Re: Pat Martino #3 addendum

reed ( (no email) )
Wed, 05 Mar 1997 08:50:26 +0000

At 09:41 AM 3/5/97 -0600, you wrote:
>After writing about the advantages of using triads over bass notes for
>various chord sonorities I thought I could extend this a little for
>those not used to the concept. I gave two examples of this, C/F and
>C/Ab. Lets look a bit deeper. I'll use a C major triad over all possible
>bass notes.
>
>C/C obviously just a C major chord, redundant
>C/C# This is a diminished-type voicing, can be used as C# dim (also
>E, G, Bb) and as a C dominant b9 (also Eb7, Gb7, A7)
>C/D used a lot as is, also can be thought of as D9sus4
>C/Eb Eb13b9, but there is no 7th in the structure
>C/E inversion of C major, redundant
>C/F Fmaj9 sonority, without a 3rd. can also be used as an F minor/maj9
>in context of minor harmony
>C/F# F#7b5b9
>C/G inversion of C major, redundant
>C/Ab Abmaj7#5
>C/A Am7
>C/Bb Bb6/9#11, a lydian sound. also C7 with 7th in bass, good for bass
>movement
>C/B Cmaj7 with 7th in bass, also B phrygian-type chord
>
>Although the triads are, technically speaking, above the bass note, I
>was coming up with some very cool sounding chords last night by putting
>the triad on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th strings and the supposed bass note on
>the 4th string. These are helpful tools for getting away from the
>standard "jazz guitar" voicings we all learned out of Mickey Baker books
>(or wherever). One last tip- since these are often spread I find it
>useful to try plucking them or arpegiating them with fingers instead of
>a pick. Give it a try.
>
>Clay
>
>
FWIW, in Mick Goodricks Book "The Advancing Guitarist" there is
alot of discussion of triads over bass notes.

I can't say if that book will be helpful because I haven't tried to apply
that information. When I studied with Mick we spent almost no time
on chord voicings or harmony.

The only thing I remember doing was practicing 4th voicings for
major(ionian)/dorian/phrygian/etc. modes.

For modal tunes where you have to stay on one chord for long periods
of time, it's nice to have alot of different voicings to use.

reed

>

Reed Kotler
reed@justjazz.com
http://www.justjazz.com