Post-Bop Songwriting Advice

If you love jazz but you also want songs that punch, groove, and survive in playlists, you are in the right place. Post Bop is where tradition and restless invention meet. It keeps the language of bebop and modal jazz and then asks uncomfortable questions. This article gives you practical methods, stupid easy exercises, and real life ways to make post bop songs that sound like you and that players will actually want to gig.

Everything here is written for hustling musicians who want techniques they can use tonight in a practice room or tomorrow in a session. You will find clear explanations of technical terms so nothing feels like a secret password. Expect riffs on harmony, melody, form, rhythm, arrangement, and how to make a tune that works for a quartet or a producer who wants texture. There are juice ready examples and exercises that force results. Bring a pencil and your phone recorder.

What is Post Bop

Post Bop is a style that grew out of the 1960s. Think of it as jazz grown up and restless. It takes the chord changes and fast lines of bebop and the open landscapes of modal jazz and folds them together with new rhythmic and harmonic ideas. Post Bop tunes often use advanced chord colors, less predictable forms, shifting meters and space for imagination. The music cares about freedom but still respects craft.

Real life analogy

If bebop is espresso and modal jazz is slow pour over, post bop is a cocktail that mixes both and then adds a spicy garnish. It tastes like a long conversation with a smart friend who drinks too much coffee and also reads philosophy for fun.

Why write post bop songs

• It is expressive and flexible for improvisers.
• It rewards players who listen and react rather than just solo.
• It produces music that feels modern without throwing away melody.
• It fits clubs, small venues, streaming playlists, and composer projects.

If your goal is to impress other musicians, write a comp. If your goal is to hook listeners who are not jazz nerds, write a memorable motif that repeats. You can have both. Yes you can have both. Stop apologizing to snooty listeners.

Core elements of post bop songwriting

There are a few levers you can move when writing post bop. Treat each as a dial you can crank up or down.

• Harmonic color Use extended chords and substitutions to add flavor without losing purpose.
• Melodic shape Craft motifs that are singable and also open up interesting lines for improvisers.
• Rhythmic logic Use syncopation, metric displacement, and mixed meters wisely.
• Form and arrangement Design sections that allow contrast and collective improvisation.
• Space and dynamics Silence and dynamic contrast are as musical as notes.

Harmonic toolbox

Post Bop harmony loves color and motion. Use these tools and explain them to bandmates when you rehearse.

Extended chords and upper structure

Instead of thinking only in triads and basic seventh chords, add ninths elevenths and thirteenths. These are tones that sit above the basic chord and give texture. For example a C major seventh with an added ninth is Cmaj7 add9. If you read chord symbols this will look familiar. If you do not read charts say this to a pianist and guitarist: play a C major with a soft D on top.

Why it matters

Extended tones let the melody thread more distinct paths. They give soloists guide notes and allow bass and drums to breathe. They also let you suggest modal colors without changing the chord progression every bar.

Modal interchange

Borrow a chord quality from the parallel mode to create a color shift. For example if you are in D minor you might borrow a major IV chord from the parallel major key to lift a section. This is called modal interchange. It is a way to change mood without rewriting the song structure.

Relatable scenario

You are writing a tune about walking home in the rain. Verse feels dark minor. For contrast in the bridge borrow a bright major chord to suggest a streetlight moment. The contrast is emotional currency. Use it like lemon on fish.

ii V I progressions but with more personality

ii V I is a common progression in jazz. It means start with the supertonic minor chord then move to the dominant chord and resolve to the tonic chord. In symbols it looks like ii V I. In plain speak it is the motion that feels like tension then release. Post Bop writers keep that motion but play with voice leading and substitutions.

Voice leading trick

Make the inner voices move by half step steps while the root moves more predictably. That creates a smooth line for the ear to follow even as the chords shift under it. Tell your pianist to connect the top note from one chord to the next by a half step. The band will sound like telepathy.

Tritone substitution and chromatic planing

Tritone substitution swaps a dominant chord for another dominant chord a tritone away. It is a way to change bass motion and create unexpected voice leading. Chromatic planing means move a chord shape up or down chromatically to create a linear texture.

Example

Instead of a G7 going to Cmaj7, try a D flat7 going to Cmaj7. The bass moves down a half step and the inner voices can walk chromatically. It is spicy and it works when you want an ear bend that still resolves cleanly.

Melody and motivic writing

Post Bop is not only about complex chords. The melody is the handshake that gets you into the room. Write motifs that are repeatable and that can be stretched in solos.

Motif design

A motif is a short musical idea that you can repeat and develop. Think four to eight notes. It can be rhythmic as well as melodic. Build a motif that has a clear contour so the ear recognizes it even if the harmony underneath changes.

Exercise

1. Record a two bar vamp on one chord.
2. Sing nonsense syllables until a four note shape feels hooked.
3. Repeat the motif but change one note each time so it adapts to a new chord color.

Intervals and emotion

Small intervals like seconds and thirds feel intimate. Larger leaps like sixths and sevenths feel dramatic. Use leaps sparingly to punctuate a lyric or to give a phrase the sense of reaching. Mix them to keep soloists entertained.

Singability versus complexity

A post bop melody can be singable. Singability matters if you want audiences to hum or if you want a vocalist to carry the tune. Keep one anchor phrase that is easy to hum. Surround it with more complex lines for players. Think of the tune as having a chorus anchor and verse conversation.

Rhythm and groove

Rhythm is where you can sound modern without changing your harmonic vocabulary. Post Bop often uses flexible meters and clever placement of accents.

Metric displacement

Metric displacement means shift a motif so it starts on a different beat than expected. The same motif feels new and surprising. This is a great way to stretch a small group without adding layers.

Practical idea

Write a four bar phrase. On the second chorus shift the phrase to start on the second beat instead of the down beat. The band will feel pushed in a good way. Rehearse slowly so the drummer and bass lock the new placement before you speed up.

Mixed meter

Mix 4 4 bars with a 5 4 bar or a 3 4 bar to create a shape that moves like speech. Mixed meter is not a show off move if it serves the song. Use it to underline a lyric idea or to build a section that feels like a conversation getting interrupted.

Relatable scenario

You write a tune about running late. Use a 5 4 bar to feel the stumble and then return to 4 4 when the runner catches a green light. The meter tells the story without words.

Polyrhythm and cross rhythms

Polyrhythm means different instruments play patterns that imply different subdivisions. A drummer might play a three against two pattern while the horns phrase in fours. If your band listens this creates tension that resolves when they align. Use it as seasoning not a main course.

Form and architecture

Post Bop tunes often blur the line between composition and arrangement. The form can be simple or complex depending on what you need.

Common forms and creative tweaks

• Head Solo Head This is the jazz classic. Play the head or main theme then solos then the head again. Post Bop tunes often insert small composed interludes between solos.
• Through composed with vamp Write sections that move forward without returning to a single chorus. Use a vamp as a landing pad for solos and for the end.
• Chorus variations Return to the head but change orchestration each time so it feels like a new place. Add countermelodies or change meter.

Composed material inside solos

Write a short riff that appears during solos to frame a musical idea. This guides the soloist and gives the tune identity. Think of it like a recurring joke in a comedy set. People wait for the callback.

Arrangements and orchestration

How you arrange matters as much as what you write. Small choices add big personality.

Textures to consider

• Sparse quartet Piano, bass, drums and horn. Let air speak between notes.
• Horns section Use tight voicings and small countermelodies. Horns can answer the soloist as a band member not an audience.
• Pedal point Hold one note in bass or piano while harmony moves above it. It creates a drone that can be hypnotic.
• Electric textures Add synth pads or electric guitar to modernize. Be tasteful. Less is often more.

Dynamics and arrangement arcs

Plan loud and soft moments. Start with a fragile head and build into an intense middle before returning to a whisper. Dynamic arcs help listeners feel a journey. If every chorus is loud you numb the listener. Silence is your ally.

Writing with improvisers in mind

If you want players who improvise to love your tune, design sections that give them choices.

• Provide clear harmonic landmarks so they do not get lost.
• Include open sections with static harmony for modal exploration.
• Leave space where the rhythm section can speak without being busy.
• Give the soloist motifs to play with from the head.

Tell your band when a section is free time or when the drummer is supposed to keep strict time. Clarity prevents train wrecks.

Lyric writing in post bop

Not all post bop songs have lyrics. When they do, the lyric style can range from poetic to conversational. Keep lines concise and use rhythm in the language to match the music.

Writing tips

• Use short phrases that can be looped and recycled as motifs.
• Place a memorable hook phrase on a stable beat or long note so singers can land it.
• Work with imagery that feels lived in. Jazz lyrics often prefer small scenes over sweeping statements.

Relatable example

Instead of a line that says I miss you try: The coffee cup sits empty with your lipstick ghost on the rim. That creates a camera shot and invites melodic shaping.

Practical songwriting templates

Steal these templates and adapt them to your voice.

Template A: Modal motif tune

1. Pick a mode such as D dorian. A mode is a scale shape with its own color. For example dorian is like a natural minor scale with a raised sixth.
2. Write a four measure motif using mostly chord tones on strong beats.
3. Vamp the mode for eight bars to let soloists explore.
4. Return to the motif altered by embedding a chromatic walk in the inner voices.

Template B: Changes with a surprise

1. Write a 32 bar form using ii V I motion in keys that move every four bars.
2. On the bridge substitute one V chord with a tritone substitute to create a twist.
3. Introduce a rhythmic displacement on the final phrase before the head returns.

Template C: Through composed with vamp chorus

1. Create an A section that evolves melodically over changing chords for 16 bars.
2. Write a vamp chorus with a static harmony that the soloist can use to build intensity for 16 bars.
3. Return to a shorter version of the A section to close.

Exercises to write better post bop tunes

These take minutes and produce practical writing results.

Exercise 1 Vocal motif extraction

1. Hum a melody for 30 seconds over a static chord.
2. Pick the best four note fragment.
3. Write three different harmonic backgrounds for that fragment. Try one modal one functional and one using a tritone substitution.

Exercise 2 Metric trick

1. Write an eight bar phrase in 4 4.
2. Play it and then notate it starting on beat two.
3. Try adding a 5 4 bar in the middle to create a stumble and then resolve back to 4 4.

Exercise 3 Reharmonize a chart

1. Take a standard tune you love.
2. Replace every dominant chord with a minor ii to create a modal feel in one section.
3. Keep melodic landmarks so the tune still feels familiar.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

These are real problems players face and how to solve them fast.

Mistake: Too many notes in the head

Fix

Simplify the motif. A strong head often uses space. Choose one hook line and let it breathe.

Mistake: Chords that fight the melody

Fix

Check voice leading. Make sure the top voice moves logically. If the chord voicings bury the melody, rearrange them so the melody sits on a clear tone. Ask your pianist to move block chords lower when the horn is high.

Mistake: Drums overplaying

Fix

Communicate dynamics before the gig. Use rehearsal signals like two fingers down for soft and fist up for loud. Dynamics are band language. Practice them like chops.

How to get your post bop tune out there

Writing is only half the battle. Here are ways to give your tune life.

• Record a clean demo with a small arrangement. It does not need to be studio perfect. Clarity beats polish.
• Share charts with players before rehearsals. People will be more creative if they arrive prepared.
• Play the tune at jam sessions. Test which parts work and which parts confuse people. Fix confusion quickly.
• Work with a singer if your tune has lyrics. A vocalist can find phrasing that instrumentalists will follow.

Real life example

Meet Maya. She writes tunes for a quartet. She wrote a head that is a four note motif built around a raised sixth in the D minor mode. The motif is simple and singable. She placed it over a vamp for eight bars to let the soloist breathe. For the bridge she borrowed a major IV from the parallel key and then used a tritone substitution on the dominant to create an unexpected sidestep back home. The band loved it because the motif was memorable and the color changes gave soloists new roads to drive on. They recorded a demo in one afternoon and the tune now sits in their set list because it gives every band member a chance to shine without generic run throughs.

Writing with a producer

If you plan to record in a production environment expect different priorities. Producers will want textural space and sonic identity. Think about a signature sound that can be repeated like a fingerprint. It could be an electric piano patch a sampled percussion layer or a small melodic loop. Keep the composition clear and then let the producer wrap it with sonic personality.

Gear and software tips

Tools do not make you better but they help you document ideas fast.

• Use a phone recorder to capture motif ideas. The best melodies arrive at odd times.
• Use notation software to create clean charts for your band. If you cannot read notation give clear lead sheets with chord symbols and melody.
• Try a small keyboard or an app with extended chord voicings so you can hear colors fast.

Developing your voice in post bop

Voice comes from decisions repeated over time. Pick three choices to commit to for the next year and own them.

• Choice one: favor space in the head over complexity.
• Choice two: use one harmonic trick regularly like chromatic planing or tritone substitution so your voice shows up.
• Choice three: write motifs that can be sung by non musicians. That helps listeners not just players.

Keep a folder with sketches. Revisit them every month. Some ideas will stink. Some will turn into the song that opens doors.

Copyright and band leader tips

Label who wrote what. If you bring a band to a gig and the arrangement changes significantly make an agreement in writing. Attribution and splits are boring to think about but they keep friendships intact. Use a simple email summary after rehearsals that states the author of the head lyric and who contributed arrangements.

Quick checklist before you bring a tune to a rehearsal

• Chart the melody and basic chord changes for the head.
• Mark the form clearly with counts and section labels like A B bridge.
• Note any metric changes and rehearsal cues.
• Record a quick demo so players hear the vibe you want.
• Decide who takes the first solo and how long the solo sections last.

Practice plan for one month

1. Week one write one motif each day and record it.
2. Week two reharmonize three standard tunes using one substitution technique each day.
3. Week three practice playing motifs with metric displacement for 20 minutes a day.
4. Week four write a complete 32 bar tune using a template and bring it to rehearsal.

Post Bop songwriting FAQ

What is the simplest way to start a post bop tune

Start with a short motif and a clear harmonic context. A two or four bar motif that repeats makes a strong head. Pick whether you want a modal or functional harmony and write a vamp. Let the vamp breathe. Build a bridge that contrasts the mood. Simple structure with strong motifs is ready for development.

Do I need advanced theory to write post bop

No. You need a few practical tools and curiosity. Learn about extended chords modal interchange tritone substitution and ii V I motion. Practice voice leading and ear training. The rest is taste. You can write moving post bop tunes with a basic harmonic vocabulary if you use space craft and motif development.

How do I make my tunes playable by others

Make clear charts include melody and chord symbols and note any metric quirks. Record a demo so players hear tempo feel and dynamics. Keep the head memorable and give soloists obvious landmarks to anchor their improvisation. Clear communication saves rehearsal time.

How do I balance complexity with audience appeal

Give the listener a repeating hook or motif to hold onto. Use complexity as seasoning inside solos and inner voicings not as the main theme. Think of the head as the sign that guides listeners through the adventurous middle.

What are good rehearsal strategies for post bop bands

Rehearse slowly to lock in metric changes and voice leading. Isolate tricky transitions then play whole runs to maintain flow. Record rehearsals so you can hear what works and what confuses the band. Assign clear roles like who cues tempo changes and who counts bars for metric shifts.

How do I protect my composition

Register your composition with a copyright office in your country. Keep dated recordings and lead sheets. If you plan to release a recording register with a performing rights organization so you get royalties for public performances and streaming. If this sounds boring ask a manager or smart friend to handle the paperwork so you can keep writing tunes.

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