blakehandler.wordpress.com
RegisteredAboutThe Blake Handler blog, hosted on WordPress, is a niche resource for musicians interested in jazz harmony and improvisation. The author, himself a teacher at local colleges, began th...
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Website Description
About
The Blake Handler blog, hosted on WordPress, is a niche resource for musicians interested in jazz harmony and improvisation. The author, himself a teacher at local colleges, began the project after noticing serious gaps in the understanding of music theory among students and even some teachers. Initially, the blog was dedicated to the technical aspects of working with Microsoft Windows and Office, but later the focus shifted to the nuances of musical art.
The main idea of the project is to destroy the stereotype that reading notes or knowing theory interferes with live sound. Handler says many students apologize for playing by ear, believing it to be a sign of incompetence. On the contrary, the author believes that improvisation is a natural process, similar to learning speech in childhood, and theory is needed only to structure this experience.
Main directions
The site's content is focused on the practical application of theory in jazz. Main topics include:
- The relationship of chords and scales. The series of articles takes a closer look at which scales work with specific types of chords: major seventh chords, minor seventh chords, dominant chords (including diminished and augmented fifth variations), and minor major seventh chords. The author explains that in jazz there is no strict adherence to one key for the entire song, as in classical music, and gives freedom to choose from several options for scales.
- Passing Tones. Special attention is paid to how to use notes outside the main scale to create smooth transitions between degrees. Handler notes the old rule that sharp signs tend to lead up, flat signs lead down, but encourages listening to your ear and breaking the rules if a sound seems appropriate.
- Physics of sound and harmonic overtones. One of the articles explains the nature of the sound of chords through the prism of physics. The author gives the example of a copper trumpet or flute, showing that when one note is played, overtones naturally arise to form a major triad. This helps explain why minor chords can sound conflicting due to the misalignment of the natural third tone with the minor third.
- Jazz versus traditional harmony. Handler argues with the students' opinion that jazz harmony completely replaces traditional harmony. He argues that the Western musical tradition goes back thousands of years and that jazz is only a small extension of it. The differences relate mainly to the use of enharmonic equivalents (for example, replacing the double flat with a sixth) and rhythmic swing, which cannot be learned from books alone.
Features of the site
The style of presentation of the material differs from academic textbooks. The author uses analogies from everyday life: comparing the mixing of paints, boiling water or the work of a dancer with the laws of gravity. This makes complex theoretical concepts more accessible.
A significant part of the content is devoted to the deconstruction of myths:
- Modal harmony. The author advises not to memorize the ancient Greek names of modes (Doric, Lydian, etc.), since they have little connection with modern practice. It is easier to play scales starting from any note than to memorize historical terms.
- Perfect pitch. Having an absolute ear for music is not necessary for a good musician. More important is developed relative hearing and the ability to improvise.
- Rules as a guide. Music theory, created on the basis of an analysis of the works of Bach and other composers, helps to understand the past, but does not dictate the rules for creating a new one. If a rule sounds bad, you can ignore it.
The site also touches on the topic of voicings and chord substitutions, explaining why jazz chords often lack fifths or other obvious notes, but are compensated for by overtones and enharmonic substitutions.
Contact Information
There are no direct contact information, email address or physical address of the owner in the materials provided. The site functions as a WordPress blogging platform, where the main form of interaction is comments (examples of discussions are mentioned, for example, on an article on dominant chords).
FAQ
Do you need to know traditional harmony to study jazz?
Yes, you do. Jazz harmony is just a small extension of Western traditional harmony, which has a long history. Failure to learn the basics results in a lack of understanding of chord structure and movement.
What to do with notes that are not in the selected scale?
These notes are called passing tones. They are used for smooth transitions between scale levels. Usually a note with a sharp sign moves up, and a note with a flat sign moves down, but the main rule is to listen to your ear and achieve a pleasant sound.
Why are double flats and double sharps avoided in jazz?
This is done to make music easier to read. For example, the double flat seventh in a diminished chord is replaced by an enharmonically equal sixth, making the notation clearer to the player.
Is it possible to learn swing from a textbook?
No.Swing is a rhythmic element that cannot be accurately expressed mathematically or through standard time signatures (such as 128). It can only be mastered through practice and listening.
Is improvisation exclusively a jazz technique?
No. Improvisation has existed throughout history, from biblical times and cantors to Bach, Mozart and silent film composers. It is a natural part of the musical process, not a 20th century invention.
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