Writing a jazz standard feels impossible — until you have a system. In this video, Juilliard faculty member and world-class jazz pianist Henrique Eisenmann walks Tim through a complete composition exercise using just 5 rules and the harmonic matrix from our last video. No preparation. No rehearsal. Just a blank 16-bar template and a framework that makes the process feel inevitable.

By the end of this video, you'll have seen a complete jazz standard written from scratch — chord changes, melodic spine, and melody — and you'll have everything you need to write your own.

In this video you'll learn:

The 5 rules that guarantee your composition will make harmonic sense

How to pick chords using the harmonic matrix and follow the arrows

Why using parallel minor chords creates that dark, cinematic feeling

How to design a melodic spine using guide tones over the changes

How ascending and descending melodic direction gives your melody shape

How Henrique turns a simple guide tone line into an actual jazz melody

🎵 Download the Ultimate Chord Matrix, a companion E-Book for this videa at https://jazzlabmusic.kit.com/ed295e9172— use it to follow along. It includes the full chord matrix, the 5 composition rules, and the melodic spine framework from this video.

This is Part 2 of our Harmonic Matrix series. If you haven't seen Part 1 yet — A Juilliard Professor Replaces a Semester of Music Theory in 10 Minutes — watch that first. It'll make everything here click faster.

Henrique Eisenmann is Juilliard faculty, internationally performing jazz pianist, and one of the most innovative music educators working today. Tim Lienhard is a professional jazz trombonist and co-founder of Jazz Lab, an innovative music education organization with an institutional partnership with New England Conservatory.

Chapters:

0:00 You Can Write a Jazz Standard

0:30 The Harmonic Matrix — Quick Recap

1:42 The 5 Rules

3:46 Building the Progression — Chord Changes

8:14 Hearing the Full Chord Changes

9:10 Designing Your Melodic Spine

11:04 Ascending and Descending — Giving Melody Shape

13:00 Henrique Plays the Melody

13:54 Coming Home — Thinking About Words

14:55 How to Practice This

15:34 Subscribe and Join Us

Ever wondered about the secret formula to create the perfect jazz standard? In this video, we'll guide you through a foolproof method for writing a classic, focusing on essential jazz harmony and effective songwriting. Learn how to craft compelling chord progression and master key music theory concepts to compose your own timeless jazz pieces. 🎹🎶

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