“My Foolish Heart” – C Section
Welcome to the 3rd lesson in our exploration of the jazz standard “My Foolish Heart.” Having previously explored the 1st A section and the B section, we now turn our attention to the second A section and the final C section, completing our beginner arrangement of this beautiful song.
Exploring The C Section
For the majority of this lesson we focus on the C section which introduces different harmony and melody and distinguishes it from the A and B sections. We break down each bar and explore how to voice the chords over 2 hands using the spread voicing technique.
“My Foolish Heart” – 32 Bar AABC Form
Most tunes in the jazz standard repertoire follow a 32-bar form divided into four distinct sections. “My Foolish Heart” utilises the A-B-A-C form, meaning the 2nd A section is almost identical to the 1st A section, with very minor variations in the final bar.
Memorising The Form Of Jazz Standards
Memorising the form and the structure of jazz standards helps to reduce reliance on reading lead sheets and greatly speeds up the memorisation process of learning new tunes. “My Foolish Heart” serves as an excellent example of a tune with an A-B-A-C form.
Develop a mental map of the song’s structure, including the A, B, and C sections. When playing the song always be conscious of which 8 bar section you are in, and when you transition to the next section. Over time this will become instinctive and you will be able to ‘feel’ where you are in the song’s form.
Related Lessons
This whole step 251 drill will ensure that you are comfortable with the 251 progression in all keys using simple root, 3rd, and 7th voicings.
A seventh chord is a triad which has been extended to include the 7th degree of the scale. This creates a fuller sound than simple 3-note triads.
Most jazz standards that you come across will contain a 251 progression in some form so it is essential that you know how to construct the 251.
Practice Tips
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Spread Voicing Techniques: Continue spreading the notes of the chords between hands, especially for the new harmony introduced in the C section.
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Memorise Section Transitions: Pay attention to the transition between the second A section and the C section, this is the only variation in the harmony/melody between the 1st and 2nd A sections.
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Experiment with Passing Chords: Add the Db7 passing chord to create a smoother transition between the G-7 and C-7 chords in the A sections. We explore this technique in more detail in the upcoming courses.
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Visualise Song Sections: Develop a mental map of the song's structure, including the A, B, and C sections. Understanding the song's form and structure greatly speeds up the memorisation process.
