OVERVIEW

Episode 1: Contrast

• Exploring the basic building blocks of music and sound.

• John Coltrane’s “Afro Blue”

• Using contrasting scales to create simple modal compositions.

Episode 2: Rhythm & Phrases

• Writing and developing a motif.

• Thelonious Monk’s “Epistrophy” and “Blue Monk”

• Composing a 12-bar blues using a repeated rhythmic motif.

Episode 3: Harmony

• The circle of 5ths, tonic vs. dominant, and simple modulation.

• Richard Rogers’ “Have You Met Miss Jones”

• Writing an AABA song to practice modulation to different tonal centers.

Episode 4: Reharmonization

• Common tone modulation and tri-tone substitution.

• Tadd Dameron’s “Lady Bird”

• Creating a parallel composition through reharmonization.

Episode 5: Counterpoint

• Writing for two or more simultaneous voices.

• Ostinato and Miles Davis’ “All Blues”

• Writing a blues for two or more contrapuntal parts.

Episode 6: Odd Time Signatures

• Exploring odd time signatures and compound meter.

• Dave Brubeck’s “Blue Rondo a la Turk”

• Writing a Rondo form composition using odd time signatures.