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Song 3
BAB's JAM

  1. Twelve bar Blues Format
  2. The Mixolydian mode
  3. Bab's Jam
  4. Keyboard - Left Hand
  5. Phrasing - Call & Response
  6. Practice - Mixolydian mode
  7. Session Materials

    Library


Song | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | ?? |


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S 3.1 - Twelve bar Blues Format

The 12 bar blues is the most popular song format in Jazz and Rock music.

In its most basic form the chord progression of the 12- bar blues consists of the three primary triad chords I, IV and V, already discussed in Session 1.

Audio 3.1

I I I I

IV

IV

I

I

V

V

I

I

In most Jazz Blues progression the three major triads are replaced by dominant 7th chords like this :

Audio 3.2

I7 I7 I7 I7

IV7

IV7

I7

I7

V7

V7

I7

I7

For the Blues in C this becomes :

Audio 3.2

C7 C7 C7 C7

F7

F7

C7

C7

G7

G7

C7

C7

These chord substitutions have one important consequence.
Whereas the three triad chords (for example, C, F and G) all belong to the same major scale (C major), the three dominant 7th chords do not.

  • C7 = C E G Bb

  • F7 = F A C Eb

  • G7 = G B D F

There does is no major scale which contains both E and Eb, and both B and Bb.
The three chords each have their own parent major scale.

  • C7 belongs to the F major scale

  • F7 belongs to the Bb major scale

  • G7 belongs to the C major scale

By starting these major scale each on the tonic note of its chord three Mixolydian modes are formed.


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S 3.2 - The Mixolydian Mode

The Mixolydian mode is (like the Dorian mode) a displaced major scale.
This mode is formed by starting on the 5th note of any major scale.
Starting the F major scale for example on its 5th scale-tone creates the C Mixolydian mode.

Audio 3.3 plays the F major scale and the C Mixolydian mode.
Audio 3.4 plays the C major scale and the C Mixolydian mode.

Audio 3.3 - Audio 3.4
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A dominant 7th chord always functions as the V7 chord usually for a major scale tonality, but sometimes for a (harmonic) minor scale tonality.

Audio 3.5
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The Mixolydian mode can be used for improvisation over all dominant 7th chords, unless the chord occurs in a distinctly minor scale chord setting (such as for example Gø - C7 - Fm). This exception will be dealt with in a later Session.


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S 3.3 - Bab's Jam

I wrote this song to celebrated my daughter's return to Australia. Babette spent 8 years living and working in Tokyo which has been a great experience for her.
She is now settling down, with her partner and her dog, right here at the Sunshine Coast.

Bab's Jam is a basic 12 bar blues.

Melody
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Prepare for this song in the usual way :

  1. first play chord root tones in semibreves (4-beat notes), then using a rhythm pattern

  2. play chord tones in crotchets, then using a rhythm pattern

  3. play the Mixolydian modes in quavers.

Audio 3.6
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S 3.4 - Keyboard Left Hand

I have written a walking bass line, spelling out the three dominant 7th chords of the blues, for the keyboard left hand of Bab's Jam.

This left hand is also very effective accompaniment ('comping') while someone else is taking a solo. Simply play chords with the right hand (voicings straddling Middle C on the keyboard) on each off beat, or in a contrapuntal rhythm.

Audio 3.2
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Here some alternative keyboard left hand ideas you can use with the melody or while you are improvising.

Audio 3.7
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S 3.5 - Phrasing : Call & Response

Musical phrases in Jazz standards and Popular music are typically 4 bars long.
Often a phrase contains a musical 'comma' in the middle, which sub- divides it into two 2 bar segments.

In Jazz improvisation a phrase can of course have any length, this adds very much to the interest and 'surprise' element of a good solo. We will come to that aspect a bit later in the Course. But to develop good phrasing skills you should first work on 2 bar segments and 4 bar phrases until you are rock solid on that.

The 12 bar blues is an ideal and easy to use vehicle to hone you phrasing skills on.
The melody of Bab's Jam uses the typical phrase development of the traditional blues.
It consists of three 4 bar phrases :

  1. the 1st phrase consists of a call (2 bars) and response (2 bars)

  2. the 2nd phrase repeats the first phrase (again with the same call and response)

  3. the 3rd phrase introduces new material, resolving the statements of the first two phrases

Melody
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In Session 1 we started on 2 bar segments. As Bab's Jam shows, making a 4 bar phrase is very simple : just put two 2 bar segments together and a new phrase is born.

Bab's Jam combines 4 different rhythm patterns, one each for the call and the response, and two for the final phrase.
Note the different locations of high activity areas in Rhythm Patterns 1 and 2, and the stark contrast between Rhythm Patterns 3 and 4.

Melody
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Before combining patterns first start using one 2 bar pattern only over the Blues for a few choruses, then do the same exercise with a second pattern. Finally combine the two together in a complete 4 bar phrase.

This is a great way to develop good phrase control and come up with the must surprising new ideas.


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S 3.6 - Practice : Mixolydian mode

You can transform a major scale into a Mixolydian mode with the same tonic note in two different ways.

  1. Add 1 flat or subtract 1 sharp to the major scale key signature.
    D major scale (2 sharps) -----> D Mixolydian mode (1 sharp)
    F major scale (1 flat) ---------> F Mixolydian mode (2 flats)
    G major scale (1 sharp) ------> G Mixolydian mode (no sharp or flat)

  2. Lower the 7th note of the major scale each one semitone.
    D major scale (7=C#) -----> D Mixolydian mode (b7=C)
    F major scale (7=E) -------> F Mixolydian mode (b7=Eb)
    G major scale (7=F#) -----> G Mixolydian mode (b7=F)

Below examples show the first type of conversion.

Audio 3.8
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On the Mode Practice sheet music pages the 3rd and 7th are indicated by pink square note heads. Just lower each 7th a semitone to produce the Mixolydian mode in each key.

Practise the Mixolydian mode in all keys in Circle of 5ths order as shown in Examples No.1 and No.2 above.


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S 3.7 - Session Materials


ItemMidi filesSheet music
Bab's JamDemo P-a-L C instr.Bb instr.Eb instr.
Easy Key for Eb instr. (D)E-PalBb instr.
Bab's Jam (for Keyboard) Alternative Left HandsBoogie Comping
Mixolydian mode (Co5s order) 4 bars each8 bar eachp.1p.2
Rhythm Patterns (4/4 tempo) Blank sheets

Basic Blues Play-a-Long Midi files
Basic Blues - slowSwing 80 in GSwing 100 in CBossa in FPop Ballad in Bb
Basic Blues - fastSwing 160 in GShuffle in CStraight Quavers in FLatin in Bb



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© 2003 Michael Furstner (Jazclass)