The Jazz Year,
Week by Week
October to July. The language of jazz, one step a week. Every link in concert pitch, so the whole band plays the same sounding scale.
Thomas Hornig · Henri Selmer Paris Artist · The Whole Horn
One link a week.
The whole band, one sound.
The problem
In a jazz class every horn reads in a different key. 'Play the C blues' means A blues on alto, D blues on tenor and trumpet, and C blues on trombone.
The solution
Each week below is one link in concert pitch. Paste it into Google Classroom, WhatsApp or email; every student opens it written for their own instrument, and the band sounds as one. Anything you assign opens free for your students. No student accounts.
The year at a glance
FALL · 16 WEEKS
Weeks 1–4 introduction to jazz standards and foundational improvisation · 5–8 technical development: scales, arpeggios, piano voicings · 9–12 ensemble collaboration across jazz and crossover genres · 13–16 mid-term assessments. MID-TERM early March.
SPRING · 16 WEEKS
1–4 advanced improvisation and transcription · 5–8 composition and arranging · 9–12 collaborative rehearsals and performance preparation · 13–16 final assessments. FINAL early July.
Running through the year, one step a week, in Tom's order of importance: the 12 major scales straight up and down (one octave, then the full range), diatonic 3rds, the chromatic scale and chromatic minor 3rds, pentatonics straight and broken, the blues and rhythm changes, diatonic triads and 7th chords in all 12 major keys, whole-tone and diminished scales, then more chromatic shapes. Transcription through the spring.
Weeks, not dates.
October
Weeks 1–4 · Fall · Introduction to jazz standards; foundational improvisation exercises.
1
Major scales straight up and down: F and B♭, one octave
eighths · every note tongued · ♩=80 · swing
+ Standard: Autumn Leaves, E minor (Real Book, 6th ed.) · Listen & discover: find out what YOU love, and find a mentor, a great artist whose sound you want to emulate
2
Major scales straight up and down: E♭ and A♭, one octave
eighths · every note tongued · ♩=80 · swing
+ Standard: Blue Bossa, C minor · D♭ major bridge
3
Major scales straight up and down: D♭ and F♯, one octave
eighths · every note tongued · ♩=80 · swing
+ Standard: C-Jam Blues, C blues · Blues bass line in F, from memory
4
Major scales straight up and down: B and E, one octave
eighths · every note tongued · ♩=80 · swing
+ Standard: Summertime, A minor · Blues bass line in F, from memory
November
Weeks 5–8 · Fall · Technical development: scales, arpeggios, and piano voicings.
5
Major scales straight up and down: A and D, one octave
eighths · every note tongued · ♩=80 · swing
+ Shell voicings — ii–V–I in all 12 keys. 3rd & 7th in one hand, root in the other · Blues bass line in F, from memory
6
Major scales straight up and down: G and C, one octave
eighths · every note tongued · ♩=80 · swing
+ Shell voicings — ii–V–I in all 12 keys. 3rd & 7th in one hand, root in the other · Blues bass line in F, from memory
7
Major scales straight up and down, all 12 keys · the full range
all 12 keys · eighths · the free app plays two octaves · every note tongued · ♩=80 · swing
+ Play the 12-bar blues form. One hand and/or both hands · Blues bass line in F, from memory
8
Diatonic 3rds, all 12 keys · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=80 · swing
+ 12-bar blues — root (LH) + minor pentatonic · Blues bass line in F, from memory
December
Weeks 9–11 · Fall · Ensemble collaboration across jazz and crossover genres.
9
Diatonic 3rds, all 12 keys · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=88 · swing
+ Standard: Take the A Train, C major · D7♯11 · Blues bass line in F, from memory
10
The chromatic scale
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=88 · swing
+ Standard: All of Me, C major · E7, A7, D7 · Blues bass line in F, from memory
11
Chromatic minor 3rds · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=80 · swing
+ Standard: Satin Doll, C major · ii–V chains · Blues bass line in F, from memory
January
Weeks 12–14 · Fall · Ensemble collaboration across jazz and crossover genres → Mid-term assessments: individual and ensemble recordings.
12
Chromatic minor 3rds · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=88 · swing
+ Standard: Fly Me to the Moon, A minor / C major · Blues bass line in F, from memory
13
Pentatonics straight up and down, major and minor
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=88 · swing
+ Record: melody plus one improvised chorus of a standard, with the play-along (video) · Blues bass line in F, from memory
14
Broken-scale pentatonics, major and minor
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=88 · swing
+ Record: melody plus one improvised chorus of a standard, with the play-along (video) · Blues bass line in F, from memory
February
Weeks 15–16 · Fall · Mid-term assessments: individual and ensemble recordings.
15
The 12-bar blues in F: the blues bass line from memory
F, 12 bars · ♩=92 · swing
+ Ensemble recording for the mid-term: your part, with the play-along
16
Rhythm changes: I Got Rhythm, in B♭
B♭ · eighths · ♩=80 · swing
+ Standard: I Got Rhythm, B♭ major · rhythm changes · Ensemble recording for the mid-term: your part, with the play-along
March
Weeks 17–18 · Spring · Advanced improvisation techniques; transcription projects.
17
Diatonic triads, all 12 major keys · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=88 · swing · Echo ear training, level 1
+ Transcribe a 12-bar blues: two or three choruses from your favorite artist
18
Diatonic triads, all 12 major keys · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=96 · swing · Echo ear training, level 2
+ Transcribe rhythm changes: two or three choruses from your favorite artist
Mid-term · early March
Mid-term assessments: individual and ensemble recordings.
Live or video-taped performance featuring the entire class. Short solos for all participants.
Ear training this month — Listen, Sing, Play.
April
Weeks 19–22 · Spring · Advanced improvisation techniques; transcription projects → Composition and arranging workshops for ensembles.
19
Diatonic 7th chords, all 12 major keys · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=88 · swing · Echo ear training, level 3
+ Transcribe excerpts from a really important album, like Miles Davis, Kind of Blue
20
Diatonic 7th chords, all 12 major keys · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=96 · swing · Echo ear training, level 4
+ Find recordings of jazz standards and transcribe bits and pieces you like
21
Whole-tone scales
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=96 · swing · Echo ear training, level 5
+ Standard: Impressions, D Dorian · E♭ Dorian bridge · Arrange a standard for the class: a lead sheet (melody + chords) in MuseScore
22
Diminished scales · half–whole
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=96 · swing · Echo ear training, level 6
+ Standard: So What, D Dorian · E♭ Dorian bridge · Arrange a standard for the class: a lead sheet (melody + chords) in MuseScore
Ear training this month — Listen, Sing, Play.
May
Weeks 23–26 · Spring · Composition and arranging workshops for ensembles → Collaborative rehearsals and performance preparation.
23
Diminished scales · whole–half
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=96 · swing
+ Standard: Straight, No Chaser, F blues · Arrange a standard for the class: a lead sheet (melody + chords) in MuseScore
24
Chromatic major 3rds · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=96 · swing
+ Standard: Watermelon Man, F · Arrange a standard for the class: a lead sheet (melody + chords) in MuseScore
25
Chromatic perfect 4ths and double 4ths · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=96 · swing
+ Standard: Perdido, B♭ major
26
Chromatic major and minor triads · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=96 · swing
+ Standard: Billie's Bounce, F blues
June
Weeks 27–30 · Spring · Collaborative rehearsals and performance preparation → Final assessments: collaborative performances and project submissions.
27
Chromatic diminished and augmented triads · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=96 · swing
+ Standard: Now's the Time, F blues
28
Chromatic major 7th and dominant 7th chords · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=96 · swing
+ Standard: Tenor Madness, B♭ blues
29
Chromatic minor 7th chords · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=96 · swing
+ Final: perform 2–3 jazz standards — melody, chords, improvisation. Recorded submissions (video/audio)
30
Final review: the 12 major scales, the full range
all 12 keys · eighths · the free app plays two octaves · every note tongued · ♩=100 · swing
+ Final: perform 2–3 jazz standards — melody, chords, improvisation. Recorded submissions (video/audio)
July
Weeks 31–32 · Spring · Final assessments: collaborative performances and project submissions.
31
Final review: diatonic 3rds, all 12 keys · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=100 · swing
+ Final: perform 2–3 jazz standards — melody, chords, improvisation. Recorded submissions (video/audio)
32
Final review: chromatic minor 3rds · ABCD method
all 12 keys · eighths · ♩=100 · swing
+ Final: perform 2–3 jazz standards — melody, chords, improvisation. Recorded submissions (video/audio)
Final · early July
Final assessments: collaborative performances and project submissions.
Live or video-taped performance featuring the entire class. Short solos for all participants.
The standards · 1 of 2
Tom's beginner list, in his order. Pick from it through the year — at least ten standards; two or three for each exam. Each link carries the scales that fit the tune, in concert pitch.
The standards · 2 of 2
Tom's beginner list, in his order. Pick from it through the year — at least ten standards; two or three for each exam. Each link carries the scales that fit the tune, in concert pitch.
Grading
40 points
Video Submissions of Jazz Standards
present at least ten jazz standards as individual performances; accompaniment: metronome or Aebersold Play-Along recordings; format: melody plus one improvised chorus minimum.
30 points
Arrangements and Compositions
video submission of ensemble performances organized and produced in collaboration with classmates.
30 points
Mid-Term and Final Exams
live or video-taped performance featuring the entire class; short solos for all participants.
Part of the grade will also be based on regular attendance and engagement; and if there are opportunities for group performance, in class or in public, that will be part of the grade as well.
Listen, Sing, Play
'Listen, Sing, Play. This is the mantra. Listen to the small chunk of music over and over again until it is burned into your memory. Sing the phrase back. If you can't sing it, you haven't really heard it. Play the phrase on your [instrument]. Hunt for the notes until you find them.' — Thomas Hornig
'Choose a Simple Melody. Do not start with a complex John Coltrane solo. Start with something simple and slow.'
Make it yours
Every week here is a starting point. To change one, open For Teachers in The Whole Horn, set the key, tempo, groove or hours, add your own sentence, make the link, and paste it over ours.
Jazz is all about individual accountability.
— Thomas Hornig.
thewholehorn.com