ChordProgression

FromFundamentalsofJazzImprovisation:WhatEverybodyThinksYouAlreadyKnow

Dr.MarkWatkins

DirectorofJazzStudiesBrighamYoungUniversity–Idaho

©2010byMarkWatkinsMaterialshereinareprovidedforpersonaluse.Nopartmaybereproduced

withoutwrittenpermissionfromtheauthor.

FundamentalChordProgressions

Learningtunesisgreatlyfacilitatedbyrecognizingcommonlyusedchordprogressions.BluesandRhythmChangesarechordprogressionscoveringtheentirebodyofthetune.Proficiencycangreatlyenhanceone’srepertoiresincetheformandprogressionareknownandoneonlyneedlearnmelodies.Otherprogressionsaren’tnearlyaslengthy,norall‐inclusive,coveringonlyaportionofthecompositionbutstillmaketunelearningeasier.Themoretunesonelearns,themoreonerecognizessimilaritiescausingtherateoflearningtobeexponential.

CyclesProgressionswhoserootsmovearoundthecircleof5ths

1. TheiiV7I(oriiV7)progressionisthemostcommoninjazz.SatinDoll,mm.1‐4(DukeEllington)

2. TheminoriiøV7altiisalsoverycommon.Alteredsupertonic(iiø)andaltereddominantsare

fromtheminormodebutareoftenusedwithamajortonic(modalborrowing).BlueBossa,mm.5‐8(KennyDorham)

WhatisThisThingCalledLove?,mm.1‐8(ColePorter)

3. IviiiV7,iiiviiiV7,andiiiVI,iiV7:Themediant(iii)isacommonsubstitutefortonic(I)and

thesubmediant(vi)canbeeitherminor/minor7ormajor/minor7dependinguponthemelodyorotherfactors;essentially,theyarequitesimilarandofteninterchangeable.WheniiiVIiiV7isused,itislikeachainorcycleofiiV7sexceptthatitislockedtotheiiiVIiiV7relationshiptotonicwhereasacycleofiiV7smaystartand/orendindifferentkeyareas.

BlueMoon,mm.1‐8(LorenzHartandRichardRodgers)

Let’sFallinLove,mm.1‐8(TedKoehlerandHaroldArlen)

Otherexamplesinclude:RhythmChanges,Ain’tMisbehavin’,Georgia,AutumnLeaves,CheektoCheek,Don’tBeThatWay,HaveYouMetMissJones,Isn’tItRomantic,andMeantoMe.4. CycleofiiV7s:ThisissimilartoiiiVI7iiV7butwithtwodistinctions:1)thesequencecan

continuebeyondtworepetitions,and2)thecycleisnotrelatedtotonicinthesameway.Theprogressionmayleadtoasecondarykeyareaorstartfartherbackaroundthecyclethanmediant(iii)thenleadtotonic.(BluesforAlice,Confirmation,TheMasqueradeisOver,StellabyStarlight)

BluesforAlice,mm.1‐5(CharlieParker)

StellabyStarlight,mm.25‐32(VictorYoungandNedWashington)

5. CycleofV7s:dominantchordswitharootprogressionascendingbyfourths,descendingby

fifths(circleoffifthsprogression).Twochordsperbar:Jordu,mm.17‐24[bridge](DukeJordan)

Onechordperbar:Yesterdays,mm.1‐16(JeromeKernandOttoHarbach)

Onechordeverytwobars:Perdido,mm.17‐24[bridge](JuanTizol)

Onechordeveryfourbars:SweetGeorgiaBrown,mm.1‐16(BenBernie,MaceoPinkardand

KennethCasey)

Twochordsperbar:NiceWorkifYouCanGetItOnechordperbar:BasinStreetBlues,BillBailey,ComeRainorComeShine,Ja­Da,SisterSadieOnechordeverytwobars:ScrapplefromtheApple,RhythmChangesOnechordeveryfourbars:Caravan6. iiV7IIV:cyclerootmovementiiV7IextendedtoIV.ItisoftenfollowedbyaTritone

ResolutiontoV7AlltheThingsYouAre,mm.5‐6,D‐flattoG)ortoiiV7(AutumnLeaves,mm.4‐6,E‐flattoA);thesamesequenceoccursinImagination,mm.2‐4.

AlltheThingsYouAre,mm1‐8(JeromeKernandOscarHammersteinII)

AutumnLeaves,mm.1‐8(JosephKosmaandJohnnyMercer)

Otherexamplesinclude:Imagination(see“#15.DiminishedPassingChord”below)

iiV7andiiV7ISequences7. ChromaticiiV7:TheChromaticiiV7sequencecanascendordescend.ThelastiiV7can

resolveinacycleiiV7I(Laura,Stablemates)orasatritonesubstitution(BluesforAlice).Moment’sNotice,mm.5‐8(JohnColtrane):ChromaticiiV7(ascending)

Laura,mm.29‐30(JohnnyMercerandDavidRaksin):ChromaticiiV7(descending)withiiV7I

resolution

Tritonesubstitutionderivative:

Stablemates,mm.1‐3,23‐25(BennyGolson):ChromaticiiV7withiiV7Iresolution

BluesforAlice,mm.5‐10(CharlieParker):ChromaticiiV7withTritonesubstitution/resolution

Otherexamplesinclude:LoverManm.7,YouSteppedOutofaDreammm.15‐168. V7descendingby½‐steps(chromatic):(twoperbar:ICan’tGetStarted,PreludetoaKiss,

Sophisticatedlady,WellYouNeedn’t,oneperbar:Nutville,OnGreenDolphinStreet[major],Stablemates)

EternalTriangle,mm.17‐24(SonnyStitt):V7=iiV7

Nutville,mm17‐20(HoraceSilver)

9. CycleofiiV7Idescendingbywholestep:G‐|C7|F|F|F‐|B‐flat7|E‐flat|E‐flat|etc.;

majorconvertstominorbecomingiiofiiV7I;newmajorconvertstominorbecomingiiofiiV7I,etc.Insometunes,thepatternbeginswithtwobarsofmajorasinHowHightheMoon.

Thepatternwithmajorofthekeyfirstfollowedbythewholestepdescendingsequence,asinHowHightheMoon,canbefoundinothertunes>

HowHightheMoon,mm.1‐9(MorganLewis)

Cherokee,mm.33‐48[bridge](RayNoble)

AlmostLikeBeinginLove,mm.17‐24(AlanJayLernerandFrederickLowe):iiV7Idescending

bywholesteps;majorshiftingtominorfromm.19tom.21

TuneUp,mm.1‐11(MilesDavis)

Otherexamplesinclude:Bebop,ICan’tGetStarted,JoySpring,LoverMan,Milestones[bridge],OneNoteSamba[bridge],Ornithology,SecretLove,Solar,ThingstoCome,TuneUp,Wave,WhatisThisThingCalledLove,10.Ascendingminor3rdiiV7Iprogression:C‐|F7|Bb|Bb|Eb‐|Ab7|Db|etc.;commonon

bridge.Confirmation,mm.17‐24(CharlieParker):ascendingminor3rd(B‐flattoD‐flat)iiV7I

progression;B‐flattoE‐flatcyclerootmovementfromm.20tom.21

OnGreenDolphinStreet,mm.17‐24(NedWashingtonandBronislauKaper)

11.Descendingminor3rdiiV7Iprogression:C‐|F7|Bb|Bb|A‐|D7|G|G|F#‐|B7|E|E|

Eb‐|Ab7|Dbetc.;commononbridge.

I’llRememberApril,mm.25‐32(DonRaye,GeneDePaulandPatJohnston):descendingminor3rd(GtoE)iiV7Iprogression;descendingchromaticrootmovement(GtoF‐sharp),mm.27‐29

AlltheThingsYouAre,mm.17‐24(JeromeKernandOscarHammersteinII)

12.Ascendingbywhole‐step:oftenasabridge.

OntheSunnySideoftheStreet,mm.17‐24(DorothyFieldsandJimmyMcHugh)

HoneysuckleRose,mm.17‐24(AndyRazafandThomasWaller)

Otherexamplesinclude:SatinDoll,ItDon’tMeanaThing,PenniesfromHeaven(mm.9‐16),The

SurreywiththeFringeonTop.

TritoneConcepts13.TirtoneSubstitutioninaiiV7IProgressionOneNoteSamba,mm.1‐8(AntonioCarlosJobim)

14.ChromaticallyDescendingV7s:Oftencreatedbyatritonesubstitutiononeveryotherchord

ofadominantcycle,theycanbeplacedstartingoneitherthefirstorsecondchordofthecycle.

RhythmChangesSubstitution,mm.17‐24[bridge]:Theuseoftritonesubstitutionsonmm.3‐4

and7‐8ofthebridgecreatesachromaticallydescendingsequence.

Locomotion,mm.13‐20[bridge](JohnColtrane):Cotrane’stunedemonstrateshowtritone

substitutionscanbeplacedonmm.1‐2and5‐6.

15.ChromaticallyDescendingiiV7Sequence(tritonesubtodominants,i.e.E,E‐flat,D,D‐flat,C,B,resolvetoB‐flat)

ThirdRail,mm.17‐24[bridge](MichaelBrecker)

Otherexamplesinclude:TheEternalTriangle,mm.17‐24[bridge](SonnyStitt),BluesforAlice,7‐10(CharlieParker),SatinDoll,mm.5‐8(DukeEllington)

16.TritoneResolutions:Chordmovementwhoserootsareatritoneapart,thisprogressionis

oftenfoundwithinaphraseorasthecadencetoaphrase(TTCadence).Mostoftenthefirstchordisdominantbutmovementtoandfromotherqualitiesarenotuncommon,includingtritoneiiV7sequences(TTiiV7Progression).

Moment’sNotice,mm.1‐18[after22‐barintro](JohnColtrane)

17.#ivVII7I:Sharp‐4isatritoneabovetonic,VII7isdominantinqualityratherthanfullyor

half‐diminished.Groovin’High,mm.1‐4(DizzyGillespie)

AlmostLikeBeinginLove,mm21‐25(AlanJayLernerandFrederickLowe)

Otherexamplesinclude;AnEveiningThought,I’mGettingSentimentalOverYou,NightandDay,Whispering

MediantRelationshipsMediants:Intonalharmonymediantishalfwaybetweentonicanddominant.Submediantishalfwaybetweentonicandsubdominantdescending.TheexamplebelowisintrebleclefwithCbeingtonic.

Amediantrelationshipinachordprogressionisanychordthatisa3rdawayfromthepresentchordineitherdirection.Therearetwotypesofmediants:1)diatonicmediant,and2)chromaticmediant.Adiatonicmediantstayswithinthekeysignatureofthepresentchord.Achromaticmedianthasatleastonenoteinthenewchordthatisoutsidethekeysignatureofthepresentchord.Chromaticmediantprogressionsusuallyhaveatleastonecommontonebetweenthetwochordsbutinjazztheydon’talways.

MediantWheelLinesindicatepossibilities

frompoint(C).

CompassTurnoutsidewheellikea

compass.

ClockTurninsidearmslikeaclock.

DiatonicMediants:CmajortoAminor,orCmajortoEminor(extensionsmayvary).

ChromaticMediants(withcommontones):CmajortoEmajor,E7,E‐flatmajor,E‐flat7,Amajor,A7,A‐flatmajor,A‐flat7,orA‐flatminor.

ChromaticMediants(withnocommontones):CmajortoE‐flatminor,Amajor7sharp‐5,oranyotheralteredchordthatcontainsnocommontones.

18.Chromaticmediantscanmovefromanychordqualitytoanyotherchordqualityaslongas

theirrootsareamajororminor3rdapart,upordownfromthefirstchordtothesecond.Bernie’sTune,mm.1‐4(BernieMiller)

AllofMe,mm.17‐26(SeymourSimonsandGeraldMarks)

19.ColtraneChanges:ThisprogressionisfoundintunessuchasGiantStepsandisoftenusedas

turnaroundsubstitutions.Thepatternis:upaminor3rd,downaperfect5th,upaminor3rd,downaperfect5th,upaminor3rd,downaperfect5th.

GiantSteps,mm.1‐5(JohnColtrane)

Countdown,mm.1‐4(JohnColtrane):mm.5‐8sameprogressioninC,mm.9‐12same

progressioninB‐flat.

AdditionalPossibilities20.I|I|II7|II7|ii|V7|ITakethe“A”Train,mm.1‐8(DukeEllington)

TheGirlfromIpanema,mm.1‐8(AntonioCarlosJobim)

Otherexamplesinclude:Desafinado,IGotIBad,JerseyBounce,Solitude21.

Intheminormodethesubdominantisminor(iv).Thechordbuiltonthe7thscaledegreeissubtonic(VII7)withnoneedtoplaceaflatsignbeforetheRomannumeral;itsqualityismajor/minor7(dominant).OftenwheninamajorkeyaflatisplacedbeforetheVIItoindicatethatitisnotthechordbuiltontheleadingtone.Iessence,thisprogressionisborrowedfromtheminormode.

JustFriends,mm.1‐5(JohnKlennerandSamM.Lewis)

ThereWillNeverBeAnotherYou,mm.9‐12(HarryWarrenandMackGordon)

IGotRhythm,mm.5‐8(GeorgeGershwin)

Otherexamplesinclude:BlueDaniel,Groovin’High,StellabyStarlight(,Misty,andmanyothers(verycommon).22.Chromaticdescendingrootsstartingontritoneoftonic(orresolution):

#ivøiviiibiiiiibII7Ior#ivøiviiiviiº/iiiiV7I;chordqualitiesmayvary;oftenasintroorending.

NightandDay,mm.9‐16(ColePorter)

WhenSunnyGetsBlue,mm.5‐8(JackSegalandMarvinFisher)

Otherexamplesinclude:Emily,OneNoteSamba

23.Diminishedpassingchords(jazzrhythm):BbBº|C‐C#º|D‐(subfor1sttwobarsofRhythmChanges,Ain’tMisbehavin’,HaveYouMetMissJones,IRememberClifford,Imagination,ItcouldHappentoYou,MoonlightBecomesYou

RhythmChanges,mm.1‐2oftheAsections,mostoftenthe1stAsectionandafterthebridge,but

canoccurinmm.3‐4ofanAsection.

Imagination,mm.1‐2(JimmyVanHeusenandJohnnyBurke)