We will develop here a second level of the improvisation where we improvise at first on the chord progression and parallel to it, based on the melodic centers we improvise on melodies. The melodic centers (simplicial sub-melody) are not too much more complicated than the chord progression.
For this end, we describe again the 3 wheels of chords, the chromatic, the one by intervals of 3rds and the one by intervals of 4ths, and 3 types of chord cycles from them, the short (3-chords), the middle (6-8 chords) and the full cycle (12-15 chords). In the wheel by 3rds there are 2 medium size sub-cycles (See below)
These subcycles of chords, for the chord progressions improvisation, play the roles that scales play for the solo improvisations!
(see also post 17 and post 32)
The most common scale of chords is a connected arc of chords in the wheel by 4ths. That is 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 chords , that each is a pure 4th (or pure 5th) away from the previous and it is either major or minor chord. Two such successive chords have one end-note in common. This is the equivalent of the traditional scale, and because the chords may turn from minor to major and vice versa, it is in fact a bundle of different scales with modulations between them. A simple way to improvise over such a "scale" of chords is to play the melody, go up and down according to the demands of the emotions, and then use the chords as areas around the main and more permanent notes of the melody (simplicial sub-melody or centers of the melody) , but putting these centers of the melody as middle notes usually (but not only) of the chords of the chord-scale. To be more certain for the good result we may alternate the melody with the chords, but use only chords of the predetermined scale of chords. (See also post 147 for combining melodic themes with chords)
We enlarge more on it.
A GOOD IMPROVISED OR COMPOSED CHORD PROGRESSION X(1) X(2) X(3),...X(N) IS ONE THAT HAS ONLY THE NEXT 3 CHORD-TRANSITIONS
1) X(I)->X(I+1) IS RESOLVING , THAT SUCCESSIVE IN THE WHEEL OF 4THS
OR ANY OF THE TWO HAS BEEN SUBSTITUTED WITH RELATIVE CHORD OF IT WITH 2 COMMON NOTES (ALTERNATING MINOR TO MAJOR OR VICE VERSA)
OR
2) X(I)->X(I+1) ARE RELATIVE CHORDS WITH 2 COMMON NOTES, ALTERNATING MINOR TO MAJOR OR VICE VERSA (SUCCESSIVE IN THE WHEEL OF 3RDS)
OR
3) X(I)->X(I+1) HAVE ROOTS IN DISTANCE OF ONE SEMITONE OR ONE TONE (SUCCESSIVE IN THE WHEEL OF 2NDS)
An example of such a chord-progression improvisation is the next progression, that can be played from the 4th neighborhood of the guitar to the first open chords neighborhood
Em->G->Bm->Bb->F->E7->Am->D7->Em->G->D->F#m->F->C->Em->D#->Bb->A7->D
Now we can extend these rules and at the same time simplified them for guitar players. We always assume playing only on the higher 4 strings of the guitar, and the chords are essentially the triads played only on the 3 higher strings.
A GOOD IMPROVISED OR COMPOSED CHORD PROGRESSION X(1) X(2) X(3),...X(N) IS ONE THAT HAS ONLY THE NEXT 2 CHORD-TRANSITIONS:
1) WHEN THE CHORDS ARE DISTANT IN DIFFERENT OCTAVES, THEN THE CHORD TRANSITION X(I)->X(I+1) MUST BE EITHER A) RESOLUTION AS SUCCESSIVE CHORDS IN THE WHEEL OF 4THS B) RELATIVES (ALTERNATING MINOR TO MAJOR AND VICE VERSA) AS SUCCESSIVE CHORDS IN THE WHEEL OF 3RDS. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE TRANSITIONS AS SUCCESSIVE CHORDS IN THE WHEEL OF 4THS ARE MUCH MORE THAN THE TRANSITIONS AS RELATIVE CHORDS
2) WHEN THE CHORDS, AND THEIR EXACT VOICING ON THE FRETBOARD, ARE IN THE SAME OCTAVE (AND WE DO NOT REDUCE THEM TO EQUIVALENT IN THE SAME OCTAVE) THEN THE CHORD TRANSITION X(I)->X(I+1) MUST BE SUCH THAT THEIR SHAPES AS PLAYED HAVE AT LEAST ONE FRET IN COMMON (MAYBE 2 OR 3 COMMON FRETS TOO AND MAYBE ONE, OR TWO NOTES IN COMMON). IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE TRANSITIONS AS SUCCESSIVE CHORDS IN THE WHEEL OF 4THS ARE MUCH MORE THAN THE TRANSITIONS AS RELATIVE CHORDS AND THE REST OF THE TRANSITIONS AS CHROMATIC TRANSITIONS WITH ROOTS ONE OR TWO SEMITONES APART, OR ONE ONLY COMMON FRET ARE MUCH LESS IN NUMBER. ALSO IF JOYFUL SONGS ARE INTENDED THEN AT LEAST 2/3 OF THE CHORDS ARE TO BE MAJOR AND LESS THAN 1/3 MINOR CHORDS. IN ADDITION THE PATTERN OF CHORD TRANSITIONS AS OF THE 3 BASIC TYPES MUST SOMEHOW REPEAT IN THE CHORD PROGRESSION EVEN WITH DIFFERENT CHORDS.
3) BASED ON THE IMPROVISED CHORD PROGRESSION, THEIR ARPEGGIOS DEFINE AT A SECONDARY ORGANIZATION LEVEL SECONDARY MELODIC AND SOLOING IMPROVISATION AT THE LEVEL OF NOTES NOW AND NOT CHORDS!
NOW WE DO NOT NEED TO PLAY ALL THE CHORDS OF AN IMPROVISED CHORD-PROGRESSION WITH EQUAL SIGNIFICANCE OR TIME DURATION. SOME CHORDS MAY BE GHOST-CHORDS
THE GENERAL PATTERN OF PROGRESSIONS WITH ALTERNATING CHORD-RELATIONS OF
CHROMATIC-MELODIC ,CHROMATIC-HARMONIC , HARMONIC-MELODIC , HARMONIC-HARMONIC, MELODIC-MELODIC, CHROMATIC-CHROMATIC CHORD-TRANSITIONS.
This is a progressions X1->X2->X3->...->Xn where the Xi->Xi+1 and Xi+1->Xi+2 is an alternation of chord relation and transitions of the chromatic-melodic , chromatic-harmonic, melodic-harmonic, chromatic-chromatic, melodic-melodic or harmonic-harmonic relations.
Such constant alternating patterns of chord relations somehow determine also that the melodic themes (either within a single chord or within a chord transition), are structured and translated or inverted or expanded with similarly alternating intervals of 2nd, 3rd or 4th/5th.
THE GENERAL PATTERN OF A CHROMATIC DOUBLE SCALE OF CHORDS
Here is an alternative way to produce not harmonic scales of chords (based on the harmonic relation of chords) but chromatic scales of chords based on the harmonic relation of chords but which still involve the other two chord relations the melodic and the harmonic
WE START WITH A CHROMATIC CADENZA OR ASCENZA in semitones 2->2->1 or 1-3-1 or 1-3-1-1-3-1 in harmonic and double harmonic minor scales, and we paralel chords rooted on such notes X1->X2->X3->X4 with chords
Y1->Y2->Y3->Y4, such that the relation of Xi with Yi is either in a relation of being relative chords (melodic relation of chords) or a 4th apart (harmonic relation of chords)
Of course the less total number of different chords that we may use is better and it sounds more familiar if such chords belong to an harmonic personality (diatonic or harmonic minor or double harmonic minor etc).We may use either minor or major chords.
TRIPLE ALTERNATION OF CHORD-TRANSITIONS
More generally and we paralel chords X1->X2->X3->...->Xn that are in one of the relations chromatic, melodic harmonic , with chords X1->X2->X3->...->Xn so that the relation of Xi with Yi is always constantly in one of the 3 basic relations relative chords (melodic relation of chords) or a 4th apart (harmonic relation of chords) .
When playing the scale as progression X1->Y1->X2->Y2->... it is equivalent with having a triple alternation of chord relation and transitions of the chromatic-melodic , chromatic-harmonic, melodic-harmonic, chromatic-chromatic, melodic-melodic or harmonic-harmonic relations and a third which is variable.
Such constant alternating patterns of chord relations somehow determine also that the melodic themes (either within a single chord or within a chord transition), are structured and translated or inverted or expanded with similarly alternating intervals of 2nd, 3rd or 4th/5th.
GHOST-CHORDS 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 diatonic progressions is the sequence (iii->vi->ii->V->I->IV->VII->iii), This progression leads from sadness to joy, from the triad of minor chords to the triad of major chords. In the symbolism of the 24-cycle of chords the diatonic scale is the arc of the next chords (x-2, X-1,x-1,X,x,X+1,x+1)=(vii,V,iii,I,vi,IV,ii). (see post 34).
There is also the inverse or descending diatonic progression which is the (I->V->ii->vi->iii->VII->IV->I)
In a diatonic scale, the triad of minor chords (sad triad) is the (iii->vi->ii) where the (iii, vi) and (vi,ii) are consecutive in the cycle of pure 4ths, with standard resolutions (iii7-> vi) , (vi7->ii) and the
(ii, iii) are complementary chords, in other words all of their notes give all the notes of the scale except one.
The triad of joy or triad of major chords is the (V, I, IV) , where the (V, I) and (I,IV) are consecutive in the cycle of pure 4ths, with standard resolutions (V7-> I) , (I7->IV) and the (IV, V) are complementary chords, in other words all of their notes give all the notes of the scale except one.
The bridge between these two triads is the well known jazz progression (ii7, V7, I) , where again the (ii, V) and (V,I) are consecutive in the cycle of pure 4ths, with standard resolutions (ii7-> V) , (V7->I), and the (ii, I) are complementary chords, in other words all of their notes give all the notes of the scale except one.
Alternative closures
The diatonic progression closes also to a cycle by utilizing the triad progressions
(IV->IV#7->VII7->iii) or (IV7->VIIb->vi).
Or IV->V7->I or IV->ii7->V7->I
Or IV->IVdim7->G7->I (see e.g, Bach prelude and Fugue C major, BWV 846)
Or IV->IV#dim7->VII7->iii
HERE IS THE 24-CHORDS CYCLE IN THE REVERSE ORDER BY 5TH RATHER THAN BY 4TH WHICH IS THE ACTUAL
WHEEL OF 4THS
1) The short
3-chords sub-cycle of the wheel of 4ths is a set of chords
X1, X2, X3 where the previous chords are successive in the wheel of 4ths but they may be either minor or major and alternating also. Thus there are 2^3=8 types of such small sub-cycles. Essentially they define a diatonic scale or a mode of it
2) The medium size sub-cycle is a sequence of
6-chords X1, X2, X3, X4 X5, X6, which they are again successive chords in the wheel of 4ths and again they may be either major or minor or alternating in any combination (e.g. two successive minor then one major etc).For this to be a sub-cycle, the X1, and X6 must differ in their root notes only a semitone. For the choices of major or minor there are 2^6 such types of sub-cycles. We may also add the possibility that they are dominant 7tnth or major 7nth chords, or chords with 6th etc.
3) Similarly the
4 or 5 successive chords in the wheel of 4ths
X1, X2, X3, X4 X5 maybe considered closing if X5 and X1 ar relative chords e.g.
Bm->Em->Am->Dm->G, as G and Bm are relative chords
But also the
4-chords sequence is also
Em->Am->Dm->G, as G and Em are relative chords.
1) The minimal 3-chords cycle.
This is 3 successive chords in the wheel of 4ths
e.g. G->C->F->G
or Em->Am->Dm->Em.
Slight enlargement to this is the Small 4 chords cycles of relatives mutation (by // we denote the relatives mutation)
Examples: A->D->G//Em or D->G->C//Am or G->C->F//Dm
2) Medium 6 chords cycles of chromatic mutation (by // we denote the chromatic mutation)
Examples: A->D->G//F#->Bm->E or A->D->G//F#->B7->Em
or A->D->G->C->F->Bb//A
D->G->C//B7-> Em->A7 or D->G->C//B7-> E->Am
G->C->F//E7->Am->D or G->C->F//E7->A->Dm
o
(Notice here that if we would restrict to a diatonic scale the cycle G->C->F//E7->Am->D or G->C->F//E7->A->Dm would be
G->C->F//Em7->Am->Dm .
This cycle can be extended to an 8-cycle in the following way:
The 6-cycle A->D->G->C->F->Bb//A can be extended to the 8-cycle
A->D->G->C->F->Bb->D#->Edim7->A
or the A->D->G//F#->Bm->E will become A->D->G->C->C#dim7->F#->Bm->E
With double chromatic mutation we have the progression 7-chords cycles
A->D->G//C#->F#->Bm->E or D7->G7->C7->F7->Bb//E7->A7, which also can be alternating in minor major: Dm7->G7->Cm->F7-<Bbm//E7->Am7 or D7->Gm7->C7->Fm7-<Bb//E7->Am7 etc.
See also the double Andaluzian cadenza above and the standard Jazz 7-chords progression
So the suggested cycles already contain a modulation that combines e.g. two diatonic scales o a diatonic and a harmonic minor etc, and is necessary so as to have 2/3 or more major chords in the chord progression. So the rule is: The 2/3 rule of major chords in the chord progression of 6 chords necessarily involves modulations, and cannot be conducted within a single diatonic scale!!!
C->F->Bb//A7->Dm->G or C->F->Bb//A7->D->Gm
etc.
Notice that an alternating even only or odd only sequence of chords in such 7 chords cycles with double chromatic mutation gives the Andaluzian cadenza and Jazz 7-chords progression.
Example of beautiful chord progressions that one can obtain with the above 6 or 7 chords cycles are the next with the next rules
1) All chords are from the above 7-cycle cycle with chromatic mutation and are with 7th chords
2) Any two successive chords are either successive in the above cycle ( that is successive in the wheel of 4th too or are in chromatic 1 semitone relation) or are relative chords, or inverses in order in the above relations
3) All successive chords alternating are minor then major or major then minor.
4) There is a starting and ending pair of chords which is successive in the wheel of 4ths and are both major chords.
An example of a chord progression with the above rules is the next
C7 F7 Bbm A7 Dm7 D7 Gm7 C7 Am7 D7 Gm7 C7 Am7 Bbmaj7 A7 Dm7 D7 Gm7 C7 Am7 F7 Dm7 A7 Am7 D7 Gm7 C7 F7.
When playing such chord progressions we may move slowly all the way up and then all the way down in th fretboard.
3) Full 12 chords cycle: A->D->G->C->F->Bb->D#(=Eb)->G#(=Ab)->C#(=Db)->F#->B->E
where at most 1/3 that is at most 4 chords can be minor chords.
WHEEL OF 3RDS
SOME EXAMPLES OF THE SMALL AND MEDIUM SUB-CYCLES
The next sequence of intervals (3333444)=(C,D#,F# ,A,C,E,G#,C) defines a closed cycle of 4 relative chords: Cdim7, Am ,Eaug, G#7=Ab7 They sound resolving in the next sequence Cdim7 Eaug Ab7 Am
The next sequence of intervals (3334434)=(C,D#,F#,A,C#,F,G#,C) defines a closed cycle of 7 relative chords: Cdim7, D#dim, F#m, Aaug, C#, Fm, G#
The 7 (8)-chords diatonic closed cycle of relative chords is the (4343343)=(CEGBDFAC) (with a slight repetition of G and G7):
C, Em,G, Bdim ,Dm, F,Am or
C, Em,G, Bm, G7 ,Dm, F,Am or
C, Em,G, Bm, D ,Dm, F,Am
and there are more such 8-chords cycles if we play with changing minor to major
e.g. C, Em,G, Bm, D, F#m , A, Am etc
or
C, Em,G, Gm , D, Dm F , Am
The 24-chords chromatic closed cycle of relative chords (434343434343434343434343):
G C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb B E A D
Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm Ebm Abm Dbm Gbm Bm
We may add two more series based on that mnot-major chords with the same root are relative chords too, so as to havea 2-dimensional grid based of the relation of relatives.
Gm Cm Fm Bbm Ebm Abm Dbm Gbm Bm Em Am Dm
G C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb B E A D
Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm Ebm Abm Dbm Gbm Bm
E A D G C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb B
This grid which is also a table as below shows clearly the chords that are harmonically in series(interval of 4th or 5th) and chords that are harmonically in parallel (intervals of 3rds or 6ths). But it does not show of course the relations of chords that are melodically in series
Gm
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Cm
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Fm
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Bbm
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Ebm
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Abm
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Dbm
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G
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C
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F
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Bb
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Eb
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Ab
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Db
|
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Em
|
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Am
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Dm
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Gm
|
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Cm
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Fm
|
|
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E
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A
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D
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G
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C
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F
|
|
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Gbm
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Bm
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Em
|
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Am
|
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Dm
|
|
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Gb
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B
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E
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A
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D
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Bbm
|
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Ebm
|
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Abm
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Dbm
|
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Gbm
|
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Bm
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Bb
|
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Eb
|
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Ab
|
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Db
|
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Gb
|
|
B
|
It is often very instructive to chart the chords of a song over this 24-cycle of relatives (or double cycle of 4ths) or the above 2-dimensional grid.
Most often a song is a sequence of connected intervals or arcs of chords in the cycle of 12ths shifting by relatives to a corresponding similar connected arc in the parallel cycle of 4th in the overall cycle of fifths. We call this concept a harmonic multi-tonality. Simple tonality is simply 3 -successive major chords in the 12-cycle of 4ths.
Conversely any connected sequence of arcs of chords of this 24-cycle of chords (defining harmonic multi-tonality), is the chord progression of a nice song with nice sounding modulations. Normally in harmonic multi-tonality we are keeping the qualities major-minor as in the 24-cycle but a more free approach allows altering them , from minor to major and vice versa or to more complicated qualities like 7th, 6ths etc. The same for chord progression for improvisation (see post 11) . To the rule of harmonic multi-tonality in the 24-cycle, we may allow as transition to a next chord, a shift by one semitone or tone of the root of the current chord. (see also post 30)
See also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRz73-lSKZA
TO ACCOMMODATE A SCALE OF CHORDS ORIENTED IMPROVISATION METHOD, A SPECIAL TUNING FOR THE 6-STRING GUITAR CAN BE GIVEN THAT REFLECTS THE WHEEL OF 3RDS.
OPTIMAL GUITAR TUNING FOR CHORDS PLAYING MAINLY
1.) An more optimal but unknown tuning for the 6-string guitar when chord-playing is the main target and not so much solo playing is and even better by alternating minor and major 3rds. In semitones for the 6 strings 4-3-4-3-4 or 3-4-3-4-3
E.g. Bb2- D3-F3-A3-C4-E4 or F2-A2-C3-E3-G3-B3 or A2-C3-E4-G4-B4-D4
THIS MAY BE CALLED THE HARMONIC TUNING OF THE GUITAR AS IT IS BASED ON THE HARMONIC 2-OCTAVES 7-NOTES SCALE (see also post 79)
The latter is the most natural open tuning. There the same shape for major and minor chords and only 3 of them and in only one or frets compared to the 6 in the standard tuning guitar. If we want also dominant and major 7nth chords we use again only 2 frets. The same with the aug chords Only the dim7 chords require 3 frets. Because of the symmetry of the tuning among the strings, the relations of relative chords and also chords in the wheel of 4ths is immediate to grasp also geometrically. Of course when we say shape of chords as it is standard in jazz, we do not play all 6-strings but only 3 or 4 strings.
Within 3 frets exist all chords of the 8-notes scale with interval structure 2-2-1-2-2-1-1-1 which is an extension and variation of the melodic double minor 2-2-1-1-1-1-2-2 or (1-1-1)-(2-2)-(2-2-1)
But also all chords of diatonic scale!
The easiness with which one can improvise melodies within a diatonic scale (all notes within 3 frets and in a very symmetric zig-zag pattern) together with 3-notes chords of the scale (gain all chord patterns within 3-frets) is unsuprassed.
At the same time , the easiness with which one can me diatonic scale modulations, chromatic (1 semitone apart) or by changing a minor to a major chord and vice versa and continuing in a relevant diatonic scale is unsurpassed again!
This harmonic tuning by alternating minor-major 3rds, allows, for all 4-notes chords of e.g. the D major scale in the 3rd octave (c3,d3,e3,f3,g3,a3,b3), Cmaj7->Em7->G7->Bm6->Dm7->Fmaj7->Am7 in 1st normal position across the fretboard, something not possible with the standard tuning of the guitar. In the standard guitar it is possible only by 2nd or 3rd inversion, or by shifting to the 4th octave or 2nd octave. Therefore there are important very natural voicing of the 4-notes chords of the 3rd octave that we miss with the standard tuning and it is in a single octave!
Other types of chromatic wheel of chords are the personalities defined by various musicologists.
(See post 36 )
According to musicologists of Jazz and Ethnic music (as appearing e.g. in music arrangement software like the music machines of Microsoft), the next progressions of chords (that cover the steps of the chromatic 12-tone scale) correspond to the next harmonic personalities.
This concept also can be considered as chromatic wheels of chords or chord-scales as described in post 83.
These tables give also a system to create chord progressions that cover (but not necessarily belong) any scale
But it is also a system to adopt a song from its original chord progression to another (as we may change a song from a minor mode to a major mode and vice-versa)
HOW IT APPLIES TO SONGS
The way that the table below can be used on an existing song with melody written say on a known particular diatonic scale and mode(at least in its musical score) is the next.
Take the known chord progression of the song, and substitute, each chord of it with root R with the corresponding chord of root R in the table below. This applies to all possible Roots R in the 12-notes chromatic scale, and in the 7 tone scale of the song too. The result is that there is a change in the "personality" of the sound of harmony of the song. By changing the chord-type we may need to change some of the notes of the melody to fit in the new type chord as it was flitting to the old type of chord. This is in accordance to our philosophy which in general defines the harmony of a song not through a single scale but throughout chord progression (see post 49)
M symbolizes major, m symbolizes minor, dim=diminshed, aug=augmented.
For example C63=CEA, C65=CGA, C42=CDFG, C43=CEFG, C7#9=CEGBbD#, Cm7b5=CEbGbBb, Cm11=CEbGBbDF, Cdim9=CD#F#A#D, C9#11=DF#CEBb , Cm67=CEbGAB
C2=CDEG,
One way to utilize this table for a song already written in one of the scales major, minor, harmonic minor, or the modes Mixolydian, Phrygian, Dorian , so as to give it the coresponding jazz personality, is to alter a major or minor chord of the song and at any root, with the atributes below (dim, ,7, 63, 65, 9, 11, 7#9 etc) and making it thus sound with a different personality. This concept is based on tonality but it is actually beyond one only scale and tonality, it substitutes the concept of modulation, and is based rather on the concept of covering sets of chords of all posible steps of any melody.
The set of chords of a personality, is indeed based on tonality, but only at the level of the chords. Not at the level ofthe melody. The melody need not be within a diatonic scale. The fact that personality chords are defined even for steps outside a diatonic scale makes it clear.
Another way to utilize it, is to compose songs regardless of scale, but utilizing the chords of a prticular personality , and as the chords of a personality have roots all the 12 notes, one has all possible roots for chords of the song over a melody with all possible notes. This concept is based on tonality but it is actually beyond one only scale and tonality, it substitutes the concept of modulation and is based rather on the concept of covering sets of chords of all posible steps of any melody, creating so composite chord-melodies (see also post 11).
HOW IT APPLIES TO SONGS
The way that the table below can be used on an existing song with melody written say on a known particular diatonic scale and mode(at least in its musical score) is the next.
Take the known chord progression of the song, and substitute, each chord of it with root R with the corresponding chord of root R in the table below. This applies to all possible Roots R in the 12-notes chromatic scale, and in the 7 tone scale of the song too (covering the case of chords outside the 7-notes scale in the case of multiple modulations to different scalles during the song). The result is that there is a change in the "personality" of the sound of harmony of the song.
ALTERNATIVELY, the table below can be used as a guide of the kind of chord we would choose in the maximal correspondence of each note of a melody with a chord with the root on it before we simplify the chord progression to one with fewer chords.
Still, ALTERNATIVELY we may use the corresponding chord types as in the table when the underlying note of the simplicial sub-melody (see post 65 )is the one in the corresponding position in the full 12-notes scale.
Steps of the chromatic scale/Harmonic Personality
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1
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1#
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2
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2#
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3
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4
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4#
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5
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5#
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6
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6#
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7
|
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Righteous(Major)
|
M(ajor)
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Dim7
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m(inor)
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Dim7
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m
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M
|
Dim7
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7
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Dim7
|
m
|
4,2
|
Dim7
|
|
Honest (major)
|
M
|
Dim7
|
m
|
Dim7
|
m
|
M
|
Dim7
|
7
|
Dim7
|
m
|
M
|
dim
|
|
Hopeful (Mixolydian)
|
M
|
M
|
m
|
M
|
dim
|
M
|
m
|
m
|
M
|
m
|
M
|
dim
|
|
Serious (Phrygian)
|
m
|
M
|
6,3
|
M
|
6,3
|
m
|
6,3
|
dim
|
M
|
6,5
|
m
|
6,5
|
|
Upbeat(Mixolydian)
|
M
|
M
|
m
|
M
|
m
|
M
|
M
|
M
|
M
|
m
|
M
|
dim
|
|
Searching(Dorian)
|
m
|
M
|
m
|
M
|
dim
|
M
|
dim
|
m
|
M
|
dim
|
M
|
dim
|
|
Lonely (major)
|
7
|
Dim7
|
m7
|
Dim7
|
7
|
7
|
Dim7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
|
Funky(Mixolydan)
|
7#9
|
7
|
m7
|
9
|
m7
|
9
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
m7
|
6,3
|
7
|
|
Sad(minor)
|
m7
|
M
|
6,3
|
M7
|
6,3
|
m7
|
6,3
|
m7
|
M7
|
6,5
|
M
|
6,5
|
|
Romantic(major)
|
M
|
6,3
|
m7
|
6,3
|
m7
|
M7
|
6,3
|
9s
|
6,3
|
m7
|
M
|
m7b5
|
|
Boogie(major)
|
7
|
Dim7
|
7
|
Dim7
|
7
|
7
|
Dim7
|
7
|
Dim7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
|
Noble(major)
|
M
|
6,3
|
m
|
6,3
|
6,3
|
M
|
6,3
|
M
|
4,3
|
6,3
|
4,2
|
6,3
|
|
Bittersweet(Harmonic minor)
|
m
|
6,5
|
m7b5
|
M
|
Dim7
|
m
|
Dim7
|
7
|
M
|
m7b5
|
M
|
dim7
|
|
Adventurous(H-minor)
|
m
|
M
|
6,3
|
M
|
6,3
|
m
|
6,3
|
m
|
M
|
6,5
|
M
|
6,5
|
|
Striving(minor)
|
M7
|
M
|
6,3
|
M7
|
6,3
|
m7
|
6,3
|
m7
|
M7
|
6,5
|
M
|
6,5
|
|
Sophisticated(major)
|
6,9
|
Dim7
|
m11
|
Dim9
|
m7
|
M9#11
|
Dim7
|
13
|
Dim7
|
m11
|
9#11
|
Dim9
|
|
Miserable(mixolydian)
|
13
|
Dim7
|
m11
|
Dim9
|
m11
|
13
|
Dim7
|
13
|
Dim7
|
m11
|
9#11
|
Dim9
|
|
Complex(major)
|
2
|
6,3
|
m11
|
Dim7
|
m6,7
|
2M7
|
6,3
|
9s
|
2M7
|
6,3
|
2
|
6,3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
An alternative way of course would be to correspond personalities only to the 7 modes, and then besides the 3-notes chords with roots one every note of the 7-tone mode, add all the other notes to make 12-notes of the chromatic scale, and extend, the triads to 4-notes chords making sure the added note (that would be of the melody and possibly outside the original chord) is always the highest. In this way 5 more composite chords (for chord-melodies) are in general added to the mode which is now the chromatic 12-tone scale.
