In this introductory jazz improvisation class, students will concentrate on elements of jazz theory, ear training, transcription, and performance. As a result, students should establish a solid foundation upon which to build as beginning jazz soloists.
Course #: MUSI 1601, section 1. Two credits.
Semester: Fall 2025.
Instructor: Earl MacDonald, Professor of Music & Director of Jazz Studies
Class meeting time: Mondays & Wednesdays, 12:20 p.m. – 1:10 p.m.
Classroom: MUSB 109
Earl MacDonald’s Office: MUSB 207.
Office Hours: Wednesdays at 10 a.m., and by appointment
(Optional) Text Books:
“Maiden Voyage, Fourteen Easy-To-Play Jazz Tunes,” by Jamey Aebersold. Volume 54.
“The Jazz Theory Book,” by Mark Levine
Sher Music. ISBN 1-883217-04-0
A great jazz solo consists of: 1% magic & 99% stuff that is
explainable, analyzable, catergorizeable, doable.
– Mark Levine, jazz pianist/author
The intent of this introductory jazz improvisation course is to focus on the “99% stuff.” By concentrating on elements of jazz theory, ear training, transcription, and playing, students will attain a solid foundation upon which to build as beginning jazz soloists.
Course material will include:
Chord symbol notation, chord/scale theory, basic chord progressions, song forms, rudimentary reharmonization, transcription & analysis of jazz solos, ear training (aural recognition of intervals, scales, chords and progressions), jazz terminology, the application of “licks”, bebop fundamentals, and other relevant topics.
Grading:
Performance tests: 50%
Solo transcription(s) and performance project(s): 20%
Written quizzes: 30%
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 have 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.
Class Schedule
Note: This online syllabus/class schedule is an evolving and frequently updated document. Therefore, check it frequently.
Aug. 25 (Monday):
Course outline, content, office hours & grading explained.
Topic #1: chord symbol notation: triads & seventh chords.
Aug. 27 (Wednesday):
Topic #2: chordal extensions & alterations.
* Print and study the PDF attachments. Complete the homework practice assignments (found at the bottom of the topical web pages).
Chord Construction Worksheet
Chord Symbol Notation & Identification
KEY – Chord Construction Worksheet
Sept. 1 (Monday): Labor Day – No classes
Sept. 3 (Wednesday):
Topic #3: labeling “voiced” chords.
Sept. 8 (Monday):
Courses dropped after this date will have a “W” for withdrawal recorded on the academic record. Last day to add or drop courses without additional signatures.
Homework: chord symbol practice test #1, [answer key]
Topic #4: Learning from recordings.
Reading: 1) Why transcribe? 2) Transcription techniques
Assignment: Transcription Project — Transcribe, learn and memorize 2 choruses (minimum) of the blues from a recording of your choice, approved by Prof. MacDonald. Due dates: Solos must be selected & approved by Sept. 22nd. Completed transcriptions will be submitted on Oct. 15th. Finally, solos will be performed with and without the recording on Nov. 12th.
Sept. 10 (Wednesday):
Topic #5: the blues: chord progression & harmonic analysis. Blues scale, arpeggiating chords, chord tone patterns, and improvising with chord tones.
Sonny Moon for Two and blues worksheets distributed.
Play-a-long track
Homework: chord symbol practice test #2, [answer key]
Sept. 15 (Monday):
Bessie’s Blues – John Coltrane
Call and response ear-training exercises.
Practice session: the blues.
Rhythmic displacement of 4-note cells.
Homework: chord symbol practice test #3, [answer key]
Sept. 17 (Wednesday):
Quiz: chord symbol notation, identification & labeling. (10%)
Sept. 22 (Monday):
Deadline for solo transcription selection & approval.
Ear-training exercises.
Topic #6: song forms: AABA, ABAC, AA1 etc.
tunes: Satin Doll, Oleo, Anthropology, Just Friends, It’s You Or No-one, On Green Dolphin Street
Introduction to So What and Impressions. [YouTube – slow] [YouTube – faster]
Practice session: the blues.
Sept. 24 (Wednesday):
Topic #7: diatonic seventh chord harmony: major & minor scales.
Guy LaFleur #10 – Montreal Canadiens
Topic #8: soloing with thirds, triads & seventh chords as “building blocks” – C major (concert pitch), D major (Bb transposition), A major (Eb transposition), C major in bass clef.
Free, online play-a-long accompaniment track
Sept. 29 (Monday):
Practice session: Impressions, and the blues
Oct. 1 (Wednesday):
Playing test: the blues (10%)
The guidelines for the blues test are outlined on the linked page, below. Your video must be submitted to the linked OneDrive dropbox by 5PM.
Blues Test
We will not meet as a class today.
Sept. 29 (Monday) – Oct. 17 (Friday):
Mid-semester grading period and progress reports issued.
Oct. 6 (Monday):
Topic #9: Chord-scale theory.
Diatonic seventh chord harmony (continued) and symmetrical scales (chromatic, whole tone, diminished, augmented)
Impressions practice session.
Oct. 8 (Wednesday):
the Altered scale
Topic #10: Articulating Five to I, V7 to I “licks” and practice techniques.
Summertime: Analysis of song form & harmony. Recorded examples.
head, arpeggios, V⇒I and ii-V⇒I licks, blues, V7 to I resolutions
Impressions practice session.
Oct. 10 (Friday):
Eric Reed Concert – 8PM, von der Mehden Recital Hall
Oct. 11 (Saturday):
Eric Reed Master Class – 10am – noon, von der Mendez Recital Hall
Oct. 13 (Monday):
Summertime scale options.
Blues Scale application to Summertime.
Topic #11: Articulating dominant chords resolving to I.
V7 to I “licks” and practice techniques.
Oct. 15 (Wednesday):
Deadline for submitting completed solo transcriptions.(5%)
Review: chord–scale relationships.
“Summertime” practice session: head, arpeggios, V⇒I and ii-V⇒I licks, blues,
V7 to I resolutions
Oct. 20 (Monday):
Review: arpeggios, V⇒I and ii-V⇒I licks
Topic #12: Triadic Upper Extensions
Topic #13: motivic sequencing & development
Summertime practice session: chord tone arpeggiation/improv., V7 to I resolutions, triadic upper extensions
Chord-scale relationships practice quiz homework
Oct. 22 (Wednesday):
Summertime practice session. [YouTube backing tracks: option 1: quarter = 100, option 2: bass only, option 3: fast]
Topic #14: major pentatonic scales applied to Summertime
Chord-scale relationships practice quiz homework
Oct. 27 (Monday):
Playing test: Impressions (15%)
In lieu of an in-class performance assessment, please prepare and submit a video recording using the guidelines outlined at the link below. Upload your submission to the linked OneDrive drop box before 5 p.m. today.
So What/Impressions Test
Review: chord–scale relationships and diatonic harmony.
Oct. 29 (Wednesday):
Review:
- Summertime arpeggios
- Summertime V7 to I and “short ii-V” to I licks
- chord–scale relationships and diatonic harmony.
- [YouTube backing tracks: option 1: quarter = 100, option 2: bass only, option 3: fast]
“Summertime” practice session.
Nov. 3 (Monday):
Quiz: chord-scale relationships. (10%)
Nov. 5 (Wednesday):
Applying triadic upper extensions, V7 licks, and pentatonic scales to other songs.
Analysis of selections from the standard jazz repertoire.
“Summertime” practice session.
[YouTube backing tracks: option 1: quarter = 100, option 2: bass only, option 3: fast]
Nov. 10 (Monday):
Last day to withdraw from a course
Final “Summertime” practice session: head, arpeggios, licks, blues, pentatonics
[YouTube backing tracks: option 1: quarter = 100, option 2: bass only, option 3: fast]
Applying V7 licks to other songs.
Nov. 12 (Wednesday):
Playing test: Performance of solo transcriptions (15%)
Use today’s class period to record and submit your solo transcription project. Perform your transcribed solo with and without the recording. Upload your video recordings to the linked OneDrive dropbox before 5 p.m..
Nov. 17 (Monday):
Review for cumulative written quiz: Practice Quiz #1, Practice Quiz #2
Nov. 19 (Wednesday):
Playing test: “Summertime” (15%)
In lieu of an in-class performance assessment, please prepare and submit a video recording using the guidelines outlined at the link below. Upload your video recordings to the linked OneDrive dropbox before 5 p.m..
Summertime Test
Nov. 22 – 30: Thanksgiving Recess
Dec. 1 (Monday):
Cumulative written quiz (10%) – “in person”
Dec. 3 (Wednesday):
Review for playing quiz
Requested topics, TBA
Dec. 5 (Friday): Last day of fall semester classes
Dec. 6 & 7: Reading Days
Dec. 8 – 14: Final Examination
Cumulative jazz improvisation performance test (10%)
- Due: (anytime, on or before) Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 5 p.m.. Upload your recording to the linked OneDrive dropbox.
- Video record yourself performing…
“Sonny Moon for Two,”
“Impressions,” [YouTube – slow] [YouTube – faster] and
“Summertime” [option 1: quarter = 100, option 2: bass only, option 3: fast]
with recorded accompaniment, using the following format for each song:- head, 3 choruses of improv, out-head
- review and incorporate the various skills and topics discussed and learned throughout the semester.
- Late submissions will not be accepted.
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