Jazz Academy - Course Contents

STT 5201 Advanced Contemporary Harmony I (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Compulsory)

This course focuses on the harmonic language and techniques of jazz works. Harmonic structures alternative to traditional systems are studied. Analysis of major and minor harmony and various applications on this subject. Subdominant minor and modal interchange chords, chord scales, the melody-harmony relationship (review), substitute dominants and related II-7 chords, diminished chord sequences, modulation.

STT 5202 Advanced Contemporary Harmony II (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Compulsory)

Analysis of modern chord progressions. Resolution of secondary dominants, non-functional dominant seventh chords, rootless chords, contiguous dominant motion, analysis of melodic structures, pedal point and ostinato, modal harmony and modal composition, compound and hybrid chords, constant structures, analysis of Giant Steps.

STT 5203 Jazz Composition and Arrangement (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis Compulsory/Thesis Elective)

In this course, techniques such as writing melodies and chord progressions and creating form variations will be taught while remaining faithful to the rules taught in the harmony course and the stylistic sound of jazz; in addition, the basic knowledge required for large orchestras and big bands will be taught. At the end of this course, students will be asked to compose and record pieces in common jazz forms such as AABA, AABC and Blues. They will also be asked to arrange a jazz standard, selected together with the instructor, for big band or large ensemble.

STT 5204 New Approaches to Improvisation I (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Compulsory)

In this course, in order to improvise in the hard bop and bebop styles, methods of putting general knowledge such as arpeggios, II-V-I patterns, phrasing, syncopation, pentatonics, blue notes and chord scales into practice will be developed, along with methods of interacting with other musicians. This course aims to develop the student's ability to play a solo over a simple jazz standard.

STT 5205 New Approaches to Improvisation II (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

This course is an overview of the mental and intuitive processes that take place when we improvise. Students will be taught the techniques needed to put harmonic, theoretical and practical knowledge into concrete form. The aim of this course is to enable students to develop a musician's stance by blending their theoretical, harmonic and practical knowledge with the necessary psychological and philosophical approaches, while remaining faithful to the stylistic sound of jazz.

STT 5206 Performance I (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

These are one-to-one private lessons for all jazz instruments, including voice. The method of the private lessons will be fully aligned with the other compulsory courses in the jazz program. Practicing phrasing, variation and horizontal and vertical improvisation approaches according to the instrument. Applying harmonic knowledge according to the instrument. Using this knowledge in chord improvisation (intervals, arpeggios, tension notes, chord scales). Using the techniques, approaches and phrases learned in transcription in improvisation. 

STT 5207 Performance II (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

These are one-to-one private lessons for all jazz instruments, including voice. The method of the private lessons will be fully aligned with the other compulsory courses in the jazz program. Practicing phrasing, variation and horizontal and vertical improvisation approaches according to the instrument. Applying harmonic knowledge according to the instrument. Using this knowledge in chord improvisation (intervals, arpeggios, tension notes, chord scales). Using the techniques, approaches and phrases learned in transcription in improvisation.

STT 5208 Classical Form (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8  (Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

By getting to know classical music forms, students will gain a broader approach to the concept of form. This perspective will develop an objective ability to interpret, both when writing their own works and when evaluating other works. In this course, based on the formal relationships between classical music and jazz, students are given a broad perspective for works written in long form, with the help of the basic tools developed in the classical period in the process of writing works.

STT 5209 Contemporary Composition (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8  (Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

The intellectual exchange between jazz and contemporary Western music has made itself felt in many areas since the 1900s. In this course, a study will be carried out on identifying and applying the points where these two fields intersect and diverge. In the context of 20th- and 21st-century composition techniques, the focus will be on how contemporary approaches are used within the discipline of jazz composition. While contemporary classical music periods are examined, they will be compared with jazz periods, and within this framework these techniques will be made concrete through students' works.

STT 5210 Tonal Harmony (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

In this course, the harmony rules of the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods will be covered. Students will get to know symphonic instruments and will be able to distinguish different forms and periods. Most jazz musicians, from Duke Ellington to John Zorn, carry influences from classical music. Many of them also came directly from Western European Classical Music rather than from the blues. The aim of the course is to give students, especially those who want to become composers and arrangers, a broad perspective in light of these influences.

STT 5211 Modal Harmony (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

Methods of harmonizing the major, melodic minor, harmonic minor and harmonic major scales and the modes of these scales will be shown. The aim of this course is to instill the chromatic modal harmonic system and free asymmetric form, which came into increasingly frequent use in the 1960s, by drawing on the approaches of the composers of the period (such as Miles Davis, Andrew Hill, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek, Ralph Towner, Eberhard Weber and Terje Typdal)

STT 5212 Vocal Workshop (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

In this course, group practices related to jazz singing are carried out and the basic concepts required for performers are taught, with work aimed at developing students' singing accompanied by rhythm instruments. Students are introduced to the fundamental concepts of jazz singing, and these concepts are reinforced through listening sessions, audio and visual materials, in-class discussion and practice. The main aim is to train good performing artists.

STT 5213 Chromatic Approach (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

The course on chromatic approaches to jazz melody and harmony was created to enable students to perceive and apply today's music. It is a theory, composition and practice course. The course will use the method of David Liebman, one of the pioneers of this subject, who adapted it to the education system. It aims to enable the perception and application of today's music. Chromatic music will open new doors in the student's perception.

STT 5215 Ensemble I (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

This course gives students the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge they have gained in the Advanced Contemporary Harmony, Improvisation, and Jazz Composition and Arrangement courses. Pieces prepared at the beginner level are studied in the course. The roles of instruments, the soloist-accompanist relationship, call and response, interplay, improvisation exercises and ornamentation are demonstrated through performance. In the first semester, a repertoire of beginner-level pieces will be prepared. In the first semester, a repertoire of beginner-level pieces will be prepared. The goal of this course is to develop the skills of playing together with an orchestra and improvising.

STT 5216 Ensemble II (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

This course gives students the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge they have gained in the Advanced Contemporary Harmony, Improvisation, and Jazz Composition and Arrangement courses. Pieces prepared at the intermediate level are studied in the course. The roles of instruments, the soloist-accompanist relationship, call and response, interplay, improvisation exercises and ornamentation are demonstrated through performance.

STT 5217 Ensemble III (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8 (Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

This course gives students the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge they have gained in the Advanced Contemporary Harmony, Improvisation, and Jazz Composition and Arrangement courses. Pieces prepared at the intermediate level are studied in the course. The roles of instruments, the soloist-accompanist relationship, call and response, interplay, improvisation exercises and ornamentation are demonstrated through performance.

STT 5218 Ensemble IV (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8 (Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

It involves the application of everything we have learned. All students are given the opportunity to study pieces prepared at an advanced level in the course. The roles of instruments, the soloist-accompanist relationship, call and response, interplay, improvisation exercises and ornamentation are demonstrated through performance. The goal of this course is for students to be able to play within an orchestra.

STT 5219 Vocal Ensemble I (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8 (Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

This course gives students the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge they have gained in the Advanced Contemporary Harmony, Improvisation, and Jazz Composition and Arrangement courses. All students are given the opportunity to work on pieces prepared in private lessons, accompanied by an orchestra. In the first semester, a repertoire of beginner-level pieces will be prepared. The goal of this course is for vocal students to be able to communicate with the orchestra and lead it correctly

STT 5220 Vocal Ensemble II (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8 (Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

This course gives students the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge they have gained in the Advanced Contemporary Harmony, Improvisation, and Jazz Composition and Arrangement courses. All students are given the opportunity to work on pieces prepared in private lessons, accompanied by an orchestra. In the second semester, intermediate-level pieces will be studied. The goal of this course is for vocal students to be able to communicate with the orchestra and lead it correctly.

STT 5221 Vocal Ensemble III (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8 (Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

This course gives students the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge they have gained in the Advanced Contemporary Harmony, Improvisation, and Jazz Composition and Arrangement courses. All students are given the opportunity to work on pieces prepared in private lessons, accompanied by an orchestra. In the first semester, a repertoire of beginner-level pieces will be prepared. In the third semester, pieces with advanced melodic and harmonic structures will be performed. The goal of this course is for vocal students to be able to communicate with the orchestra and lead it correctly.

STT 5222 Vocal Ensemble IV (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8 (Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

This course gives students the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge they have gained in the Advanced Contemporary Harmony, Improvisation, and Jazz Composition and Arrangement courses. All students are given the opportunity to work on pieces prepared in private lessons, accompanied by an orchestra. In the first semester, a repertoire of beginner-level pieces will be prepared. In the fourth semester, all students are required to bring their own arrangements to each class and perform them. The goal of this course is for vocal students to be able to communicate with the orchestra and lead it correctly.

STT 5223 Jazz & Gospel Ensemble (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8 (Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

A vocalist needs to take part in choir work, because every vocalist takes part in such a practice, on a large or small scale, at some point in their career. This course, which is elective for instrumentalists, is important for developing instrumentalists' musical vision. Prepared with a repertoire selection of special examples of jazz and gospel, this course is open to all departments subject to the instructor's approval. The goal of this course is for students to perform polyphonic music with the voice as their instrument. Through this course, composition students will be able to get to know vocal music closely.

STT 5224 Blues Ensemble (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8 (Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

To understand jazz, one needs to have understood and be practicing the blues very well. In this course, many types of blues, such as 8-bar, 12-bar, major, minor and Parker blues, will be practiced. The goal of this course is to internalize blues music, the origin of jazz, through extensive practice.

STT 5225 Music Business (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8 (Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

This course aims to provide the skills, concepts and methods required for the legal, financial, artistic and ethical management of the contemporary music world as a professional field of business. Topics such as vision, business management, media, social media, PR, websites, copyright, distribution and production in the field of music are addressed. The goal of this course is not only to understand what it takes to be a musician who can do business, but also to put it into practice. In this context, it aims to train experts who have a command of topics such as vision, business management, media, social media, PR, websites, copyright, distribution and production in the field of music.

STT 5226 World Music (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8 (Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

In this course, the music of different geographies will be examined. At the end of the semester, students will research the music of a geography they are interested in in more detail. The goal of this course is to train musicians who are knowledgeable about world music. World music also opens up horizons in composition.

STT 5227 Songwriting (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8 (Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

This course covers both the theory and practice of songwriting. The art of songwriting includes melody, harmony, lyrics (both Turkish and English lyric structures will be addressed), song structure, chord progressions, rhyme types and prosody. An approach supported by exercises, assignments and presentations has been planned to develop the practice of this art. This is not a performance course, but a final concert will be organized at a performance venue at the end of the semester. The songwriter is not required to perform on stage, but the song will definitely be performed as part of this concert. It includes exercises and practice in this musical form, which reaches the listener most easily. Poetry and lyrics will also be addressed in detail within the scope of this course.

STT 5001 Fundamentals of Digital Signal Theory (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

This course aims to teach students the fundamentals of digital signal processing theory and concepts. Topics covered in the course: basic properties of audio signals, analog-to-digital converters, discrete-time audio signal representations, spectral analysis, linear modeling techniques, fundamentals of digital filtering.

STT 5101 Studio Recording Techniques (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

This course aims to inform students about the operation and use of a professional sound recording studio. Students will work on the theoretical background of microphone techniques, recording and playback signal flows, and the application of these subjects with industry-standard digital audio software in projects to be prepared in the course.

STT 5002 Mastering (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

This course aims to teach the basic principles of audio mastering. Whether it is media music, sound and music for film, an advertising jingle or an audiobook, mastering constitutes the final stage of audio production. The main topics of the course include level scaling, RMS and peak levels, spectral and dynamic balancing, audio restoration and the sonic characteristics of various musical genres.

STT 5004 Advanced Multichannel Mixing (3+0) 3 Credits ECTS: 8(Non-Thesis/Thesis Elective)

This course aims to analyze and practically apply the advanced mixing techniques used in today's music productions. In addition to developing technical skills, advanced ear training and stylistic knowledge are also among the course's priorities. Throughout the semester, students will work on professional projects in different styles that require different aesthetic and technical approaches.