Improv and Musical Theatre

​Improve and Musical Theater, Film & Television

Units 7.3 - 7.4​

All of Units 1-5

7.1.4 - 04/02

7.2.4 - 04/03

7.3.4 - 04/05

7.4.4 - 04/09

7.5.2 - 04/11

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​Assignments:

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​Jazz instrumentation

Rhythm section - job is to keep the beat

Drums and the bass are the key timekeepers

Piano - feeds chords to soloist

Provides cues as to where they are in the song

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A drum set or kit is a series of drums of different sizes and at least two types of cymbals. More can be added but most common is the five piece drum set.​

Ride, crash or hi-hat cymbals

Snare, bass, floor tom and rach toms make up the basic set.​

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​Drums keep time, work together and give cues.

​It all begins with the drums

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Two types - acoustic or double bass

-electric bass guitar

Most acoustic bass players use strings of wrapped wire.

Produces a more mellow sound​

Leo Fender invented the widely used electric bass in 1951.

Most popular music uses the electric bass.

In early jazz, the tuba was used.​

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​The Bass

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Piano invented around 1700​ and important for classical composers.

Piano is very versatile - can perform alone, accompany any type of musician, play solos in a combo or, as in a jazz band, be part of the rhythm section.​

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​The Piano

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Multiple Choice

What is the name of the special scale used in blues music?

• The funky scale

• The blues scale

• The reds scale

​Improvisation

​Fundamental elements are rhythm, melody and harmony.

When a jazz musician alters the rhythms of a piece of music, he or she is improvising rhythmically.

Doubling up the number of notes and

accenting

certain ones can add excitement and interest to a solo.​

​Swing Jazz Improvisation

Swing Jazz Improvisation -

focused on melodic improv and solo improv

Great example is Louis Armstrong and "West End Blues"​

Louis Armstrong -Jazz trumpeter known for his scat singing and his expressive, lyrical playing style.​

Multiple Choice

What does improvisation mean? 

• Come up with it as you go

• Play without notation

• Both

Multiple Choice

Rhythm can be defined as

• the speed of the beat

• the element of music dealing with time

• accenting notes that are not naturally accented

• two or more notes played at the same time

Multiple Choice

Rhythm is the element of music that deals with time

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Most considered the most essential ingredient in jazz to be

• time

• improvisation

• jazz sounds

• harmony

Multiple Choice

Improvisation is written ahead of time

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Improvisation is, perhaps, jazz's most essential ingredient

• True

• False

​Vocal Improv

​Jazz music grew up out of the melding of American influence and African culture. When a vocalist sings in a jazz style she uses techniques borrowed from other earlier forms of black music. Spirituals, work songs, and the blues all have had an important influence on jazz singers.

Spirituals - Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

Work songs - ​Call and response

Multiple Choice

The blues grew out of.....

• swing music

• work songs

• cool jazz

• classical music

​Ella Fitzgerald Page 4 of 7.3.3

Nat Cole - ​Page 5

Billie Holiday

Frank Sinatra

Tommy Dorsey Band​

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​Jazz Vocalists

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​Musical Theatre, Film and TV

​Tin Pan Alley - 1885 in New York City

Became hub of music printing and distribution

Names for the constant sound of new compositions being played up and down the street.​ Since all playing at once, sounds like banging on tin pans.

Publishers instead sold a slightly altered

arrangement

of popular songs. Though the music of Tin Pan Alley captured the essence of ragtime music well, it sometimes "watered down" jazz and blues music to appeal to a wider audience.​

​During the mid-19th century, Stephen Foster was one of the most well-known composers of popular music in America. Everyone could sing along with his "Camptown Races," "Oh! Susanna," and "Beautiful Dreamer." Since copyright laws hadn't been written yet, Foster received very little money for the use of his compositions. It's said that he only received $100 for "Oh! Susanna" — a song that appeared in songbooks across the country and is still sung today!

By 1914, an organization called the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) had been established to protect the interests of composers by requiring licenses to use their work.​

All of Units 1-5

7.1.4, 7.2.4 and 7.3.4 were all due last week.
7.4.4 - due 4/09
7.5.2 - due 4/11

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​Assignments:

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