Nu jazz is a style that is a vibrant blend of instrumentation, electronica, jazz, and some soul influences that rose to popularity in the 1990s. Nu jazz has a growing future as the premise of the genre comes from a heavy electronic influenced mixed with traditional jazz methods and theory. Follow some steps to play nu jazz and experiment with this creative and progressive jazz style.
Instructions
1. Begin by learning some brief history behind nu jazz. Know that there are other names for this genre such as jazz fusion, new jazz, jazztronica and future jazz. It may help when gathering information.
2. Become well versed in whatever instrument you will play. Take private instruction or some other means to help you learn basic music theory and technique before moving on to jazz technique. Basic theory must be strong but not as strong as other jazz styles due to the electronic element involved in nu jazz.
3. Become familiar with some of the basic electronic musical equipment available, including music production software. Learn a little bit about electronic music production, like scratching, synthesizer riffs, scrambling or pitch modification. These sounds are typical in many acid nu jazz songs.
4. Listen to as much nu jazz as possible to really become acquainted with how experimental this style is. Record yourself playing a traditional jazz song on your instrument and upload it into a musical software program. Then tinker with the sound to create something experimental and new.
5. Consider taking elements from other musical forms such as rock, rap, or funk and integrating these sounds into your nu jazz piece. Play with an ensemble and put your creative efforts into making something progressive, while still challenging yourself to stay in the basic jazz genre.
