# Composing classical jazz



## TudorMihai (Feb 20, 2013)

Hello, everyone! How would one compose jazz music in the classical style as opposed to modern and contemporary jazz? When I'm saying classical jazz I am referring to swing-like jazz from the 20s and 30s in the style of musicians like George Gershwin, Duke Ellington or Benny Goodman. Are there any techniques that were used in that period and are not used any more today?

Here is an example of the style I am interested:


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## Bored (Sep 6, 2012)

Not too many scales and classy rhythm as opposed to eccentric or smooth seen in new jazz genres.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

TudorMihai said:


> Hello, everyone! How would one compose jazz music in the classical style as opposed to modern and contemporary jazz? When I'm saying classical jazz I am referring to swing-like jazz from the 20s and 30s in the style of musicians like George Gershwin, Duke Ellington or Benny Goodman. Are there any techniques that were used in that period and are not used any more today?
> 
> Here is an example of the style I am interested:


Gerswhin didn't composed jazz music, altough his music was clearly influenced by it and his songs were and are jazz standards, but there's no improvisations in his classical pieces.
Anyway what changed in jazz besides the evolution of the technique of the instruments (for instance, the guitar in the thirties was still mainly used only rhytmically) was also the fact that in the twenties and in the thirties what was called swing was still music made to be danced, and with some exceptions harmonically simpler.


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## Torkelburger (Jan 14, 2014)

> How would one compose jazz music in the classical style as opposed to modern and contemporary jazz?


Just as with classical music, you have to study, and it takes a long time. You can't write how to do it in a single post (or even a few posts). You should look up some books or online courses from Berklee. They have good, quick, affordable programs you can take on your computer in your spare time.



> Are there any techniques that were used in that period and are not used any more today?


No, us jazz composers and arrangers use those same techniques (as well as others).

Here's a few links to get you going in the right direction:
Form
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty-two-bar_form
This was the form of your link. It is the most common form of the classic period. The song you posted had a 4 bar intro, 2 statements of the "head" (each "head" 32 bars) totaling 64 bars, then the A section "tagged" (played twice).

For Harmony start here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vi–ii–V–I
Your link was based on this, keep in mind that the chords in the progression do not have to be diatonic and can be secondary dominants.
And if you want to compose in this style, you sure better know these chords:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhythm_changes

You also need to know jazz orchestration, like close 4 voicings, drop 2, drop 2 and 4, etc.

But all of this takes a lot of study.


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