THE TECHNIQUE OF GHOST CHORD IN CREATING MELODIC LINES ACCOMPANIED BY A CHORD BY UTILIZING THE NOTES OF THAT CHORD AND THE NOTES OF A SECOND GHOST CHORD AT AN INTERVAL OF 2ND OR 3RD OR 4TH CLOSE TO IT (CHROMATICALLY OR MELODICALLY OR HARMONICALLY RELATED CHORD)
We have discussed in other posts (see e.g. post 92 ,103 ,104, 183 and 364) the concept of chromatic or diatonic closure of a 3-notes chord or vector chord and how we can create melodic lines accompanyed by this chord with notes also from the other notes of the closure oft he chord.
Here we modify a little this technique and instead of utlizing the closure of a chord (e.g. instead of utilizing the [CM]=c-d-e-f-g, which is the closure of the chord CM=c-e-g in the C major diatonic scale) we utilize the neigbor chord Dm=d-f-a or Bdim =b-d-f. We may call it ghost-chord. But very often this chord is the next or the previous in the chord-progression of the song. We may also use 2 ghost chords the first a 2nd away and the second a 3rd away in t he same direction. In this way at each note ofthe initial chord is shapeb a threechord (3notes subscale).
It may even better be a relative chord (roots a third apart) in other words in a melodic relation to the basic chord, or a chord that the root is a 4th or 5th away, in other words in harmonic relation with the original. Obviously if the ghost chord is in melodic relation with the original, we utilize melodic themes inside three-chords over the notes ofthe original chord. If the ghost chord is in harmonic relation with the original, we utilize melodic themes inside tetrachords over the notes of the original chord. It is instructive of course to notice which tetrachords appear between the current chord and the ghost chord (see post 364).
The most obvioys choice of the ghost chord is the previous or next chord from the current in the chord progression. and the 2nd ghost chord thr relative chord a 3rd away in the same direction.
Each order of notes in normal position of the two chords (1st, 2ns, 3rd etc) define corresponding intervals (di-chords) , three-chords and tetrachords , where the melodic themes take place. (See also post 364).
It is quite obvious that when the ghost chord has a melodic relation (roots at a distance of interval of 3rd) the melodic themes are easier harmonized with the current chord because the 2 of the three notes ofthe three-chord are most often already inside the current chord.
In order to have that the final melodic theme will be still harmonizable by the initial chord (in the example the C major) it is required a timing and rhythm that gives at least 50% of the time of the melodic line to be of the notes of the initial chord.
This technique sounds even better if in the chord progression of the song, the previous or the next chord of the Cmajor is the Dm or the Bdim. But this is not necessary in general.
It is obvious that this technique can be used when we want the melodic line to be accompanied by 2 or 3 chords as in post 313 , we just apply it for each part of it that it is accomapnied by one of t he 2 or 3 chords.
We should remark that for hexatonic-scales harmonicas, that the blow row gives one chord and the draw raw another chord thiw techniques occurs naturally as we improvise in the harmonica, but we stay longer in the blow row or longer in the draw row.
It is obvious that this technique can be used when we want the melodic line to be accompanied by 2 or 3 chords as in post 313 , we just apply it for each part of it that it is accomapnied by one of t he 2 or 3 chords.
We should remark that for hexatonic-scales harmonicas, that the blow row gives one chord and the draw raw another chord thiw techniques occurs naturally as we improvise in the harmonica, but we stay longer in the blow row or longer in the draw row.
We may create such nice loops, of 2 chords and parallel melodic themes with arpeggiator application in ipad like chordion, dot melody, arpeggist , fugue machine, ioniarics polyrhitmic arpeggiator etc (see post 12 )
