Audition Requirements | Mason Gross School of the Arts

Jazz Studies Audition Information

Jazz Studies (BM)

**Piano/Guitar, Bass and Drum accompanists will be provided at live auditions. Pre-recorded backing tracks are not needed or permitted**

Please prepare both Parts I AND II of the Jazz Audition Requirements listed below. The following requirements apply to all instruments. (see below this for specific instrument details)

PART I
 •Scales, in twelve keys, two octaves as possible
 •Major, harmonica minor, and melodic minor scales
 •Chromatic scale, full range
 •Arpeggios, all in root position, in twelve keys, two octaves as possible
 •Major, minor, augmented and dimished triads
 •Major 7th, dominant 7th, minor 7th chords
 •Major scale-modes, in twelve keys, two octaves as possible (Ionian to Locrian)
 •Aural recognition of 4-note chords, intervals, and modes, based on above criteria

Jazz Saxophone(in addition to above)
 •One Etude from Ferling 48 Studies

Jazz Piano(in addition to above)
 •Aural recognition and performance of chords and intervals
 •Triads: major, minor, augmented and diminished
 •4-note chords: major 7th, dominant 7th, minor 7th

Jazz Bass(in addition to above)
 •Acoustic Upright and Electric Bass applicants may audition
 •Acoustic players may be asked to demonstrate some requirements arco
 •A bass amp will be provided. Bassists must bring their own patch cable

Jazz Drums and Percussion(supersedes above requirements):
 •Perform the following time feels: Swing in 4/4 and 3/4 (slow, medium, and up-tempo, with sticks and brushes), Bossa Nova, Samba, and Shuffle
 •Interchange time feels with solos as requested: 4 bars time, 4 bars solo, 8 bars time, 8 bars solo, etc.
 •Sight read charts and/or lead sheets, outline melodic content and hits while keeping time
 •26 standard N.A.R.D. rudiments

Jazz Guitar
 •A guitar amp will be provided. Guitarists must bring their own patch cable

PART II

Prepare two (2) songs, one each from lists A and B below, both memorized (melody chords). Play the melody (acoustic bass players must play melody arco), comp one chorus (guitar and piano only), walk one chorus (bass only), improvise one chorus, and play the melody again. Drummers must outline melodic content and hits while keeping time. Tune selections cannot be substituted and must be chosen from Lists A and B only.

Updated on 10/13/2018