Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 215 views

    How To Incorporate Bebop

    Uploaded by

    Adeoye Adeoye
    This document provides information on how to incorporate bebop style into musical improvisation. It discusses key characteristics of bebop such as rapid chord progressions and syncopated rhythms. It recommends practicing scales, arpeggios, and the ii-V-I chord progression in all keys. Specific exercises over the ii-V-I progression are demonstrated, along with use of bebop scales and enclosures. The importance of listening and transcribing articulations from bebop musicians is emphasized to authentically learn the style.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    How To Incorporate Bebop

    Uploaded by

    Adeoye Adeoye
    215 views30 pages
    This document provides information on how to incorporate bebop style into musical improvisation. It discusses key characteristics of bebop such as rapid chord progressions and syncopated rhythms. It recommends practicing scales, arpeggios, and the ii-V-I chord progression in all keys. Specific exercises over the ii-V-I progression are demonstrated, along with use of bebop scales and enclosures. The importance of listening and transcribing articulations from bebop musicians is emphasized to authentically learn the style.

    Original Title

    How to Incorporate Bebop

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    This document provides information on how to incorporate bebop style into musical improvisation. It discusses key characteristics of bebop such as rapid chord progressions and syncopated rhythms. It recommends practicing scales, arpeggios, and the ii-V-I chord progression in all keys. Specific exercises over the ii-V-I progression are demonstrated, along with use of bebop scales and enclosures. The importance of listening and transcribing articulations from bebop musicians is emphasized to authentically learn the style.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    215 views30 pages

    How To Incorporate Bebop

    Uploaded by

    Adeoye Adeoye
    This document provides information on how to incorporate bebop style into musical improvisation. It discusses key characteristics of bebop such as rapid chord progressions and syncopated rhythms. It recommends practicing scales, arpeggios, and the ii-V-I chord progression in all keys. Specific exercises over the ii-V-I progression are demonstrated, along with use of bebop scales and enclosures. The importance of listening and transcribing articulations from bebop musicians is emphasized to authentically learn the style.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 30

    How to Incorporate

    Bebop into Your


    Improvisation
    By Austin Vickrey
    Discussion Topics
    • Bebop Characteristics & Style

    • Scales & Arpeggios

    • Exercises & Patterns

    • Articulations & Accents

    • Listening
    Bebop Characteristics &
    Style
    • Developed in the early to mid 1940’s

    • Medium to fast tempos

    • Rapid chord progressions / changes

    • Instrumental “virtuosity”

    • Simple to complex harmony - altered chords / substitutions

    • Dominant syncopation of rhythms

    • New melodies over existing chord changes - Contrafacts


    Scales & Arpeggios
    • Scales and arpeggios are the building blocks for
    harmony

    • Use of the half-step interval and rapid


    arpeggiation are characteristic of bebop playing

    • Because bebop is often played at a fast tempo


    with rapidly changing chords, it’s crucial to
    practice your scales and arpeggios in ALL
    KEYS!
    Scales & Arpeggios
    • Scales you should be familiar with:

    • Major Scale - Pentatonic: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6

    • Minor Scales - Pentatonic: 1, b3, 4, 5, b7; Natural Minor, Dorian


    Minor, Harmonic Minor, Melodic Minor

    • Dominant Scales - Mixolydian Mode, Bebop Scales, 5th Mode of


    Harmonic Minor (V7b9), Altered Dominant / Diminished Whole
    Tone (V7alt, b9#9b13), Dominant Diminished / Diminished
    starting with a half step (V7b9#9 with #11, 13)

    • Half-diminished scale - min7b5 (7th mode of major scale)

    • Diminished Scale - Starting with a whole step (WHWHWHWH)


    Scales & Arpeggios
    • Chords and Arpeggios to work in all keys:

    • Major triad, Maj6/9, Maj7, Maj9, Maj9#11

    • Minor triad, m6/9, m7, m9, m11, minMaj7

    • Dominant 7ths

    • Natural extensions - 9th, 13th (#11 for Lydian sound)

    • Altered extension variations - b9, b9#9, b9#9#5/b13, b9#9#11 w/ 13

    • Half-Diminished - min7b5 (circle slash)

    • Diminished - dim triad, dim7 (º symbol)

    • *Augmented - aug triad, aug maj 7, dom7#5 - *These are more modern
    sounds but can also be used
    How do these scales and
    arpeggios work in bebop?
    • It’s all about the chord tones!

    • Playing chord tones on strong beats

    • Half-step resolution of notes and lines

    • Syncopation of chord tones and non-chord tones

    • Using chord tones and arpeggios in a variety of


    ways: Passing tones, non-chord tones,
    chromaticism, enclosures, octave displacement
    Exercises and Patterns
    • There are COUNTLESS exercises and patterns
    to practice! Search them out or ask your private
    teacher!

    • Having a good foundational knowledge of music


    theory will assist you in coming up with your own
    patterns and exercises.

    • LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN!


    ii-V-I Progression

    • One of the most common progressions in the


    bebop style of music.

    • In C: Dm7 - G7 - CMaj7

    • There are variations on this progression, but


    this is a good starting point
    ii-V-I Progression

    • Ways to practice the ii-V-I progression

    • Arpeggiate the chords in 8th notes for short ii-


    V’s

    • |DFAC-GBDF|CEGB-%|

    • *Practice this basic arpeggiation in all keys


    ii-V-I Progression
    • Ways to practice the ii-V-I progression

    • The “ii” and the “V” chord have a special


    relationship. We can think of them as a unit.

    • IMPORTANT! - Practice always playing chord


    tones on down beats (number beats) to really
    solidify theses sounds over these chords in
    your head
    ii-V-I Progression
    • Simple patterns over the ii-V7-I progression (8th
    notes)

    • All examples will be in the key of C: Dm7 - G7 - C

    • #1 - Start from the root of the “ii” chord

    • | DFAC - BAGF | E….. |

    • #2 - Start from the 3rd of the “ii” chord

    • | FACE - DCBA | G….. |


    ii-V-I Progression
    • Simple patterns over the ii-V7-I progression (8th notes)

    • All examples will be in the key of C: Dm7 - G7 - C

    • #3a - Start from the 5th of the “ii” chord


    (descending)

    • | AFDC - BAGF | E….. |

    • #3b - Change of direction on the V7

    • | AFDC - BDFA | G….. |


    ii-V-I Progression
    • *We can alter chord tones to account for any changes in
    harmony: min7b5, altered dominant chords, minor “i”
    chords.

    • Minor “ii/V” progression: Dm7b5 - G7b9 - Cm7

    • #1 - | DFAbC - BAbGF | Eb….. |

    • #2 - | FAbCEb - DCBAb | G….. |

    • #3a - | AbFDC - BAbGF | Eb….. |

    • #3b - | AbFDC - BDFAb | G….. |


    ii-V-I Progression
    • These are just starter patterns that will instantly help your improvisations sound
    more like bebop

    • Here are a few scalar patterns:

    • 1, 2, 3, 5 - 1, 2, 3, 5 - 1, 2, 3, 5 on each chord

    • DEFA - GABD - CDEG

    • Descending scale in the key from the root, 3rd, 5th, or 7th of the “ii” chord

    • DCBA - GFED - C

    • FEDC - BAGF - E

    • AGFE - DCBA - G

    • CBAG - FEDC - B
    Bebop Scale (Dom7)
    • The “Bebop” Scale is a descending scale built
    from the Dominant 7th Scale (Mixolydian)

    • Adds a half-step between the root and the 7th of


    the dominant scale

    • G7 Bebop Scale - G, Gb, F, E, D, C, B, A, G

    • We can play this entire scale over the “ii-V” unit


    in the progression or over a full measure of the
    “V7” chord.
    Bebop Scale (Dom7)
    • This scale can be played in its entirety starting from
    the root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th of the V7 chord.

    • Using the G7 scale

    • From the root - G, Gb, F, E, D, C, B, A, G

    • From the 3rd - B, A, G, Gb, F, E, D, C, B

    • From the 5th - D, C, B, A, G, Gb, F, E, D

    • From the 7th - F, E, D, C, B, A, G, Gb, F


    Bebop Scale (Dom7)

    • Variation #1 - No Half-Steps if you start from the


    2nd, 4th, or 6th of the V7 chord

    • From the 2nd - A, G, F, E, D, C, B, A, G

    • From the 4th - C, B, A, G, F, E, D,C, B

    • From the 6th - E, D, C, B, A, G, F, E, D


    Bebop Scale (Dom7)
    • Variation #1a - Add 2 half-steps between the 2nd
    and the root, and the root and the 7th

    • From the 2nd - A, Ab, G, Gb, F, E, D, C, B

    • From the 4th - C, B, A, Ab, G, Gb, F, E, D

    • From the 6th - E, D, C, B, A, Ab, G, Gb, F*

    • *This does not end on a chord tone for the


    major scale. (Appoggiatura)
    Bebop Scale (Dom7)
    • Variation #2 - Add 3 half-steps: between the 3rd and
    the 2nd, 2nd and root, and root and 7th when starting
    on the 3rd, 5th, or 7th of the V7 chord

    • From the 3rd - B, Bb, A, Ab, G, Gb, F, E, D

    • From the 5th - D, C, B, Bb, A, Ab, G, Gb, F*

    • From the 7th - F, E, D, C, B, Bb, A, Ab, G

    • *This does not end on a chord tone for the major


    scale. (Appoggiatura)
    Bebop Scale (Major)
    • The Bebop scale can be applied to the major 7, major 6, or maj
    9 chords.

    • C major bebop descending - add a half-step between the 6th


    and the 5th of the scale.

    • C, B, A, Ab, G, F, E, D, C

    • We can do this starting from the 3rd and the 5th of the scales as
    well.

    • From the 3rd - E, D, C, B, A, Ab, G, F, E

    • From the 5th - G, F, E, D, C, B, A, Ab, G


    Bebop Scale (Major)
    • For the major scale, we can add half-steps in between tones
    as long as we continue to keep chord tones on strong beats.

    • Var. #1 - From the root

    • C, B, A, Ab, G, F, E, Eb, D

    • Var. #2 - From the 3rd

    • E, Eb, D, Db, C, B, A, Ab, G

    • Var. #3 - From the 5th

    • G, F, E, Eb, D, Db, C, B, A
    Enclosures
    • Enclosures are very common in bebop

    • Playing notes above and below the “goal” note to delay the
    resolution

    • Example: C major

    • Simple: D, B, C* (used leading to a Cmaj7)

    • Var: Db, B, C*

    • Adding on: E, D, Db, B, C*; or Eb, D, Db, B, C

    • You can work these out on your own, or you can find these by
    transcribing bebop players.
    Articulations & Accents
    • Bebop articulations are characterized by the syncopation
    of accents

    • At fast tempos and for fast lines, 8th notes are typically
    slurred, or lightly articulated

    • The “jazz articulation” may also be used: Tongue/slur -


    tongue/accent upbeats and slur to the downbeats

    • Saxophonists - The “muffle” tongue is also a jazz


    technique used to “muffle” one note or a group of notes to
    give emphasis to the notes that occur after it/them.
    (Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane)
    Articulations & Accents
    • Syncopation in horn improvisations also come from
    listening to how the drummer is accenting and playing
    “hits”

    • Listen to the rhythm section in bebop groups and how


    they accent to see/hear how those accents are picked
    up by the horn players and vice versa.

    • IMPORTANT!!!! Transcribe not only lines and


    melodies, but articulations, inflections, accents, and
    sound quality. This is the ONLY WAY that you can
    authentically learn and play the bebop style!!!
    Bebop Musicians
    • Alto Saxophone - Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley, Sonny
    Stitt, Lee Konitz, Paul Desmond (cool jazz), Phill Woods, Sonny
    Criss, Charles McPherson, Lou Donaldson, Frank Morgan

    • Tenor Saxophone - Dexter Gordon, Don Byas, John Coltrane,


    Sonny Rollins, Lester Young/Coleman Hawkins (early), Sonny
    Stitt, Lucky Thompson, Stan Getz, Hank Mobley, Charlie
    Rouse, Benny Golson, Johnny Griffin, Frank Foster, Gene
    Ammons

    • Baritone Saxophone - Gerry Mulligan, Pepper Adams, Leo


    Parker, Serge Chaloff, Cecil Payne, Jerome Richardson, Bill
    Perkins, Sahib Shihab
    Bebop Musicians
    • Trumpet - Clifford Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles
    Davis, Lee Morgan, Kenny Dorham, Harry
    “Sweets” Eddison, Howard McGhee, Fats
    Navarro, Clark Terry, Freddie Hubbard, Nat
    Adderley, Jon Faddis, Art Farmer, Ira Sullivan

    • Trombone - J.J. Johnson, Bill Watrous, Kai


    Winding, Frank Rosolino, Curtis Fuller, Slide
    Hampton, Conrad Herwig, Bob Brookmeyer, Bob
    Curnow, Delfeayo Marsalis
    Bebop Musicians
    • Piano - Bud Powell, Barry Harris, Thelonius
    Monk, Oscar Peterson, George Shearing, Lennie
    Tristano, Tommy Flanagan, Marian McPartland,
    Al Haig, Horace Silver, Hank Jones, Duke
    Jordan, Wynton Kelly

    • Guitar - Charlie Christian, Herb Ellis, Kenny


    Burrell, Barney Kessel, Joe Pass, Jimmy Raney
    Bebop Musicians
    • Bass - Ray Brown, Charles Mingus, Oscar
    Pettiford, Percy Heath, Scott LaFaro, Paul
    Chambers, Tommy Potter, Niels-Hennig Ørsted
    Pederson

    • Drums - Kenny Clarke, Max Roach, Art Blakey,


    Roy Haynes, Philly Joe Jones, Buddy Rich, Jo
    Jones, Ed Thigpen, Sid Catlett, Shelly Manne
    Summary
    • Know the bebop style and characteristics

    • Understanding of basic to intermediate harmony

    • Scales, Chords, Arpeggios, Functional Harmony (ii-V7-I)

    • Learn some digital patterns and exercises that “fit” the chords; i.e.
    playing chord tones on downbeats

    • Learn jazz articulations through listening

    • Syncopation of accents, listen to rhythm section

    • Transcribe not just the notes! Articulations, inflections, accents, sound.

    • LISTEN!!! LISTEN!!! LISTEN!!!

    You might also like