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About D C DowDell
Expertise
D C DowDell will answer questions about Jazz improvisation, composition, chord voicing, scales and modes, practice techniques and ear training. Professor DowDell also enjoys discussions on Jazz musicology and the evolution of style.

D C DowDell is a professional Jazz pianist/composer who currently teaches online Jazz studies at A Passion for Jazz!. Professor DowDell has been teaching music for over 25 years at 2 major universities, several community colleges as well as accepting students for private study.



Experience
As an educator, D C DowDell has published articles at the university level and recently published Basic Musicianship a primary reference text for pianists, vocalists and composers.

D C also maintains an active performance schedule, having appeared with Rosemary Clooney, Marilyn McCoo, Bobby Vinton to name just a few. Generally, D C stays in the Southern California area with Jazz ensemble or as a solo artist.

Organizations
American Federation of Musicians
National Music Teachers Association
International Association of Jazz Educators

Education/Credentials
Bachelors of Music Education from UCLA
Masters of Music Composition from UNT

 
   

You are here:  Experts > Jazz > jazz chord voicing&scales for versatility

Topic: Jazz


Expert: D C DowDell
Date: 11/16/2007
Subject: jazz chord voicing&scales for versatility

Question
Dr with what I just saw and read about you in your profile I think you"ll be able to give me some valuable advice.
I want to know the very thing that makes a jazz pianist to be versatile and very good. Is it scales , improvisation or wat. Recentlt me and my friends were just asking each other with the same question and I concluded in my heart that if I coul master chord voicing and scales I" be the best. I want to know whether that is what will make the best jazz pianist ever. Dr I also want to know what kind of books must I start buying that will help me to understand chord voicing very well. I am in South Africa

Answer
Hello Loyiso and thank you for contacting me through AllExperts.com.

A "versatile" pianist is just that; proficient in playing all styles of music.  It results from study and experience.

I can recommend several theory and technique books, especially 2 from Mark Levine found here:

http://www.apassion4jazz.net/theory_books.html  

But there is no substitute for working with a private instructor. Look around in you area and see if you can find a piano teacher who is experienced in Jazz.

All good players use chord voicings to express harmony. There are many types of piano chord voicings that are appropriate to the various styles of music, but the most often used type for Jazz is "Close Voicing" where the Harmony if displayed close to the Melody. Here is a chart:  

http://www.apassion4jazz.net/piano-voicing.html  


Here is also a chart for Jazz Chords:

http://www.apassion4jazz.net/jazz_chords.html  


And a chart for Jazz Scales:

http://www.apassion4jazz.net/scales.html  


And this is a useful chart for determining which scales work with various chords for Jazz Soloing:  

http://www.apassion4jazz.net/jazz-chords-scales.html  


Good luck and thanks for the interest,

D C DowDell
Professor of Music
A Passion for Jazz!
studio: 619.223.2069
mobile: 619.855.2069
http://www.apassion4jazz.net


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