Course Description
Basic course for the student with little or no previous experience in jazz improvisation. First semester: essential theoretical knowledge and practical skills and practice of integrating them into improvisation. Prerequisite: MUP 204.
Syllabus
Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:
Students successfully completing this course will be able to:
- Improvise using jazz language over simple song forms and chord progressions
- Hear, sing and play, scales, intervals, and chord qualities as they relate to tunes
- Develop melodic ideas using and trusting their ears to guide them through chord progressions
- More quickly memorize and comprehend the contextual implications of standard chord progressions, making it easier to transpose them in any key
Course Grading Information:
| Activity/Performance Measure | Percentage/Points |
|---|---|
| Daily Grade | 30% |
| Transcriptions | 30% |
| Playing Tests | 40% |
You must pass in your work in person, in class, and on time, or early. If you miss an assignment you have until 7 calendar days to pass it in, at a lower letter grade. One week after the assignment is due, it will not be accepted and will be graded as a zero.
Grading Scale
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 92.00-100.00% | A |
| 90.00-91.99% | A- |
| 88.00-89.99% | B+ |
| 82.00-87.99% | B |
| 80.00-81.99% | B- |
| 78.00-78.99% | C+ |
| 72.00-77.99% | C |
| 70.00-71.99% | C- |
| 68.00-68.99% | D+ |
| 62.00-67.99% | D |
| 60.00-61.99% | D- |
| 0-59.99% | F |
Attendance/Participation:
Attendance/participation is not a graded component included in the student's final grade for this course.
Course Materials Purchased by the Students:
No course materials are required.
Scholarly Perspectives
This course engages diverse scholarly perspectives to develop critical thinking, analysis, and debate and inclusion of a reading does not imply endorsement.