The “holy trinity” of learning jazz improvisation (as I see it) is transcription, learning tunes, and playing with people. In my Virtual Studio, one of the things we do is a Tune of the Month series. I’d like to share with you the lessons from last month’s tune, It Could Happen To You. I add new lessons to the Virtual Studio each Friday, so I’ll split up this post into 4 segments, one for each week. Also, here was the month’s Transcription Challenge.
Week 1
1. Listening
The first step to learning a new tune is always in-depth listening. I like to start with the original recording, and understand how the composer intended it to be played. After that, you’ll want to branch out and find other versions that interest you. In this video I highlight 24 recordings of this tune, and point out specific elements that make each version unique.
00:00 – Intro
01:14 – 1944 Dorthy Lamour
02:42 – 1944 Jo Stafford
04:29 – 1944 Bing Crosby
07:04 – 1952 Bud Powell
10:39 – 1953 JJ Johnson
13:53 – 1957 Sonny Rollins
18:15 – 1957 Frank Sinatra
21:54 – 1958 Miles Davis
25:59 – 1958 Chet Baker
27:09 – 1959 Blue Mitchell
29:18 – 1959 Ahmad Jamal
33:43 – 1960 Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis
35:46 – 1960 Sonny Stitt
37:47 – 1964 Bill Evans/Monica Zetterland
39:44 – 1964 Sonny Rollins
42:19 – 1964 Bud Powell
43:49 – 1969 Dexter Gordon
45:41 – 1988 Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra
47:55 – 1994 Chick Corea
49:29 – 1996 Keith Jarrett
56:23 – 1998 Chick Corea
59:16 – 2006 Diana Krall
1:03:00 – 2010 Chris Potter
1:10:16 – 2013 Chick Corea
2. Melody
Let’s learn the melody of It Could Happen To You by ear. I break it down, phrase by phrase, then play play the entire melody with the metronome, then with the backing track.
00:00 – Intro
01:57 – Working through each phrase
06:49 – First half of melody w/metronome
07:31 – Second half of the melody
10:16 – Entire melody w/metronome
12:00 – Melody w/backing track
Downloads for this lesson:
3. Chord Analysis
Let’s work through the roman numeral analysis for the chord progression of It Could Happen To You. This will help us learn how the chords are connected, where the resolution points are, and to know the function of each chord.
Downloads for this lesson:
Week 2
4. Root Movement
Let’s work through the roots of each chord for this progression. Take the time that you need to memorize this before moving on to the next lesson.
00:00 – Intro
01:56 – Working through 8-bar segments
07:29 – Entire form with metronome
09:30 – Charleston rhythm
11:35 – Figure out a new rhythm
14:02 – Improvisation with track
Downloads for this lesson:
5. Basic patterns
Let’s learn the triads for this chord progression.
00:00 – Intro
01:01 – 1-3 with metronome
03:00 – 3-1 with metronome
06:41 – 1-3-5, 5-3-1
09:11 – Improvisation with triads only
Downloads for this lesson:
6. Advanced patterns
Let’s dig into some more challenging patterns, and think about creating your own practice patterns.
00:00 – Intro
02:18 – 12345, 54321
03:47 – 1357, 7531
10:45 – Create your own practice patterns
09:44 – Improvisation based on 1357
Downloads for this lesson:
Week 3
7. Composed chorus
In this video I play through a 1-chorus solo I composed on the chord progression to It Could Happen To You. This process can be an incredibly helpful exercises for improving your ability to improvise. Give this a try for yourself, if only for a few phrases. In the next lesson I explain, in depth, two of the phrases from this solo.
Downloads for this lesson:
8. Vocabulary
In this lesson we go in depth on two specific phrases from my composed chorus.
00:00 – Intro
02:03 – 1st phrase
06:52 – 2nd phrase
Downloads for this lesson:
C version PDF
WEEK 4
9. Trade With Sean
In this lesson, we trade 8s for a few choruses, then 4s. Enjoy!
00:00 Trade 4s
04:56 Trade 8s
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