Jazz Etudes

[Erik Allary]

I notice the jazz etudes ( in module 2 ) opus 1 end further mention “Key of F” so I expect a B flat sign at the start of the staffline. Is there a reason why it is not there?

[Richie]

Hi Erik,

Glad you were finally able to post. As far as why there is no key signature for the etudes, the answer is two fold:

1. This is not an ordinary F major tonality. It is a blues tonality which is comprised of 3 mixolydian scales. This means that its alterations do not just consist of a Bb as in a traditional major tonality, but several other alterations.

2. Key signatures are meant to aid in the process of sight-reading so that the player can mainly rely on the diatonic degrees of the tonality’s main scale and its related modes. When accidentals in a piece of music are prevalent throughout, the key signature no longer fulfills its intended purpose because the constant cancellation of the diatonic notes now makes it much harder to read. For this reason you will notice that many jazz solos (of course not all) are transcribed using no key signature due to the amount of chromatic notes not diatonic to the implied key. One good example are all the solos in the Charlie Parker Omnibook.

Because the solos in this course are going to introduce more and more chromatic notes, they will not use key signatures. Also, ultimately the goal is to read and think in terms of the intervallic components and be able to transpose to any key. We have no time to think in notes when improvising but instead in numerical degrees and patterns. Otherwise we have to re-invent the wheel every time we change keys.

Let me know if this answers your question…

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by Richie.

[Erik Allary]

Thanks for a clear answer. I knew there had to be a reason.

[Author]

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