Jazz Score Terms and Symbols BC

AABA

The most common form in American popular song. Typical of songs by Gershwin, Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, etc.

Axe

One’s instrument. Even said of the voice.

Blow

The usual term for ‘improvise’. It has a more mystical aura. Also, simply to play an instrument.

Blues

A musical form normally consisting of 12 bars. In its simplest form it contains 3 chords. I7, IV7, V7

Solo Break

A transitional passage in which a soloist plays unaccompanied.

Bridge

The contrasting middle section of a tune, especially the ‘B’ section of an AABA song form.

Changes

The chords of a tune. ‘Playing’ or ‘running’ the changes means using suitable scales, motifs, etc., over each given chord of the tune.

Chart

Any musical score.

Chops

Technical ability, to execute music physically and to negotiate chord changes.

Chorus

One complete cycle of the changes of a tune.

Double Time

A tempo twice as fast, with the time feel, bar lines and chords moving at twice the speed.

Double Time Feel

A time feel twice as fast, so that written eighth notes now sound like quarter notes, while the chords continue at the same speed as before.

Extensions

The ninth, eleventh and thirteenth of a chord.

Front Line

The horn players in a combo, those who aren’t in the rhythm section.

Head

The first (and last) chorus of a tune, in which the song or melody is stated without improvisation or with minimal improvisation.

Plop

A drop down to a note.

Doit

An upward release from a note.

Fall

A downward release from a note.

Bend

A flattening and return to pitch in the middle of a note.

Scoop

A bend into a note.

Shake

A fast lip slur from one partial to another and back multiple times (brass) or a wide trill (woodwinds)

Flip

Similar to a turn in standard notation. Hat indicates a pitch rising above a first note and then dropping down to a second note.