Terms of Service

Last updated: 2026-05-04

These Terms govern your use of the Jazz Phrase System ("JPS", "we", "us"), available at jazzphrasesystem.com. By using JPS you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the service.

1. The service

JPS is a digital dictionary of jazz vocabulary — a curated collection of short improvised melodic patterns organized for active practice — operated by Chase Maddox in the United States. Access modes and pricing are displayed at the point of sign-up and may include paid subscription plans or invite-only access.

2. Your account

To use JPS you need an account, which we create for you when granting access. You are responsible for keeping your sign-in email secure. Sign-in is passwordless via emailed one-click link, expiring 30 minutes after request. You may not share your sign-in link or account access with anyone else.

3. Acceptable use

You agree NOT to:

• Scrape, bulk-download, redistribute, resell, or republish any phrases, notation, audio, or other content from JPS
• Reverse-engineer, decompile, or attempt to derive the underlying dataset
• Use automated tools (bots, crawlers) to access the service
• Interfere with the operation of the service or attempt to access accounts other than your own
• Use the service for any unlawful purpose

Phrases shown to you are intended for your personal practice and study only. Performance and educational re-use of individual phrases (the way a guitarist would normally use a transcription book) is fine; bulk redistribution of the JPS dataset is not.

4. Content and intellectual property

JPS is an educational dictionary of jazz vocabulary — like a supercharged version of the classic pattern books. We only use short phrases, not whole solos or tracks. The musical ideas themselves are like language — you can't own the concept of a ii–V–I any more than you can own the word "hello." The actual songs and recordings still belong to the original artists and labels. We don't stream their tracks, and we don't try to replace buying or listening to their records. We help you understand the language so you appreciate and use the originals better.

A. What JPS is, and is not

JPS is an educational dictionary of jazz vocabulary. It collects recurring melodic and harmonic patterns used by improvisers and presents them as short, isolated phrases for study.

JPS does not reproduce complete solos, full recordings, or any work in its entirety, and it is not a substitute for the original recordings or compositions.

B. Two layers of authorship

There are two distinct layers, and they are protected differently:

• The musical patterns themselves — idiomatic licks, cadential moves, and harmonic shapes. These function like the words and grammar of jazz. Under 17 U.S.C. §102(b), copyright does not extend to ideas, systems, or methods of operation. JPS treats these patterns the way theory books treat scales, voice-leading, or rhythmic cells — compare Nicolas Slonimsky's Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns (1947) and the long line of educational pattern collections by Jamey Aebersold, Jerry Coker, David Baker, and others.
• The JPS implementation — the specific transcriptions, selection, tagging, organization, EJP framework, database, UI, recordings, and written commentary. These are original works by Chase Maddox and are fully protected. They may not be copied, scraped, or reused without written permission.

C. Scope of each phrase

Each JPS entry is a short vocabulary unit (typically 1–8 bars of single-line melody), enough to learn the idiom but not enough to replace the underlying composition or recording. The original works remain the property of their respective copyright holders.

D. User responsibility

JPS is an educational tool. We encourage users to legally purchase, license, or stream the original recordings they study. Nothing here is legal advice; users are responsible for their own use of copyrighted material.

Educational use of individual phrases by JPS users (the way a guitarist normally uses a transcription book) is fine; bulk redistribution of the JPS dataset, or any use that competes with or substitutes for the source recordings, is not.

5. Subscription, payment, and refunds

The access plans, prices, and renewal terms applicable to your account are displayed at the point of sign-up and may change for new sign-ups over time. JPS is a standalone subscription. If your subscription lapses (non-payment, cancellation, or refund), JPS access ends.

Paid subscriptions begin with a 14-day free trial. Your first 14 days are completely free. If you cancel during the trial, you will not be charged.

Because you get full access during the free trial to decide if JPS is right for you, all payments after the trial are final and non-refundable. If you're unsure, use the trial fully before deciding. You can cancel at any time from your account settings; cancellation stops future renewals but does not refund completed billing periods.

6. Reports and feedback

If you submit feedback, ideas, or issue reports through JPS (via the "Report an issue" button or other channels), you grant us a perpetual, royalty-free licence to use that feedback to improve the service, with no obligation to credit or compensate you.

7. Termination

You may stop using JPS at any time. Email [email protected] to delete your account.

We may suspend or terminate your access if you violate these Terms, abuse the service, or if your subscription lapses. We will use reasonable efforts to notify you in advance unless doing so would be impractical or contrary to law.

8. Disclaimers

JPS is provided "as is" and "as available", without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. We do not warrant that the service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of bugs — it's a growing, actively-maintained product.

9. Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the operator's total liability for any claim arising out of your use of JPS shall not exceed the greater of (a) the amount you paid for the service in the twelve months preceding the claim, or (b) USD $50.

10. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the United States. If you are using JPS from outside the United States, you do so on your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local law.

11. Changes

We may update these Terms as JPS grows. Material changes will be announced via email and reflected in the "Last updated" date at the top. Continued use of JPS after a change constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

Contact

Chase Maddox · [email protected]