Introduction to Jazz Improvisation
Improvising a jazz solo can feel like a mysterious skill — something only a gifted few are born knowing how to do. It isn’t. Every choice a great improviser makes is something you can learn, practice, and eventually make your own.
A great jazz solo consists of: 1% magic & 99% stuff that is explainable, analyzable, categorizeable, doable.
— Mark Levine, jazz pianist / author
This course is built around that “99% stuff.” Over the semester we will work through jazz theory, ear training, transcription, and performance — one building block at a time — so that by December you can sit in on a blues, take a chorus on a standard, and improvise with real confidence instead of guesswork. No prior improvisation experience is required, but students tend to do best when they already have solid instrumental fundamentals — major scales and key signatures, and comfortable reading in treble or bass clef.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Read and interpret chord symbol notation, and analyze basic chord progressions and song forms.
- Identify chords, scales, and intervals by ear.
- Transcribe, memorize, and perform a recorded jazz solo.
- Improvise confidently over a 12-bar blues and selections from the standard jazz repertoire, using chord tones, chord-scale relationships, and vocabulary drawn from the jazz tradition.
- Apply basic reharmonization and motivic development techniques to your own solos.
Course Materials
Textbooks (optional)
- “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.
Topics covered
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
Mid-semester grades are entered into the student administration system, and students receive a notification when they’re posted. Grades are also available on Husky CT.
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
Communication & Policies
Communication policy
E-mail is the instructor’s preferred method of communication with students. Please allow 48 hours for replies. When requesting a meeting outside of office hours, please submit several meeting time options. I prefer to be addressed as Professor MacDonald.
Attendance
This is a practice-based course built around in-class group practice sessions that can’t be replicated outside of class. Regular attendance is essential to developing the skills this course teaches — missing class has the same ripple effect on your progress that missing a rehearsal has on a band. Please plan your semester accordingly.
Late work & extensions
Deadlines in this course are treated the way they would be treated in the working world, “I need more time” is rarely an option.
Work submitted after the stated deadline will be penalized 10% per calendar day late, for up to three days, after which it can no longer be accepted for credit. This policy applies uniformly to quizzes, playing tests, and transcription project deadlines.
The one exception is the cumulative final examination (Dec. 14–20): because it closes out the semester, late submissions cannot be accepted under any circumstances. Documented emergencies (illness, family emergency, etc.) are handled separately through the Dean of Students Office.
Missed tests & quizzes
If you know in advance you will miss a quiz or playing test, contact me before the date to arrange a makeup. Unexcused absences from a quiz or test will be recorded as a zero. Documented excused absences (illness, emergency, religious observance) will be given a makeup opportunity within one week of your return.
Some situations are not considered excused, even with documentation: a doctor’s, dentist’s, or other appointment that could reasonably have been scheduled outside of class time; travel plans (flights, rides, vacations); job shifts or interviews; and other non-emergency personal commitments. If you’re not sure whether something qualifies, ask before the deadline — not after.
Video submission guidelines
For all video-recorded playing tests: submit as .mp4 or .mov, named LastName_FirstName_AssignmentName (e.g., Smith_Donna_BluesTest). Upload well before the 5 p.m. deadline — a slow or failed upload discovered at 4:59 is not grounds for an extension.
If the OneDrive dropbox is inaccessible, e-mail me a backup link (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.) before the deadline; a timestamped e-mail sent before the deadline will be treated as on time even if the file itself finishes uploading later.
Use of generative AI
Generative AI tools may be used to help you understand theory concepts, generate practice accompaniment, or review terminology. They may not be used to complete work meant to demonstrate your own listening, transcription, or playing skills. See “Academic integrity” below for what this means in practice and the consequences for violations.
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
Aug. 31 (Monday)
Course outline, content, office hours & grading explained.
Sept. 2 (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).
Sept. 7 (Monday) No Classes
Labor Day.
Sept. 9 (Wednesday)
Topic #3: Labeling “voiced” chords.
Sept. 14 (Monday) Deadline
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.
- Solos must be selected & approved by Sept. 28.
- Completed transcriptions submitted Oct. 21.
- Solos performed with and without the recording on Nov. 18.
Sept. 16 (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. 21 (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. 23 (Wednesday) Quiz · 10%
Quiz: chord symbol notation, identification & labeling.
Sept. 28 (Monday) Deadline
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. 30 (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 (B♭ transposition), A major (E♭ transposition), C major in bass clef.
Free, online play-a-long accompaniment track.
Oct. 5 (Monday)
Practice session: Impressions, and the blues.
Oct. 7 (Wednesday) Playing Test · 10%
Playing test: the blues. The guidelines for the blues test are outlined at earlmacdonald.com/blues-test. Your video must be submitted to the linked SharePoint dropbox by 5 p.m.
We will not meet as a class today.
Oct. 5 (Monday) – Oct. 23 (Friday)
Mid-semester grading period and progress reports issued.
Oct. 12 (Monday)
Topic #9: Chord-scale theory. Diatonic seventh chord harmony (continued) and symmetrical scales (chromatic, whole tone, diminished, augmented).
Impressions practice session.
Oct. 14 (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. 19 (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. 21 (Wednesday) Deadline · 5%
Deadline for submitting completed solo transcriptions.
Review: chord–scale relationships. “Summertime” practice session: head, arpeggios, V⇒I and ii-V⇒I licks, blues, V7 to I resolutions.
Oct. 26 (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. 28 (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.
Nov. 2 (Monday) Playing Test · 15%
Playing test: Impressions. In lieu of an in-class performance assessment, please prepare and submit a video recording using the guidelines at earlmacdonald.com/impressions-test. Upload to the linked SharePoint dropbox before 5 p.m. today.
Review: chord–scale relationships and diatonic harmony.
Nov. 4 (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. 9 (Monday) Quiz · 10%
Quiz: chord-scale relationships.
Nov. 11 (Wednesday)
Nov. 16 (Monday) Deadline
Nov. 18 (Wednesday) Playing Test · 15%
Playing test: performance of solo transcriptions. 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 SharePoint dropbox before 5 p.m.
Nov. 22 – 29 Thanksgiving Recess
Nov. 30 (Monday)
Review for cumulative written quiz: Practice Quiz #1, Practice Quiz #2.
Dec. 2 (Wednesday) Playing Test · 15%
Playing test: “Summertime”. In lieu of an in-class performance assessment, please prepare and submit a video recording using the guidelines at earlmacdonald.com/summertime-test. Upload to the linked SharePoint dropbox before 5 p.m.
Dec. 7 (Monday) Quiz · 10%
Cumulative written quiz — “in person.”
Dec. 9 (Wednesday)
Review for playing quiz. Requested topics, TBA.
Dec. 11 (Friday)
Last day of fall semester classes.
Dec. 12 & 13 Reading Days
Dec. 14 – 20 Final Examination · 10%
Cumulative jazz improvisation performance test.
Due: anytime on or before Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 5 p.m. Upload your recording to the SharePoint dropbox.
Video record yourself performing, with recorded accompaniment:
- Sonny Moon for Two
- “Impressions” [YouTube – slow] [YouTube – faster]
- “Summertime” [option 1: quarter = 100, option 2: bass only, option 3: fast]
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.
Academic & Conduct Policies
⇒ cetl.uconn.edu — References for Syllabi Links
This page provides students with centralized access to policies related to conduct, discrimination and harassment, attendance, and accommodations, offering clarity on the standards that shape their classroom experience.
Academic integrity
Students are expected to uphold the standards set by UConn’s Academic, Scholarly, and Professional Integrity and Misconduct (ASPIM) Policy, which covers cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation, and noncompliance with course or professional standards.
Violations in this course — including submitting AI-generated notation, analysis, or transcription work as your own — will result in a failing grade on the assignment in question and may be referred to the Office of Community Standards for further review under the ASPIM policy.
Support & Resources
- Counseling and Mental Health Services
860-486-4705 (after hours: 860-486-3427) · cmhs.uconn.edu - National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Dial 988 · suicidepreventionlifeline.org - Alcohol and Other Drug Services
860-486-9431 · studenthealth.uconn.edu - Dean of Students Office
860-486-3426 · dos.uconn.edu - Career Services
860-486-3013 · career.uconn.edu - Center for Students with Disabilities
860-468-2020 · csd.uconn.edu