School of Music
P.O. Box 26170
UNC Greensboro
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170
(336) 334-5789 OFFICE
(336) 334-5497 FAX

e-mail: music@uncg.edu

Jazz Arranging I

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Current Syllabi for Jazz Courses can be found on the UNCG Blackboard Course Managment System

MILES DAVIS PROGRAM IN JAZZ STUDIES
MUS 423-01Jazz Arranging I

Steve Haines
256-0105
sjhaines@uncg.edu
Office hours: M-F 1:00-11:50 am

PREREQUISITES

MUS 201, 205

This course is planned for students who are pursuing a B.M. with a major in jazz studies. Others are welcome in the class provided they have earned the prerequisite courses.

CATALOG DESCRIPTION

Beginning study of techniques and disciplines employed in arranging for various jazz ensembles.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

On completion of this course, the student will be able arrange for small jazz groups (from trio to nonette).

CLASSES

Tuesday and Thursday, 2:00-3:15 pm, Room 233

TEACHING STRATEGIES

The teaching strategies used are lecture and class discussion.

WRITTEN WORK

Made up of ten assignments, and two projects. One letter grade will be subtracted form the overall mark if it is late. No work will be accepted for credit one week after it is due. NOTE: Every assignment is due the next Tuesday after it is given out.

EXAMS

There are no exams for MUS 423-01. Project Two will serve as the final take home exam.

ABSENCES

A maximum of three unexcused absences will be allowed. Excess absence will result in a lowered semester grade, of a ‘WF’, at the discretion of the instructor.

ACADEMIC HONOR CODE

Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the following five values: honesty; trust; fairness; respect; and responsibility. Supporting and affirming these values is essential to promoting and maintaining a high level of academic integrity. Each member of the academic community must stand accountable for his or her actions. As a result, a community develops in which students learn the responsibilities of citizenship and how to contribute honorably to their professions.

If knowledge is to be gained and properly evaluated, it must be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty. Deceit and misrepresentations are incompatible with the fundamental activity of this academic institution and shall not be tolerated. Members of the UNCG community are expected to foster in their own work the spirit of academic honesty and not to tolerate its abuse by others.

Each student must sign the Academic Integrity policy on all major work submitted for the course. It can be found at http://saf.dept.uncg.edu/studiscp/Honor.html.

GRADING

10 written assignments (each 4.0% of total mark) 40%

Project One 20%

Project Two 30%

Sketch book 10%

REQUIRED TEXT

Dobbins, Bill. Dobbins, Bill. Jazz Arranging and Composing: A Linear Approach. Rottenburg, Germany: Advance Music Publishing, 1996.

MATERIALS

A note book with staff paper should be brought to each class. Score, sketch and manuscript paper is needed.

PROJECTS

- Projects must be handed in on a cued cassette tape, clearly identified with relatively good
sound quality; along with the appropriate leadsheet/score
- Your group must be organized, rehearsed, and recorded on your own, outside of class
time
- Hand in leadsheet or score along with tape in a portfolio (make sure your name is on it!)
- MIDI IS NOT ALLOWED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES !!

PROJECT ONE

A) Write an original tune, for horn (saxophone, trombone, or trumpet), bass, drums, and comping instrument (piano or guitar).

- demonstrate an understanding of jazz harmony and theory
- strongly recommend AABA, ABAC type form
- written version should be a leadsheet
- hand copied only, no computer (i.e. Finale) versions
- take care in your beginning and ending, and have only one soloist on the recorded version

B) Arrange a tune for 3 horns, with 3 or 4 rhythm.

- your tune must receive an ‘ok’ by the instructor before beginning work
- Head chart: use an intro, head, solo area, D.S., and Coda
- use score format for written version. In most cases, the score should be 4 line paper,
with 3 lines for horns, and one line for rhythm.
- individual parts must be handed in
- you may use computer for parts and score. Otherwise, hand copied parts and score is
fine.

PROJECT TWO (TAKE HOME EXAM)

A) Arrange a tune for 4 horns, with 3 or 4 rhythm.

- your tune must receive an ‘ok’ by the instructor before beginning work
- Head chart: use an intro, head, solo area, D.S., and Coda
- use score format for written version. In most cases, the score should be 4 line paper,
with 3 lines for horns, and one line for rhythm.
- individual parts must be handed in
- you may use computer for parts and score. Otherwise, hand copied parts and score is
fine.

B) Write an original tune, for at least four players (one must be a horn
player).

- this must be recorded on your own just like the other tunes.
- hand in parts and score
- be creative! Have fun, write what you hear, there are no boundaries. Remember:
sometimes freedom runs its course best in a controlled environment. If you have any
doubts, use the guidelines discussed in class.

TOPICAL OUTLINE/ASSIGNMENT DETAIL

WEEK 1 Outline syllabus; handcopying; jazz theory

WEEK 2 Transpositions; ranges, voiceleading

WEEK 3 Reharminization; swinging melodies; melody analysis

WEEK 4 The Blues; writing melodies

WEEK 5 continuation on writing melodies

WEEK 6 Two part writing; Analyses

WEEK 7 Three part writing

WEEK 8 Intros; interludes; codas/outros

WEEK 9 Four part writing

WEEK 10 Tune analyses; Instrument layouts; Bass lines

MUS 423: Jazz Arr. 1 (syllabus-continued pg 4)

WEEK 11 Four part writing

WEEK 12 Four part writing

WEEK 13 Five part writing

WEEK 14 Writing for trombones

WEEK 15 Five part writing

WEEK 16 Birth of the Cool: nonette

Assignment #1 Handcopy: How Deep is the Ocean
Assigned Tuesday, August 21, Due Tuesday August 28

Assignment #2 Horn Backgrounds, transposition: Confirmation
Assigned Tuesday, August 28, Due Tuesday September 4

Assignment #3 Swinging and Reharminization: It's You or No One
Assigned Tuesday, September 4, Due Tuesday September 11

Assignment #4 Compose a Blues
Assigned Tuesday, September 11, Due Tuesday September 18

Assignment #5 Two part standard: choice (melody swing, extra for reharm)
Assigned Tuesday, September 25, Due Tuesday October 2

Assignment #6 Three part writing: I Thought About You
Assigned Tuesday, October 2, Due Tuesday October 16

Assignment #7 Analysis: Stolen Moments
Assigned Tuesday, October 16, Due Tuesday October 23

Assignment #8 Nutville
Assigned Tuesday, October 30, Due Tuesday November 6

Assignment #9 Five part writing: I Should Care
Assigned Tuesday, November 6, Due Tuesday November 13

Assignment #10 Gene Smith Five part writing
Assigned Tuesday, November 13, Due Tuesday November 20

Bibliography

Dobbins, Bill. Jazz Arranging and Composing: A Linear Approach. Rottenburg, Germany: Advance Music Publishing, 1996.

Grantham, Donald, and Kent Kennan. The Technique of Orchestration. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1997.

Kennan, Kent. Counterpoint Based on Eighteenth-Century Practice, 4th Ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1999.

Mancini, Henry. Sounds and Scores: A Practical Guide to Professional Orchestration. Northridge, CA: Northridge Music Inc., 1986.

Schneider, Maria. Evanescence. Edited by Robert Thompson. Vienna, Austria: UE Publishing, 1998.

Wheeler, Kenny. Collected Works on ECM. Edited by Fred Sturm. Vienna, Austria: UE Publishing, 1997.

Wright, Rayburn. Inside the Score. Delevan, NY: Kendor Music, Inc., 1982.

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