| Sherri was a student at Anytown Junior High School. | | | | four!" |
| She signed up for jazz band because she thought it | | | | The band played letter F, and Sherri played the |
| would be a fun adventure. She played well enough | | | | melody. After they played, the teacher stopped them. |
| that her teacher decided to make her first chair alto | | | | "That sounds really weird," said Sherri. |
| saxophone in the jazz band. On the first day of class, | | | | "Probably because there was a key change, and now |
| they began rehearsing a tune called "Funking The | | | | you're in a different key," said the teacher. "Ok, let's try |
| Blues". When they reached letter F of the tune, all | | | | it again, and this time take a little different approach. |
| Sherri had on her part was 12 measures with chord | | | | Sherri, for each measure just play the note that is |
| symbols over the tops of the measures, slashes inside | | | | indicated by the chord symbol, and hold it through the |
| the measures, and repeat signs at both ends of the 12 | | | | measure." |
| measures. | | | | After they had played, this time Sherri made the |
| "What am I supposed to do?" she yelled out to her | | | | observation that the notes sounded good, but when |
| teacher, trying to be heard over the rhythm section. | | | | she had played the melody, even in the wrong key, it |
| "Make something up!" was the response. | | | | was more exciting. |
| "What do you mean 'make something up'? There's | | | | "How true," said the teacher. "Making up (improvising) a |
| nothing written there except stuff like 'G7', 'C7', 'D7'. I | | | | melody is on-the-spot composition. "Any good melody, |
| know what G, C, and D are, but what's the seven | | | | whether previously composed or made up on the spot, |
| for?" | | | | has certain characteristics that make it interesting and |
| The teacher stopped the band, and drawing on his | | | | pleasing to listen to. Do you think you can transpose |
| years of experience as a band teacher, he replied | | | | the melody into the new key?" |
| "Those are guidelines. They're kind of a map of the | | | | "I think so. Let me try that," said Sherri. The band |
| harmonies that the rest of the band is playing, and your | | | | played, and again there were difficulties. "I know how it |
| purpose at letter F is to make up a melody that | | | | goes in my head, but I don't know which keys to play |
| sounds good when played along with what the rest of | | | | on my saxophone in order to play the melody in the |
| the band is doing. Do you have anything memorized | | | | new key. I guess I would have to play it by ear." |
| that you could play?" | | | | "It's ok," said the teacher. "You'll get better at it. Just |
| Sherri replied "Well, I could just play the melody of the | | | | takes a little practice. And once you can play a song |
| song. I know how it goes because the saxophones | | | | by ear that you already know, you can learn to |
| have the melody at the beginning." | | | | improvise a melody on the spot and play that by ear |
| "That's a great idea," said the teacher. "Ok everyone! | | | | also. |
| We'll start right at letter F. One, two, one two three | | | | |