See also post 203
This is harmonic improvisation and parallel melodic improvisation much like the jazz Blues that are using 3 only chords I IV V, or improvisations as in Irish reels with 3 only chords or improvisations as in Cretan condillies with 3 only chords.
Here we have similarly the general rule of a scale of chords of 3 only chords X2 X2 X3 . The reason for this is so as to have in the subconscious a simple pattern in harmony (although with random variations from random sequences of these 3 chords) Of course an even simpler pattern would be 2 only chords. But we will discuss the case of 2 only chords in another post (there are capo verde folk sings and Irish folk songs and Cretan folk songs with two only chords).
Also another important reason is that the 3 chords define usually at least one diatonic or other scale which simplifies the melodic improvisation.
Besides the very common (which are also a connected arc in the cycle of 4ths)
I IV V (1M 4M 5M)
ii V I (2m 5M 1M)
vi ii V (6m 2m 5M)
iii vi ii (3m 6m 2m)
vii ii vi (7dim 3m 6m)
V I iv (5M 1M 5m)
we have also the alternating major-minor like the next
2m 5M 1m
6M 2m 5M
etc
About the symbols: In a C major scale the symbols denote the next chords
I=1M=C
ii=2m=Dm
iii=3m=Em
IV=4M=F
V=5M=G
vi=6m=Am
vii=7d=Bdim
So the possible combinations for triads are
I, IV, V
vi , IV, V
I , ii, V
I, IV, iii
iv , ii, V
I , ii, iii
vi, IV, iii
vi, ii, iii
vi-vii-iii
I -vii -V
By fixing a particular pattern of permutations and repetitions of these 3 chords (as in variations of the rhythm and chord progressions in 12-bars blues) e.g.
X1 X1 X1 X1
X2 X2 X1 X1
X3 X3 X1 X1
etc
we have the backtrack of an easy harmony to refine with melodic improvisations.
Alternatively
THE IMPROVISATION IS A SEQUENCE OF "ROTATIONS". EACH "ROTATION" HAS THE NEXT 3-LEVEL RHYTHMIC OR MORPHOLOGICAL STRUCTURE
Also the simplicial submelody of such improvisations will be fixed following the chord progression pattern.
THE 4 PARTS A1 A2 A3 BI STRUCTURE
This structure is rhythmic morphological and comes as a pattern from the 15-syllable poetry.
2 lines in a 15-syllables poetry are divided to 4 parts A1 A2 A3 B1, each of the Ai having 4 syllables and the B1 3 syllables. Similarly here in the melody the A1 A2 A3 , B1 are of 2 measures. Each of the A1 A2 A3 B1 contain at least one melodic theme. If we put the restriction that both the melodic theme and its variations are consisting from intervals that are 2nds in less that 1/3 (=33%) of the cases, then we get an "Irish" but also "south american", melodic/harmonic sound in the melody. The melodic theme of A1 is translated or inverted to that of the A2 and that of the A2 to that of A2. Finally the melodic theme of A3 is mutated to that of B1. The simplicial sub-melody has one note in each measure therefore two notes in each of the A1 A2 A3 B. These two notes signify a MELODIC MOVEMENT (VECTOR) which is the basis of an emotion. If we superimpose the melody at the first two levels, the detailed improvisational notes of the melodic theme (1st level) and the melodic move or vector of the simplicial submelody (2nd level) we get a new musical entity and concept that we may call WAVING MELODIC VECTOR. The wavings are as in the 7 melodic themes patterns asin post 231. Another classification of them is that they are of 3 classes a) Chromatic (of length an interval of 2nd) b) Melodic (of length an interval of 3rd) c) Harmonic (of length an interval of 5th). The choice in the improvisation of one of these 3 classes is similar to the choice in a chord progression if the chord-transition will me chromatic , melodic or harmonic. Very often the wavings are of diminishing amplitude as we reach the melodic center-end note of it. This is very convenient to have in mind when we improvise because we think that we will move from a persisting note a (melodic center) to a persisting note b (melodic center ) in a scale but with improvisational waving way that we may change each time at willAll the melodic movements of the A1 A2 A3 B make a DOLPHIN WORD (as defined also in post 101, 114 ). Each part A (thus melodic move too) has an underlying chord. The chords of two parts like A1 A2 may be the same or different chords. The melodic move can be also a melodic triad (alternating major minor vector interval of 3rd as in post 208) . The Dolphin word of the "rotation" may be a closed polygon (e.g, triangle) of waving melodic vectors , so that the length of the melodic vector indicates also the length-interval of the waving melodic vector, which may also be the distance as musical interval of the middle notes of the underlying chords, of the melodic move.
This melodic polygone allows for simple and very concise, simple and visually beautiful methods of writing the improvisation with not less information than the necessary but no more than a minimum too, so that each time we see the written paper and play the melody a different melody will emerge (mainly at the first layer/level of it) while still it will be "the same" song.
This melodic polygone allows for simple and very concise, simple and visually beautiful methods of writing the improvisation with not less information than the necessary but no more than a minimum too, so that each time we see the written paper and play the melody a different melody will emerge (mainly at the first layer/level of it) while still it will be "the same" song.
When playing again such an improvisation the simplicial sub melody is repeated (thus the "rotation" A1 A2 A3 B or Dolphin word of it), but the other notes inside the measures that are embellishments may change. All together the "rotations" or Dolphin words make the total melodic phrases of the song. Therefore we have here at least a 3-level structures of the melody a) notes b) melodic moves c) "rotations" or Dolphin words,and in time it is 1, 2^3=8 (2 measures) and 2^5=32 (A1A2A3B parts).
If the improvisational rotation in the SUB-SCALE
starts from the lower end and ends in it it is called UPPER CYCLIC (NEUTRAL/SAD)
If it starts from the upper end and ends in it it is called LOWER CYCLIC (NEUTRAL HAPPY)
If it starts from the upper end and ends at the lower end it is called DESCENDING (SAD)
If it starts from the lower end and ends at the upper end it is called ASCENDING (HAPPY)
A triad of chords is called HARMONIC TRIAD OF CHORDS iff the chords (as roots) are consecutive on the wheel by 4ths (either as major or minor) E.g. E Am Dm or G C F etc
Furthermore an harmonic triad of chords may have harmonic melodic or chromatic relation with another triad of chords iff the chords insequence and 1-1 correspondence have this relation.
E.g. starting with the central major triad of a diatonic scale
5M-1M-4M the next triad is in chromatic relation with it and chromatic parallel triad
4#dim7-7dim7-3dim7 or also 4#M-7M-3M which is closer to the double harmonic minor modulation of its natural minor with its standard chord covering.
Also the next triad is melodic relation with the original triad
3m-6m-2m
A triad of chords is called MELODIC TRIAD OF CHORDS iff the chords (as roots) are in consecutive melodic relation in other words iff they are consecutive on the wheel by 3rds E.g. Em C Am or Am F Dm etc
A triad of chords is called CHROMATIC TRIAD OF CHORDS iff the chords (as roots) are in consecutive chromatic relation in other words iff they are consecutive as roots in (diatonic or not ) scale
E.g. C Dm Em , or Em F G etc
ONCE IMPROVISATION OVER A TRIAD OF CHORDS IS MASTERED THEN THE NEXT STEP IS THE IMPROVISATION OF TWO OR THREE TRIADS . ONE WITH MORE MINOR CHORDS AND ENDING WITH A TRIAD WITH MORE (OR ALL) MAJOR CHORDS (IN THE EMOTIONAL INTENTION IS FROM SADNESS TO JOY)
