After following Kennys feedback I have revised the blog so that the aim of the project has a context and the tasks and objectives are in the correct format.
Aim of Honours
project
The overall aim of
this honours project is to explore how harmony shapes the course of
improvisation and how it defines the sound quality of the scales being used.
The project will focus on the common jazz chord progression I,II, II,V,I in
order to make the project of manageable scope. By perusing this project, the
output should consist of an accessible guide that would explain fully the
effect of harmony on improvisation and therefore form an important teaching
resource. It is a recognised problem that classically trained pianists who
attempt to improvise often have great difficulty as their training does not
always facilitate the skills needed for effective improvisation. With a
classical training, this difficulty is perhaps best realised when the emphasis
on playing exactly what is notated on is considered. Improvisation, with its
emphasis on the freedom of the player, is completely at odds with this approach.
Even with high technical ability and knowledge of music theory the transition
between the two approaches is uncomfortable. This project will attempt to create
a method that greatly assists the classical player in making this transition. In addition to the guide, there will be performance
based examples of what is explained in the guide. This should aid the learning
process. One way of measuring the success of the project would be to contact
pianists that identify themselves as only classically trained pianists and
conducting a survey that ascertained their understanding of improvisation
before and after using my method.
Objectives of project
On completion of this
project, the objectives are to
1.
Define,
describe and discuss the key aspects of the theory behind improvisation and how
this is put into practice.
2.
Identify
and analyse the associations between melodic structures which form the
improvisation and the differing harmonic structures that are possible within
the chosen chord progression.
3.
Define,
describe and discuss aspects of pedagogy, relevant to the appropriate teaching
theory context, required to ensure that the guide is of high educational value.
4.
Apply
the research to produce a guide that fully explains the effect of harmony on
improvisation and teaches the practical application of this. This should ensure
that a classical musician has an accessible resource which they can use to
learn to improvise effectively.
5.
Measure
the project by reference to the critical framework that should become
established as a result of using the one chord progression. E.G Explaining the
effect of harmony on improvisation by reference to what is normally done.
6.
Ensure
that performance has an effective role by giving an audible and visual
representation of what is explained in the guide and so making the learning
process more effective.
7.
Test
the overall aim of the project by contacting pianists who identify themselves
as classically trained and measure their ability and understanding before and
after using my method.
Major tasks
For the first
objective
1.
Prepare
a bibliography existing guides on improvisation
2.
Create
a glossary to define and describe key terms of improvisation theory and how
this is put into practice.
3.
Ask
professional in field of jazz for advice on the application of the theory.
4.
Write
a review of these key terms and describe how this relates to the scope of my
project. E.G Identify difficulties that a classical musician would have in
applying this theory.
For
the second objective
1.
Prepare
bibliography of transcriptions and guides/ interviews of professional jazz
pianists on approaches to improvisation that use the chord progression I am
focussing on.
2.
Identify
common approaches to improvisation over the same chord progression by reference
to the transcriptions and guides/interviews of jazz pianists. Analyse how different
harmonic structures over the same progression influences this. Look for
similarities in different musicians approaches.
3.
Formulate
an appropriate analytical framework in order to make formative judgements.
For the third objective
1.
Prepare
bibliography of books that explain teaching theory.
2.
Identify
and describe appropriate teaching strategies that will ensure that the learner
is engaged to what is being taught in the guide.
3.
Ask
professional jazz piano teacher for views on how to teach improvisation.
4.
Apply
the teaching theory, ensuring that the learning process is focused on the
intended audience.
For the fourth
objective
1.
Decide
what software I am going to use to create the guide.
2.
Decide
on the layout and format of the guide. This will be informed by reference to
teaching theory.
3.
Establish
the critical framework to be used which will measure what I am explaining
against what is usually done over the chosen chord progression
4.
Ensure
testing is carried out whilst the guide is still in production. This will
involve gathering opinions of classically trained pianists and piano teacher.
It will identify whether the guide is achieving what it aims to do.
5.
At
the end, have the guide professionally printed and any performance based
examples recorded onto either DVD or CD.
For the fifth
objective
1.
Establish
the appropriate critical framework to measure the project against. This should
be achieved by taking the chord progression chosen and applying the research
that done on it. This way there is a justification for the methods that will be
explained in the guide.
For
the sixth objective
1.
Decide
whether performances will be done as a soloist or with an ensemble.
2.
Make
sure that performances directly relate to the guide, giving a visual and
audible reference.
3.
Organise
the logistics of this.
For the seventh
objective
1.
Contact
pianists at Stevenson that identify themselves as classically trained and ask
if they would like to be involved in the project.
2.
Devise
a testing method. To do this, concentrate specifically on what will be
explained in the guide.
3.
Test
their existing knowledge of improvisation before they use the guide.
4.
Test
their level of understanding after they have used it.
Submission
Deliverables
1.1.1-
Bibliography
of guides on improvisation to be included on the blog.
1.2.1-
Glossary of terms to be included on the blog
1.3.1-
Transcription of interview to be included on the blog and the main points
summarised in the dissertation
1.3.2-
Audio recording of interview to be included on blog and as part of the
pre-production/ project portfolio
1.4.1-
Review to be included in the literature review of the dissertation, the
research proposal and on the blog.
2.1.1-Bibliography
of jazz transcriptions and guides to improvisation to be included on the blog
2.2.1-
Identify common approaches and analyse relationships between melodic and
harmonic structures to be done on the blog as it would include recordings. Also,
this could be included in the pre-production/ project portfolio.
2.3.1-
Formulate analytical framework to be included in the pre-production portfolio
and a full description of this process to be included in the blog and as part
of the methodology section of the dissertation.
3.1.1-
Prepare bibliography of teaching guides on the blog
3.2.1-
Identify and describe appropriate teaching theory to be done on the blog, also
as part of the literature review in the dissertation and the research proposal
3.3.1-
Transcription of views to be included on blog and recording to be included as
part of the pre-production portfolio.
3.4.1-
Applied teaching theory to be included in the methodology section of the
dissertation.
4.1.1-
Decide what software to be used to be included as part of blog.
4.2.1-
Layout to be discussed as part of methodology section of dissertation
4.2.2-
Final product will be a professionally produced guide where this can be judged.
4.3.1-
Critical framework to be discussed on blog and as part of the methodology
section of the dissertation. Also research needed for this will be included as
part of research proposal.
4.4.1-
Results of testing to be included on blog and as part of the results and
discussion section of the dissertation.
4.5.1-
A hardback copy of the guide will be submitted.
4.5.2-
CD’S and DVD’S of performance material will be submitted. This can also be
included on the blog.
5.1
Discuss how critical framework has been
established on the blog and include this in the methodology section of the
dissertation.
6.1.1-
To decide whether performances will be done as a soloist or as part of an
ensemble will be discussed on the blog.
6.2.1-
Any recordings of performances submitted on the blog, DVD, or CD will directly
match what is contained in the guide.
6.3.1-
Describe the logistical steps needed on the blog and as part of the discussion
section of the dissertation.
7.1.1-
Gather list of all those involved. State how many people involved and musical
background on blog and testing section of the dissertation.
7.2.1-
Testing method to be discussed in blog and as part of methodology section of
dissertation.
7.3.1-
Existing knowledge to be discussed on blog and included as part of the
methodology
7.4.1-
Results of testing to be included on blog and as part of the results and
discussion section of the dissertation.
Resources
The resources that I
need would comprise of musicians for any ensemble performances and a means to
record these. I am already in a jazz trio and could probably have access to
recording facilities at Stevenson in order to record compositions. If I am to
get the guide printed professionally then this will probably cost some money
which I am willing to fund myself. I also have a wide range of literature to
refer to, most of which can be borrowed from libraries. So far this consists
of:
Harmonic experience
W.A Mathieu Inner Traditions International
1997 – This explores harmony from its
natural origins and so would be useful to form an all rounded view of harmony.
Keyboard Jazz Harmony
Baerman 2000 Alfred- This teaches the
music theory side of jazz harmony.
Music and Mind in
Everyday Life Clarke, Dibben, Pitts Oxford
University Press 2010- This books discusses music and psychology which again
should help in understanding why certain intervals have particular effects on
people. It also has a chapter on improvisation, so by understanding the
psychological elements involved in the process of improvisation, this should
help in establishing the correct mindset.
Instrumental teaching
Janet Mills 2007 Oxford Music education series- This is beneficial in understanding
the teaching theory required for my project. It also has a section on improvisation.
Great Jazz Piano
solos Omnibus press wise 2005- This
comprises of transcriptions, some of which use the chord progression that I am
focussing on and so provides clear case study examples.
No comments:
Post a Comment