JazzTech Video Jury Procedures

Students may use live or recorded accompaniment for their recorded jury submissions, which is commonly piano, bass, and drums.

For Pre-Recorded Backing Tracks

Consult with your private lesson instructor with any questions regarding appropriate backing track resources

• Mechanical tracks, such as the iReal app or other non-live resources will not be accepted
• Students may use professional backing tracks, including but not limited to:
  • Rutgers Jazz Tune-List links (under the “Shed” column)
  • Learn Jazz Standards YouTube channel
  • Aebersold
  • playjazznow.com
• Odd-Meter resources:
  • playjazznow Odd-Meter
  • Aebersold Odd-Meter

1. Tune Performance (on your primary instrument)

• An assigned jury Tune will be disclosed to you a few days prior to the submission deadline consisting of a single selection
• Select a professionally produced backing track to play to (refer to “Video Jury Accompaniment Options” above)
• Perform the (a) Head-in, (b) 2 choruses of solo improvisation (or 3 choruses if the form is 16 bars or less), and (c) the Head-out
• Pianists and Guitarists should comp changes on an additional chorus. Bassists should walk the changes on an additional chorus
• Notes:
  • Drum majors may opt not to use backing tracks and perform solo by outlining the head/melody and then soloing by trading time with solos (4’s or 8’s as best applies).
  • Pianists and Guitarists are encouraged to use backing tracks but may opt to perform solo if suitable tracks cannot be obtained for a given selection.
  • Your backing track does not need to follow your performance, exactly. Simply stop the track at any point when you’ve completed the performance requirement.

2. Theory Component

• An assigned Theory component will be disclosed to you a few days prior to the submission deadline consisting of scales and/or arpeggios (chordal outlines)
• Your assigned scales/arpeggios are to be performed in all 12 keys, each, played in succession within one take, ascending and descending 2-octaves
• Twelve scale keys may be accomplished chromatically or as circle-of-5th/4ths, and performed at a steady tempo as eighth notes, quarter-note = 65 to 100bpm, with or without an audible metronome click.
• Piano majors will play scales/arpeggios with two hands in octaves. 

Applies only to Semester-5/6 Undergraduate students and Semester-3 Graduate students. You are to add these keyboard performances to your jury video submissions. A clear view of the face, hands, and keyboard must always be visible on the video and, unlike the components above, may be recorded using basic means such as with a smartphone or simple video device.

The following supersedes what is specified on the live “Jury Requirements by Semester” page:

• UNDERGRAD Semester 5 Jury
  1. II-V-I basic Cadence/Turnaround in keys of (to be assigned), Rooted Shell voicings minimum (ie. Dm7, G7, C)
  2. Assigned Jury Scale (from above) in keys of (to be assigned), 2 hands, ascending and descending 1-octave min, at a steady tempo
  3. Demonstrate Blues Changes in key of (to be assigned), Rooted Shell voicings minimum at an even tempo, 1 chorus. No soloing
  4. Prepared performance of a memorized semester-level Standard tune, rooted chords and melody at an even tempo. No soloing
• UNDERGRAD Semester 6 Jury
  1. I-VI-II-V-I basic Cadence/Turnaround in keys of (to be assigned), Rooted Shell voicings minimum (ie. C, Am7, Dm7, G7, back to C)
  2. Assigned Jury Scale (from above) in keys of (to be assigned), 2 hands, ascending and descending 1-octave min, at a steady tempo
  3. Demonstrate Rhythm Changes in key of (to be assigned), Rooted Shell voicings minimum at an even tempo, 1 chorus. No soloing
  4. Prepared performance of a memorized semester-level Standard tune, rooted chords and melody at an even tempo. No soloing
• GRAD Semester 3 Jury
  1. I-VI-II-V-I basic Cadence/Turnaround in keys of (to be assigned), Rooted Shell voicings minimum (ie. C, Am7, Dm7, G7, back to C)
  2. Assigned Jury Scale (from above) in keys of (to be assigned), 2 hands, ascending and descending 1-octave min, at a steady tempo
  3. Demonstrate Blues and Rhythm Changes in keys of (to be assigned), Rooted Shell voicings minimum at an even tempo, 1 chorus. No soloing
  4. Prepared performance of a memorized semester-level Standard tune, rooted chords and melody at an even tempo. No soloing

Note: if you are an Undergrad Semester-5/6, or a Grad Semester-3 drum major, you are to follow the above Jazz Jury Keyboard Essentials requirements, in place of the items below.

Jazz Drum majors are to add their recurring semester keyboard performances to their jury video submissions. A clear view of the face, hands, and keyboard must always be visible on the video and, unlike the components above, may be recorded using basic means such as with a smartphone or simple video device:

• Prepare semester-level Scales and Chords, in keys of (to be assigned), ascending and descending, 1-octave minimum
• Prepared performance of a memorized semester-level Standard tune, rooted chords and melody at an even tempo. No soloing

• Each jury component is to be recorded in one (1) take with no edits (ie. tune performance in one take, theory/scales in another single take, etc)
• Individual jury components are to be compiled into one (1) video (not separate videos for each jury component)
• Backing tracks must be properly mixed to support your live playing and create a balanced result.
• A clear view of your face, hands, and instrument must always be visible on the video submission
• There is no mandated attire for jury videos. However, students traditionally tend not to dress down for them.
• Students are fully responsible for the technology needed to complete the above requirements and equally obligated to fully test said technology in advance to successfully meet jury submission deadlines.