All musicians, no matter what kind of music they perform, want to develop themselves. As with the other styles, jazz entails its lessons, but learning this particular style is arguably the most eye-opening for any musician. In addition to improving theoretical input, jazz proves to be an effective form of training in improvisation, practical performance of instruments, and practical recording of the ear. In this blog, I will list five powerful arguments as to why any musician should study jazz and how, with the help of this great genre, you can take your musicianship to the next level.
What Makes Jazz a Unique Genre?
Jazz is unique because of the style it portrays. It’s really about having multiple layers with independent voices with more complex harmonies, a more liberated rhythmic structure, and melodic invention. Jazz musicians are creative artists who have learned how to create from scratch in an instant and different contexts and different circumstances. In its essence, jazz requires knowledge of patterns of music while it also encourages improvisation and the musician’s take on a song. All the qualities that have been mentioned above make jazz the jazz ultimate genre for a musician who wants to develop himself.
5 Reasons Why Every Musician Should Study Jazz
1. It Builds Harmonic Knowledge and Expands Music Theory
Jazz is rich with harmonic ideas, and is full of colorful chords and interesting arranging of sequences. I would like to point out that 7th chords, extensions, and alterations will help you to grasp the concept of how chords are constructed and related. This is another thing you are likely to learn when you study jazz; you are going to learn diatonic and non-diatonic harmony more, which will change your perception of music theory.
It makes you very flexible when it comes to improvising; you would like to sing jazz music songs, play rock, pop, and blues, or even use the instruments to sing different songs. This harmonic knowledge is then used as a basis for improvisation and composition, as well as for a better understanding of music in general.
2. Jazz Teaches You to Improvise and Adapt
The beauty of jazz and its foundation is in how it relates to the concept of improvisation. It challenges musicians to act spontaneously, relying on the instincts, talent, and imagination of performers. Once you start practicing jazz, you will see how you play without the help of sheet music, and you are free to improvise even during the next five minutes.
This skill, however, is not limited to jazz and can be of great help in any kind of music. One of the benefits of being able to improvise is that it gives musicians more confidence, and you become that much more flexible as a musician whether you’re playing live on stage, recording in the studio, or playing with other musicians.
3. Jazz Makes You More Skilled and Proficient with Your Instrument
Jazz is not an easy genre to perform, especially when it comes to the improvisation of the songs. This is because it’s highly insistent on rhythm, melody, and harmony measures that would see you practicing your instrument for countless hours at a go. Still, when you practice enough and know what you are doing, you realize that jazz helps you become a much more efficient and confident musician. Jazz music will challenge a musician to the maximum by utilizing the instrument by playing fast tempos, close rhythms, and difficult harmonic patterns.
This is because as you work your technical ability while practicing jazz, you will find it easy and almost natural to switch to other genres, from the best jazz songs to rock or pop.
4. Jazz Will Make Your Ear Stronger
A good musical ear is probably one of the most important gifts one can have for music, and jazz couldn’t have taught this better. Jazz musicians are taught to play by ear rather than reading notes on a sheet of paper where they learn melodies, chord progressions, and even entire solos.
When you study jazz, l also enhance your understanding of harmony, melody, and rhythm as you realize the need to put more effort into creating new lines, grooves, and sounds. As one learns to practice the jazz standards by ear, one develops an improved sense of hearing and therefore a better understanding of the music being played.
5. It Will Help You Become a Better Composer
It is not a secret that many of the most beautiful melodies ever written come from jazz standards. Specifically, if you study jazz music, you will be introduced to several composing styles that are universal to any type of music. Jazz shows a student how to approach chord connections musically to create outside of diatonic means, which extends the boundaries of composing.
Through the use of these compositional ideas, you will be able to come up with better and more complex melodies, hence enhancing the quality of your productions in the chosen genre.
Conclusion
Thus, the decision to study jazz can open many new opportunities for musicians. With an emphasis on harmony, improvisation, and creativity, jazz will help you become the best person that a musician can be. Apart from the mere information-processing skills, it will improve your ear for music and will let you into the world of more varied composers. Whether you play jazz music songs or explore other genres, jazz will equip you with what is needed.
Take on the experience, get lost in the jazz scene, and get ready to witness a rise in your musicianship.
