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 The
most basic Jazz form is the "Swing"
format. Swing uses a "staccato"
and "legato" mark to setup the
basic swing beat (rhythm). The swing feel
is similar to taking a triplet note and
tie-ing the first two notes of the triplet
together. In Lesson Number 1, the listening
example is in the swing format.
You
could also write the same rhythmic feeling
in the time signature of 6/8. In your
music notebook, compose 1 measure of 6/8.
Your measure should have 6 eighth notes in
1 measure. Now connect (tie) the first and
second eighth notes together. Then, connect
(tie) the fourth and fifth eighth notes together.
"Sound out" this rhythm. "Sound
out" means to figure out and play something.
Notice that the rhythm sounds very much like
the figure marked (b.) above.
In
Jazz, the shorthand way to write swing is
with "staccato" and "legato"
marks. Look at the figure marked (a.) above.
Figures (a.) and (b.) have the same rhythmic
sound. Figure (a.) is less cumbersome to write
and easier to read than a lot of triplets
tied together as shown in (b.).
We
have come to the end of Lesson Number 2. You
have done very well. This was a long lesson.
Sometime over the next week, review this lesson
and record in your music notebook all the
dynamic and articulation language that you
learned in this lesson. Keep as a reference
guide. You will need it in other lessons to
come. Good day and see you Lesson Number 3.
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