Hi im in a jazz band me and a few friends have started but we can't seem to be able to create any new songs. We've managed to get a few but all based around original songs. We've got a couple of gigs coming up and we need help. Any one got any ideas to help us create original pieces. We're rather stuck. Thanks.

try to get a tune first - then fit some chords to it - so you have a head, from that you should to be able to mess about with things like instrument combinations and solos...

We do a little bit of jazz composition each year at the summer course thingy I do...we usually work using the notes of blues scales plus little chromatic bits between those. If that doesn't work, perhaps try doing an improvisation or two and pick out bits from that you liked to turn into a tune?

A huge amount of jazz repertoire is based around "original songs". Just count the number based on i) 12 bar blues, and ii) rhythm changes - a tried, trusted and completely precedented approach.

Why not just fill up the gaps with standards or other jazz tunes that people already wrote? Who knows, playing tunes might provide the need inspiration to create your own... there's nothing wrong with playing standards, they still remain in the majority of tunes played anywhere, you can't get around without knowing alot of them, and they played a HUGE part in the development of jazz.

You can't go far wrong with arpeggio patterns.

Matt