Composing for the Jazz Orchestra

By William Russo

"Although it will be of primary interest to those who are engaged in composition themselves, [this] book is also recommended for readers who may wish to gain further insight into just what makes jazz composition so different from traditional approaches."—Malcolm Bessom, The Music Magazine

• Language: English
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Release date: Jul 31, 2015
• ISBN: 9780226353463

Book preview

Notes

1

ALPHABETICAL CHORD SYMBOLS

The phrase alphabetical chord symbols refers to a musical shorthand which is used to represent chords. It is similar to the system of Roman numeral notation used in traditional harmony except for the use of capital letters (A, B, C) rather than Roman numerals (I, II, III).

A. The alphabetical letter indicates the root tone upon which the chord is built. A letter without any number indicates a triad, which is a chord extended up to the third and fifth. Unless otherwise indicated, the third is major and the fifth is perfect.

1. A minor third is indicated by the abbreviation min.

2. +5 or (better) ♯5 at the end of the symbol indicates an augmented fifth. It is best to inclose this indication in