10 options for improvising over v7 chords and altered dominants _ jazzadvice

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Improvising over V7 chords

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  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 1/20

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    January5th,2014

    10EasyOptionsforExpandingYourDominant7thVocabulary

    ByEric

    231Share 1Share Share

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 2/20

    Whatsthemostimportantchordprogressionthatyouneedtoknowasamusician?

    Wellthatsagoodquestion

    Inthepastweveexploredsomecommonchordrelationshipsthatyoullencounterasanimproviser,butthereisonechordrelationshipthatsticksoutabovetherest.

    Anyguesses?

    ItsVtoI.

    TheDominant/TonicrelationshipisatthefoundationofWesternmusicfromBaroqueconcertos,toMahlersymphonies,toLouisArmstrong,toColtrane,totheBeatles.

    Innearlyeverystandardthatyoullpracticeorperformasanimproviser,youregoingtoencountertheV7toIchordrelationship.

    TheBlues,RhythmChanges,StellabyStarlight,GiantSteps,AlltheThingsYouAreitallgoesbacktoV7resolvingtoI.Ifyouhaventalreadyworkedonthisdominanttotonicrelationship,nowisthetimetogetstarted.

    TheBasics

    Formanyplayers,themostcommonwaytoaccesstheDominant7thtoTonicsoundiswiththeMixolydianmode:

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 3/20

    oraBebopScale:

    TheothercommonrulethatmanyplayersalsofallbackonforV7toIisthenaturalvoiceleadingmotionbetweenthesetwochords.Comingfromananalyticalperspective,thevoiceleadingrulesoftheVtoIrelationshipareresolvingthe7thoftheVchordtothe3rdoftheIchord:

    (73Resolution)

    andthe3rdofV7totherootoftheIchord:

    (31Resolution)

    Thisisafineplacetostartconceptualizingthesechordsinyourmindandyourear,howeverthesetwoscalesandvoiceleadingrulesarejustthebeginning.ToreallystartimproviseoveraDominant7soundyouneedtogoevenfurther.

    Learnthelanguage

    Thenextlogicalstepafterlearningandingrainingthesescalesandvoiceleadingrulesistranscribing.Remember,ascalewithinitselfisnotmusic,howeverascalecanserveasthebuildingblocksinconstructingamusicalline.

    Weretalkingaboutspeakingthejazzlanguage.

    Checkingoutthebluesisagreatplacetostartgatheringsomelanguageits12barscenteredaroundaV7sound.Withtranscribedlanguage,youllbridgethegapbetweenplayingscales&chordtonesandactuallycreatingmusicalphrasesinrealtime.

    Forexample,checkoutFreddieHubbardssoloonHubtones:

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 4/20

    At:48secondsintothevideoyouhearthisline:

    Intermsoftheory,themajorityofthenotesinthislineareallfromtheG7bebopscale,howeverinFreddiessoloyoudonthearscales,youhearmusic.

    Thelinehasshapeandforwardmotionfromonesoundtothenext,notastaticscaledevoidofanymusicality.Hereinliesthedifferencebetweenimprovisingwithscalesandmusicallanguage.

    Thegoalofimprovisingistocreatemusicalphrasesthatcommunicatewiththelistener.

    Youneedtoturnthosescales,instrumentaltechniques,andtheoryknowledgeintoamusicallanguage,intomusicthatpeopleactuallywanttolistento.Todothisyoumustspendalotoftimetranscribinganddevelopingyourownlanguageovercommonchordsandprogressions.

    ButwhatisthenextstepafteryouvegatheredsomebasicV7language?

    Thenextstepismakingthoselinesyourownbyalteringtherhythm,intervals,articulation,andinthiscase,theharmoniccontent

    10Dominant7thAlterations

    Attheheartofthedominant/tonicrelationshipistensionandreleasethemovementfromconflictanduncertaintytoeventualmusicalresolution.TheV7chordisfullofunlimitedpossibility.

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 5/20

    Asyoucraftyoursolo,thereisaspectrumofdissonancethatyoucanmanipulateoverthischordmovementdependingonyourharmonicapproach.Somealterednoteswillbemildlydissonant,whileotherswillclashintenselywiththeharmonyandbegforresolution.

    TherearemanywaysthatyoucanaltertheV7soundtocreatemoredissonanceandaccentuatetheeventualmelodicandharmonicresolutiontothetonic.Belowwellexplore10optionsthatyoucanuseoverV7chords.

    Witheachoftheharmonicalterationsthatwellcover,rememberthateachonemustbeapproachedasmusicallanguage,notasamusictheoryexercise

    1)V7b9

    Oneoftheeasiestwaystoalteradominantchordistoutilizetheb9sound.ThisonealterednoteaddsatouchmoredissonancethatwillpulltheV7towardthetonic.

    Theb9ofV7naturallyresolvestothe5thscaledegreeoftheIchord:

    Askeletonofmelodicmovementcontainingthisaltered9thwouldlooklikethis:

    Takealistentoafewexamplesofthisalterednoteinaction.LetsstartwiththemelodyofDonnaLee:

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 6/20

    Inthe12thand16thbarsofthemelodytheb9isaccentuatedontheV7chordandresolvedinthenextbar.NowcheckoutCliffordBrownssoloonJordu:

    Thefirstnoteheplaysonthebridgeisab9(1:24inthevideo).Againtheb9isusedonthedominantsoundasatensionnotethatleadstoresolution.

    Inbothcasesthisb9wantstoresolvedownward,eventuallyarrivingatthe3rdofthefollowingchord.Thisalterednotehasauniquesoundthatyouneedtolearnhowtomanipulateinyourimprovising.

    Getthesoundofthisnoteinyourear,experimentwithitinthepracticeroom,anduseitinyoursolos.

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 7/20

    2)V7#9

    Nextexplorethesoundofthe#9.The#9naturallyresolvesuptotheMajor7oftheIchord:

    The#9andb9arealsooftenpairedtogetheronaV7chordasshownbelow:

    Keepinmindthatthe#9isalsotheminor3rd,soexplorethisrelationshipbyswitchingbackandforthbyhalfstepbetweenthesetwochordtones:

    CheckoutthisarticleformoreideasontheV7#9chordandworkonincorporatingthissoundonyourapproachtodominantchords.

    3)V7#11

    The#11oftheV7chordresolvestorootoftonic:

    ItsimportanttomakeadistinctionbetweenaV7#11andaV7b5chord.OnaV7#11,the#11referstotheupperstructureofthechord,sothe5thisnatural,howeveronaV7b5chordthe5thisflat.

    HereareafewwaystoaccessthisV7#11sound:

    AMajtriadoverG7:

    (Majortriadawholestepabovethetonic)

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 8/20

    DmelodicminoroverG7:

    Thisii7overtheV7canalsobeapproachedwithii7V7language.

    FMajor7#5overG7:

    These3ideasareallessentiallythesamesound(V7#11),justapproachedfromadifferentmindset.Oneisamelodicminorsound,oneisaMajor7#5sound,andoneisamajortriad.Dependingonyourlanguageandtechniqueeachwillproducedifferentpossibilities.

    4)V7b13/#5

    Theb13resolvesuptothe3rdanddowntothe9th:

    Tohighlighttheb13or#13youcanuseadescendingAugmentedtriad:

    Oryoucanemployawholetonescale(#4,#5):

    ListentohowMonkusesthewholetonescaleovertheV7chordonhisblues,BlueMonk(1:031:04):

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 9/20

    5)TritoneSubstitution,V7b5b9

    OnecommonbebopreharmonizationtechniqueovertheV7soundwasthetritonesubstitution.ForexamplethetritonesubstitutionofaDbMajortriadoveraG7chord:

    Thissoundhighlightstheb5andb9oftheV7chord:

    Theb5hasadistinctivesoundwhenitusedoveraV7chord,itsdissonantandimmediatelygrabsyourear.ForexamplelistentothemelodyofTuneUp:

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 10/20

    ThemelodyemphasizesthetritoneontheV7chords.Focusonthethirdnoteofthemelody:theb5(tritone)resolvingtothe5thoftheVchordandultimatelytothe3rdoftheIchord.

    6)AlteredScale/MelodicMinor

    Thealteredscaleutilizesallofthealterednotes(b9,#9,#11,andb13):

    Thisscaleissometimesreferredtoasadiminishedwholetonescale(itsparthalfwholediminishedscaleandpartwholetonescale)andisalsothemelodicminorscalestartingonthe7thnote(lookattheGalteredscaleaboveasanAbmelodicminorscale).

    Takealistentothevideobelow,at4:54Freddiebeginshissolobycreativelyusingthealteredscale:

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 11/20

    Youcanalsotakealookatthisarticleon4waystousethemelodicminorscale.

    7)HalfWholeDiminished(octatonic)scale

    Theoctatonicscaleisaneightnotescale,forimprovisersthisgenerallyreferstothehalfwholediminishedscale(an8notescalealternatingbetweenhalfstepsandwholesteps):

    Thisscaleemphasizesthe#9,b9,andthe#11.

    TakealookathowFreddieHubbardusesthisscaleinhissoloonBirdlike(2:57):

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 12/20

    HeutilizesthehalfwholediminishedscaleovertheV7soundtoresolvetothe5thofthetonic.IndoingsohecreatesmoretensionovertheV7soundwhilegrabbingthelistenersattentionandemphasizingtheresolution.

    8)Diatonictriadpairings

    AnotheroptionyoucanuseovertheV7chordarediatonictriads.ForinstancealternatingbetweenaGtriadandanFtriadoveraG7chord:

    CheckoutthisarticleformoreonUsingTriadsinYourSolo.

    ListentothemelodyofPassionDanceandtheopeningtoMcCoyssoloforanexampleofthisinaction:

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 13/20

    ThisapproachwillgiveyouaDominantsussound(accentingthe4thscaledegree).Formoreonsuschordstakealookatthisarticle,HowtoImproviseOverSusChords.

    9)Nondiatonic(chromatic)triads

    Asidefromthediatonictriadsthatnaturallyoccurwithinthekey,youcanalsoutilizethenondiatonictriadsthatoccuroutsideofeachkeycenter.

    Eachtriadhasavaryinglevelofdissonancedependingonitsrelationshiptotheroot.

    Major6thTriad(b9)

    AnEMajortriadoveraG7:

    Majorb6Triad(#9,b13)

    AnEbMajortriadoveraG7:

    Minorb2Triad(b9,b13)

    AnAbminortriadoveraG7:

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 14/20

    Tritonesubstitutionb5Triad(b9,#11)

    ADbMajortriadoverG7:

    Major3rdTriad(#5,Maj.7)

    ABMajortriadoverG7:

    CheckouthowFreddieHubbardemploysboththe#5andmajor7thonthetuneBirdlike(2:32inthevideo):

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 15/20

    Eachofthesetriadshavetheirownuniquesoundandmethodofresolution.Strivetofamiliarizeyourearwiththesoundofeachofthesedissonantornondiatonictriads.

    10)Diminished(minor3rd)relationships

    FinallyexploretheuseofthediminishedrelationshipovertheV7sound.

    TobeginplayMajortriadsseparatedbyminor3rdsstartingonthetonicofthedominantchord,forG7:

    Anexampleofalineusingthisdiminishedrelationshipisbelow,awholestepbeloweachdiminishedchordtone:

    ListentohowJohnColtraneusesthispatterninhissoloonMomentsNotice(2:092:11):

    Thereareanumberofdifferentpatternsthatyoucanplayusingthesequenceofdiminishedthirds.

    Besidestriadsorscalepatterns,youcanalsoexploredifferentintervalsfromeachoftheDiminishedchordtones(4ths,5ths,etc.)

    TakealistentoMulgrewMillerssolointhevideobelow,specificallyaround2:002:05mins:

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 16/20

    Heisusingtheminor3rdrelationshipanddescendin4thsfromeachrootnote.

    OrcheckoutMichaelBreckerssoloonMyOneandOnlyLove.Injusttheopeningfewminutesyoullhearmultipleusesofthisdiminished3rdrelationshipovertheV7sound:

    Connectingtheoryandlanguage

    Themainthingtokeepinmindwiththese10optionsisthattheyarejusttheorydevices.

    Toemploythesesoundsinyoursolostheymustbemusicaltheyneedtime,articulation,rhythmic

  • 16/6/2015 10OptionsforImprovisingoverV7ChordsandAlteredDominants|jazzadvice.com

    http://www.jazzadvice.com/v7toi10optionsforexpandingyourdominant7thvocabulary/ 17/20

    variety,sound,andalogicalplacewithinyourphrase.Thewaythatyouachieveallofthisisthroughlistening,transcribingandapplyingtheseharmonicconceptsmusicallyinyourownsolos.

    Onceyouhavethemusicalandstylisticfoundationoftranscribingunderyourbelt,itbecomesmucheasiertoincorporatenewtheoryconceptsintoyourplaying.

    Remember,yourenotreinventingthewheelorforcingaforeignobjectintoyourplaying,yourejusthighlightingadifferentharmonicflavorwithinyourlines.

    Thebestplayersseamlesslyblendtheseconceptsinandoutoftheirlinesastheyplay.Itsnotacutandpasteapproach,ratheronethatiseffortlessandmusicalanotherharmonicoptionthataddstensionandinteresttotheageoldtonic/dominantrelationship.

    Howeverthisisnotanovernightprocess,ittakeshoursofpracticeandtrialanderroronthebandstandtomaketheseconceptseffortless.YoumustgetthesoundofeachoftheseV7alterationsinyourearandingrainthemintoyourfingers.

    BeginbygoingtothepianoandplayingeachofthesealterednotesoverasimpleV7voicing.

    Theninyourpracticetakeapieceoflanguagethatyouvealreadytranscribed,aiiVIlineorachorusofblues,andexperimentbyalteringtheV7chordusingthetechniquesshownabove.

    Inessenceyoullbeusingthesealtereddominantoptionsasanextensionofthelanguagethatyoualreadyknow.

    Withthismethodyoullquicklyaddinteresttothatfamiliarlanguage,youllbegintocreatenewlinesofyourown,andmostimportantly,youwontbestuckwiththeusualmixolydianmodesorbebopscales,youlltrulyhaveanentirespectrumofsoundatyourdisposal!

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