In jazz, scat singing consists of nonsense syllables sung to an improvised melody. When singers scat, they are creating the equivalent of an instrumental solo. Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald were among the greatest practitioners of scat singing. Scat singing can help you get a feel for a jazz melodic line.
Instructions
- Get comfortable with the rhythms below by singing them using the scat syllables provided. Notice that this example uses swing rhythm.
- Using these rhythms, improvise a melody using the requested blues pentascale. Notice the use of the 'bar form' phrasing. Phrase three (B) MUST begin on the dominant note and end on the tonic note.
- Accompany your right hand improvisation with a minor 7th in the left hand, following the harmonic plan provided on the score.
- Perform with the play-along audio track.
1. Blues Rock in Bb
Bb Blues Scale
