Jazz and Big Band Technique Dictionary

Jazz ensemble, big band and sympho-jazz playing. Swing feel, improvisation, section roles and jazz vocabulary.

6 sections, 112 terms planned

• 🎵
  Swing and Feel
  20 terms

  Swing eighths, pocket, laid back, on top, comping

• 🎺
  Section Roles
  16 terms

  Lead trumpet, section playing, rhythm section, soloist

• 🎹
  Rhythm Section
  18 terms

  Comping, walking bass, ride pattern, chord voicings

• 🎼
  Improvisation
  24 terms

  Changes, blues form, modes, licks, trading fours

• 🎭
  Styles
  18 terms

  Swing, bebop, cool, hard bop, fusion, sympho-jazz

• 📖
  Chart Reading
  16 terms

  Lead sheets, big band charts, shout chorus, head, coda

This encyclopedia is being written. In the meantime, explore the violin technique dictionary, which is complete with 230 defined terms, browse the rest of the music dictionary, or use our free practice tools.