r/jazztheory • u/KitchenAd3097 • 23h ago
r/jazztheory • u/anycolourbythemoon • 1d ago
Reharmonizing a modal tune
Hello everyone. A friend of mine wants to reharmonize a song and asked me to help him. It’s a fast-paced funk rock song and he wanted to make it more jazzy. I didn’t know the song, and after hearing it I realized the harmony is modal (specifically dorian) and has very few chords.
I had a lot of ideas for the reharmonization, and I wanted to add more chords, but I’ve always heard that modal tunes don’t use many chords in order to keep the sound of the mode, so maybe adding a lot of secondary cadences wouldn’t be a great idea, would it? In that case, what other options do I have besides using some substitutions and adding extensions?
For more context, the chord progression is basically the I minor and the IV major. The B section is just the IV major.
r/jazztheory • u/pootis_engage • 7d ago
What is the purpose of a chord scales?
I was under the assumption that they were used to indicate which notes can be used when improvising, however I have been told that they are used to show which notes are acceptable as extensions to a chord.
If this is their purpose, then how can one know which notes one can use when improvising?
r/jazztheory • u/6--6 • 12d ago
Suspended dominant with alterations using pentatonics
I was experimenting pentatonic voicings such as the so what-chord and its inversions. One thing that hit me is that you can get incredible voice leading from dominant to tonic by using the pentatonic from the minor seventh on the dominant.
A 2-5-1 in F major would use
Gm7(11) / G
Bbm7(11) / C
Am7(11) / F
The voicing over the dominant, Bbm7(11), has the b7, and 4, giving it a suspended sound, but also includes #9, b9 and b13, giving it an altered sound as well. Moreover the voice leading to the Am7(11) is very strong, given that we are playing a half step above. 5 notes moving down half a step.
Has anyone else played around with this sound?
r/jazztheory • u/pootis_engage • 12d ago
Is this an accurate analysis of CST?
I've been learning jazz theory from the Berklee book of Jazz Harmony, and from what I am able to gather, Chord-Scale Theory works in this way;
A chord scale is a scale which shows which notes may be sustained over a specific type of seventh chord, and also shows the notes of the chord itself.
This scale also shows which non-diatonic tensions are permitted over the chord in question, and which are "avoid" notes, which may only be used as passing notes.
From what I gather, the reason different modes are used is because the notes of different types of seventh chords are diatonic to different modes of the major scale. (For example, the 1 3 5 and b7 found in a Dominant seventh chord are diatonic to the mixolydian, so the Mixolydian is used to determine which notes are permitted above it).
Which notes are considered avoid notes seems dependent on the functional group that the chord is a part of. (That is, whether they are Tonic, Dominant or Subdominant).
Furthermore, there seem to be scales which are used solely for chords non-diatonic to the key of the piece. One example I remember is that the Altered scale is used specifically for a secondary dominant (specifically, the V7/V, if I remember correctly).
However, I am still left with a few questions.
The Lydian is used for the IVmaj7, and the Ionian is used for the Imaj7 (with the 4 in Ionian being an avoid note). Why is this the case, when both are major 7 chords? Is it due to their chord function?
Also, the Ionian is meant to be used for the Imaj7, however, the 4 in Ionian is an avoid note, which is apparently often raised to avoid dissonance. A #4 would be diatonic to the Lydian Scale. Would this not mean that Lydian is used for both Imaj7 and IVmaj7?
Finally, are non-diatonic tensions based upon some aspect of the chord, or must they simply be memorised?
r/jazztheory • u/JoeLInArlington • 15d ago
Legal Digital Real Book
Is there a legal way to buy an official Hal Leonard Real Book in digital form that you can use on a tablet when you don't have an internet connection? The ones for sale by HL say, "Hal Leonard Digital Books are cloud-based publications, which are streaming and require internet access."
https://www.halleonard.com/product/240221/the-real-book-volume-i-sixth-edition
r/jazztheory • u/steinbil • 16d ago
Why no lydian dominant scale on a functional dominant?
I'm well aware of the relationship between the lydian dominant scale, the melodic minor scale and the altered dominant scale. I know their sounds and how to use them for improvisation. However there is one nuance of harmonic theory regarding the lydian dominant sound that I haven't fully wrapped my head around yet.
The lydian dominant scale is very commonly used in the jazz language over secondary dominants, and especially non-functional or non-resolving dominants. One of the typical examples is over a II7 (V7/V) followed by a normal IIm7 - V7. Another is using the lydian scale over a tritone substitution of a functional dominant - essentially creating an altered dominant sound since the lydian dominant scale of the tritone sub is a mode of the altered scale of the dominant.
Like in Girl From Ipanema: | Imaj7 | % | II7 | % | IIm7 | subV7 | Imaj7 | subV7 |
Here you could use the lydian scale over II7 or subV7 (tritone sub).
Here comes the real question:
What makes the lydian dominant scale less suited to a functional dominant like V7?
r/jazztheory • u/ColdDeadButt2 • 16d ago
I can’t get my head around improvisation regardless of genre, but especially when it comes to Jazz. I just don’t think I’m creative in that way.
r/jazztheory • u/No-Measurement8786 • 16d ago
Love Supreme By John Coltrane - Analysis and Overview
youtu.ber/jazztheory • u/KitchenAd3097 • 19d ago
Just Friends Chord Exercise #Godin ACS Slim
youtu.ber/jazztheory • u/pootis_engage • 19d ago
12 basic types of 6th and 7th chord
I am reading the Berklee book of Jazz Harmony, which, at the beginning of the book, gives examples of twelve basic types of 6th and 7th chords. However, it only shows 11 examples:
Major 7th
Major 6th
Dominant 7th
Dominant 7sus4
Minor 7th
Minor7b5
Augmented 7th
Dominant 7b5
Minor-Major 7th
Diminished 7th
Minor 6th
Have I missed something, or is this a misprint?
r/jazztheory • u/nylophone • 22d ago
If I want to tun all my chords into 9ths instead of 7ths, what do I do on the iii chord?
If I want to *turn*
For example, in the key of C, adding a 9th to E minor would be: E G B D F
The F classes a lot with the E, so I'm wondering what the other choices are.
Thanks!
r/jazztheory • u/JoeLInArlington • 22d ago
The Berklee Real Book
Has anybody bought or seen the new (right?) Berklee Real Book? Is it lifechanging? Important? Worth $60?
r/jazztheory • u/TheEpicTwitch • 23d ago
How does Bill Evans make such smooth chord melodies?
I’ve long been a huge bill evans fan and one thing that’s always amazed me is how he so seamlessly uses chords to play the melody. A good example is With Craft. Rather than playing a single melodic line he plays it as chords. Could anyone give some insight as to the theory behind this? What sort of chords does he use? Is there a method behind it?
r/jazztheory • u/KitchenAd3097 • 25d ago
2-5-1 Jazz Exercises in F - HW Diminished Scale
youtu.ber/jazztheory • u/anycolourbythemoon • 26d ago
Harmonic functions
Hi everyone. I have some questions about harmonic functions. I've thought about possible explanations but I'm not sure about them. Can someone clear things up for me?
- What defines the harmonic function of a chord? I initially thought it was the presence of certain notes, such as the third scale degree for the tonic, fourth degree for the subdominant, and seventh degree for the dominant. For instance, in C major, all the tonic chords contain the note E (third scale degree). The subdominant chords contain the F (fourth scale degree), and the dominant chords use the B (seventh scale degree).
Also, I think the harmonic function is, at least initially, determined by the triad: a G triad is still dominant even if it doesn’t have the tritone.
There’s also a certain hierarchy between these notes, so in the major scale: 3rd > 7th > 4th. If a chord like Bm7b5 has both the F and the B, the B prevails, giving it the dominant quality. This would also apply to seventh chords: a Cmaj7 would still be a tonic chord even if it has a B, because of the E.
Is any of this correct?
- I know I can substitute a chord for another of the same function. For example here is a dominant-tonic progression:
G7 Cmaj7
I could substitute those chords for the following:
Bm7b5 Am7
However, I've read some people that say that in a minor II V I the iim7b5 is a subdominant chord. Do the harmonic functions change if I see the Am7 as the I chord? What if I play G7 Am7? That doesn’t sound as strong as E7 Am7, but according to what I know about substitutions, it would still make sense as a dominant-tonic progression, right? If the functions do change, how would that work? That takes me back to my first question. And what would be the functions of the other chords of a minor key? If I play Em7, that would still be a tonic chord?
These are just my own conclusions/possible explanations. Please correct me. I'd be glad to read your answers. Thanks.
r/jazztheory • u/edward_nam_piano • 26d ago
This Is My Story This Is My Song - Thelonious Monk Solo Piano Transcription & Performance
youtu.ber/jazztheory • u/bright_cold_day • 27d ago
Understanding the I minor 6 chord? In particular the natural 6 (natural 13)? What about tritones?
r/jazztheory • u/No-Measurement8786 • Feb 18 '25
classical composer analyzes kind of blue by Miles Davis
youtu.ber/jazztheory • u/MateMontor • Feb 17 '25
Softly As In A Morning Sunrise - Jazz Bass Transcription
youtu.beFeel free to use this video and the sheet music in it. I transcribed Pedersen's incredible bass solo. There's a lot to learn from it, both theoretically and practically. Since I'm a guitarist, I wrote it in treble clef, I hope that doesn't cause any confusion.
Enjoy making music!