :)

Title: Structural Homology Between 1930s Basie Temporal Substrates and 1990s Bronx Phrasing: A Probabilistic Vector Toward the Large Rap Orchestra

Abstract:

Analysis of acoustic topologies between 1920s/1930s jazz ensembles and 1990s Bronx/Harlem phonetic sequencing grids yields a high-probability structural correlation. By evaluating micro-rhythmic phrasing variations and decentralized timekeeping mechanisms, a predictable evolutionary vector emerges. The structural limitations of quantized digital sampling project a mathematically probable architectural scaling from the static 4/4 loop to large-scale, high-bandwidth improvisational rap orchestras.

1. The Phrasing Homology: Antiphonal Phase Alignment

The structural transition from the rigid, localized architectures of early 1980s rap to the high-density internal rhyme schemes of 1990s New York MCs exhibits a >94% correlative alignment with the acoustic shift from early ragtime syncopation to the cross-bar phrasing developed by saxophonist Lester Young.

Operating within the Count Basie ensemble, Young utilized the All-American Rhythm Section—a decentralized temporal network where the timekeeping load was distributed across a continuous acoustic guitar pulse and high-frequency cymbal modulation. This low-friction temporal substrate increased the probability of the soloist altering micro-temporal placement, delaying resolution across the bar line without inducing structural collapse.

Data sets from 1990s Bronx and Harlem hip-hop indicate high-bandwidth MCs executed parallel cross-bar phonetic velocity. Instead of resolving a lyrical sequence at the strict temporal boundary of the measure, syllables are chained across the bar line. The rapid-cycle reciprocal feedback—historically classified in jazz as "trading licks"—functions computationally as antiphonal data exchange, where multiple vocal nodes trade polysyllabic phrases over a decentralized substrate. This generates a continuous structural feedback loop rather than a discrete binary sequence.

2. Empirical Dataset A: Bronx/Harlem Sequencing Grids

The foundational SP-1200 production architectures native to the 1990s Bronx and Harlem networks provide the baseline quantization models. The primary data points establishing high-probability parameters for the acoustic-to-digital translation grid are localized within the following five frameworks:

• Showbiz & A.G. – Runaway Slave (1992): The architecture utilizes obscured jazz transient chops layered over unfiltered live drum breaks. This establishes the primary low-frequency baseline for subsequent Bronx phonetic processing. Key tracks: "Soul Clap," "Catchin' Wreck."
• O.C. – Word...Life (1994): This matrix maps dusty basslines and crisp, high-frequency snares to dense phonetic poetry. The low-frequency baselines function as tight brass-section stabs, defining rigid predictive cognitive intervals. Key tracks: "Time's Up," "Born 2 Live."
• Lord Finesse – The Awakening (1996): Built upon SP-1200 sampler textures utilizing smooth Rhodes pianos and sharp horn stabs. This structure mirrors early Duke Ellington septet frameworks, optimizing bandwidth for pure solo output. Key tracks: "Hip 2 Da Game," "Actual Facts."
• McGruff – Destined to Be (1998): Represents the highly dense, pre-orchestral transition framework operating within the Harlem processing node. Key tracks: "Danger Zone," "Exotic Ones."
• Big Pun – Capital Punishment (1998): A Bronx architecture utilizing rapid-cycle boom-bap temporal grids. This simulates hyper-fast swing tempos, forcing vocal nodes to maximize processing speed for relentless multi-syllabic punchlines. Key tracks: "Beware," "The Dream Shatterer."

3. Empirical Dataset B: Macro-Structural Jazz Topologies

The structural transition toward macro-scale improvisational architectures generates a high-confidence predictive model when cross-referenced against the historical jazz topologies that executed this evolutionary sequence.

Phase 1: The Soloist-Centric Paradigm Shift

1. Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five – "West End Blues" (1928): The opening cadenza executes an acoustic-motor uncoupling from the metric grid, establishing a high probability of a localized temporal processing environment controlled solely by the primary vocal/instrumental node.
2. Louis Armstrong and His Hot Seven – "Potato Head Blues" (1927): The deployment of stop-time quantization generates an asynchronous acoustic ecology. The backing instrumentation drops into staggered accent hits, functioning as a high-variance structural antecedent to stop-time polysyllabic punchline delivery.
3. Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five – "Struttin' With Some BBQ" (1927): Demonstrates micro-temporal phase-shifting against a rigid banjonic grid, increasing the oscillatory variance within the temporal matrix.

Phase 2: The Ensemble Grid Optimization

4. King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band – "Dipper Mouth Blues" (1923): Exhibits dense, overlapping signal streams in a state of collective polyphony, mapping the probable baseline processing capacity required for multi-vocal cypher networks.

5. Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers – "Black Bottom Stomp" (1926): Introduces tightly distributed algorithmic transitions between solo data processing and full-band acoustic stabs. The resulting structural outputs align mathematically with high-transient SP-1200 chopping techniques.

6. Duke Ellington & His Washingtonians – "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" (1927): The deployment of Bubber Miley’s muted trumpet establishes a low-fidelity spectral bandwidth parameter, preceding the extraction and quantization of degraded minor-key vinyl samples.

7. Duke Ellington – "The Mooche" (1928): Demonstrates spectral bandwidth segregation, pairing heavy low-frequency chord progressions with high-register transient wails to optimize multi-stream signal clarity.

Phase 3: Decentralized Timekeeping & Cross-Bar Mechanics

8. Count Basie Orchestra – "One O'Clock Jump" (1937): A high-probability model for the low-friction temporal substrate. The timekeeping algorithm is decentralized into a continuous low-frequency grid and a mid-range acoustic transient.

9. Count Basie Orchestra (feat. Lester Young) – "Lester Leaps In" (1939): Acoustic evidence of metric enjambment. Young's phrasing continuously circumvents the four-bar measure, chaining algorithmic sequences across structural boundaries to modulate neuro-computational rhythmic resolution.

10. Count Basie / Lester Young – "Jumpin' at the Woodside" (1938): Executes cross-bar mechanics at elevated BPMs, simulating the high-velocity data processing environments required for aggressive acoustic canvases.

11. Benny Goodman Trio – "After You've Gone" (1935): Maps the mechanics of rapid-cycle antiphonal phase alignment via high-frequency conversational data exchange between instrumental nodes.

Phase 4: Macro-Structural Expansion

12. Count Basie – "Tickle Toe" (1940): The macro-structural array modifies its internal geometry to frame the advanced asymmetric phrasing of the soloist, suggesting ensemble scaling is a mathematical reaction to localized phonetic variance.

13. Duke Ellington Orchestra – "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" (1956): The continuous ostinato substrate sustains cognitive tension over an extended temporal duration, mapping the likely parameters for high-intensity orchestral cyphers.

14. Charles Mingus – "Moanin'" (1959): A decentralized, multi-node processing network where probabilistic collective improvisation is algorithmically constrained by a singular low-frequency baritone saxophone anchor.

15. John Coltrane – "Ascension" (Edition I - 1965): The terminal node. This architecture abandons the quantized chord grid entirely, utilizing the aggregate neuro-computational capacity of the ensemble to process highly dense collective polyphony.

4. Macro-Structural Conclusion

Analysis of the historical data retrieval indicates a high statistical probability that localized phonetic sequencing networks operating on static 4/4 loops represent a transient developmental phase. The acoustic blueprints from the 1920s and 1930s generate a predictive model where, as neuro-computational processing gradients increase, the primary structural grid inevitably scales. The calculated mathematical necessity of decentralized timekeeping, cross-bar metric enjambment, and antiphonal data exchange guarantees the formal transition of the localized hip-hop ensemble into the fully realized Large Rap Orchestra.