Transfer Placement Exams

All transfer students enrolling in the BM in Jazz Studies who are planning to graduate in three years or less are required to take an advisory theory exam. We use the results for advisement purposes, both to place you in courses that will best fit your current level, and also to lay out a course of study that will allow you to meet all degree requirements in a timely fashion.

The Theory Advisory Exam will cover the following topics:

  • Notation/Identification of scales (major, minor, diminished, common modes, bebop scales, and more!) (treble and bass clef)
  • Chord Construction/Identification
  • Chord-Scale Relationships
  • Diatonic 7th Chords
  • Chord Extensions and Alterations
  • Functional Harmony and Common Root Motion
  • Borrowed Chords, Secondary Dominant Chords, Tritone Substitutions
  • Analysis of Chord Progressions
  • Block Voicing Technique
  • Spread Voicing Technique
  • Bass Line Construction
  • Notation of common clavĂ© rhythms
  • Notation of basic drum beats
  • Composition of short melodies over a given chord progression

If transfer students are hoping to graduate in 2 years or less, they must also do a Week of Welcome transfer audition. Students interested in this should contact Paul Krueger (kruegerp@uoregon.edu) to communicate this intent and set up an advising appointment ASAP.

For the Week of Welcome transfer placement audition, students should be prepared to perform:

  • The following repertoire from memory:
    • Mr. PC
    • Billie’s Bounce
    • Tenor Madness
    • Oleo
    • I’ll Remember April
    • What is This Thing Called Love
    • What’s New
    • Lady Bird
    • Have You Met Miss Jones?
    • Autumn Leaves
    • Recorda Me
    • Maiden Voyage
    • Witch Hunt
    • Impressions
  • Major and minor scales in all 12 keys along with common modes, pentatonic scales, and diminished scales.
  • Sight-reading on your instrument
  • Sight-reading jazz chord progressions at the piano using the following techniques:
    • 3 note voicings in either hand
      • Voicing in right hand with bass note in left hand is acceptable

Drummers should be prepared to perform:

  • The following repertoire from memory (be able to improvise over the form while referencing the melody)
    • Mr. PC
    • Billie’s Bounce
    • Tenor Madness
    • Oleo
    • I’ll Remember April
    • What is This Thing Called Love
    • What’s New
    • Lady Bird
    • Have You Met Miss Jones?
    • Autumn Leaves
    • Recorda Me
    • Maiden Voyage
    • Witch Hunt
    • Impressions
  • Various styles/beats (swing, 2-beat, waltz, ballad, Latin, Afro-Cuban, straight 8th, rock, etc.). Be prepared for up-tempo.
  • Basic rudiments
  • Sight-reading of big band-style charts with feel changes, kicks, and set-ups

Both the exam and the audition will take place on Monday during the Week of Welcome from 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm.

If you need to complete either the theory exam or the audition, and you have not already been contacted by him, feel free to contact Paul Krueger (kruegerp@uoregon.edu) to confirm your plans to attend and address any questions/concerns you may have.

***Students who are planning to graduate in three years or more do not need to the transfer placement audition. Students who are planning to graduate in four years do not need to do the theory advisory exam or the transfer placement audition.