Bebop Cliché Lines Exploding From The 4 note 'Sound' Chord in V7 Chords.

This is a follow up from the previous blog on Bebop Cliché, and closes the book on this topic for a while.

Ok it's been a while but I have something here that might be of interest. I didn't invent it, it was just laying there to be explored. Obviously it's not new, when I ran it by my friend (jazz pianist and teacher) Hal Galper as if I alone had found this he straightened me out on that score rather quickly so I had to smile at myself a little but !! there may be some of us who could benefit in the improv department not to mention voiceleading. If you have read my blog on the bebop cliche you would notice that I have explored it mostly in a major ii V and a little mention of minor ii V. What I'm thinking (apparently not an original thought) was working with the "Sound" chord: i.e. Fma7(b5)/G, and generating from that the descending bebop cliche line in the 'expansion' of a ii V.

The example I use is Sound 1 (S1 = ma7[b5]) using Fma7(b5) as an example. Just to refresh your memory on the Sound numbers: (using Fma7[b5]) as a Sound 1 (S1) starting point.

FS1 = Fma7(b5)

FS2 = FmiMa7(b5)

FS3 = F7(b5)

FS4 = Fmi7(b5)

FS5 = Fma7(b5)sus4

FS6 = F7(b5)sus4

All of these can represent some sort of G7 chord as in Fma7(b5)/G = G13 etc. or as in FS6, F7(b5)sus4/G = G7(#9#5) etc.

OK, the bebop cliche that expands ii V harmony into some linear action went like:

Figure 1.
               [ FPS1/D——————FPPS1/D————— FPS1/D——————FS1/G ]

                Fma7/D——————Fma7+/D—————Fma7/D——————Fma7(b5)/G =

                Dmi9———————DmiMa9—————Dmi9———————G13.

The distinguishing feature of this exercise is the chromatic line from DmiMa9 (C#) to Dmi9 (C) to G13 (B) [C# C B also B C C#].


Within this 'Sound' chord the chromatic movement produced is (D) C# C B. So what is happening here is basically the movement of the 5th of the F 'Sound".  I realized quite some time ago, that there is at least one other (really 3 other) places to operate a bebop cliche from within the 'Sound' specifically FS1 used here. So here goes.

Fma7(b5) or FS1 can be used over a 'B' root to produce an interesting voicing for mi11(b5) [ B half diminished ]....  When the potential bebop cliche is applied there as in iimi11[b5]) to a V7 chord as in Bmi11(b5)—E7(b9), the result is: (see Figure 2)

Figure 2.

              FS1/B———————FS5/B——————FS1/B——————FS2/E

               Fma7/———————Fma7(b5)sus4/B——Fma7/B —————FdimMa7/E

               Bmi11(b5)—————BmiMa11(b5) ———Bmi11(b5) ————E7(b9)

The chromatic line here is: (/B) is A# A G# (also G# A A#).

Now if that idea is applied to G7(#9#5) [Galtdom] or even Db13 using FS6 ( F7[b5]sus4) there can be a similar result. So this is information that may be of some value when applied to making melody and harmony in the improv process.

So here is the outline for FS6 (G7alt or Db13).

FS6/Db [or /G] written as: (with the 'F' note on the bottom of the voicing)

Note that here I'm just using the Dominant as the root of the dominant chord while leaving out the 'ii' root (Ab) so these are all variants of a Dominant: (See Figure 3.)

Figure 3.

                     BPS1/Db[/G]———BPPS1/Db[/G] ————BPS1/Db[/G]———BS1/Db[/G]

                     Bma7/Db[/G]———Bma7+/Db[/G] ————Bma7/Db[/G] ——Bma7(b5)/Db[/G]

                     Db13sus4 ————Db13(#11)—————±—Db13sus4————Db13

The chromatic cliche´ line here is: G F# F (also F F# G)


If FS6 (and/or BS1 and have the same notes in them7) is used as a half diminished chord as in a min ii V, the chord would be Fmi11(b5) as is written here.

Figure 4.

                       FS6/F—————FS5/F———————FS6/F———————BS2/F(—/Bb)

F7(b5)sus4/F ———Fma7(b5)sus4/F—————F7(b5)sus4/F——————BdimMa7/F(—Bb)

Fmi11(b5)—————FmiMa11(b5) ——————Fmi11(b5) ——————Bb7b9

Note that the Bb7b9 has no written b7 but it is implied by the noninterference of the b9.

The chromatic cliche´ here is E Eb D (or D Eb E).


Now that this process is 'explained,' I'll just add up the cliche lines as they emanate from each note of the FS wether FS1 or FS6.

FS1

E —(E Eb D or D Eb E)

B —(B C C# or C# C B)

A —(A A# A G# or G# A A#)

F —(F F# G or G F# F)

These can be interpreted according to the root used in FS1 or FS6 ( or !! BS6 or BS1).....

Figure 5.
             G13..b13..5                G13..sus4..#11..5           G13(9)..#9..9..b9            G13..Ma7..1...b9..
             Bmi11(b5)..3..b3       Bmi11(b5)..1..b9..9..b3  Bmi11(b5)..ma7..7..6    Bmi11(b5)..5..b6..6
             Db7alt..#9..9..b9       Db7alt..b7..ma7..1..b9   Db7alt..+5..6..b6..5       Db7alt 3..4..#4..5
             Fma7(b5)..ma7..7..6   Fma7(b5)..b5..5..#5..6  Fma7(b5)..3..4..3..b3  Fma7(b5)..1..b9..9..#9

Over G13, E Eb D creates a chromatic line moving between the 13th the b13th and the 5th

Over G13, B C C# creates a chromatic line moving between the 3rd the sus4 and the #11
Over G13, A# A G# creates a chromatic line moving between the #9 the 9 and the b9
Over G7 (G13), F F# G creates a chromatic line moving between the 7th, the ma7 and the root.

Over Bmi11(b5), E Eb D creates a chromatic line moving between the 11 the (major) 3rd and the b3
Over Bmi11(b5), B C C# creates a chromatic line moving between the root, the b9 and the 9 (fast b9)
Over Bmi11(b5), A# A G# creates a chromatic line moving between the Ma7, the b7 and the 6th (3rd/V
Over Bmi11(b5), F F# G creates a chromatic line moving between the b5, the 5th and the b6.

Over Db13, E Eb D creates a chromatic line moving between the #9 the 9 and the b9
Over Db13, B C C# creates a chromatic line moving between the b7 the Ma7 and the root
Over Db13, A# A G# creates a chromatic line moving between the 13 the b13 and the 5th
Over Db13, F F# G creates a chromatic line moving between the 3rd the 11 and the #11.

Over Fmi11(b5), E EbD creates a chromatic line between the Ma7 the b7 and the 6th (bebop clich´e)
Over Fmi11(b5), B C C# creates a chromatic line between the b5 the 5th and the #5

Over Fmi11(b5), A# A G# creates a chromatic line between the 11th the major 3rd and the b3rd 

Over Fmi11(b5) ,F F# G creates a chromatic line between the Ma7 the root the b9 and the 9. 

Some of these moves are obviously to be done as passing tones. You will no doubt hear which ones they are. I'm glad I put it up as it helps to clarify things in my own mind. Will anyone pick up the torch here?

Loving Light Within

With That

Loving Light Within

He paid homage to the light within him..

the light within him shone brighter with that..

The white all-colors opened up in welcome..

The light was plain to see and peace

and recognition flowed still, in a greater

abundance with that !!

The light became an absorption and seemed

to envelope him with that..

It seemed beckoning for more focus on it,

the light and it’s source being one that is

only found there: within his consciousness

and being his consciousness with that..

The light was the truest thing in him..

The truest thing is not denied with that..

The being, being then not denied light or

sound, vibrates in true color of it..

Homage to it, the true meaning, the light,

encourages the flow of meaning with that..

loving light within..

The moving line potential of the Bebop Cliché in the Sound

There are multiple application of the so called Bebop Cliché from the sound. Check out the previous blogs on the Sound (here and here) to get a background on this. Once upon a time in Boston at a Jazz Ed conference, I was encouraged to expand this cliché material this way by none other than David Leibman.

The bebop cliché traditionally springs from the realm of a ii—V7 harmonic progression for example: Dmi9—G13 (—) being expanded to Dmi9—DmiMa9—Dmi9—G13. What it is really about is the expression of a descending chromatic line (it can ascend too, depending on the chord and intention of the player). This was outlined in the last few previous blogs on 'The Sound.' Another thing it is about is that it operates as a delaying tactic towards the resolution of the mi9 chord to the dominant V7 chord. The bebop cliché can also be treated more melodically with a melody that has within it the descending/ascending line.

This blog will explore the multiplicity of the 'Sound' Chord (FS1 [Fma13b5] and FS6 [Fmi11(b5]) function and application of the bebop cliché to these functions that seem to arise.

Here is the most common use of the bebop cliché in a ii—V progression. Note that it is expanded in the 2nd two bars.

Here are the most common and useful functions of 'Sound' 1 (FMa7[b5]) and 'Sound' 6 Fmi11(b5) with the roots that create related chords as either a V7 chord or ii chord.

Each of these Sound Chord voicings using in this case an 'F' Sound (Sound 1 and Sound 6)




The bebop cliché line is a chromatic primarily descending line but it is used as an ascending chromatic line as well.

The bebop cliché chromatic line starts on the C# (or perhaps the D note) which is the major 7th in DmiMa7 which and falls chromatically to the B natural which is the 3rd of the G13 (the dominant partner in this ii—V. This cliché then, operates from the Major 7th of the ii and/or #11 of the dominant. It can easily ascend from the 3rd of the dominant chord to the #11 of the dominant chord (even ascending to the 5th).

The Sound chord shown here can be held and manipulated with each of these lines individually either as a chord voicing or as a line which can related to these cliché lines on an individual basis. I'll outline some examples in the next blog in this series.

Ode to Altered Dominant Scales

My friend KMO has discovered the whole culture of jazz found in the Altered dominant scale. We were looking at triads superimposed over basic 7th chords specifically as extensions of the chord. Something that might be described as a 3rds 'ladder' emerges as in 135, 357, 794(11), 9 11 13, and perhaps 11 13 1. This sort of idea can be applied to Major and minor chords with interesting results. For example of particular interest is 579 which if one solos with that structure in mind, the motivic ideas using that, might be interesting.

For example: Cmi7 (dorian) CEbG, EbGBb, GBbD. This last one GBbD, might be an interesting point of departure for a motive of some sort. We were trying to apply this to a song like Sam River's "Beatrice" which is actually a fairly modal based song in that in the entire song there is 1(one) dominant chord and even that dominant is a secondary Dominant. We used lydian for Maj7 and usually Dorian or Aeolian in min7ths.

This is to just lead up to the discussion here on Altered dominants and specifically the altered dominant scale and it's facets as in 1b9#93b5b6b71 (or ABbCDbEbFGA)

Here's what KMO had to say about these new personal discoveries. I think they are worth noting.

KMO writes:

Another thing is I was trying to decide what 9-11-13 to put over a 7(b9), which is a diminished seventh. I'd been kind of degenerating the extensions to the basic diminished seventh notes, but that's no fun.

So I started with 7, then b9 (because it's in the chord), and then it's a major, so that normally means #11. But I wasn't very happy with how that sounded. Over an A7(b9) that's G-Bb-D#.

And then the 13, it would have to be F#, because of the E being a chord tone, so the 9-11-13 was Bb-D#-F#. I wasn't happy about that either. So I wrote C about it. His advice:

Here's a retry on A7(b9): EGBb....GBbC# (still in 3rds).... BbC#(Db) and F (for an altered scale sound) ... it gets to the point that a 9 isn't a '9' anymore etc...The C# (Db) is thought of as a lowered 11 :)....in altered.

Ooh.. I like that. I didn't think about the fact that 7(b9) is compatible with altered, and then b11 is legal, and b11 is a 3 so that solves all the problems, and also there is no E, so F natural is okay, and the whole thing sounds way better anyway.

(Austinato) Dear Reader this might be significant:

KMO continues:

I guess altered scales are the other thing I've been doing in the background all fall now, and I'm beginning to get a glimmer about them. So strange... At first seeming like a weird useless theoretical oddity, like the symmetrical augmented scale, but then actually in many ways they are the defining flavor and structure of this whole genre of music, if you take the whole constellation, the presence of all the altered extensions, the easy implementation of the tritone flip, the fact that every note goes wrong, but not a single one is an avoid, their intimate synergy with the blues scales, the coexistence of major and minor in a single chord, their synergy with harmonic minor despite being a melodic minor mode, their ability to combine all three flavors of minor, and in this case the conversion of the avoid tone 11 into the major third. There is no end to the weirdness and brilliance of this scale.

(Austinato) writes:

Well, I couldn't agree more. Altered scales are indeed not an oddity per say but the key to the door of a whole "constellation" of jazz culture sounds. The TriTone flip i.e. V7 Alt to bII lydian b7 — I.....They (the dominants) use the same source scale. Their synergy with Blues scales, the coexistence of major and minor all good descriptors of this wonderful sound.

Speaking of the 'Sound' the next blog will feature inversions of S1—S6 and voice leading ideas.

Sound 3, Sound 4: Sound 5, Sound 6: Flexibility and Limitations.

Sound 3, Sound 4, Sound 5, Sound 6: Flexibility and Limitations.

So these voicings have largely been used as a slash chord over bVII/I. There are 6 Sounds that fullfil this slash chord idea to produce extensions that start out as tonal and progress from S1 to S6 through to stronger colored extensions, or if you will: an increase in V7 harmonic pressure. There are possible implications of a system that I won't get into but it can be figured out with a look at how these 'Sounds' (S) become progressively colorful or urgent in their respective strength in terms of being compelling. There is a fundamental basis for this such as it is.

Using the example of G7, this is the proposed order from Tonal through Chromatic

S1: FS1 = FMa7(b5)............. so FS1/G = G13

S2: FS2 = FdimMa7............. so FS2/G = G13(b9)

S3: FS3 = F7(b5).................. so FS3/G = G9(b13)

S4: FS4 = Fmi7(b5).............. so FS4/G = G7(b9b13)

S5: FS5 = FMa7sus4(b5)...... so FS5 = G13(#9)

S6: FS6 = F7sus4(b5)............so FS6 + G7(#9#5) or (#9b13).





S1 through S6 in a comparative viewpoint of a tritone and the tritone slash/chord roots with information on similarities, inversion, scale/chord and other similarities or contrasts:

S6: S6 (7sus4[b5]) and S1(Ma7[b5])  in relation:

It can be seen that FS1 and BS6 have the same structure i.e the same notes respectively: (FABE) and (BEFA). The opposite view is also true: FS6 (FBbCbEb) i.e. (F7sus4[b5]) = BS1 (BD#FA#) i.e. (BMa7[b5]). They have a tritone relation. Notice that while G13 and Db7(#9b13) share the Same FS1 chord. The FS1 used in the Db chord (on the third above the Db root) makes it Db7(#9#5). If this 'F' Sound chord (FABE) is inverted to its 2nd inversion (BEFA) the 'root' position it can be seen as BS6/Db rather that FS1/Db. So there is a polarity going on there between tritone opposites. The FS6/BS1 line up the same way only with opposite roots.

S5: (Ma7sus4[b5]) when inverted to 2nd inversion, shares the same 7th chord quality with tritone opposite roots:

FS5 i.e. FMa7sus4(b5) when inverted to 2nd inversion creates the same quality, intervallic structure, and the same notes— a tritone away i.e. BMa7sus4(b5). On one hand we have a G13(#9) [FS5/G] and on the other we have a Db13(#9) [BS5/G]. It is significant to note that FS5 and BS5 share the same diminished scale (W—H) i.e F G Ab Bb Cb Db D E—B C# D E F G A A#....

S4: i.e. (mi7[b5]) is used on bVII to create a V7(b9b13):

Although FS4 and BS4 appear in the same Symmetrical DOMINANT (H—W) scale (over F7 or B7 [also Ab7 and D7]) but that doesn't apply here with S4 because when it is used as a bVII/I it creates chords that are consistent with the Symmetrical DIMINISHED scale but ARE consistent with the ALTERED Dominant scale, and the Harmonic Minor Dominant scale, i.e. this V7 chord will use a b13 and b9.

FS4 i.e. Fmi7(b5) shares a tritone with BS4. Both these sound chords have the same quality when placed over the appropriate root (bVIIS4/I) i.e. FS4/G = G7(b9b13) and BS4/Db = Db7(b9b13). In this case it's not particularly significant that Fmi7(b5) and Bmi7(b5) share the same Symmetrical Dominant scale as it doesn't apply in this case. The altered form of the scale is a chord scale that will respectively work well with each of these chords i.e. G7 Altered (mode VII of Ab Melodic minor) and Db altered as mode VII of D Melodic minor. In the graphic below note that FS4/Db = Db9 and that BS4/G = G9. So there are two opposites of color included in this case (as is S1 and S6).

S3: is a symmetrically inverted chord between root position and 2nd inversion:

For example, F7b5 when inverted to 2nd inversion results in a B7b5. At first look it looks like it might appear in the Symmetrical Dominant (H—W) and does, but it doesn't apply in this case. We are looking at G7 chords and Db7 chords. If S4 were to be used in a dominant scale/chord this way, the roots of the V7 chords would be F7, Ab7, B7, and D7. But, again as in S4, the chord created as a bVIIS3/I, using our examples: G9(b13) and if FS3 (F7(b5) is inverted to a B7(b5), as BS3/Db, the chord has the same quality on its tritone root (G): namely Db9(b13).

S2: has been laid out in the previous blog.

S2 is the most versatile 'Sound' chord in a way because it does reside in the Symmetrical Diminished scale at 4 evenly spaced minor 3rd intervals. FS2 then, can be over a G root = G13b9, a Bb root = Bb7(b9#11), a Db root = Db7#9, and an E root = E7b9. S2 also occurs in mode 4 of Harmonic Major (in C: CDEFGAbBC).

S1: Look at S6 and reverse the tritone opposites and the same situation occurs.

FS1 = BS6, and BS1 = FS6. When these are placed as a bVII/I, the resultant chords are the same.

FS1 (Fma7b5)/G = G13, BS6 (B7sus4(b5)/Db = Db(#9#5)....... the 'S' content of each chord contains the same notes: FS1 (FABE), and BS6 (BEFA). BS6 is the 2nd inversion of FS1.

FS6 (F7sus4[b5])/G = G7(#9#5), BS1 (BMa7b5)/Db = Db13.......The 'S' content of each chord contains the same notes: FS6 (FBbBEb), and BS1 (BD#FA#). FS6 is the 2nd inversion of BS1.

Here is an overview:

Sound 1 and Sound 2 (S1 and S2) in progression with bebop cliche

Sound 1 (S1) and Sound 2 (S2) in progression with an application of minor ii V's with the bebop cliche.

Now that 'The Sound' is established as to potential function and chord voicing in progression, a possible next step is to lay out Sound 2 (S2) more thoroughly using it along with S1 and also the bebop cliche in a minor ii V using S2. The symmetrical nature of S2 in minor 3rd sequences i.e. fitting into Symmetrical diminished (whole—half) scales that allow S2 to start on bVII, bII, III, and V notes of a given V7 chord.

The use of S2 with S1 in progression:

As indicated earlier, S2 is derived from S1 by lowering the '3rd' of S1 i.e using FMa7(b5) as an example. FMa7(b5) becomes FmiMa7(b5) [Let's call it a DimMa7)

When used as a bVIIS2/1 the chord created is G13(b9). So a first progression using S1 and S2 (or vice versa) results in a movement in the tension of the chord. Using FS1/G —FS2/G, the result is G13 G13(b9), an increase of vertical tension which may heighten the arrival of the next chord (the tonic).

One could also play: G13(b9)—G13, with movement towards less vertical tension in this chord voicing.

S1 — S2 is useful in a minor ii V as well and operates similarly  to the V13 — V13(b9) progression.

In this example FS1/B—FS2/E —CS1/A creates the minor ii V Imi progression: Bmi11(b5)—E7(b9)—Ami6/9. Note that in this progression there is no 7th in the E7 chord. The b7 is thought to be implied by the (b9) in that chord, as a b9 would not be harmonic with a Major 7th in this chord. Note that FS2 works over the Sub V (Bb) as well.







Since S2 is a resident chord in the Symmetrical whole—half Diminished scale, and indeed on it's own, can function as a Diminished 7th chord. This particular intervallic structure occurs a total of 4 times in this scale, and up a minor third for each one. These 4 different but related 'S2' chords can also be used as the S2 that is played on the bVII/I. This creates 4 varieties of extended dominant chords that all share the same scale and in this case, the same root. Using the example of FS2/G = G13(b9) [using a 'G' bass].

The other 3 S2s that share the same SymDim (whole-half) scale are a minor 3rd up or Major 6th down starting from FS2: They are: FS2, AbS2, BS2, DS2. NB these voicings can be voice-led as well. The illustrations below show that with all 4 S2 generated V7 chords, that the tritone substitute root can also be used to resolve to the tonic

Example 1) FS1/G—FS2/G—C [This one voice-leads naturally]

Chord Symbol——G13—————G13(b9)—C   

Function———— V13—————V13(b9)—C 

Sound/Root——— FMa7(b5)/G—FdimMa7/G—C 

S/Root————— FS1/G————FS2/G—C 

Numeral———— bVIIS1/I———bVIIS2/I—I

Example 2) FS1/G—AbS2/G—C

Chord Symbol——G13—————G7(b9)—C 

Function———— V13—————V7(b9)—C 

Sound/Root——— FMa7(b5)/G—AbdimMa7/G—C 

S/Root————— FS1/G————AbS2/G—C 

Numeral———— bVIIS1/I———bIIS2/I—I

Example 3) FS1/G—BS2/G—C

Chord Symbol——G13—————G7(#9)—C

Function———— V13—————V7(#9)—C

Sound/Root——— FMa7(b5)/G—BdimMa7/G—C

S/Root————— FS1/G————BS2/G—C

Numeral———— bVIIS1/I———IIIS2/I—I

Example 4) FS1/G—DS2/G—C

Chord Symbol——G13—————G7(b9#11)—C

Function———— V13—————V7(b9#11)—C

Sound/Root——— FMa7(b5)/G—DdimMa7/G—C

S/Root————— FS1/G————DS2/G—C

Numeral———— bVIIS1/I———bVS2/I—I

Example 5) S1 and S2 incorporated into a minor ii V Imi: FS1/B—FS2/E—CS1/A

Chord Symbol——Bmi11(b5)—— E7(b9)—Ami6/9

Function———— iimi11(b5)—— V13(b9)—Imi6/9

Sound/Root——— FMa7(b5)/B—FdimMa7/E—Ami6/9

S/Root————— FS1/B————FS2/E——Ami6/9

Numeral———— bVS1/I———bIIS2/I——Imi6/9

Example 6) S1 and S2 (all 4) incorporated into a minor iiV Imi. Each of these S2/V7 chord can be used individually but for demonstration purposes they are lumped into one minor ii V progression.

Chord Symbol——Bmi11(b5)—— E7(b9)—E7(#9)—E7(b9#11)—E13(b9)—A mi6/9 [or A major] 

Function———— iimi11(b5)—— V13(b9)—V7(#9)—V7(b9#11)—V13(b9—Imi6/9 [or I Major] 

Sound/Root—FMa7(b5)/B—FdimMa7/E—G#dimMa7/E—BdimMa7/E—DdimMa7/EA—Ami6/9 

S/Root————— FS1/B————FS2/E—G#S2/E—BS2/E—DS2/E———CS1/A [tonic] 

Numeral———— bVS1/I———bIIS2/I [V7etc]—IIIS2/I—VS2/I—bVIIS2/I—bIIIS1/I [tonic]

The Bebop Cliche with minor ii Vs:

Major ii Vs and the interpolation of the bebop cliche was outlined in the Sound in the first blog in this series. As a reminder:

Dmi9—DmiMa9—Dmi9—G13 (or G13[b9] or G7[#9#5] etc.)

FMa7/D—FMa7#5/D—FMa7/D— FMa7(b5)/G (or FdimMa7/G or BMa7[b5]/G etc.)

FPS1/D—FPPS1/D—FPS1/D——FS1/G ..... (or FS2/G or BS1/G etc. )

Minor ii Vs using iimi9(b5) and V13(b9)

Using FS2/G as the destination V7 chord a minor ii V (Dmi9[b5] — G13) can be treated similarly as in:

Dmi9(b5) (related iimi9/V7) called the Preparation of FS2.

DmiMa9(b5) (implies V7/related iimi9) called the Preparation of the Preparation of FS2.

As used in the above progression: ii V is expanded with the application of the Bebop Cliche.

Chord Symbol: ......Dmi9(b5)—DmiMa9(b5)—Dmi9(b5)—G13(b9) [or ?] — C minor or C major. 

Sound/1 (S)............FmiMa9/D—FmiMa9(#5)/D— FmiMa9/D—FdimMa7/G —EbMa7(b5)/C

S/Root.....................FPS2/D——FPPS2/D——— FPS2/D——FS2/G——— EbS1/C

Function.................bIIIPS2/I (ii)—bIIIPPS2/I (ii)— bIIIPS2/I (ii)—bVIIS2/I (V7)—bIIIS1/C..

The 'Sound' One (S1) voicing used in progression

The Sound One (S1) in chord progressions, used exclusively to create that jazz piano (or guitar, or arpeggiated for horns) sound:

I once ran a showcase band at MacEwan, and was getting into some arrangements that called for this S1 sound. I was working with a very interesting go-to-kind of guy on guitar in the band. He didn't know how to voice a G7(#9#5) chord per say, but he knew how to voice dominant 13 chords. So I asked him on the spot to play a Db13 chord / G bass and low and behold we had the asked for G7(#9#5) chord voicing. He was surprised but realized that basically, he already had voicings for altered dominant chords which were virtually the same as V13 chords a tritone away. I was prompted to tell him this, because I had been working this 'Sound' thing and that was an action that came out of that study. So why do this and not stick exclusively to the 'normal' extension replacement of 7th chord tones (9 for 1, 13 for 5 etc.)? Answer: Because with the 'Sound' there is a built in system for adding color and urgency in a 7th chord in an incremental way.

This blog will deal with S1 in progression in a parallel motion with not much voice leading. Inversions and voice leading will be an open topic in future blogs on this 'Sound' Topic. The change in color from V13 to V7(#5#9) represents the most radical change in color and vertical tension change possible in a V7. Future blogs on this topic will deal with the graduations of vertical (chord) tension between these two essentials. Primarily these voicings are thought of as Left Hand Comping (rootless) chord voicings, but they can be played as in the right hand too as part of a comping framework and, they can even be a point of departure/arrival in improvised soloing.

Just using the S1 chord (Ma7[b5]) for convenience, these C major and related A minor progressions emerge and are used here as a set of examples. These examples are played in the right hand with the appropriate root in the left hand.


Sample 1) V13 —V7(#9—I

Chord symbol  G13————G7(#9#5)——  I

Function           V13————V7(#9#5)——  I

Sound/Root      FMa7(b5)/G—BMa7(b5)/G—I

S1/Root            FS1/G———  BS1/G——     I

Numeral           bVIIS1/I——   IIIS1/(1)——  I


Sample 2) V13 —bII13 — I

Chord symbol  G13———— Db13———    I

Function           V13———— bII13———    I

Sound/Root      FMa7(b5)/G—BMa7(b5)/Db—I

S1/Root            FS1/G———  BS1/Db——   I

Numeral           bVIIS1/I——   bVIIS1/(1)—   I

Sample 3) V7(#9#5) — bII13 —I

Chord symbol   G7(#9#5) —— Db13 ——— I

Function           V7(#5#9)——   bII13———  I

Sound/Root     BMa7(b5)/G—BMa7(b5)/Db—I

S1/Root            BS1/G———    BS1/Db——  I

Numeral           IIIS1/I———— bVIIS1/(1)—  I

Sample 4)  iimi11(b5) — V7(#5#9)— Imi6/9 (NB The Sound is used in all three of these voicings.

Chord symbol   Bmi11(b5)———E7(#9#5) —Ami6/9

Function           iimi11(b5)———V7(#9#5) —Imi6/9

Sound/Root     FMa7(b5)/B—G#Ma7(b5)/E—Cma7(b5)/A

S1/Root            FS1/B———    G#S1/E——  CS1/A

Numeral           bVS1/I———— IIIS1/(1)—  bIIIS1/I

Sample 5)    iimi11(b5) — bII13— Imi6/9 (NB The Sound is used in all three of these voicings.

Chord symbol   Bmi11(b5)———Bb13— — Ami6/9

Function            iimi11(b5)———bII13 ——  Imi6/9

Sound/Root     FMa7(b5)/B—AbMa7(b5)/Bb—Cma7(b5)/A

S1/Root            FS1/B———    AbS1/Bb——  CS1/A

Numeral           bVS1/I———— bVIIS1/(1)—  bIIIS1/I

I like to learn these in all keys keeping track of voice-leading line movement and inversion to inversion through these progressions.

I experimented with these progressions by sometimes reversing the V7(#5#9) with bII7(#5#9) it does make a difference. I hope you'll try it