Standard presentations of jazz theory start with a study of a few chord structures: major 7, 7, minor 7, minor 7 b5, diminished 7, and then go into the question of which type of scale (or "mode" as they often incorrectly call it) to play for each one. It has always seemed to me that, for someone interested in getting their ear together, this approach is singularly useless. Sure, armed with a saxophone, you can play a C major scale against any background you want, whether an F# minor chord, or a Boeing 747 crashing into your living room. But try singing it: that is a very different story, and one which I suspect most scale-wanking instrumentalists would rather not confront.

My solution was to come up with three ways of approaching tunes. The first one is based on guide tones, in which you sing a line which draws only on specific parts of the chords, such as thirds & sevenths, ninths & fifths and so on. As an example, I have included something you can sing over the changes to "All the things you are". I think you'll get the idea. The second technique is a matter of running the changes, but in a way which suits the voice as far as range goes, and with a conscious decision, again, to limit oneself to certain parts of the chord. The result is a challenging but very singable line, part scale, part broken chord, which of course you can do whatever you like with in terms of rhythm. As an example, I have included a line using only the roots, thirds, fifths, and sevenths, over the changes to "Autumn Leaves". A third technique has to do with shifting the melody. Once we remember that every chord supports an entire scale, you can see how, allowing for chromatic adjustments, it would possible to sing a tune, say, with every note in the original raised either a tone or a semitone. To give you a clearer idea, try singing my example based on a famous tune, whose identity I leave in your capable hands.

This year, I taught a course at the RCM incorporating some of these ideas. It was called "Jazz: a vocal approach". Since it was the first year, I was sort of learning on the job, as it were, but I think people got a fair bit out of it. The course, the description for which I've included here, is running again in September, so if you're interested and around, check it out. Otherwise, I'd like to hear your ideas about "jazz ears" anyhow.

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