12 chord progresion
TRANSCRIPT
ChordProgression
FromFundamentalsofJazzImprovisation:WhatEverybodyThinksYouAlreadyKnow
Dr.MarkWatkins
DirectorofJazzStudiesBrighamYoungUniversity–Idaho
©2010byMarkWatkinsMaterialshereinareprovidedforpersonaluse.Nopartmaybereproduced
withoutwrittenpermissionfromtheauthor.
FundamentalChordProgressions
Learningtunesisgreatlyfacilitatedbyrecognizingcommonlyusedchordprogressions.BluesandRhythmChangesarechordprogressionscoveringtheentirebodyofthetune.Proficiencycangreatlyenhanceone’srepertoiresincetheformandprogressionareknownandoneonlyneedlearnmelodies.Otherprogressionsaren’tnearlyaslengthy,norall‐inclusive,coveringonlyaportionofthecompositionbutstillmaketunelearningeasier.Themoretunesonelearns,themoreonerecognizessimilaritiescausingtherateoflearningtobeexponential.
CyclesProgressionswhoserootsmovearoundthecircleof5ths
1. TheiiV7I(oriiV7)progressionisthemostcommoninjazz.SatinDoll,mm.1‐4(DukeEllington)
2. TheminoriiøV7altiisalsoverycommon.Alteredsupertonic(iiø)andaltereddominantsare
fromtheminormodebutareoftenusedwithamajortonic(modalborrowing).BlueBossa,mm.5‐8(KennyDorham)
WhatisThisThingCalledLove?,mm.1‐8(ColePorter)
3. IviiiV7,iiiviiiV7,andiiiVI,iiV7:Themediant(iii)isacommonsubstitutefortonic(I)and
thesubmediant(vi)canbeeitherminor/minor7ormajor/minor7dependinguponthemelodyorotherfactors;essentially,theyarequitesimilarandofteninterchangeable.WheniiiVIiiV7isused,itislikeachainorcycleofiiV7sexceptthatitislockedtotheiiiVIiiV7relationshiptotonicwhereasacycleofiiV7smaystartand/orendindifferentkeyareas.
BlueMoon,mm.1‐8(LorenzHartandRichardRodgers)
Let’sFallinLove,mm.1‐8(TedKoehlerandHaroldArlen)
Otherexamplesinclude:RhythmChanges,Ain’tMisbehavin’,Georgia,AutumnLeaves,CheektoCheek,Don’tBeThatWay,HaveYouMetMissJones,Isn’tItRomantic,andMeantoMe.4. CycleofiiV7s:ThisissimilartoiiiVI7iiV7butwithtwodistinctions:1)thesequencecan
continuebeyondtworepetitions,and2)thecycleisnotrelatedtotonicinthesameway.Theprogressionmayleadtoasecondarykeyareaorstartfartherbackaroundthecyclethanmediant(iii)thenleadtotonic.(BluesforAlice,Confirmation,TheMasqueradeisOver,StellabyStarlight)
BluesforAlice,mm.1‐5(CharlieParker)
StellabyStarlight,mm.25‐32(VictorYoungandNedWashington)
5. CycleofV7s:dominantchordswitharootprogressionascendingbyfourths,descendingby
fifths(circleoffifthsprogression).Twochordsperbar:Jordu,mm.17‐24[bridge](DukeJordan)
Onechordperbar:Yesterdays,mm.1‐16(JeromeKernandOttoHarbach)
Onechordeverytwobars:Perdido,mm.17‐24[bridge](JuanTizol)
Onechordeveryfourbars:SweetGeorgiaBrown,mm.1‐16(BenBernie,MaceoPinkardand
KennethCasey)
Twochordsperbar:NiceWorkifYouCanGetItOnechordperbar:BasinStreetBlues,BillBailey,ComeRainorComeShine,JaDa,SisterSadieOnechordeverytwobars:ScrapplefromtheApple,RhythmChangesOnechordeveryfourbars:Caravan6. iiV7IIV:cyclerootmovementiiV7IextendedtoIV.ItisoftenfollowedbyaTritone
ResolutiontoV7AlltheThingsYouAre,mm.5‐6,D‐flattoG)ortoiiV7(AutumnLeaves,mm.4‐6,E‐flattoA);thesamesequenceoccursinImagination,mm.2‐4.
AlltheThingsYouAre,mm1‐8(JeromeKernandOscarHammersteinII)
AutumnLeaves,mm.1‐8(JosephKosmaandJohnnyMercer)
Otherexamplesinclude:Imagination(see“#15.DiminishedPassingChord”below)
iiV7andiiV7ISequences7. ChromaticiiV7:TheChromaticiiV7sequencecanascendordescend.ThelastiiV7can
resolveinacycleiiV7I(Laura,Stablemates)orasatritonesubstitution(BluesforAlice).Moment’sNotice,mm.5‐8(JohnColtrane):ChromaticiiV7(ascending)
Laura,mm.29‐30(JohnnyMercerandDavidRaksin):ChromaticiiV7(descending)withiiV7I
resolution
Tritonesubstitutionderivative:
Stablemates,mm.1‐3,23‐25(BennyGolson):ChromaticiiV7withiiV7Iresolution
BluesforAlice,mm.5‐10(CharlieParker):ChromaticiiV7withTritonesubstitution/resolution
Otherexamplesinclude:LoverManm.7,YouSteppedOutofaDreammm.15‐168. V7descendingby½‐steps(chromatic):(twoperbar:ICan’tGetStarted,PreludetoaKiss,
Sophisticatedlady,WellYouNeedn’t,oneperbar:Nutville,OnGreenDolphinStreet[major],Stablemates)
EternalTriangle,mm.17‐24(SonnyStitt):V7=iiV7
Nutville,mm17‐20(HoraceSilver)
9. CycleofiiV7Idescendingbywholestep:G‐|C7|F|F|F‐|B‐flat7|E‐flat|E‐flat|etc.;
majorconvertstominorbecomingiiofiiV7I;newmajorconvertstominorbecomingiiofiiV7I,etc.Insometunes,thepatternbeginswithtwobarsofmajorasinHowHightheMoon.
Thepatternwithmajorofthekeyfirstfollowedbythewholestepdescendingsequence,asinHowHightheMoon,canbefoundinothertunes>
HowHightheMoon,mm.1‐9(MorganLewis)
Cherokee,mm.33‐48[bridge](RayNoble)
AlmostLikeBeinginLove,mm.17‐24(AlanJayLernerandFrederickLowe):iiV7Idescending
bywholesteps;majorshiftingtominorfromm.19tom.21
TuneUp,mm.1‐11(MilesDavis)
Otherexamplesinclude:Bebop,ICan’tGetStarted,JoySpring,LoverMan,Milestones[bridge],OneNoteSamba[bridge],Ornithology,SecretLove,Solar,ThingstoCome,TuneUp,Wave,WhatisThisThingCalledLove,10.Ascendingminor3rdiiV7Iprogression:C‐|F7|Bb|Bb|Eb‐|Ab7|Db|etc.;commonon
bridge.Confirmation,mm.17‐24(CharlieParker):ascendingminor3rd(B‐flattoD‐flat)iiV7I
progression;B‐flattoE‐flatcyclerootmovementfromm.20tom.21
OnGreenDolphinStreet,mm.17‐24(NedWashingtonandBronislauKaper)
11.Descendingminor3rdiiV7Iprogression:C‐|F7|Bb|Bb|A‐|D7|G|G|F#‐|B7|E|E|
Eb‐|Ab7|Dbetc.;commononbridge.
I’llRememberApril,mm.25‐32(DonRaye,GeneDePaulandPatJohnston):descendingminor3rd(GtoE)iiV7Iprogression;descendingchromaticrootmovement(GtoF‐sharp),mm.27‐29
AlltheThingsYouAre,mm.17‐24(JeromeKernandOscarHammersteinII)
12.Ascendingbywhole‐step:oftenasabridge.
OntheSunnySideoftheStreet,mm.17‐24(DorothyFieldsandJimmyMcHugh)
HoneysuckleRose,mm.17‐24(AndyRazafandThomasWaller)
Otherexamplesinclude:SatinDoll,ItDon’tMeanaThing,PenniesfromHeaven(mm.9‐16),The
SurreywiththeFringeonTop.
TritoneConcepts13.TirtoneSubstitutioninaiiV7IProgressionOneNoteSamba,mm.1‐8(AntonioCarlosJobim)
14.ChromaticallyDescendingV7s:Oftencreatedbyatritonesubstitutiononeveryotherchord
ofadominantcycle,theycanbeplacedstartingoneitherthefirstorsecondchordofthecycle.
RhythmChangesSubstitution,mm.17‐24[bridge]:Theuseoftritonesubstitutionsonmm.3‐4
and7‐8ofthebridgecreatesachromaticallydescendingsequence.
Locomotion,mm.13‐20[bridge](JohnColtrane):Cotrane’stunedemonstrateshowtritone
substitutionscanbeplacedonmm.1‐2and5‐6.
15.ChromaticallyDescendingiiV7Sequence(tritonesubtodominants,i.e.E,E‐flat,D,D‐flat,C,B,resolvetoB‐flat)
ThirdRail,mm.17‐24[bridge](MichaelBrecker)
Otherexamplesinclude:TheEternalTriangle,mm.17‐24[bridge](SonnyStitt),BluesforAlice,7‐10(CharlieParker),SatinDoll,mm.5‐8(DukeEllington)
16.TritoneResolutions:Chordmovementwhoserootsareatritoneapart,thisprogressionis
oftenfoundwithinaphraseorasthecadencetoaphrase(TTCadence).Mostoftenthefirstchordisdominantbutmovementtoandfromotherqualitiesarenotuncommon,includingtritoneiiV7sequences(TTiiV7Progression).
Moment’sNotice,mm.1‐18[after22‐barintro](JohnColtrane)
17.#ivVII7I:Sharp‐4isatritoneabovetonic,VII7isdominantinqualityratherthanfullyor
half‐diminished.Groovin’High,mm.1‐4(DizzyGillespie)
AlmostLikeBeinginLove,mm21‐25(AlanJayLernerandFrederickLowe)
Otherexamplesinclude;AnEveiningThought,I’mGettingSentimentalOverYou,NightandDay,Whispering
MediantRelationshipsMediants:Intonalharmonymediantishalfwaybetweentonicanddominant.Submediantishalfwaybetweentonicandsubdominantdescending.TheexamplebelowisintrebleclefwithCbeingtonic.
Amediantrelationshipinachordprogressionisanychordthatisa3rdawayfromthepresentchordineitherdirection.Therearetwotypesofmediants:1)diatonicmediant,and2)chromaticmediant.Adiatonicmediantstayswithinthekeysignatureofthepresentchord.Achromaticmedianthasatleastonenoteinthenewchordthatisoutsidethekeysignatureofthepresentchord.Chromaticmediantprogressionsusuallyhaveatleastonecommontonebetweenthetwochordsbutinjazztheydon’talways.
MediantWheelLinesindicatepossibilities
frompoint(C).
CompassTurnoutsidewheellikea
compass.
ClockTurninsidearmslikeaclock.
DiatonicMediants:CmajortoAminor,orCmajortoEminor(extensionsmayvary).
ChromaticMediants(withcommontones):CmajortoEmajor,E7,E‐flatmajor,E‐flat7,Amajor,A7,A‐flatmajor,A‐flat7,orA‐flatminor.
ChromaticMediants(withnocommontones):CmajortoE‐flatminor,Amajor7sharp‐5,oranyotheralteredchordthatcontainsnocommontones.
18.Chromaticmediantscanmovefromanychordqualitytoanyotherchordqualityaslongas
theirrootsareamajororminor3rdapart,upordownfromthefirstchordtothesecond.Bernie’sTune,mm.1‐4(BernieMiller)
AllofMe,mm.17‐26(SeymourSimonsandGeraldMarks)
19.ColtraneChanges:ThisprogressionisfoundintunessuchasGiantStepsandisoftenusedas
turnaroundsubstitutions.Thepatternis:upaminor3rd,downaperfect5th,upaminor3rd,downaperfect5th,upaminor3rd,downaperfect5th.
GiantSteps,mm.1‐5(JohnColtrane)
Countdown,mm.1‐4(JohnColtrane):mm.5‐8sameprogressioninC,mm.9‐12same
progressioninB‐flat.
AdditionalPossibilities20.I|I|II7|II7|ii|V7|ITakethe“A”Train,mm.1‐8(DukeEllington)
TheGirlfromIpanema,mm.1‐8(AntonioCarlosJobim)
Otherexamplesinclude:Desafinado,IGotIBad,JerseyBounce,Solitude21.
Intheminormodethesubdominantisminor(iv).Thechordbuiltonthe7thscaledegreeissubtonic(VII7)withnoneedtoplaceaflatsignbeforetheRomannumeral;itsqualityismajor/minor7(dominant).OftenwheninamajorkeyaflatisplacedbeforetheVIItoindicatethatitisnotthechordbuiltontheleadingtone.Iessence,thisprogressionisborrowedfromtheminormode.
JustFriends,mm.1‐5(JohnKlennerandSamM.Lewis)
ThereWillNeverBeAnotherYou,mm.9‐12(HarryWarrenandMackGordon)
IGotRhythm,mm.5‐8(GeorgeGershwin)
Otherexamplesinclude:BlueDaniel,Groovin’High,StellabyStarlight(,Misty,andmanyothers(verycommon).22.Chromaticdescendingrootsstartingontritoneoftonic(orresolution):
#ivøiviiibiiiiibII7Ior#ivøiviiiviiº/iiiiV7I;chordqualitiesmayvary;oftenasintroorending.
NightandDay,mm.9‐16(ColePorter)
WhenSunnyGetsBlue,mm.5‐8(JackSegalandMarvinFisher)
Otherexamplesinclude:Emily,OneNoteSamba
23.Diminishedpassingchords(jazzrhythm):BbBº|C‐C#º|D‐(subfor1sttwobarsofRhythmChanges,Ain’tMisbehavin’,HaveYouMetMissJones,IRememberClifford,Imagination,ItcouldHappentoYou,MoonlightBecomesYou
RhythmChanges,mm.1‐2oftheAsections,mostoftenthe1stAsectionandafterthebridge,but
canoccurinmm.3‐4ofanAsection.
Imagination,mm.1‐2(JimmyVanHeusenandJohnnyBurke)