When we talk about chord changes what do we mean? What actually changes?
There are notes that change from one chord to the next: one creates tension
that resolves to the next chord. It corresponds exactly to the voices you
have posted. In all of your voicing examples you recognize this fact. 3rds
resolve to 7ths, 9ths to 5ths, 5ths to 9ths. Some people call these guide
tones, others call them target notes or goal notes, others call them pretty
notes or the right notes. Its all the same. When I think of voicings, like
your earlier post for guitar, I think of it as five independent voices
moving in a linear way, not some vertical aggregation of tones. I can use
any of the linear implications to help create motion in my improvised or
composed melodies. I can also choose to play against them for effect.
How is melodic theory any different than harmonic theory? Chord tones are
still chord tones, a third is a third, the seventh creates motion which is
usually resolved to the next chord. By knowing and hearing these elements
we can use them to create melodies. How? Create stability by aiming for
3rds, create instability by aiming for the 7ths. This is apparent in any
solo I have transcribed by jazz greats (Clifford Brown, Charlie Parker,
Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans, Tom Harrell, J.S. Bach, etc.).
So I agree with Reed. Learn tunes. Write melodies. Transcribe melodies. Try
and play melodies. But recognize that many melodies can be analyzed. There
are aspects of melodies that can be learned in order to add something to
your improvisational bag of tricks. One of those aspects is the use of
chord tones which can be used to connect chords in a linear way.
The use and understanding of guide tones are an important part of learning
to improvise clearly on the kind of harmonic framework used by jazz
musicians. In the next week I will post a handout that explores this in
some depth with musical examples from the above mentioned solos and other
tunes. My book, Connecting Chords With Linear Harmony, deals with this
subject in depth, with hundreds of musical examples from great jazz
artists.
In the meantime, I would like to refer to a file posted by Reed which
contains many examples of guide tone melodies. Reed posted a file
(http://www.justjazz.com/solofr1.pdf)
of solo fragments he composed.
The first one uses what I call outline no.2 (see my book). The Dm chord is
arpeggiated, the 7th resolves to the 3rd of G, then he aims for the 3rd of
Em. Very clear harmonically.
The second example is similar but begins on the 3rd (a strong guide tone)
uses the same shape but now 3-5-7-9 arpeggio, with the 9th (a dissonant
tone) resolving to the 5th of G, and again aiming for the 3rd of the Em
chord.
The fifth example is interesting because of a departure from the expected.
Any class of begining music students will hear the C natural want to
resolve down to B. That is why these guide tones are useful: They just
sound good and people hear them naturally. When we expect the C to resolve
down, Reed surprises us with the dissonant C#. He resolves it and jumps to
the guide tone for Em: G.
Reed uses both outline no.3 and outline no.1 in the sixth example. In the
first measure the Dm arpeggio creates stability, the C, the 7th of Dm
creates the motion into the next chord and resolves to the guide tone B
over the G7 chord. A chromatic approach to the 3rd of the Em (G) leads to a
scale motion to the 7th of Em (D) which reolves to the important guide tone
C#, the 3rd of A7.
(The C# and the Bb are important guide tones in this sixth example because
this chord (A7) is not in the key of C. A7 is the V of Dm, which is the ii
of C, so it is V7/ii. the key signature for D minor is 1 flat (Bb), and the
note necassary to create a dominant chord is the leading tone for D minor,
C#. As would make sense, the harmony is derived from harmonic minor, and so
was this solo snippet.)
For more about outlines please check out my book. There is information
about the book at:
http://www.music.sc.edu/Departments/Jazz/book.html
There are examples of the outlines and some other handouts available at:
http://www.music.sc.edu/Departments/Jazz/examples.html
_______________________________________
Bert Ligon
Director of Jazz Studies
_______________________________________
School of Music
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208
Voice: (803) 777-6565
Fax: (803) 777-6508
bligon@mozart.sc.edu
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