The Jazz Tarot

Welcome to the App for Musical Flexibility!

This app was borne out of the observation that, while music made by careful reproduction of notation encourages perfection of technique, music made by improvised processes requires greater flexibility. Of course, both technical skill and flexibility are necessary in all music, and both are things that every serious musician aspires to. However, there are already plenty of books of exercises to help with the former. Developing flexibility is, like improvisation itself, more personal and mysterious, and is given less attention in our culture as a whole.

The name of this app is actually somewhat misleading. Jazz is currently the genre of music perhaps most associated with improvisation. However, countless other genres and creative artists throughout human history have used it too. In fact, improvisation can be considered the oldest and most fundamental act of creativity. The jazz and blues tradition born in cosmopolitan 19th Century New Orleans was the first to reintroduce improvisation back into cultures of European origin though, after the intense focus on intellect that gave birth to the scientific method had frozen it out. So while this app is named after jazz out of respect for this, it can be used by any creative musician who wants to improve their flexibility. It can benefit those who play blues, rock, latin, fusion, reggae, ambient, world, non-idiomatic free music, and genres that don’t even exist yet! Even musicians primarily involved with performing notated music will find that it can add enjoyment to practice routines.

Flexibility is necessary in improvisation, and creativity more generally, because they’re all about being in and adapting to the present moment. And we never know what might be coming our way. Even in repeating patterns such as a bass riff or chord progression, there’s still enough room for spontaneous variation that, if we’re not present, we can be thrown off. We want to be surfing the wave of the now, but it’s always in motion.

A Practice Randomizer

So how do we develop flexibility? One answer is to use randomness, which provides the same unpredictability that we encounter in the creative process. For example, rather than practicing scales in a familiar pattern such as the circle of 4ths, practicing them in a random order every time not only encourages flexibility on an instrument, but exposes the ear to a greater variety of harmonic movement too. Or if a chord pattern such as 1-2-3-5 is being taken through a chord progression, the rhythm it’s played with can be randomly chosen.

That’s one of the things that the Jazz Tarot does: it’s a practice randomizer. The fundamental aspects of music - individual notes; intervals and the different patterns they form together; chord progressions; rhythm - are all represented and can be randomized in various ways. There’s also an ear training exercise, a place for you to input and choose repertoire, and some inspirational quotes from the masters of creativity of various different idioms.

Musical Divination!

Another feature of the Jazz Tarot is exactly what it says it is - a tarot deck. Based on a similar structure as the cards traditionally used to give readings and offer insight into a person’s life path, the virtual cards here each contain an exercise relating to an aspect of music. When you request a reading from them, a random selection gives you a suggestion of what to do. In the way that improvisation was largely frozen out of cultures originating in Europe, the same is true of the more mysterious aspects of human experience as a whole too. Such innovators as John and Alice Coltrane, Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, Jimi Hendrix and Laraaji have consciously integrated these aspects into their art. And the Jazz Tarot is an invitation to you to explore the influence that the unknown can have on yours too. For more information about these cards are structured, please feel free to get in touch.

A playlist of videos further exploring divination with the Jazz Tarot is available here.

A Goad to Adventure...

So use the Jazz Tarot to liven up your practice routine, push you in unexpected directions, and connect with the mysteries of creativity. Most importantly though, use it to have fun. As Joseph Campbell put it, follow your bliss. We live in a period of history when the real power of creativity and improvisation is still going largely unrecognized, and turning one’s art into something that supports oneself financially doesn’t come easily. There’s only disappointment in pursuing this path unless you really love what you’re doing. Coincidentally, it’s also only when you viscerally love your art that it can have the effect it’s meant to have on its audience. There’s enough music out there being made with mainly financial concerns in mind, or out of unquestioned habit. The fact that genuine creativity can be such a challenge to make a living from is a goad to the adventurous among us, to take risks doing exactly what we believe is necessary to unleash the true power of art. That’s what people will support us for, and what the world as a whole needs from us as artists right now. May the Jazz Tarot be of help to you on such a journey.

Finally, the Jazz Tarot is itself a journey, and one that you’re invited to contribute to. Feedback on how it works for you, and how it could be improved, is welcome via the contact page. Or leave a comment on one of my YouTube videos. I look forward to hearing from you.

Kali Alice Grey, November 2022

A Closer Look

Receive a reading from the Jazz Tarot, a series of 50 exercises designed to target every aspect of musicianship from basic technique through to application of music theory, and even personal motivation. Based on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life and the I Ching of Taoism, it’s recommended that readings are taken as personal recommendations from the creative source of the universe itself, rather than browsing through exercises until one that’s appealing to you is found. The Jazz Tarot is divided into 4 strata with different focusses, that can be included or excluded in a reading depending on your interest and skill level.

Randomization of single notes, to various criterion, for choosing which long tone to practice fundamental technique on, octave comparison exercises and improvisations, projection and visualization exercises, or as a starting point for more complex exercises such as Sequence and Ear Training below.

Randomization of intervals to various criterion, within customizable ranges, either for one-off use or as part of an extended exercise. Such intervals may be used to go up and/or down a diatonic or chromatic scale, as the basis for symmetrical exercises (one interval stacked up on itself over the whole range of the voice or instrument), or as the basis for instrumentalists to strengthen their connection with their instrument through vocal comparison.

Select which scales are included in a pool, then make a random selection of either a general category or a specific scale and its root. Ideal for all practice and improvisation exercises based around scales. The modes of the four main tonal scales can be included in the pool, as well as symmetrical scales, pentatonics and Tristano hybrid scales.

Sequences of three different kinds. A tone row, a numeric sequence most readily applicable to tonal material, and an intervallic sequence of a less predictable, more chromatic nature.

Select which chords are included in a pool, then make a random selection of either a general category or a specific chord and its root. Ideal for all practice and improvisation exercises based around chords. The chord pool grouping is based around functionality and increasing levels of colouration of each of the basic functions.

Select which categories of chord progressions are included in a pool, then make a random selection from it. This can be the source for many different technical and improvisational exercises, as well as those which combine both skill sets.

Randomize rhythms within a specified time signature, or choose a cross rhythm.

An original ear training exercise, using the voice and a single reference pitch. This pitch can be selected by first going to the Notes section above, if desired. Also, an instrument can be substituted for the voice for a more theoretical and technical workout.

A randomized quotation from an expert improvisor or creative artist, for inspiration and deeper insight.

A place to store lists of songs (called “Repertoires” here) and then choose randomly from among them. This is useful for personal practice sessions for specific bands or gigs, to decide what song to focus on, especially if time is limited, or to give oneself a “spot check”. It can also be used by band leaders to randomly decide set lists. As an example of an alternative use (of which there are many) multi-instrumentalists can replace song titles with instruments, to decide which to spend time on. Begin by creating a repertoire in the upper right corner of the next page.