We must remind here the fundamental philosophy of musical composition and improvisation.
Musical improvisation is not a technical skill that one “learns to do.” It is a natural spontaneous process that occurs first in the imagination. It is often a natural language of the soul, as we have the language of words. But that is why it is understood by people that do not even speak the same language of words
The main goal of musical composition and improvisation is not the output musical piece, but the EXISTENTIAL FUNCTION of the process of creating and listening the musical piece.
Here is a nice video for collaborative improvisation
http://simplerguitarlearning.blogspot.gr/2016/01/11-learning-fast-and-in-simple-way.html
Here is another very interesting video from a celebrated and marvelous guitar player (Tommy Emanuel) , about how he improvise his songs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRcJSonX33E
Here is a nice video for collaborative improvisation
http://simplerguitarlearning.blogspot.gr/2016/01/11-learning-fast-and-in-simple-way.html
Here is another very interesting video from a celebrated and marvelous guitar player (Tommy Emanuel) , about how he improvise his songs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRcJSonX33E
According to David Reed
"..........Improvisation with the voice is the highest form of musical composition that exists because you are working directly with the sounds themselves. There are no phony techniques or theory to rely upon. For this reason it can be scary at first. It’s
normal to feel completely lost the first time you attempt to improvise with nothing
but your voice. If you are accustomed to flying up and down your instrument with
scales and arpeggios, trying to sing your way through the same song can be a
humbling experience.
But I would argue that this experience is the single most important step that any
improvising musician can take in his own professional development......"
GENERAL RULE FOR GOOD CHORD PROGRESSIONS OF IMPROVISATION
Chord progressions that two successive chords are always either
1) an interval of 4th , that is successive n the wheel of 4ths
2) Relative chords where major turns to minor and vice-versa, thus roots-distance an interval of 3rd 3) Chromatic relation , in other words the roots differ by a semitone
are best chord progressions for parallel translations of melodic themes by intervals of octave, 4th-5th, 3rd and semitone.
Example
C-> Am->Dm_->G->C->F->Dm->Dm7->G7->C etc
ARPEGGIOS AND DEA SYSTEM OF 4-STRING INSTRUMENTS (SEE POST 67) FOR SUCH CHORD PROGRESSIONS:
For the 4-string (double or simple strings) instruments of post 67, that are most of the ethnic music instruments , the chord shapes theory simplifies to the DEA instead of the CAGE of the 6-string guitar. Similarly the arpeggios of the chords, although are not identical with the shapes of the chords in a 6-string guitar, for the above 4-string instruments , they are identical with the chord shape! Thus knowing the chords means knowing their arpeggios of them too, which gives immediately a way of easy improvisation along a chord progression! The randomness is double a) in the choice of the chord progressions as above , in particular the chord transitions as described b) in the choice of the way to play soloing inside the arpeggio of such chords in particular the melodic themes 4 transformations.This is easiest done with the 4-string instruments of the ethnic music (see post 67) . Such arpeggios can be extended to contain the 6th and 7th thus being arpeggios of the chord as with 6th or 7nth (Notice that 6th are identical with minor 7ths X6=Ym7 and Xm6=Ym7b5, where X and Y are a minor 3rd apart as in relative chords). Some times extended so as to contain the chord with 2nd or 4th too. The transformations of the melodic themes, (see post 76) and in particular the 4 basic translations, inversions, rhythm variations and melodic density expansion or contraction can be conducted with a mini 4-or-5-notes-scale when a chord is playing which its arpeggio or extended 6th or 7th arpeggio! In this way the melody always remains in accordance with the underlying chord and chord progression. Thus arbitrary such 3-types of chord transitions as above and arbitrary such 4 transformations of melodic themes will result in to a rich , free but well harmonic and melodic improvisation and composition!
ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING SOLOING DURING A CHORD 1-3-5 (internal bridge) IS TO EXTRAPOLATE IT TO 3# IF IT IS MINOR OR Eb IF IT IS MAJOR (BLUE NOTE) AND ALSO ADD THE 6TH AND 7TH (b flat if it is major chord or non-flat 7th if it is a minor chord) MAKING THUS IN TOTAL 6 NOTES SOLOING FOR A 3-NOTES CHORD! THE INTERVAL PATTERN FOR THIS SOLOING IS 2-3-1-3-2-1 . IF WE USE BOTH 7TH AND 7TH FLAT THEN IT IS THE 7-NOTES SCALE 3-1-3-2-1-1-1 WHICH THE 7-NOTES SCALE WHICH THE INVERSE OF THE SCALE 11) IN POST 52. IF WE DO NOT ADD THE FLAT 7TH BUT ONLY THE NORMAL 7TH THEN IT IS THE SCALE 3-1-3-2-2-1 WHICH IS A 6-NOTES SCALE.
IF WE ADD THE 4TH THEN IT BECOMES THE 6 NOTE SCALE 3-1-1-2-2-3 WHICH IS 6-NOTES SCALE ALSO KNOWN AS THE INVERSE OF THE COUNTRY OR BLUE SCALE! NEVERTHELESS IF WE PLAY ALL NOTES BOTH 6TH AND 7TH THEN IT IS THE NEXT SCALE 3-1-1-2-2-1-2 WHICH IS THE SCALE 25 IN POST 52.
IF IN THE 1-3-5 CHORD WE ADD THE 2ND , HE 4TH, THE SHARP 5TH (5#) AND 6TH WE GET SOLOING FROM THE HARMONIC MINOR INSTEAD OF THE DIATONIC SCALE SO WE GET THE NEXT TWO 6-NOTES SCALES 2-2-1-3-1-3 (numbers represent semitones distances as usually in the scales symbolism) AND 2-3-3-1-3.
IF ON THE OTHER HAND WE ADD ALL NOTES OF THE DIATONIC PLUS THE BLUE NOTE, 3b AND THE FLAT 7TH WE GET THE NEXT 9-NOTES SCALE 2-1-1-1-2-2-1-1-1 WHICH IS A SCALE WITH 3 CONSECUTIVE SEMITONES AROUND E-F AND B-C.
GHOST CHORD PROGRESSION METHOD OF IMPROVISATION OVER A SINGLE CHORD:
MOST OF THE TEACHERS OF IMPROVISATION SUGGEST USING THE ARPEGGIO OF THE UNDERLYING CHORD, EITHER AS PURE TRIAD OF NOTES OR AS EXTENSION TO 4 OR 5 NOTES SUCH CHORD. BUT THERE IS ANOTHER INTERESTING TECHNIQUE THAT INVOLVES GHOST-CHORDS (NAMELY THAT ARE NOT REALLY HEARD). E.G. OF WE ARE TO IMPROVISE SAY ON C MAJOR CHORD, THEN IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO USE ITS ARPEGGIO, BUT DO THE NEXT: CONSIDER C IN THE CHORD PROGRESSION OF THE SONG, AND TAKE TWO OTHER CHORDS OF THE SONG PREFERABLY IN THE WHEEL OF 4THS, THE 2 NEIGHBORHOOD CHORDS (EITHER AS MAJORS OR MINORS) HERE E.G. LET US TAKE THE MAJORS G->C->F ASSUMING THEY WHERE IN THE SONG. IF THERE IS NOT SONG YET WE JUST TAKE . IN THE WHEEL OF 4THS, THE 2 NEIGHBORHOOD CHORDST (that define here the C major-mode diatonic scale) . THEN TAKE THE ARPEGGIOS OF THESE THREE CHORDS AND PLAY THEM IN RHYTHMIC , FAST AND RATHER RANDOM PERMUTATION WAY, AS IF A VERY FAST CHANGE OF CHORDS IS MADE IN THE THREE G->C->F, SO FAST THAT G, F CHORDS ARE RATHER TRANSIENT WHILE WE REMAIN MOST OF THE TIME ON C. THE SEQUENCE OF THE CHORDS THROUGH THEIR ARPEGGIOS DEFINE ALSO A SOLOING. THE RESULT WILL BE AN IMPROVISATION ON ALMOST A WHOLE 7-NOTES SCALE, WITH UNDERLYING SINGLE CHORD THE C.IN ADDITION THE SOLOING TAKES IN CONSIDERATION AT LEAST TWO OTHER CHORDS OF THE SONG. IF THERE IS MELODY IN THE SONG WE MAY CONSIDER MIMICKING THE MELODY WITH WAVINGS AND "DANCING AROUND THE NOTES OF IT, IN NOTES THAT EXIST IN THE CHORDS OF THE MELODY. OR WE MAY APPLY DIFFERENT TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE MELODIC THEMES THAN THE TRANSFORMATIONS THAT EXIST IN THE MELODY. THE RESULT WILL BE A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE MELODY AND THE SOLOING
The next video is an example from folk Cretan (Greece) music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq_srURnI5o&feature=youtu.be
In the next video we may listen the improvisation of El Mostro on the Puerto Rican Cuarto, where he ........sings the notes that he is improvising! (minutes 6 of the video etc) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb2GA6feW6k
Deeply speaking there are 3 types of improvisational excersises that never end in ones life! For this see post 0. Introduction, and the basic improvisational triangle.
1) Familiarising with the guitar fretboard improvisations. Here the feelings identity of the music and the instrumental-fingers identity of the music are linked.
2) Familiarising with the notes, melodies and Harmony improvisations. Here the feelings identity of the music and the music-theory mental identity of the music is linked. This could even be done by singing or even on piano or a simpler instrument, different than the instrument we want to improvise.
3) Familiarising with the different composition techniques of playing scales, chords, harmony etc. Here the mental identity of the music, and the instrumental-fingers indentify of the music is linked.
The basic triangle that functions here is the next:
The basic triangle that functions here is the next:
The basic triangle functioning here is the next
1) Feelings identity of the music (poetical symbol Waters)
2) Mental identity of the music 3) Instrumental-fingers identity (poetical symbol Air) of the music
(poetical symbol Material Solidity)
1)-3) is mainly practical improvisation
2) -1) is mainly composition (or the way at the first steps of improvisation when finger skills are not evolved yet)
2)-3) is mainly organized method of acquiring skills on the instrument.
We must remark here that the 2), the mental musical theoretical or harmonic identity of the music should be simpler than the 3) the instrumental-fingers identity of the music.
The improvisation should be 60%-80% due to feelings 15%-30% due to simple mental images about the music and 5%-10% only due to hands skills!
1) Feelings identity of the music (poetical symbol Waters)
2) Mental identity of the music 3) Instrumental-fingers identity (poetical symbol Air) of the music
(poetical symbol Material Solidity)
1)-3) is mainly practical improvisation
2) -1) is mainly composition (or the way at the first steps of improvisation when finger skills are not evolved yet)
2)-3) is mainly organized method of acquiring skills on the instrument.
We must remark here that the 2), the mental musical theoretical or harmonic identity of the music should be simpler than the 3) the instrumental-fingers identity of the music.
The improvisation should be 60%-80% due to feelings 15%-30% due to simple mental images about the music and 5%-10% only due to hands skills!
IN MY APPROACH IN THIS BOOK I FAVOR MIXTURE OF AN IN ADVANCED COMPOSED MUSIC PIECE AND A LATER IMPROVISATION OVER IT, RATHER THAN A 100% PRIMA-VISTA IMPROVISATION. THE REASON IS OBVIOUS. THERE ARE ADVANTAGES OF MUSICAL COMPOSITION THAT WILL TAKE MORE TIME THAN THE DURATION OF THE MUSICAL PIECE OVER A DIRECT IMPROVISATIONAL CREATION OF IT AS WE LISTEN TO IT. THE FORMER GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY OF A BETTER QUALITY MUSICAL CREATION AND A BETTER BALANCE OF THE PREVIOUS TRIANGLE OF MUSICAL MENTAL IMAGES, SOUND FEELINGS AND FINGER ACTIONS WHEN WE IMPROVISE LATER ON THE ALREADY COMPOSED MUSICAL PIECE.
We must emphasize a basic philosophy here that when playing the musical instrument, we do not only produce musical sounds but also independently emotions in us. And I do not mean that the musical sounds produce the emotions I mean that our self is producing the emotions parallel and in fitness with the musical sounds
The various improvisations practices may have one of the more visible dimensions of knowing better the next 4 factors by relating them to the feelings.
1) The fretboard of the instrument in relation to the feelings. (Playing almost randomly on the fretboard, guided by the desired feeling of sounds)
2) The melodies in relation to the feelings. (Improvise melodies alone or with a chord progression in the background, or as chord-melodies)
3) The harmony in relation to the feelings. (Improvise with chord progressions, either in advance known set of chords with some freedhom in the order, or unkown in advance set of chords )
4) The rhythm in relation to the feelings. (Improvise and learn celebrated or unknown rhythms, utlizing a pick and group of strings stokes. or the 1-4 fingers and selected groups of strings strokes)
So in learning improvisation, this is I believe the simplest and easiest way, in 3 steps
1) Practice at first chord-progressions improvisations. At this stage, the complexity is only the number of chords in the chord progression , their shapes , positions, repetitions etc. Mainly we start with a predetermined chord progression and we play all possible different positions of the chord, and maybe also alternative permutaions of the chords of the chord progression, keeping of course the basic harmonic structure invariant as this is that tells the main emotional story of the song. We utilize chord-harping or finger-picking with possible small melodic embellishments, with a free finger of the left hand or freeing a finger from the left hand, and around the chord shape. I consider that using the 5 fingers of the right hand, by far a supperior and more subtle way to control the musical sound, than using a single plastic pick. With the finger nails it is as if we have 4 picks!
2.1) Then practice melody improvisation, while a chord-progression is predetermined and played by another musician or the computer. Here we may apply the ways to distribute a melody among the strings as in the post 43. (For example let the computer play. We may start with backing track of a single chord, and all the 3 notes of the chord may become the centers of the improvisation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPZbsrgbxzQ . Then proceed with more chords (e.g. of the same major scale) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdZbNix4nJM, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXC7A06DZ0Q , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CvLPowT5kA, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZrdH23Fp74, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcAA_W2ERhw, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTFdxeLk5pw, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVFjrTpVQ2U , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0lnSk4sPpk At any position of the background chord, either in root position or in any one of the 2 inversions, the transient notes may be in general and usually from the diatonic or other scales triads (see post 4) or diatonic or other scales tetra-chords (see post 50) with which we can extrapolate any of the intervals of two successive notes of the chord. Of course the different ways we can do it reflect the different diatonic or not scales that the chord belongs.Notice that in extending with a diatonic triad or tetra-chord the result may not be only a diatonic scale, but in general a scale made only from semitones and tones (see post 51) thus also melodic minor and 2nd melodic minor! In the case of course that all the chords of the chord progression belong to a single diatonic scale, then there exists an extension of the chords such that it is common to all chords of the chord progression, and is the invariant of tonality. But what we saying here is that each chord of the chord progression defines by itself at least one scale that includes notes outside the chord too! And by looking to the scales of posts 46, 50, 51, 52 we see that are plenty many scales (not modes!) that a single major, minor , diminished or augmented chord may belong
A very useful remark for improvisation of melody within a particular chord is the next.
Suppose we are at a note y1 of the melody which fits the underlying chord with notes x1x2x3 (whatever that may mean, of course we may assume that y1 is one of the x1, x2, x3), then depending on the particular position of y1 relative to the x1x2x3, a shift by an interval of 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th will lead to a note y2 that will again fit the chord!. This is because the relative positions of the notes x1x2x3 of the chord are intervals of major, minor 3rd and pure 5th, and their complementary intervals relative to the octave are minor or major 6th, and pure 4th
Single-string bridging or butterflying (and 2-string bridging or butterflying)
Another useful technique to improvise melodies over a chord and chord progression is the next that may be called 1-string bridging (where we utilize terminology from the post 72, like internal external bridges and 1-string melodic sub-themes). Suppose that in the background it is playing the underlying chord by another instrument, and by your knowledge of the sounds of the fret-board, you find by instinct a note y1 on a string that fits the underlying chord x1x2x3. his means that y1 is one of the x1, x2, x3.
Then we play a bridge with chromatic or diatonic ripples (that is with intervals of 1 or 2 semitones) from y1 on the same string, either towards higher or lower to next center y2. Now if y1 is the middle x2 of the chord them y2 will be either x1 or x2, that is again a note of the chord. If y1 is either x1 or x3, then y2 will be a note of a 7th or 6th extension of the original chord. In jazz this is ok, in other words we are still fit to the underlying chord. This piece of the melodic improvisation is called 1-string sub-themes or 1-string bridges. When butterflying or rippling in this way we may determine that 2/3 of the time we are on notes y1, y2, and only 1/3 of the time on intermediate transient notes , so the overall bridge fits harmonically the underlying chord. It helps a lot if we know the song and its melody, which makes the rippling more confident. By continuing in this way as the underlying chords sound and change we have a nice rippling (that is of chromatic or diatonic melodic density) improvisation. We change of course strings, at some first notes y1, but all the action afterwards is withing one string which makes it easy to visualize and play without knowing positions of scales or arpeggios on the fret-board!
This technique of improvisation becomes even more easy and obvious if we area also the instrument playing the chords, in which case we see the notes x1x2x3 on the fret-board that we play and the 1-string bridging will become of course 2-strings bridging.
2.2) Scale butterflying improvisation (see post 55) . Here the chord progression is not strictly determined in advance , but the main invariant is a scale. Then butterflying is applied inside the scale, with skew-ascending or descending channels, or horizontal channels around a chord-area of the scale, or spikes. This is most often the improvisation by Buzuki in Greek folk music. A guitarist following the musician who improvises may try to find and sound in the background the appropriate chords bu this is quite unpredictable, as the main invariant of the improvisation is not a chord-progression but a scale, and the butterflying pattern (which is the main concern of the instrument improviser)
3) Finally practice chord-melody improvisation, that is played only by you. This would be chord-harping simulteneous with the solo, or alternating , only chord-harping (finger-picking) and then isolated melody playing or it would be genuine chord-melody with one composite chord for each note of the solo.
For the correlation of melodies with chords that fit to them, or conversely , melodies that can be improvised over a chord progression the next local concept is very significant: The closure of a chord: This is defined as the closed interval of notes from all the 12-tone (chromatic) scale) with lower end the lowest note of the chord, and highest end the highest note of the chord. The chord is assumed within an octave, and normal positions, 1st inversion, and 2nd inversion have different closures. It holds the next interesting theorem. If we define randomly a melody within a the closure of a chord in normal position and no other note outside it, with uniform probability of occurrence of any of the notes of the closure, then according to the local condition of fit of a piece of melody with a chord the only chord in normal position of the chords of the diatonic scale that would fit this melody is the one with this as its closure!. Or more generally of we define as probabilities of sounding a note on all the octave an equal value for all notes except at the notes of the chord X where we have as probability the double this value (e.g. sound each note of the octave once as a scaling that covers all the octave but the notes of the chord once more by just harping the chord) then any such random melody with this probability structure will have as its fitting underlying chord the chord X.
From the observable point of view it is accepted that there are 3 types of improvisation as far as the interaction of chords and melody is concerned.
1) Melody only improvisation, when the chords are known and are played by another musician or the band. (See e.g. Stephane Grappelli solo improvisations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfolUmLTRzM or Damjan Pejcinoski https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpnAobm_dws At any position of the background chord, either in root position or in any one of the 2 inversions, the transient notes may be in general and usually from the diatonic or other scales triads (see post 4) or diatonic or other scales tetra-chords (see post 50) with which we can extrapolate any of the intervals of two successive notes of the chord. Of course the different ways we can do it reflect the different diatonic or not scales that the chord belongs.Notice that in extending with a diatonic triad or tetra-chord the result may not be only a diatonic scale, but in general a scale made only from semitones and tones (see post 51) thus also melodic minor and 2nd melodic minor! In the case of course that all the chords of the chord progression belong to a single diatonic scale, then there exists an extension of the chords such that it is common to all chords of the chord progression, and is the invariant of tonality. But what we saying here is that each chord of the chord progression defines by itself at least one scale that includes notes outside the chord too! And by looking to the scales of posts 46, 50, 51, 52 we see that are plenty many scales (not modes!) that a single major, minor , diminished or augmented chord may belong
2) Alternating melody and chord sounding in the melody improvisation, played by the same guitarist (It is easier when the chords are known in advance). (See e.g.Sunga Joung https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgLFG4JAeDQ or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf1EjoGMuy0 )
3) Simultaneous sounding of chord and melody played by the same guitarist. It is easier when the essential underlying chords are known in advance. But if we count the chord plus melody as a new composite chord, the unpredictability of the melody makes the composite chords unpredictable too. This is called Chord-melody improvisation, and when observed it looks like a new chord (the composite chord of chord+melody) is playing one every note of the melody, or as a melody of chords. (see e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfCadxIPDOQ )
We talk at first about the improvisations of type 1) and 2).
Many East cultures improvisations techniques (e.g. Greek Buzuki improvisations taximi etc) are radically different from the Jazz improvisations. The next are 4 points that determine such improvisations together with the ways that differ say from Jazz improvisations.
1) They utilize a relatively small number of chords during the time of improvisations, and almost always, they are classical minor or major chords and rarely 7th dominant chords or diminished 7th chords. This gives a relatively very simple harmonic structure of the resulting musical sound. (As a contrast, Jazz is utilizing a very great number of different types of chords beyond major, minor and 7ths). So it is good to apply here in the improvisation a principle of simplest or minimal possible harmony but maximal different ways and different voices (positions) of the chords and melody.
2) The ratio of notes of the improvisation to the number of chords changes is big (or inversely the chord changes the number of notes of the melody small). This means that a single chord may sound for many measures, while the improvisation produces a great number of notes parallel to this chord. (As a contrast jazz improvisation changes the chords very often even within one measure, and the number of melody notes to the number of chord changes is small). Because of this, ALL the three notes of the chord are very often used, as the 3 centre notes of the improvisation and in between are utilized almost all other notes of a scale .The waving or butterflying between two centers is with intervals of 2nds (1, or 2 semitones) or more rarely 3rds (3 or 4 semitones). So the improvisation starts with one of the centres, plays around with butterflying (waves) and shifts gradually to an adjacent centre, does the same and then to the 3rd centre and does again the same. It may utilize trills in between, and even "ÿodelling" jumps to higher octaves of the same centre. For this reason, knowing the major, and minor 2-string triads, and the 3 different positions of a major or minor chord on the guitar fretboard (DAE system see e.g. posts 3,13, 16) , helps predicting where the 3 centers of the improvisation (major or minor chord) are placed. We may take advantage that the centers are 3 and the alternative positions of the chord are also 3, so the different positions of the chord giving for each string the three centers. We may improvise along one string only with small intervals of 2nd, waving or butterflying when moving from one center to another , and use the chord position as a gate to shift to another string (with intervals of 3rd or 4th) continuing in the next string again and repeating the process. A common trick (usual in Gypsy jazz) is to solo and wave one semitone away from the notes of the chord returning to the chord, which creates a tension-peace resolution effect. Improvising with background a chord does not mean necessarily that all the notes are in the chord or that are in a scale that has the chord, but it means, that the notes of the improvisation that are heard more time or louder too (centers) compared to the other notes are the notes of the chord. The way we move from the central notes of the chord e.g. a major chord R from one position of it to the next, can be defined with an altered chord of R e.g. R6, or Rmaj7 or R9 (see 5) below). In this kind of the improvisation one has always in his mind the chord which sounds parallel to the improvised melody and which lasts for long and this is easy as in addition the total number of chords of the song is rather very small. In addition while improvising when moving from one position of the chord to next, we may sound also the chord in each position, which makes an interesting mixture of improvised melody and chord sounding. At any position of the background chord, either in root position or in any one of the 2 inversions, the transient notes may be in general and usually from the diatonic or other scales triads (see post 4) or diatonic or other scales tetra-chords (see post 50) with which we can extrapolate any of the intervals of two successive notes of the chord. Of course the different ways we can do it reflect the different diatonic or not scales that the chord belongs.Notice that in extending with a diatonic triad or tetra-chord the result may not be only a diatonic scale, but in general a scale made only from semitones and tones (see post 51) thus also melodic minor and 2nd melodic minor! In the case of course that all the chords of the chord progression belong to a single diatonic scale, then there exists an extension of the chords such that it is common to all chords of the chord progression, and is the invariant of tonality. But what we saying here is that each chord of the chord progression defines by itself at least one scale that includes notes outside the chord too! And by looking to the scales of posts 46, 50, 51, 52 we see that are plenty many scales (not modes!) that a single major, minor , diminished or augmented chord may belong
3) The changes in the durations of the notes of the improvisations are very big, ranging from whole note, to 1/32 or higher notes, as are used trills of instruments with double strings (like Buzuki). But besides trills, there are very often "bursts" or "explosions", where the improvised melody from very slow goes abruptly really fast with 2 or more orders of power of 2 of subdivisions of note duration. Such "explotions" are often in Gypsy jazz improvisations too.
(See e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvCwj8NWclc)
4) If the chord progression has particular clear rhythm, then the improvisation obviously has to follow, this rhythm at least in some parts of the improvised melody.
5) This remark is mainly useful in song composition but in very skilled improvisation too . An alternative way to perceive and define the waving of the improvisation between and around some basic simple chords and their 3 positions as in 1),2),3),4) is the next . It is met most often in western Jazz and Gypsu Jazz . The technique is to have conversely a maximal number of altered chords, (e.g. one chord every measure) while the main non-altered chords are usually of classical type R, Rm, are still a small number, and then make the waving or butterflying always within the notes of the altered chords of the enriched chord progression. (see e.g. post 2) This method gives by an extended and enriched harmony of the enriched chord progression, a stong control over he melody of the improvisation. The way to insert intervals of 2nd in this way of improvisation is through 7th and 6th chords: Minor 2nd (1 semitone) with Rmaj7 Rm9 and R7b9 chords and major 2nd ( 2 semitones) with R7, Rm7, R6, Rm6 chords. In such improvisation is common substituting simple R, Rm chords mainly with Rm7b5, R7b5,
(e.g. see this technique in Gypsy jazz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6efwF6xvWnw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5I_3tSycMg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW77D0RhZpA
etc)
The structure of such altered chords for improvisation with their arpeggios is the next
Backround chord R : improvised arpeggio of R6=1,3,5,6
Backround chord Rm : improvised arpeggio of Rm6=1,b3,5,6
Backround chord R : improvised arpeggio of Rmaj7=1,3,5,7
Backround chord R : improvised arpeggio of R9=1,3,5,b7,9
Backround chord Rm : improvised arpeggio of Rm9=1,b3,5,b7,9
Backround chord R : improvised arpeggio of R7b9=1,3,5,b7,b9
Backround chord Rm : improvised arpeggio of Rm7b5=1,b3,b5,b7
Backround chord R : improvised arpeggio of R7b5=1,3,b5,b7
Backround chord Rm : improvised arpeggio of Rmmaj7=1,b3,5,7
Backround chord R : improvised arpeggio of R7#5=1,3,#5,b7
Backround chord R : improvised arpeggio of R6add9=1,3,5,6,9
Backround chord Rm : improvised arpeggio of Rmadd9=1,b3,5,9
Backround chord Rm : improvised arpeggio of Rdim7=1,b3,b5, 6
Backround chord R : improvised arpeggio of Raug=1,3,#5
In summary as we may observe, the above way is to utilize selectively also , the b5, 5#, 6, b7 or 7, b9 or 9 (=b2, 2) steps of the chords too. If R=C that is the chord CEG, it would be to use also the steps in the improvisation ,Db, D, Gb, G#, A, Bb, B. But we do it in such a way each time, that the steps define an harmonically recognizable chord, which gives an harmonic flavour to the improvisation.
Backround chord Rm : improvised arpeggio of Rm6=1,b3,5,6
Backround chord R : improvised arpeggio of Rmaj7=1,3,5,7
Backround chord R : improvised arpeggio of R9=1,3,5,b7,9
Backround chord Rm : improvised arpeggio of Rm9=1,b3,5,b7,9
Backround chord R : improvised arpeggio of R7b9=1,3,5,b7,b9
Backround chord Rm : improvised arpeggio of Rm7b5=1,b3,b5,b7
Backround chord R : improvised arpeggio of R7b5=1,3,b5,b7
Backround chord Rm : improvised arpeggio of Rmmaj7=1,b3,5,7
Backround chord R : improvised arpeggio of R7#5=1,3,#5,b7
Backround chord R : improvised arpeggio of R6add9=1,3,5,6,9
Backround chord Rm : improvised arpeggio of Rmadd9=1,b3,5,9
Backround chord Rm : improvised arpeggio of Rdim7=1,b3,b5, 6
Backround chord R : improvised arpeggio of Raug=1,3,#5
In summary as we may observe, the above way is to utilize selectively also , the b5, 5#, 6, b7 or 7, b9 or 9 (=b2, 2) steps of the chords too. If R=C that is the chord CEG, it would be to use also the steps in the improvisation ,Db, D, Gb, G#, A, Bb, B. But we do it in such a way each time, that the steps define an harmonically recognizable chord, which gives an harmonic flavour to the improvisation.
Notice that applying improvisation with the previous technique, does not require learning the various positions of scales, or the arpeggios of chords. Especially the arpeggios here are redundant as all notes of an arpeggio of a chord on the highest 3 or 4 strings that do not belong to the chord shape, within the arpeggio are essential notes of the chord shape in one or both of the other two positions of the chord. But it does require the easier task of learning the 3 positions of each chord, in the guitar fretboard. The rules of memory though assure that learning first the 3 equivalent positions of a chord is easier than learning all the notes of the fretboard, or all the positions of many scales, or all the arpeggios of the chords
In the next video improvisation is conceived as a composition rather than a skill, and it is advised to pass the "improvised composition" first through our mental singing ability before it is realized on the instrument
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-pO0LArVh8
LIQUID 4-STRINGS HARMONY OR LIQUID-CHORD AND MELODY IMPROVISATION:
This technique is by far more abstract, thus powerful. It is not based on memorized chord-shapes! The chord-shapes are continuously changing even for the same chord inside and area of 4-5 frets and are created on the going with the melody! Both the melody is played but at the same time the chord behind the melody too. It is played so that the melody is always the highest pitch note, the root of the chord the lowest pitch note, and the 2 intermediate notes again notes of the chord. One finger is used for the melody and 3-fingers for the chord. It is always sounding at most 4 notes, of 4 strings. Notice that finding and playing these fingerings of e.g. 1st chord Cmajor harmonizing any note of the C major scale, from higher C to lower C, is not the same as just finding the fingerings of the chords Cmaj7, C7, C6, Cadd11, Cadd9, because of the condition of having the note of the melody always the highest pitch, the root unchanged as fret position and because we descend 2 octaves rather than one. Most of the times the resulting chord may not have any known symbol, and so also its shape may not be any known chord shape.Nevertheless the classification of the fretboard shapes of the 8 types of chords as in post 28 is useful in practicing this type of beautiful chord-melody improvisation. From the videos in post 37, that describes this techniques of improvisation called chord-melody, we may deduce that the chords that harmonize behind the melody are always of one of the next 4 types: Rmaj7, Rm7, R7, Rm7b5 with one (or rarely two) notes (but never the root) each time missing and substituted by the note of the melody. Of course we can restrict the technique to have background chords for the melody only R, Rm, with one (or rarely two) notes (but never the root) each time missing and substituted by the note of the melody. We may also change the background chord in such a way, that the note of the melody is always also a note of the chord. For this the classification of shapes in post 38 is useful.
For this wonderful technique see e.g. post 37
Here is a very simpler but also beautiful way to create chord-melodies from chord progressions. The melody is a simple oscillation (waving or butterflying) around the highest note of the chord with intervals of 2nd or 3rd. We may enhance this method by choosing different inversions of the same chord so that the desired note is always the highest in the chord.
If the chord is at root position, transient notes at intervals of 6th, and 7th from the root sound harmonically better!
At any position of the background chord, either in root position or in any one of the 2 inversions, the transient notes may be in general and usually from the diatonic or other scales triads (see post 4) or diatonic or other scales tetra-chords (see post 50) with which we can extrapolate any of the intervals of two successive notes of the chord. Of course the different ways we can do it reflect the different diatonic or not scales that the chord belongs.Notice that in extending with a diatonic triad or tetra-chord the result may not be only a diatonic scale, but in general a scale made only from semitones and tones (see post 51) thus also melodic minor and 2nd melodic minor! In the case of course that all the chords of the chord progression belong to a single diatonic scale, then there exists an extension of the chords such that it is common to all chords of the chord progression, and is the invariant of tonality. But what we saying here is that each chord of the chord progression defines by itself at least one scale that includes notes outside the chord too! And by looking to the scales of posts 46, 50, 51, 52 we see that are plenty many scales (not modes!) that a single major, minor , diminished or augmented chord may belong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBkIDXscSCo
Let us make some remarks about classical 4-voice harmony, fugue contrapuntal, and harmonic cannons. This strictly speaking is considered historically as pro-classical music that is almost the only music that was in fashion before the 18th century where the concept of 3-notes or 4-notes chords was not that central or was not discovered yet.
Classical 4-voices harmony is based roughly speaking on the idea, of writing 4 melodies within a diatonic scale so that the 4 voices make either a chord triad (one note repeats) or a 4-chord (7nth) of the diatonic scale. So instead of having one instrument playing the chord and a second playing the melody, we have 4 instruments that only all together they play the chord, while each one is playing a melody.
Nevertheless this means that the voices are 3 or 4 semitones apart (interval of 3rd)
so all pitch dynamic patterns are similar (with some small exceptions when 2nd 3rd and 4th voices exchange roles). This may seem poor freedom in the pitch and rhythmic dynamics of the 4 melodies.
A next step in this freedom is the fugues contrapuntal (e.g. as in J. S. Bach). Here each voice or instrument is playing its own melody, with different morphological pitch dynamic pattern from the rest of the 3 other voices. (For morphological pitch dynamic and rhythmic patterns see posts 18,19). Usually a melodic pattern is started from one of the voices and it is passed to another voices and so one. While one voice is playing the melodic pattern the other 3 add less in number notes and without the rhythmic pattern of the melodic pattern so that a 3-notes or 4-notes chord is shaped, and still all voices play different morphology of melody. Or while a voice is playing the melodic pattern the other voices do not sound at all or only another voices is sounding. It is not very difficult to modify slightly the 4 voices so most often either only one sounds at each note , or only 2 sound , in an interval of the used scale or move fast with many notes in which case the ear does not harmony, and rarely when all three or four have notes that sound simultaneously usually called centers of the melody because they sound longer, then it is always a 3-notes chord or 4-notes chord of the scale. If an initial chord progression is defined in advanced this is not as easy to design for the 3 or 4 voices-melodies but becomes easy if we allow for the chord-progression repetitions of the chords and probably extension with more chords (chords butterflying). Of course it may be easier to create at first one melody, then vary it without changing its centers to different melodies with different morphology, and then put them together according to their centers and the chord progression , possibly modifying them slightly. In other words the greater freedom of the 4 voices requires that they shape 3-notes or 4-notes chords only at selected notes (centers) that sound usually longer and not always. Another simpler idea is to take only the basic theme of the melody, and create many simultaneous harmonic variations of it that when played simultaneously create at the centers different chords of the scale. Then combine in sequence the theme and its variations, and pass the theme to another voice when the variations of the first voice sound. And the same with all voices. An additional element that connects now the 4 voices is not the harmonic union in a 3-notes or 4-notes chord of the scale but the passing from a voice to another of the central melodic pattern which repeats like a phrase in a dialogue of 4 people that repeat it non-simultaneously. See e.g.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAP5fL84sKw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HohFSu9H49A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S2pm1g70DI
Concepts of J.S. Bach compositions
http://www.lchr.org/a/5/ax/bach_concepts.htm
A more symmetric idea is that of a Harmonic cannon which is in between the classical 4 voice harmony of 4 -voices with the same pitch dynamic pattern and the freedom of a fugue . In the harmonic cannon the 4 voices are intended to be almost the same but they start at different times with a delay of each relative to the other.
See e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlprozGcs80
Each theme of a melody consists of a plot or sequence of the 4 basic moves (see post 59) which by itself says an emotional story without the help of the harmony. If we have (as here we assume we do) an underlying chord progression, then utilizing almost all the notes of the chords for the theme, and defining a theme for each of the 3 types of chord transitions creates a set of themes for the melody and this makes the creation of the melody easy. Alternatively we may define a theme for each type of emotion, sad, joy, anxiety or serenity, or a theme for each type of chord respectively minor (sad) major (happy), 7nth or diminished or augmented (anxiety) and r5 (serenity.) The chord progression serves as a way to transform and make variations of the themes. The notes of the simplicial submelody are the centers of the melody that sound longer and are usually the tops and bottoms of the 4 basic melodic moves that create the themes of the melody but also the notes of the underlying chord. While the chord progression serves as a way to transform and make variations of these themes.
For the correlation of melodies with chords that fit to them, or conversely , melodies that can be improvised over a chord progression the next local concept is very significant: The closure of a chord: This is defined as the closed interval of notes from all the 12-tone (chromatic) scale) with lower end the lowest note of the chord, and highest end the highest note of the chord. The chord is assumed within an octave, and normal positions, 1st inversion, and 2nd inversion have different closures. It holds the next interesting theorem. If we define randomly a melody within a the closure of a chord and no other note outside it, with uniform probability of occurrence of any of the notes of the closure, then according to the local condition of fit of a piece of melody with a chord the only chord that would fit this melody is the one with this as its closure!.Or more generally if we define as probabilities of sounding a note on all the octave an equal value for all notes except at the notes of the chord X where we have as probability the double this value (e.g. sound each note of the octave once as a scaling that covers all the octave but the notes of the chord once more by just harping the chord) then any such random melody with this probability structure will have as its fitting underlying chord the chord X.
Some instructive remarks in the composition of the melody based on the chord progression
1) In the part of the chord progression with minor chords, utilize descending melodic moves so that sadness from melody and sadness from harmony fit. Similarly ascending melodic moves for major chords.
2) In the sad melody parts of the melody (and minor chords) utilize rhythmic patterns that start with faster notes and end with slower notes, and the reverse for the happy part (and major chords).
3) In a triad or 7 nth 4-notes chord the most characteristic notes are the middle 2nd note (in 1-3-5 interval notation is the 3) and the 7 nth (if it exists). So for the anxiety part of the melodic moves we may utilize 1-semitone trills around these two notes, or waving with 1 or 2 semitones steps and notes outside the chord in the interval of minor 3rd (3 semitones) of the chord. Alternatively instead of trill or small amplitude waves we may utilize chromatic monotone scaling by steps of 1 semitone , or scaling with steps by intervals of 2nd of the scale, that go from these previous notes of the chord to the same such notes in the next octave. But always make sure that the notes of the chord sound in the average longer, than the notes of these anxiety transition moves with notes outside the chord.
4) Alternate up (happy) and down (sad) pitch moves , or chromatic moves (anxiety), with harmonic (on chord notes) moves (serenity-harmony).
5) Utilize at least 2 octaves, or even 3 for the melodic moves repeating the notes of the underlying chord on the next octaves , so there is sufficient space for melodic moves, to express with sufficiency the emotions.
6) For the duality of emotions anxiety-serenity, it may be utilized also harmonic waves or monotone scaling over 2 octaves at least, on the notes of the chord, but also chromatic trill wave over the notes of this wave or scaling (modulated wave on wave or move) and then return to the pure harmonic wave or scaling on the notes of the chord.
DEFAULT MELODIES FOR A CHORD PROGRESSION.
Given a chord progression it is direct how to create a melody that fits the chords, with the following rules
1) During each chord, the entry note of the simplicial submelody , is the middle note of the chord.
2) During each chord, the exit note of the simplicial submelody (two notes per chord here), for major chords (including 7nth chords and extensions) is the upper note of the chord, for minor, diminished and augmented chords it is the lower note of the chord.
3) During the chord the melody follows an harmonic theme in one or more octaves span, in other words from notes of the chords, and is walking the chord by a spike, straight scaling or waving (these are parameters for the composer or improviser to choose) from middle and down to up (joy) if the chord is major, or from middle and upper to down (sadness) if it is minor, diminished or augmented. If the chord is simply major or minor we may enhance its harmony by extending it with its upper and lower relatives thus by an interval of 3rd at the highest note and up , or at the lowest note and lower (in normal position). In other words making it a chord with 6th and/or 7nth.
4) At chord transitions x->y , the melody utilizes a dense melodic move (anxiety), with steps from 1 or 2 semitones, and within a scale (including the chromatic 12-notes scale) from the exit note of x of to the entry note of y , of the simplicial submelody.
5) The harmonic move lasts longer than the transitional dense melodic move , as the latter takes less than 30% of the duration of x, and y.
From the rule of local fitness of a melody to a chord progression , such a default melody will fit the chord progression.
7) A chromatic wave by 1-semitones steps or all notes of the scale (steps by intervals of 2nd) that goes up and down at least 2 octaves, corresponds to a chord sub-progression of the song , of our choice that utilizes almost all the chords of the scale!
There are exactly 12 of characteristic tetra-chords (=4-notes sub-scales) containing intervals of 1,2,3, and where inverses and cyclic permutations of them do not count as different
Diatonic
2-2-1, (major)
2-2-2, (major, augmented)
2-1-2 (natural minor)
Melodic minor
1-2-1
Melodic double minor
2-1-1,
Harmonic minor
1-3-1
Harmonic double minor
1-2-3,
Diminished
3-3-3 , (diminished 7nth)
3-3-1,
Pentatonic
1-1-1, (Chromatic)
LATIN JAZZ AND HARMONIC BUTTERFLYING
(The post has not been written yet completely)
In the next video improvisation is conceived as a composition rather than a skill, and it is advised to pass the "improvised composition" first through our mental singing ability before it is realized on the instrument
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-pO0LArVh8
LIQUID 4-STRINGS HARMONY OR LIQUID-CHORD AND MELODY IMPROVISATION:
This technique is by far more abstract, thus powerful. It is not based on memorized chord-shapes! The chord-shapes are continuously changing even for the same chord inside and area of 4-5 frets and are created on the going with the melody! Both the melody is played but at the same time the chord behind the melody too. It is played so that the melody is always the highest pitch note, the root of the chord the lowest pitch note, and the 2 intermediate notes again notes of the chord. One finger is used for the melody and 3-fingers for the chord. It is always sounding at most 4 notes, of 4 strings. Notice that finding and playing these fingerings of e.g. 1st chord Cmajor harmonizing any note of the C major scale, from higher C to lower C, is not the same as just finding the fingerings of the chords Cmaj7, C7, C6, Cadd11, Cadd9, because of the condition of having the note of the melody always the highest pitch, the root unchanged as fret position and because we descend 2 octaves rather than one. Most of the times the resulting chord may not have any known symbol, and so also its shape may not be any known chord shape.Nevertheless the classification of the fretboard shapes of the 8 types of chords as in post 28 is useful in practicing this type of beautiful chord-melody improvisation. From the videos in post 37, that describes this techniques of improvisation called chord-melody, we may deduce that the chords that harmonize behind the melody are always of one of the next 4 types: Rmaj7, Rm7, R7, Rm7b5 with one (or rarely two) notes (but never the root) each time missing and substituted by the note of the melody. Of course we can restrict the technique to have background chords for the melody only R, Rm, with one (or rarely two) notes (but never the root) each time missing and substituted by the note of the melody. We may also change the background chord in such a way, that the note of the melody is always also a note of the chord. For this the classification of shapes in post 38 is useful.
For this wonderful technique see e.g. post 37
Here is a very simpler but also beautiful way to create chord-melodies from chord progressions. The melody is a simple oscillation (waving or butterflying) around the highest note of the chord with intervals of 2nd or 3rd. We may enhance this method by choosing different inversions of the same chord so that the desired note is always the highest in the chord.
If the chord is at root position, transient notes at intervals of 6th, and 7th from the root sound harmonically better!
At any position of the background chord, either in root position or in any one of the 2 inversions, the transient notes may be in general and usually from the diatonic or other scales triads (see post 4) or diatonic or other scales tetra-chords (see post 50) with which we can extrapolate any of the intervals of two successive notes of the chord. Of course the different ways we can do it reflect the different diatonic or not scales that the chord belongs.Notice that in extending with a diatonic triad or tetra-chord the result may not be only a diatonic scale, but in general a scale made only from semitones and tones (see post 51) thus also melodic minor and 2nd melodic minor! In the case of course that all the chords of the chord progression belong to a single diatonic scale, then there exists an extension of the chords such that it is common to all chords of the chord progression, and is the invariant of tonality. But what we saying here is that each chord of the chord progression defines by itself at least one scale that includes notes outside the chord too! And by looking to the scales of posts 46, 50, 51, 52 we see that are plenty many scales (not modes!) that a single major, minor , diminished or augmented chord may belong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBkIDXscSCo
Let us make some remarks about classical 4-voice harmony, fugue contrapuntal, and harmonic cannons. This strictly speaking is considered historically as pro-classical music that is almost the only music that was in fashion before the 18th century where the concept of 3-notes or 4-notes chords was not that central or was not discovered yet.
Classical 4-voices harmony is based roughly speaking on the idea, of writing 4 melodies within a diatonic scale so that the 4 voices make either a chord triad (one note repeats) or a 4-chord (7nth) of the diatonic scale. So instead of having one instrument playing the chord and a second playing the melody, we have 4 instruments that only all together they play the chord, while each one is playing a melody.
Nevertheless this means that the voices are 3 or 4 semitones apart (interval of 3rd)
so all pitch dynamic patterns are similar (with some small exceptions when 2nd 3rd and 4th voices exchange roles). This may seem poor freedom in the pitch and rhythmic dynamics of the 4 melodies.
A next step in this freedom is the fugues contrapuntal (e.g. as in J. S. Bach). Here each voice or instrument is playing its own melody, with different morphological pitch dynamic pattern from the rest of the 3 other voices. (For morphological pitch dynamic and rhythmic patterns see posts 18,19). Usually a melodic pattern is started from one of the voices and it is passed to another voices and so one. While one voice is playing the melodic pattern the other 3 add less in number notes and without the rhythmic pattern of the melodic pattern so that a 3-notes or 4-notes chord is shaped, and still all voices play different morphology of melody. Or while a voice is playing the melodic pattern the other voices do not sound at all or only another voices is sounding. It is not very difficult to modify slightly the 4 voices so most often either only one sounds at each note , or only 2 sound , in an interval of the used scale or move fast with many notes in which case the ear does not harmony, and rarely when all three or four have notes that sound simultaneously usually called centers of the melody because they sound longer, then it is always a 3-notes chord or 4-notes chord of the scale. If an initial chord progression is defined in advanced this is not as easy to design for the 3 or 4 voices-melodies but becomes easy if we allow for the chord-progression repetitions of the chords and probably extension with more chords (chords butterflying). Of course it may be easier to create at first one melody, then vary it without changing its centers to different melodies with different morphology, and then put them together according to their centers and the chord progression , possibly modifying them slightly. In other words the greater freedom of the 4 voices requires that they shape 3-notes or 4-notes chords only at selected notes (centers) that sound usually longer and not always. Another simpler idea is to take only the basic theme of the melody, and create many simultaneous harmonic variations of it that when played simultaneously create at the centers different chords of the scale. Then combine in sequence the theme and its variations, and pass the theme to another voice when the variations of the first voice sound. And the same with all voices. An additional element that connects now the 4 voices is not the harmonic union in a 3-notes or 4-notes chord of the scale but the passing from a voice to another of the central melodic pattern which repeats like a phrase in a dialogue of 4 people that repeat it non-simultaneously. See e.g.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAP5fL84sKw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HohFSu9H49A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S2pm1g70DI
Concepts of J.S. Bach compositions
http://www.lchr.org/a/5/ax/bach_concepts.htm
A more symmetric idea is that of a Harmonic cannon which is in between the classical 4 voice harmony of 4 -voices with the same pitch dynamic pattern and the freedom of a fugue . In the harmonic cannon the 4 voices are intended to be almost the same but they start at different times with a delay of each relative to the other.
See e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlprozGcs80
We summarize the basic concerns in the melodic improvisation and composition of a voice or melody (similar to the syntax of phrase with subject verb and object etc).
1) Always use a finite set of melody motives , themes or moves. A theme may consists of the basic 4 melodic moves. (The theme entity for melodies is so important as the chord in harmony. A theme can be inside a chord or over a chord transition. Conversely any of the 3 types of chord transitions may define a theme for the melody, thus a finite set of themes for a chord progression)
2) Transform these melodic themes or moves which will be the invariant of their transformations. The simpler the themes the easier the transformations.
3) Close it by returning to the initial theme.
The ways to transform a theme are at least the next 5 and combinations of them
1) Translate it in different pitches (within a scale or not changing possibly the pitch distances )
2) Translate in time (repeat it)
3) Invert it in time or change its rhythm (if at the begging is slower and at the end faster it will be now the reverse etc)
4) Invert it or distort it in pitch (Create 1st 2nd 3rd or 4th voice versions, utilizing the chord progression as rules of transformation of the theme, or if it is ascending now it will be descending etc)
5) Change it as morphology (from a non-waving ascending it may become waving ascending or iso-kratic) . We prefer spikes and scaling as the main morphological types, while the waving and isokratic as intermediate bridges.
Of course if we want more elementary classification of the pitch moves compared to the 4-basic melodic moves (like not analyzing substances to their chemical type but resort t the 3 elementary particles of electron , neutron and proton), then there are only 3-types a) the (non-waving) up move of pitch (upward vector) , b) the (non-waving) down move of pitch (downward vector) c) and the sustained sounding of a note (horizontal vector)
Of course if we want more elementary classification of the pitch moves compared to the 4-basic melodic moves (like not analyzing substances to their chemical type but resort t the 3 elementary particles of electron , neutron and proton), then there are only 3-types a) the (non-waving) up move of pitch (upward vector) , b) the (non-waving) down move of pitch (downward vector) c) and the sustained sounding of a note (horizontal vector)
For the correlation of melodies with chords that fit to them, or conversely , melodies that can be improvised over a chord progression the next local concept is very significant: The closure of a chord: This is defined as the closed interval of notes from all the 12-tone (chromatic) scale) with lower end the lowest note of the chord, and highest end the highest note of the chord. The chord is assumed within an octave, and normal positions, 1st inversion, and 2nd inversion have different closures. It holds the next interesting theorem. If we define randomly a melody within a the closure of a chord and no other note outside it, with uniform probability of occurrence of any of the notes of the closure, then according to the local condition of fit of a piece of melody with a chord the only chord that would fit this melody is the one with this as its closure!.Or more generally if we define as probabilities of sounding a note on all the octave an equal value for all notes except at the notes of the chord X where we have as probability the double this value (e.g. sound each note of the octave once as a scaling that covers all the octave but the notes of the chord once more by just harping the chord) then any such random melody with this probability structure will have as its fitting underlying chord the chord X.
Summarizing in simplistic way the correspondence of melodic pitch dynamics and the 4-basic emotions in music (joy, sadness, anxiety, serenity) we have
1) Up pitch moves correspond to joy
2) Down pitch moves to sadness
3) Small pitch intervals of 1 or 2 semitones (chromatic or interval of 2nd) correspond to anxiety
4) Large pitch intervals (e.g. 4th, 5th octave etc) correspond to harmony and serenity.
Some instructive remarks in the composition of the melody based on the chord progression
1) In the part of the chord progression with minor chords, utilize descending melodic moves so that sadness from melody and sadness from harmony fit. Similarly ascending melodic moves for major chords.
2) In the sad melody parts of the melody (and minor chords) utilize rhythmic patterns that start with faster notes and end with slower notes, and the reverse for the happy part (and major chords).
3) In a triad or 7 nth 4-notes chord the most characteristic notes are the middle 2nd note (in 1-3-5 interval notation is the 3) and the 7 nth (if it exists). So for the anxiety part of the melodic moves we may utilize 1-semitone trills around these two notes, or waving with 1 or 2 semitones steps and notes outside the chord in the interval of minor 3rd (3 semitones) of the chord. Alternatively instead of trill or small amplitude waves we may utilize chromatic monotone scaling by steps of 1 semitone , or scaling with steps by intervals of 2nd of the scale, that go from these previous notes of the chord to the same such notes in the next octave. But always make sure that the notes of the chord sound in the average longer, than the notes of these anxiety transition moves with notes outside the chord.
4) Alternate up (happy) and down (sad) pitch moves , or chromatic moves (anxiety), with harmonic (on chord notes) moves (serenity-harmony).
5) Utilize at least 2 octaves, or even 3 for the melodic moves repeating the notes of the underlying chord on the next octaves , so there is sufficient space for melodic moves, to express with sufficiency the emotions.
6) For the duality of emotions anxiety-serenity, it may be utilized also harmonic waves or monotone scaling over 2 octaves at least, on the notes of the chord, but also chromatic trill wave over the notes of this wave or scaling (modulated wave on wave or move) and then return to the pure harmonic wave or scaling on the notes of the chord.
DEFAULT MELODIES FOR A CHORD PROGRESSION.
Given a chord progression it is direct how to create a melody that fits the chords, with the following rules
1) During each chord, the entry note of the simplicial submelody , is the middle note of the chord.
2) During each chord, the exit note of the simplicial submelody (two notes per chord here), for major chords (including 7nth chords and extensions) is the upper note of the chord, for minor, diminished and augmented chords it is the lower note of the chord.
3) During the chord the melody follows an harmonic theme in one or more octaves span, in other words from notes of the chords, and is walking the chord by a spike, straight scaling or waving (these are parameters for the composer or improviser to choose) from middle and down to up (joy) if the chord is major, or from middle and upper to down (sadness) if it is minor, diminished or augmented. If the chord is simply major or minor we may enhance its harmony by extending it with its upper and lower relatives thus by an interval of 3rd at the highest note and up , or at the lowest note and lower (in normal position). In other words making it a chord with 6th and/or 7nth.
4) At chord transitions x->y , the melody utilizes a dense melodic move (anxiety), with steps from 1 or 2 semitones, and within a scale (including the chromatic 12-notes scale) from the exit note of x of to the entry note of y , of the simplicial submelody.
5) The harmonic move lasts longer than the transitional dense melodic move , as the latter takes less than 30% of the duration of x, and y.
From the rule of local fitness of a melody to a chord progression , such a default melody will fit the chord progression.
7) A chromatic wave by 1-semitones steps or all notes of the scale (steps by intervals of 2nd) that goes up and down at least 2 octaves, corresponds to a chord sub-progression of the song , of our choice that utilizes almost all the chords of the scale!
There are exactly 12 of characteristic tetra-chords (=4-notes sub-scales) containing intervals of 1,2,3, and where inverses and cyclic permutations of them do not count as different
Diatonic
2-2-1, (major)
2-2-2, (major, augmented)
2-1-2 (natural minor)
Melodic minor
1-2-1
Melodic double minor
2-1-1,
Harmonic minor
1-3-1
Harmonic double minor
1-2-3,
Diminished
3-3-3 , (diminished 7nth)
3-3-1,
Pentatonic
3-3-2,
2-2-3
Other2-2-3
LATIN JAZZ AND HARMONIC BUTTERFLYING
This butterflying is very often utilizing intervals of 3rds (3 or 4 semitones) and 4ths (5 semitones) and their complementary (6th, 8 and 9 semitones and 5th, 7 semitones when changing octave too), thus it is ascending or descending chords (chord-scales or chord-arpeggios , that is why it is called harmonic butterflying) and it is thus chord-harping too, but it involves also intervals of 2nd (1 or 2 semitones) which correspond to chord transitions. A hidden simplicity or invariant in this butterflying is obviously the underlying chord. This butterflying maybe of waving type of melodic move but the amplitudes of the waves may be intervals of 3rds (3 or 4 semitones) and 4ths (5 semitones), instead of intervals of 1 or 2 semitones as in eastern folk music butterflying. And it can be of course of non-waving and monotone scaling type of melodic move . Obviously this butterflying prefers changing strings tuned by 4ths, rather than moving along a single string as in the Greek Bouzouki butterflying. If we move by an interval of 3rd lower to the root
(inside the scale) of a 3-note chord of the scale, we get a 4-note chord with 6th, which extends the initial 3-notes chord by its lower relative, and we get sounds as in Romani (Gypsy) Jazz.
(The post has not been written yet completely)
