Thanks for this well thought out email. I have been
meaning to get your book so I think I'll try and order
it today.
Today is a really busy day for me and I want to spend
alot of time studying your post before replying. Perhaps too
I should wait for the other document you want to post.
In the meantime, I would like to submit a transcribed Chet Baker solo for
analysis using your methods.
I'm semi-paranoid about getting into copyright trouble posting complete
transcriptions so I'm only posting the first 20 bars . Since this is
a discussion group I think it's okay.
The solo is a nice simple solo by Chet Baker from the album the
"Best of Chet Baker Sings" for the tune "But Not For Me" by George
Gershwin.
http://www.justjazz.com/chetfrag.pdf
reed
At 11:34 AM 12/10/96 -0500, you wrote:
>
>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
>_______________________________________
>
>
>
>
Reed Kotler
http://www.reedkotler.com