Admission requirements for BA studies - Jazz Bass Guitar (BA)

- Presentation of scales (major, minor, harmonic and melodic minor) and triads in small and large arpeggiation.

- Three popular jazz standards of different tempo and character (ballad, latin, swing, etc.). Playing the melody of the theme according to bass accompaniment and to the original harmonisation. Soloistic improvisation. Piano accompaniment is provided by the department, but the candidate has to bring the notes – transposed for the given key, suitable for piano accompaniment.

- Playing blues: in medium tempo, in relatively simple keys. Accompaniment, improvisation as for the usual blues harmonisation is not required.

- Playing about 10 jazz standards from memory.  Only the accompaniment is required according to the original harmonisation. The repertoire must be presented to the examination panel in the exam material submitted by the candidate.

- Playing accompaniments of different characters (swing, 8/8, Latin, jazz-rock, etc.) on the harmony line given at the exam.

- Identification of bass notes given with piano accords and played according to functional order by ear.

- Stylistic sight reading of simple classical or jazz motives.

 

General admission requirements - jazz

 

 

I.                   Piano compulsory:

 

  • Knowledge and playing the basic jazz accords on piano.  
  • Four types of triads and their classical inversion (sixth, six-four chord), major and minor jazz sixth chord,  major7, dominant7, minor major7, minor7, extended fifth major7, extended fifth dominant7, diminished major7, half diminished and diminished seventh chord, dominant 76, major and minor69, major and minor79, dominant 7b10 jazz chord for any root position.
  • 8+1 chord of four notes (major7, dominant7, minor major7, minor7, extended fifth dominant7, extended fifth major7, diminished fifth major7, half diminished and diminished seventh chord), their classical inversions on any note.
  • Playing all moduses (21 scales) of the major and harmonic minor tonal systems.
  • Playing the five types of pentatonic moduses, the full-tone, half-full, and full-half scales from any note.
  • Playing the cadence chord lines (I-IV-V-I; I-V-IV-I; I-VI-II-V-I; I-III-VI-II-V-I) with two hands, in four parts, in three registers, with classical lines until 6 crosses, 6 flat keys.
  • Playing jazz II-V-I cadences with chord transformations (II: m79; V: dom769; I: maj79 or dúr69), until 6 crosses, 6 flat keys.

 

II. Solfège and music theory

 

 

Solfège written exam

 

Duration of the exam: 2 hours

No complimentary material may be used during the exam.

 

  • Recognition and notation of the four types of triads and their inversions after listening to them twice.
  • Recognition and notation of the 8+1 chord of four notes (major7, dominant7, minor major7, minor7, extended fifth dominant7, extended fifth major7, diminished fifth major7, half diminished and diminished seventh chord) in root position. – played twice
  • Recognition and notation the classical inversions of major7, dominant7, minor major7, minor7 and half diminished seventh chords – played 3 times.
  • Recognition and notation of pentatonic moduses (5 scales) – played twice.
  • Recognition and notation of all moduses of the major, harmonic minor and the melodic minor tonal system (21 scales), the full-note, half-full and full-half scales – played three times.
  • Notation of a jazz rhythm of medium difficulty – played 6 times.
  • Notation of a one-part melody of 4-8 beats, which modulates simply – played 8 times.
  • Notation of a two-part, 4-8 beat melody of medium difficulty – played 8 times.
  • Classical harmonic analysis until the inversion of chord of four notes.
  
  • Jazz Bass Guitar (BA)
Our task is to form veritable talents who possess the necessary gifts to become masters, without attending to the ungifted mediocrity. (Liszt to Giovanni Sgambati)