Jazz Arranging 1

Writing Jazz Combo Arrangements

Course Title: Jazz Arranging 1
Course #: MUSI 3631, section 001. Two credits.
Semester: Fall 2025.
Instructor: Earl MacDonald, Professor of Music & Director of Jazz Studies
Class meeting time: Mondays & Wednesdays, 9:05 a.m. – 9:55 a.m.
Classroom: MUSB 109
Earl MacDonald’s Office: MUSB 207.
Office Hours: Wednesdays at 10 a.m., and by appointment

Jazz Arranging and Composing, A Linear Approach, by: Bill DobbinsText Book:

Jazz Arranging and Composing, A Linear Approach
by: Bill Dobbins
Advance Music. ISBN 3-89221-006-3

*Link to other highly recommended jazz arranging text books

 


Music Notation software:

Dorico, Finale, Sibelius, or MuseScore may be used. The instructor is fluent in Finale and transitioning to Dorico. Sibelius and MuseScore are permitted, but no guidance will be provided for them. MuseScore users: Do not use the octave treble clef under any circumstances—especially for tenor saxophone parts. Any work containing it will not be accepted or graded.

Course description:

This course develops skills in arranging for small jazz ensembles of one to four horns plus rhythm section. Students learn fundamental techniques for crafting melodic, engaging parts, along with best practices in manuscript preparation and music notation software to ensure clear communication with performers.

Course content will include:

instrument ranges, transpositions and timbres, melodic interpretation, melodic analysis (identifying passing tones, appoggiaturas, escape tones, neighbor tones, etc.), formal organization & development (introductions, endings, backgrounds, solis, etc.), voice leading, harmonic anticipation, chromatic and diatonic parallelism, “tonicization,” harmonization, homophony, basic reharmonization and rhythm section notation.

Grading:
  • chord symbols & spelling quiz: Mon., Sept 8:  5%
  • transposition quiz: Wed., Sept. 24:  10%
  • copyist/notation project: Wed., Oct. 1: 10%
  • Worksheet assignments: 15%
  • 3 arrangements: 20% each. (sketches for consultations: 10%, finished arrangement: 10%)
    • quartet: Mon., Oct. 20
    • quintet: Mon., Nov. 10
    • sextet: Mon., Nov. 19

* All assignments are due at 9:05 a.m. on their specified date.

There will be no formal midterm or final exam for this jazz arranging course. Expect the workload to be demanding; but know that you are developing skills which can be used for the rest of your musical life.

A mid-semester progress report will be e-mailed from the instructor. The course content and schedule are subject to change at the instructor’s discretion and will be properly communicated to students as changes arise. Note: This online jazz improvisation syllabus and class schedule are malleable, evolving, and frequently updated documents. Check them frequently.

Grading Scale:

Grade Letter Grade GPA
93-100 A 4.0
90-92 A- 3.7
87-89 B+ 3.3
83-86 B 3.0
80-82 B- 2.7
77-79 C+ 2.3
73-76 C 2.0
70-72 C- 1.7
67-69 D+ 1.3
63-66 D 1.0
60-62 D- 0.7
<60 F 0.0

Communication policy

E-mail is the instructor’s preferred method of communication with students. Please allow 24-hours for replies. When requesting a meeting with me outside of my office hours, please submit several meeting time options. I prefer to be addressed as Professor MacDonald.

Copyright

My lectures, notes, handouts, and displays are protected by state common law and federal copyright law. They are my own original expression and I’ve recorded them prior or during my lecture in order to ensure that I obtain copyright protection. Students are authorized to take notes in my class; however, this authorization extends only to making one set of notes for your own personal use and no other use. I will inform you as to whether you are authorized to record my lectures at the beginning of each semester. If you are so authorized to record my lectures, you may not copy this recording or any other material, provide copies of either to anyone else, or make a commercial use of them without prior permission from me.

Timeline for covering the course material:

Aug. 25 (Monday):

– course outline, schedule, policies and grading explained.
– orientation: idea generation, arranging techniques, musical options.
– listening example:

– chord symbol review & worksheet homework.

Aug. 27 (Wednesday):

– listening example:

– intro to 4-part closed block
– Homework: 4-part closed block worksheet #1: due Wednesday, Sept. 3rd.
– chord symbol review & worksheet homework.

Sept. 1 (Monday): Labor Day – No classes

Sept. 3 (Wednesday):

– listening example:

– 4-part closed block worksheet #2 due: Monday, Sept. 8
– chord symbol review & worksheet homework.

Sept. 8 (Monday):

– chord symbol quiz (5%)

Sept. 10 (Wednesday):

– 4-part closed block: harmonizing non-chord tones
– 4-part worksheet #3 due: Monday, Sept. 15

Sept. 15 (Monday):

– listening: Ray Brown Trio with Ulf Wakenius – Summertime
– “Summertime” lead sheet.
– 4-part closed block: 4-part worksheet #4 first two questions due Wednesday, Sept. 17
– instrument transpositions, ranges, restrictions: brass, saxes, quick reference sheet
– homework: Transpositions Practice Test #1;   [Answer Key]

Sept. 17 (Wednesday):

– instrument transpositions, ranges, restrictions, demonstrations

  • saxophones
  • trumpet
  • trombone

– 4-part closed block: 4-part worksheet #4 last last two questions due Wednesday, Sept. 24
– assessment of transpositions homework
– homework: Transpositions Practice Test #2;   Answer Key

Sept. 22 (Monday):

– listening example:

– rhythm section instruction: drum notation key, sample drum part
– copyist/notation project assigned; due Wed., Oct. 1.
– If I Should Lose You lead sheet
– Music Preparation Fundamentals – by Darcy James Argue
– part copying: sample sax part
– homework: Transpositions Practice Test #3;   Answer Key

Sept. 24 (Wednesday):

– transposition/instrument ranges quiz (10%)

Sept. 29 (Monday):

Quartet Arranging: 1-horn & rhythm 

– quartet instruction.
– Quartet Arrangement Assignment distributed. Due Monday, Oct. 20.

Quartet Arrangement Assignment

– introductions
– endings
– writing drum parts using FINALE

Oct. 1 (Wednesday):

– copyist/notation project due: (10%)
– formal planning

– “There Will Never Be Another You” – rhythmic head interpretation
– Another Road Map

– reinventing melodies: “Smile,” arranged by Pete McGuinness
– Smile lead sheet

Oct. 3 (Friday):
Mid-semester progress issued (before Oct. 17)
Grades thus far: chord spelling (5%) + 4-part assignments (15%) + instrument ranges (10%) + copyist notation project (10%) = 40% of total grade

Oct. 6 (Monday):

– David Berger video: Jazz Composing & Arranging Habits
– additional quartet instruction: text book examples from Bill Dobbins’ “Jazz Arranging and Composing”

Oct. 8 (Wednesday):

– copyist/notation project returned
– consultations for quartet assignment

Oct. 13 (Monday):

– consultations for quartet assignment
– PDF: Music Preparation Fundamentals for Jazz Composers & Arrangers, by Darcy James Argue
– arranging/transforming pop songs:

Oct. 15 (Wednesday):

Quintet Arranging: 2-horns & rhythm

– 2-horn instruction & analysis.
– 2-horn audio samples
– quintet arrangement assigned; due Mon., Nov. 5

Quintet Arrangement

Oct. 20 (Monday):
– Quartet assignments due. (20%)
– additional 2-horn instruction, analysis & discussion
– Jazz Reharmonization Techniques

Oct. 22 (Wednesday):
– additional 2-horn instruction, analysis & discussion
– Be Still, My Soul (a reharmonization arrangement)
– Amanda Tosoff video: Reharmonization – 3 Techniques for Getting Started

Oct. 27 (Monday):
– consultations for quintet assignment (draft work due)
– discussion of graded quartet assignments
– recorded examples

Oct. 29 (Wednesday):
– consultations for quintet assignment (examination of draft work)

Nov. 3 (Monday):
– consultations for quintet assignment (examination of draft work)

Sextet Arranging: 3-horns & rhythm

– 3-horn instruction and analysis.  Sextet arrangements assigned: Due Wed., Nov. 19.

Jazz Sextet Arrangement

 

Nov. 5 (Wednesday):

–  https://www.earlmacdonald.com/3-horn-examples/

Nov. 10 (Monday):

– Last day to withdraw from a course
– Quintet arrangements due. (20%)
– review of sextet assignment criteria/parameters
– additional 3-horn instruction, analysis & discussion
– (On the) Sunny Side of the Street examples

Nov. 12 (Wednesday):

– consultations for sextet assignment

Nov. 17 (Monday):

– consultations for sextet assignment

Nov. 19 (Wednesday):

– Sextet arrangements due. (20%)

  • There will be no revision option, as students are now familiar with the instructor’s expectations.
  • Assignments submitted on the Monday after Thanksgiving break will incur a 20% penalty; Monday, Dec. 1 is the final deadline for sextet assignments.

– reading session scheduled in jazz combos class (5PM, room 109)

Nov. 22 – 30: Thanksgiving Recess

Dec. 1 (Monday):

– suggested reading and listening lists in preparation for writing for jazz big band
– big band preview/overview
– reading session in Jazz Combos class. 5 – 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 3 (Wednesday):

– Discussion of graded sextet assignments

Dec. 5 (Friday): Last day of Fall Semester classes

Dec. 6 & 7: Reading Days

Dec. 10 (Wednesday):

– Final opportunity to submit revisions. 3PM deadline. Place your revised scores (along with your original version and my comments) in the box outside my office door.

Dec. 8 – 14: Final Examinations 

People with Disabilities Policy Statement

https://policy.uconn.edu/2011/05/24/people-with-disabilities-policy-statement/

Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment and Related Interpersonal Violence

https://policy.uconn.edu/2015/12/29/policy-against-discrimination-harassment-andrelated-interpersonal-violence/

The Student Code

https://community.uconn.edu/the-student-code-preamble/

Policy on Academic, Scholarly, and Professional Integrity and Misconduct

https://policy.uconn.edu/2023/07/11/academic-scholarly-and-professional-integrity-andmisconduct-aspim-policy-on/

Some useful telephone numbers:

Counseling and Mental Health Services: (860) 486-4705, or after hours: (860) 486-3427
www.cmhs.uconn.edu

Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills: (860) 486-3013
www.career.uconn.edu

Alcohol and Other Drug Services: (860) 486-9431
www.aod.uconn.edu

Dean of Students Office: (860) 486-3426
www.dos.uconn.edu

 

Audio Examples

Comments are closed.