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 scat singers. Using scat syllables can help you develop a feel for jazz rhythms and melodic lines. In this activity, you will use them along with blues pentascales to improvise your own melody.

Instructions

• For each example, practice the rhythms by singing them with the suggested scat syllables.
• Use these rhythms to improvise a melody with the requested blues pentascale.
• Notice the use of bar form phrasing. Phrase 3 (B) must begin on the dominant note and end on the tonic note.
• Accompany your improvisation with a minor 7th chord in the left hand, following the harmonic plan in the score.
• Perform with the play-along track. Note the two-bar tag ending, but do not play during it.

1. Blues Rock in Bb

Bb Blues Scale