ImproViz: visual explorations of jazz improvisations

Authors:
Jon Snydal;Marti Hearst
Affiliations:
University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA;University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Venue:
CHI '05 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Year:
2005

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Abstract

ImproViz is a visualization technique for diagramming music that brings to light the signature patterns of a jazz musician's improvisational style. ImproViz consists of two parts: (1) melodic landscapes show the general contours of musical phrasing; and (2) harmonic palettes represent the musician's tendency to use a particular combination of notes in a given part of the song. Viewing the jazz standard All Blues through the lens of ImproViz illustrates the contrasting melodic and harmonic styles of three musicians. This analysis uncovers some surprises, such as how Miles Davis played musical ideas that contradicted his own composition. ImproViz offers jazz students a new way to study jazz theory and can also serve as a real-time improvisational aid, allowing a student to borrow the harmonic vocabulary of jazz masters.