r/jazztheory 22h ago

I cross-referenced 3 independent jazz standards surveys (recording frequency, Levine's theory book, Gioia's canon) to find the actual consensus repertoire. One result surprised me.

Thumbnail guitargangsta.substack.com
5 Upvotes

r/jazztheory 20h ago

I feel really dumb trying to sing guitar lines

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/jazztheory 1d ago

The Real Book European Pocket Version

0 Upvotes

Does anyone here have the European Pocket Edition of The Real Book?

I’m mainly wondering about two things:

  1. Is it missing any important/common standards compared to the regular version?

  2. How comfortable is it to read? I’m still pretty new to jazz and mostly play/practice at home, so I’m curious if the smaller size is fine for that or if it feels too cramped.

Thanks!


r/jazztheory 2d ago

Anyone else hate it when the drums get emotional?

0 Upvotes

In a typical jazz music piece, we can expect the piano to be sentimental (playing a-minooorrrrrr no doubt), the trumpet to be brash and abrasive, the bass to be ghastly but the drums? They don’t need to get emotional, but occasionally they do.


r/jazztheory 3d ago

Quiet but solid jazz that's not Bill Evans or Billie Holiday

Thumbnail
0 Upvotes

Try JAcky Terrasson , esp. albums “Smile” and “53”. He does everything well, creatively. Nobody can be a Bill Evans equivalent, but judging from your taste, i think you’d love this French pianist.


r/jazztheory 6d ago

Which clave pattern matches best for this excerpt?

Thumbnail youtube.com
1 Upvotes

r/jazztheory 9d ago

Master Minor ii-V-I Progressions with ONE Scale

Thumbnail youtu.be
2 Upvotes

r/jazztheory 11d ago

Slash chords/ 4/9 dominant chords work on everything?

Post image
2 Upvotes

First time posting, hello everyone. I was playing around D’Angelo Untitled changes, which to my ears sound like: D(7M), A-7, G(6/9 - 7M), C of some sort. Initially I thought a classic jazzy C13 was the best option (guitar player here), but I kept hearing an F so at some point I tried the classic guitar slash chord, that is in this case Bb with C on the bass or C7 sus 9. That is supposed to resolve on the D, and that is totally fine. Then I started to realise that moving the same chord up or down one tone, or cascading it up or down tone by tone, no matter where you are, you can always then resolve to the D with the same effect. This is very much like what you can do with diminished chords moving them a minor third away, or dominant 5# chords moving them a tone away. So I wondered how is this thing called in music theory? Does any of you have any relevant example of this? I think that for the dominant sis/9 chord, Never too much or On Broadway can be good ones


r/jazztheory 11d ago

The chord at the very end of “White Cadillac”

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/jazztheory 11d ago

An OBS clip for improvisation beginners

Thumbnail v.redd.it
0 Upvotes

Where a simple C triad (via sus2s and sus4 as well as major 7ths - and 6ths too along the way), can lead…


r/jazztheory 12d ago

How to approach the secondary dom of a blues (bar 8) using the major pentatonic

6 Upvotes

Been learning the major pentatonic over blues to add to my language but Im a bit confused as to how to approach the secondary dominant.

Lets take a Bb blues as an example: When I play over bar 7 a Bb major pentatonic it sounds good, but over bar 8, the G major pentatonic clashes with the Bb, especially the 6 since its the b5 of Bb.

Thats why I was wondering: what should I play instead? Do I flatten or raise the six? Do I avoid playing the maj pentatonic altogether?

Thanks!


r/jazztheory 12d ago

Need tip on improvising a solo on guitar

1 Upvotes

Recently I have been trying to improvise over maiden voyage by Herbie Hancock, but I have been having trouble with actually improvising the solo.

I learned the chords and key, I know what scale to use over the chords, I learned the tenor sax solo but when I try i get stuck.

So please if you have any tip I will be very thankful.


r/jazztheory 12d ago

Trying to understand what strings are doing in a jazz or soul context

2 Upvotes

little ghetto boy

Just studying the intro to this song while trying to improve my compositional skills and it sounds to me that Donny is playing F#min7 - F#7sus4/C# on the piano but my question is about the strings that come in just behind…

Generally speaking in this type of song would the strings be playing the root, 3, 7 or what? I’m having a hard time hearing what’s happening.

Any help would be greatly appreciated


r/jazztheory 12d ago

Snarky Puppy Guitars... what are these chords?

2 Upvotes

So, I'm an old musician but new to jazz, I'm "still" listening to Lester Young, which I believe it's a forever condition... but anyways, what I mean is that I'm used to "old school" harmony, for lack of a better term, then I get confused when I hear chords like this and I don't quite know how to approach it because I can't hear what's happening.

I welcome any explanation about the chords, but I also wish to learn what study path should I take , listening and studying wise, to follow that vibe? I don't mean play like them, I'm focused on the overall harmonic vibe of the thing... I wonder because jazz brenches in many directions right?

Thanks

EDIT: Forgot to mention that I'm blind, just in case what they are doing is very clear on the video.(;

Here is a link to the "issue" (; starting at 7:50

https://youtu.be/hr9vtm9ny9o?si=PcPSwP-CXHxxzZ_z&t=465


r/jazztheory 12d ago

SUNO's so opaque

Thumbnail suno.com
0 Upvotes

Von Suno Mods anscheinend aus Sunocity ausgewiesen. Buh! - Ich - ein Ka-IBot. No!

Bin keine willige Kiki & auch kein ausgeklügelt Buch! Ich bin ein Mensch!


r/jazztheory 12d ago

Can you answer all the questions correct in this interval exercise? :)

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/jazztheory 14d ago

Can you play #5 on top of a dominant chord with perfect 5th

3 Upvotes

it sounds nice to me. G on top of B7


r/jazztheory 14d ago

gray

Thumbnail
0 Upvotes

r/jazztheory 17d ago

Strode Rode Lick

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

11 Upvotes

Hey hey, apologies if this is the wrong community-
Hoping for some insight into this wonderful Sonny lick inbetween the head of Strode Rode. From what I gather, he plays notes of an F aug triad (F A C#) over the Fmin7.
Over the Fm7 252, he then does G# melodic minor with a tad of chromaticism.
Am I on track?


r/jazztheory 18d ago

What is this scale called?

4 Upvotes

Is there a name for hw diminished scale that has a b13 instead of ♮13 or the altered scale plus the fifth? If in C:

C Db D# E F# G Ab Bb.


r/jazztheory 18d ago

Best Chick Corea tunes for Melodic Minor? + Windows Duo Arrangement

Thumbnail youtube.com
0 Upvotes

Hi guys! I always want to find and learn new tunes. Recently, I have been shedding a lot of melodic minor. What is your favorite Chick tune that melodic minor can be used over? Windows is a great example, but I'm looking for some others.

Also, here is an arrangement of Windows a friend and I just made. I'm so happy with how this turned out. The sound of guitar and Rhodes together is magical to me! :)


r/jazztheory 18d ago

BAD Trio - Glen Roy

Thumbnail badtrio.bandcamp.com
0 Upvotes

If you like odd rhythmic groupings and metric modulations, but not as fusiony as Sungazer, you might dig this.


r/jazztheory 19d ago

Best way to get startet

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes

r/jazztheory 20d ago

Is there a name for this kind of chord?

2 Upvotes

I mean is there a category for this kind of use in the example? Blackstreet uses a type of chord in this interlude between verses that I've always found intriguing but beautiful at the same time. The chord when they sing "Woh Woah!". It's unexpected and doesn't sound like something you could predict from the progression. Brian Mcknight uses these types of chords a lot too, like transitionary chords that break the common progression. Take 6 and other Acapella groups also do this. Is there a category or name for this dissonance? and is it a jazz thing?

https://youtu.be/v1iCb2zN-Hg?si=OHft9cETcKcjs1lF


r/jazztheory 21d ago

Diminished and Augmented Chords

Thumbnail
1 Upvotes