MUJS 4620, Jazz Arranging IV

General Information
MUJS 4620.001, Jazz Arranging (3 credits, offered only in the spring semester)
Professor: Richard DeRosa

Meetings: Class meetings are Monday 9:00 - 10:40 and Wednesday 9:00 - 9:50 in Room 292..

Course description: MUJS 4620.001 is required of undergraduate Jazz Studies major who have an arranging emphasis qualification. Some graduate students may also be required to take the course if the program director feels that a greater background in arranging is required.

Prerequisite: MUJS 4610 with a grade of A or B, or consent of the class professor.

Reference texts: as found in MUJS 3620.

Grading is subjective and is based upon a series of short but intensive assignments that are designed to develop general advanced concepts while capturing specific styles for jazz writing and beyond. All assignments are presented via MIDI. The sound quality must be good and each example must include MIDI performances of the rhythm section instruments in support of the writing assignments.

Topical Outline:
1. Spectrum of Blues Harmony - Gospel, mainstream, progressive, pandiatonic - sparse to dense, basic to advanced harmonic progression.

2. Harmonic color - using chord substitution to affect style and emotion.

3. Chord Inversion - to create interesting bass lines, better counterpoint, capture a floating essence.

4. Modulation - via pivot chords and tones, within strict phrasing and to create formal extension

5. Form and Development - intros, transitions, interludes, endings, pedal points, motivic development, "send-offs", chorale, pyramids, extended (non-song) form.