Text Text!!!!

Danny Boy (Londonderry Air)

Dot Songs

The Dot Song is a notational system that depicts voiced chords in a way where the ‘non-music reader’ can find these fairly readily. But the Dot Song is not intended to be “read”, not as a sight reader reads a piece of music.!!The main advantage of these Dot Songs is that they force

you to look at the keyboard - on the page and down beneath you (or at eye level if you’re a little person). And seeing the keyboard IS an important part of learning to play tunes without reading standard notation, seeing it for working out your own arrangements of tunes.

Copyright 2014 David Haynes and The Sudnow Method 2

PLEASE NOTE:!!The Dot Songs are intended to be a

transitional format, leading to your ability to use lead sheets like the one shown to the right.!!

To that end, the keyboard diagrams in the following pages contain the part of this lead sheet to which the diagrammed chords correspond. !!You can use this sheet to help you get

an overall look at the entire song.!!If you have not yet listened to the

Weekend Seminar section regarding doing your own voicing, some of this (including the fraction notation on the diagrams) may not be clear.!!You can play the dot songs without

using this sheet or thinking about the voicings but this does help you get the more efficient skill of reading lead sheets.

Danny Boy

Copyright 2014 David Haynes and The Sudnow Method

Danny Boy (Londonderry Air) Not all chords have explanatory text. !

Chords 1& 2: A tight harmony, with rapidly changing chords. Count first measure |... Fm7Bb7| with accent “1 and 2 and 3, Oh-Dan-ny’’. !On beat 3, “Oh”, the left hand strikes its part. With the upbeat that then follows, the right hand places its cluster beneath melody note D, the left hand staying where it’s been. !Say “Dan-ny” on the next beat, divided in half. Both hands into 2, and you’ve got “Dan”. Play a single F with pinkie for “ny”. Or build a voicing beneath the F too. The same left hand form, holding the b7 you just played, but moving from the C & Eb on “Dan” to b9, 3, melody - “B, D, F” - for “ny” !Chord 4: There’s no fifth in chord #4, despite the admonition to add them to minors, since minors use little other coloration. I didn’t use a fifth since it’s a whole step below the melody. In 30 percent of cases you can’t tolerate a whole step; a half step is bad 95 percent of the time.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Comments/notes

3

Root b7 9 M(11)

!Dan- (Eb) !ny F

(2) Bb7 M

9 b7

Root 5 3 6 7 M(3)

!boy (G) !the F

(3) Eb M 7 6

3 5

Root b7 9 b3 M(6)

!pipes (G) !the C

(4) Bbm7 M

b3 9

b7

Root b7 9 b3 5 M(13)

!Oh (D) !!

(1) Fm7 M 5

b3 9

b7

!pipes (Bb) !are G

Root b7 b9 3 M(5)

(5) Eb7 M 3

b9 b7

Danny Boy

Copyright 2014 David Haynes and The Sudnow Method

Chord 6: You can play clusters under each melody tone. By virtue of the melodic shape here, this little downward passage almost asks for one cluster per note. !First play the given 9 & 3 for F. Then, pass through Eb, and when you get to C, play 7,9,M. “Why isn’t a seventh in the first voicing, a major chord that should have 6,7, and 9 all the time?” The melody is the 6th (F), and the 9th (Bb) is suggested, but there’s no 7 because I anticipated this downward passage, where clusters change as you move. Not using a 7 with the first formation under F, then using it with the one beneath C -this way you get a nice internal modification in sound, which always makes for more interest. !Chord 8: There are two possible locations for the left hand, and two very different sounds. Compare this one with the Db7 in Chord 40 later on.

Comments/notes

4

Root 5 9 3 M(13)

!ca- (F) all Eb ing C

(6) Ab M 3

9 5

Root b7 b9 3 M(11)

!glen (G) !to Ab

(8) Db7 M 3

b9 b7

Root b7 5 b7 M(b3)

(9) Gm7 M

b7 5

b7

!glen (Bb) !and C

Root 5 9 b3 M(11)

!from (Eb) !!Strike L.H. first

(7) Abm7 M

b3 9

5

Root 5 7 9 3 M(5)

down (Bb) the G moun- Eb tain G

(10) Cm7 M 5

b3 9

b7

(6) (7) (8) (9) (10)

Danny Boy

Copyright 2014 David Haynes and The Sudnow Method

Chord 12: Again the chance, as whenever things are slow, with several notes per chord, to build clusters beneath a succession, not just one voicing articulated when chord changes. !Embellish melodies with chordal sounds all over, color them well, and the orchestral palette is realized in one of its best ways. Take three rising scale tones of this melody, “the summer’s” - D, Eb, and F, the feeling of a Bb dominant established by b7th in LH. Build first cluster as indicated- b9 (B), with D melody. On the next syllable, the ‘sum’ of sum-mer’s, below the higher melody note, one step up the scale, shift a bit. !The sounds change because your options differ. Little harmonic melodies start to live in the interior of the song. You play an Eb melody note now, and can’t play the 3rd of the Bb7 chord, a D. You never play a 3rd when 11 is present. Whenever holding on the 4th note of a scale over a dominant chord, you’re in suspension. You play the Eb melody now, leave out 3, add 9, not b9. With 9 and 11 comes a common suspended feeling.

(11) (12) (13) (14) (15)

Comments/notes

5

!side (F) !

(11) F7 M

13 #11

3 b7

Root b7 3 #11 13 M(8)

!the (D) sum- Eb mer’s Ab

(12) Bb7 M

b9 b7

Root b7 b9 M(3)

!ros- (Bb) !es G

(15) Eb7 M 3

b9 b7

Root b7 b9 3 M(5)

(13) Eb M 7 6

3 5

!gone (G) !and F

Root 5 3 6 7 M(3)

!all (G) !the C

(14) Bbm7 M

b3 9

b7

Root b7 9 b3 M(13)

Danny Boy

Copyright 2014 David Haynes and The Sudnow Method

Chord 16: Do the same as with #6, building successive descending clusters for each of the three tones. !Chord 18: On the word “it’s” (F), fill in b9 & 3. !Chords 19-22: A classic “turnaround”, also called “the corner” of the tune, as when going to a repeat, or in the final cycle toward resolution. !The denser use of four chords is accomplished by changing on each beat, still ending on Bb7 to resolve to Eb, the home base coming up (#23). !Build an Eb staircase rising in fifths, and see G and C as the next steps after F and Bb. !Four chords mean more harmonic movement. If cluster is well voiced, you create an intricately winding feeling experienced as greater lushness. !The voicing of each chord here is textbook. Notice that #21 doesn’t lack a 9, which is the melody, thereby freeing a finger which doubles b7 for more density. Also, play another b9,3 cluster under F, the last note.

Comments/notes

6

(16) (17) (18) (19) (20)

!fa- (F) al- Eb ling C

(16) Ab M 3

9 5

Root 5 9 3 M(6)

(17) Abm7 M

b3 b7

Root b7 b3 M(b5)

!it’s (D) !Strike root first

!you (Eb) !it’s F

(18) Db7 M

b7

Root b7 M(9)

!you (G) !!

(19) G7 M

13 #11

3 b7

Root b7 3 #11 13 M(8)

!must (Ab) !Strike root first

(20) C7 M

#11 3

b9 b7

Root b7 b9 3 #11 M(#5)

Danny Boy

Copyright 2014 David Haynes and The Sudnow Method

Chord 23: Low melody. With a major chord you’d expect a 9; But a 9 that low disturbs the balance. It’s a bit too much. So the fifth is stuck in as “fill”. !Chord 24: Same as first chord in Misty, with no b3 in the RH because the b3 beneath this melody note, a 4th, is close. If you can reach a b10 (F and the Ab an octave higher) in the LH, use it. Use b3 and 9 as well. !Chords 25-26-27: In both there are intervening notes to enrich, changing voicings note by note. The real fun of the tune is #27 and its melody. Four notes and a major chord. Lots of possibilities. I offer one voicing, you can of course add others. !First, some folks have trouble with the indicated voicing for D, since it’s a stretch. If you can’t grab it, drop the bottom note, 3, just playing 6,9,M. The major sound is implied. But try to grab the whole. !Then, for “mer’s” (C), use #11,7,M (left to right), for “in” play 3,6,M, and for the “the” go back to #11,7,M. !I never spoke of #11 for majors (except in example 10 on page 55), but in this sequence it works. Try it. Compare the sound it has against the usual rules.

Comments/notes

7

(21) (22) (23) (24) (25)

!But (Bb) !Strike root first

(24) Fm7 M 9

b7 5

b7Root 5 9 3 M(6)

(25) Bb7 M

13 3

b7

Root b7 3 13 M(9)

!come (C) !ye D

!I (Eb) !must F

(22) Bb7 M

9 b7

Root b7 9 M(11)

(21) Fm7 M

b7 5

b3 b7

Root b7 b3 5 b7 M(9)

!go (G) !and F

!bide (Eb) !

(23) Eb M 6 5

3 5

Root 5 3 5 6 M(8)

Danny Boy

Copyright 2014 David Haynes and The Sudnow Method

!Chord 28: You might try building individuated clusters under progression of tones for “me-a-dow”. I leave that one to you. !Chord 29: I’ve changed the melody to accommodate a Dm7 G7 Cm7 progression, which helps the tune. The usual harmonization would be simple, just back and forth between Eb and Ab, as in numbers 26, 27, and 28. I like the more extended harmony here. But to make it work I had to violate the melody, and use a new tone, this “G”. Feel free to do that, if you can bring it off tastefully. !Chord 30: Tricky. The melody note is the 4th, obliterating a 3rd, but you get the implication of a dominant sound by the coloring I’ve given. To make the sound more secure, while adding more variety, try b7,b9,3 beneath “the” lyric, for the melody “D”. That, coming from my G7, yields a nice sound.

Comments/notes

8

(26) (27) (28) (29) (30)

!back (Eb) !when D

(26) Eb M 6 3

9 5

Root 5 9 3 6 M(8)

!me- (Bb) a- G dow Eb

(28) Eb M 3 9

7 5

Root 5 7 9 3 M(5)

!sum- (D) mer’s C in Bb the C

(27) Ab M 9 6

3 5

Root 5 3 6 9 M(#11)

(29) Dm7 M 9

b7 5

8Root 8 5 b7 9 M(11)

!or (G) !Strike root first

(30) G7 M

b9 13

11 b7

Root b7 11 13 b9 M(11)

!when (C) !the D

Copyright 2014 David Haynes and The Sudnow Method

Danny BoyChord 31: The minor 7th can’t take a 9 because the melody is b3 - that rarely works. !Chord 32: This descent is particularly nice: try these clusters for “hushed and-white with” (reading L to R for each word, farthest to the right is the melody note) - “hushed” -F,Bb,D; “and” - Eb,Ab,C; “white” - Db,Gb,Bb; “with” - Bb,Eb,G. Analyze these clusters and you’ll see each melody note is treated as the 3rd of a major triad (1,3,5) with its 5th and root below the third. Playing melody notes as 3rds of such so-called “inverted” major triads creates a neat suspension. !Chord 33: Something less than the fullest voicing without b9 or #11. Flat 9 wouldn’t work. It’s too dark. But #11 could. Why leave it out? Now and then a thinner texture can be relief. !Chord 34: Hasn’t a b9 or #11 either, but with three Bb’s in melody I’d be inclined to shift the colors under each one. I’d do that by lowering the 13th a half step on each next note, playing what would be called +5 with “I’ll”, then the 5th with “be”, as this finger drops in half steps. “Inner voice movement” that’s called, often with voices moving in half steps. Try descending the 13th. !Chord35: Presents as high a melody locale as you’ll find. The melody is the 3rd, which I usually double to lower the right hand, compensating for a high melody (which also explains a high placement of Eb root). Playing 9 and b3 might be hard with smaller hands, since it’s awkward in this setting. If you can’t handle it, play a b7th in RH instead of 9, doubling that tone only because you can’t do better. !!

Comments/notes

9

(31) (32) (33) (34) (35)

!val- (Eb) !ley’s D

(31) Cm7 M

b7 5

b3 b7

Root b7 b3 5 b7 M(b3)

!hushed (D) and C white Bb with G

(32) Ab M 9 6

3 5

Root 5 3 6 9 M(#11)

(34) Bb7 M

13 3

b7Root b7 3 13 M(8)

!Yes (Bb) I’ll Bb be Bb !Strike root first

(35) Eb M

13 3

b7Root b7 3 13 M(3)

!here (G) !in D

!snow (F) !

(33) F7 M

13 3

b7Root b7 3 13 M(8)

Copyright 2014 David Haynes and The Sudnow Method

Danny Boy

Chord 36-37: The first is a garden variety minor seventh chord, with b3, 9 and 5 present. And 37 is a well formed dominant, which gets all the coloration it can, with all three color tones present because the melody note is the 13th. !Chord 38: Again, treat this with multiple clusters. After my suggestion (which leaves out 7 because it’s an upcoming melody note that’s otherwise difficult to play), pass over G, a single note, and settle into 7,9,3,M for “...dow” (Eb).

Comments/notes

10

(36) (37) (38) (39) (40)

!sun- (F) !light Eb

(36) Bbm7 M

b3 9

5 b7

Root b7 5 9 b3 M(5)

!sha- (Bb) a- G dow Eb

(38) Ab M 6

3 5

Root 5 3 6 M(9)

!or (C) !in Eb

(37) Eb7 M

#11 3

b9 b7

Root b7 b9 3 #11 M(13)

(39) Abm7 M

b3 9

b7Root b7 9 b3 M(b5)

!Oh (D) !Strike root first

(40) Db7 M

b7 13

3 5

Root 5 3 13 b7 M(9)

!Dan- (Eb) !ny F

Danny Boy

Copyright 2014 David Haynes and The Sudnow Method

Chords 41-44: The selfsame harmony as above, but with more chords. And the melody is different. Still it’s by the book, each chord voiced in accordance with the rules. Chord 41 uses #11 and 13, not b9, because of the size of the reach and the sound of a dissonant b9 with the melody. !Chord 42: This doesn’t use a 13th since it’s a half step beneath the melody, and that dictates the remaining voices. !Chord 43: Clear choice. If you use the b9 (a bit rough for some tastes), you can’t keep the #11 and 13 without using up all five fingers, which is clearly too tough here.

Comments/notes

11

!boy (G) !oh C

(41) G7 M

13 #11

3 b7

Root b7 3 #11 13 M(8)

!boy (F) !I Eb

(43) F7 M

13 #11

3 b7

Root b7 3 #11 13 M(8)

!Dan- (Bb) !ny G !

(42) C7 M

#11 3

b9 b7

Root b7 b9 3 #11 M(b7)

(44) Bb7 M

b7

Root b7 M(9)

!love (C) !you D

(45) Eb M 6 5

3 5

Root b7 11 13 b9 M(11)

!so. (Eb) !!

(41) (42) (43) (44) (45)