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HarmonicMotionfortheModernJazzPianistByGeorgeColligan

Wed,23Apr2014

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FrenchcomposerClaudeDebussywasquotedassaying,Thereisnotheory.Thereisonlysound.Inmanyways,hewasright.Therulesofmusicalharmonyareawonderfulthingindeed,butmusicisaplacewhereitcanbesafetobreakrules.Ibelievethatacombinationoffoundationandexperimentationisthebestapproachwhenitcomestomusicalcreativity.Jazzpianistsoftenlearntypicalchordprogressionsthatcanbeusedtoplaystandards,composetunes,andlearnhowtoimprovise.Buthowdowegetbeyondthesetypicalprogressionstocreatenewsoundsofourown?

1.ChordScales

Ex.1looksatchordscalerelationships.Whichcamefirst,thechordorthescale?Well,earlyGreekandMedievalmusicwasbasedonscales.(TheGreekscalledthemmodes).Harmonyoccurredonlyasabyproductofcontrapuntalmelodies.Itwasntuntilthe17thcenturythattheideaoftonalharmonyorchordsbegantodevelop.FromBachtoMozarttoBeethoventoDebussyandthentojazz,wecanlookatharmonyasaverticalstructure.However,bebop(e.g.,CharlieParker)isoftenanalyzedmorehorizontally,thatis,intermsofitsscalarmelodies.Soessentially,achordisascale...isachord.Youcanusethesamechordscalewithdifferentbassnotes.Forexample,taketheDDorianmode(theminorscalewithanaturalsixthandflatseventh).IfyouputDinthebass,yourchordisaDmin7(voicedwiththeflatthird,sixth,andninth).ButwhenyouputaGinthebass,yougetaG7(ortheGMixolydianmode).IfyouputanFinthebass,yougetanFmaj7#11(ortheFLydianmode).WithanAinthebass,yougetanAmin7b6(ortheAAeolianmode).Andsoon.Soonescalecanleadyouinmanydifferentdirections,dependingonwhichbassnoteyouchoose.

2.DisguisedProgressions

JazzeducationspendsalotoftimedissectingprogressionsliketheubiquitousiiVI.Butwecanalterthesestandardchordmovementsinmanywaysbyusingdisguisedprogressions,likethoseseeninEx.2.Trymakingtheprogressionminor(Dmin7b5,G7b9,thenCminmaj7).Makeitsuspended(D7sus11,G7sus11,C7sus11).Combinethetwo(Dminmaj7,G7sus4b9,Cmaj7#5).Usetritonesubstitutions(Ab7,Db7,Cmaj7).Nowmixandmatchallthose!Thereareendlesspossibilitieswithineventheknownharmonicuniverse.

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3.NonFunctionalHarmony

Wanttogoevenfartherintothegreatunknown?Thefirststepistogetawayfromstandardmotionlikethecycleoffourths,chromaticchordalmovements,iiVI,orcommonchordsubstitutions,andtryemployingnonfunctionalharmonylikethatillustratedinEx.3.Tryusingwholesteps,minorthirds,ormajorthirdsinyourprogressions.Here,harmonyismoreaboutcolorthanfunction.

4.MorewithBassNotes

OnmylatestalbumTheEndlessMysteries,thetuneentitledHerMajestybeginswiththechordsDb/F,Amaj7/E,B/D#,andGmaj7/D.Thebassmotionischromatic,butthechordsontoparenonfunctional,asseeninEx.4.Youcanalmostthinkofthesechordsasinversions.Notehowdifferenttheprogressionsoundswhenplayedinamoretraditionalmanner:Dbmaj7,Amaj7,Bmaj7,Gmaj7.

5.DensityandPolytonality

Beforethepianowasinvented,counterpointandthenharmonywasaproductofmultiplevoicesorinstrumentsplayingdifferentmelodiclines.Thesedays,wehaveincredibleaccesstosoundsthatourmusicalancestorscouldnthavedreamedof.Sowhynotexplorethem?Aslongasyoureconsistentinthe

typesofsoundsyouuse,youcantgowrong.Many20thcenturyEuropeanclassicalcomposershavealsousedbitonalityorpolytonalityintheirwork,illustratedinEx.5.(Note:Injazz,polytonalityissometimesconfusedwithslashchords.However,theresabigdifferencebetweensimplyusingadifferentbassnoteandtrulyusingtwokeysatonce).

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Asoughtaftersidemanontheinternationaljazzsceneforovertwodecades,GeorgeColligancurrentlyleadshisowngroupsandtourswithrenowneddrummerJackDeJohnette.HeisalsoJazzAreaCoordinatoratPortlandStateUniversityinOregon.ColliganslatestalbumTheEndlessMysteriesisoutnow.Findoutmoreatgeorgecolligan.com.

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