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WHOlovesBASS?
06-19-2006, 10:03 AM
hello, i am writing this with a fairly simple question...is there a basic jazz progression?

i know that many jazz songs are different in that, unlike the blues, they do not all follow a 1-4-5 kind of pattern.
as i am starting to get more interested in jazz and fusion and more complex music as such, is there any sort or a generic jazz chord progression that i could bring to band practice and suggest working on?

if there is, i would like it please.
if there is not, can anyone give me some ideas of chords that work well togther in jazz.

thank you very much for any help.

Phil Smith
06-19-2006, 10:11 AM
The blues is one progression that's pretty common in jazz. It can be a simple as I IV V, but often substitions are added especially for the turn around.

Straight blues:

| I | I | I | I |
| IV | IV | I | I |
| V | IV | I | I |

Jazz Blues

| I | IV | I | I |
| IV | IV | I | VI |
| II | V |I VI | II V |

SuperDuck
06-19-2006, 10:13 AM
I think that the ii-V is commonly regarded as the most-used jazz progression.

Bruce Lindfield
06-19-2006, 10:25 AM
Rhythm Changes are used quite frequently - the basis for a lot of tunes - especially when slightly modified :

Follow this link for a tutorial which covers this :

http://www.instituteofbass.com/bass_lessons/jim_stinnett/voice_leading/

ras1983
06-19-2006, 10:29 AM
i don't like to think about the type of progression, because it changes from composer to composer. i would recommend getting some aebersold play-alongs or some jazz standards books and just learn to sight read from the lead sheets.

dlloyd
06-19-2006, 10:32 AM
if there is, i would like it please.
if there is not, can anyone give me some ideas of chords that work well togther in jazz.

Aebersold book 54. Maiden Voyage.

Erick Lam
06-19-2006, 10:40 AM
Get a "Real Book" in treble clef and learn some of the classics (melody and chord changes). Autumn Leaves, Blue Bossa, Oleo (Rythm Change), etc. There are tons.

Band-in-a-Box software is good for practising. You can enter your own chord progression too.

cowsgomoo
06-19-2006, 10:47 AM
http://www.jazzstandards.com is a fantastic website for info on erm, jazz standards :) if you learn the top 30 tunes, you'll be off to a great start... i.e. Summertime, Round Midnight, Autumn Leaves, Stella by Starlight, How High The Moon etc

you'll see the same kinds of chord movements recurring, and once you can spot them you'll start to understand how traditional jazz progressions work... it's not really a case of 'here's the basic jazz progression' like the blues, but the same sorts of things do recur over & over again... so get your head round some standards!! :)

WHOlovesBASS?
06-20-2006, 09:45 AM
you guys are awesome...thank you.