Functional Harmony for the Jazz Guitarist Functional harmony is an approach to understanding and improvising over complex chords and complex chord progressions. The most basic functions of chords revolve around the tendency to resolution. Chords convey the feeling of movement by their varying qualities of tension and release. Some chords do it to a greater degree, traditional the Five chord (V the chord that is built upon the fifth degree of the scale) conveys a greater need to resolve. Jazz harmony utilizes chord extensions and alterations to create a greater need to for movement towards resolution. Presented in following material are these topics: Cadences The Cycle of Fifths Harmonized scale Tonal Gravity Determining tonal centers Playing across the barline Reduction Appendix of functional scales,chords, and arpeggios After becoming familiar with these terms and concepts you will be able to analyze complex chord progressions and convey in your improvising a sense of the chord progression using a minimal number of notes.
Cadence The Amen cadence is a good place to start in this work. The Amen cadence as shown below conveys a feeling of finality. It moves in one direction, playing it in reverse just doesn t give the feeling of being at rest. This is sometimes referred to as tonal gravity. Cadence in the wrong direction.
Cycle of Fifths The tendency to resolution can be expanded in the cycle of fifths. This cycle has the same properties as an Amen Cadence but continuing the movement. After moving from G to C, assume the C as the tension, make it a C7 and then move to F. The same feeling of resolution should be felt. The feeling of resolution is in a clockwise direction, i.e., the 5 th moving to the tonic chord. The diagram shows the relationships of the chords that tend to resolve in a clockwise direction. The direction of resolution is clockwise..
The Harmonized Scale The harmonized scale is generated by taking each note of the scale (the major scale in this case) and using it as the root of a chord built up using thirds. The 3 qualities that are most often expressed are the: Subdominant (Quality*) or build chord II or IV dominant or tension V tonic or release I These chords appear as the II, V and I chord in the harmonized scale I II V *The II is usually called the submediant or supertonic I am using the term Subdominant to imply the function or quality of the chord.
Tonal Gravity and Forward motion The tonal gravity principle can be compared to flying a glider airplane.think of tension as altitude above the tonic greater tension=greater altitude which creates a more dramatic effect of gravity. The altitude is reduced with forward motion towards a release target This gives the music a direction or forward motion. The build (II) chord is the approach to the peak. Dominant (V) is the peak. Tonic (I) is the landing. The idea is to get altitude (tension) above the tonic (release)!
Form Analysis and Tonal Centers Using the standard Autumn Leaves the tonal centers are determined by the appearance of dominant 7 th chords (circled). When scanning through the tune for the first time you should look for the Dominant 7 th chords first.
Determining a tonal center The key is determined by the dominant 7 th as the fifth of the key (Chord is D7 the tonal center is G) The chords on either side of the dominant 7 th chords are checked to see if they occur in the key. The key continues until a new dominant sets up a new key.
Analysis of first phrase Key of G Key of E minor Turnback to Aminor This will give you a scale that works, throughout the period that the tonal center is G the G major scale could be used. This works but lacks clarity and definition. More clarity comes from basing your ideas on the arpeggios or roots of the chords and appropriate intervals. Unfortunately this creates clutter so a balance should be sought that defines the chords but is not so busy as to sound like you are practicing arpeggios. Rise and Fall of Tension The most important aspect to keep in mind is the rise and fall of tension. This is what functional harmony is locked into. In this phrase the rise and fall of tension could be diagramed
Transitions or PLAYING ACROSS THE BARLINE When playing the minimal amount of notes the barline represents the threshold for the change of chord or change of tonal center. Playing notes that are characteristic of the change is powerful means to creating a solo which holds the listeners interest. When playing Am to D7 a typical link is the 7 th of the Am moving to the 3 rd of the D7 This is the source of the harmony: This is what could be played: So far this is not doing anything to address the rise and fall of tension as mentioned in the previous section. Tension is produced by adding: Extensions or notes that are not in the chord but are in the scale from which the chord is developed 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths are extensions Alterations i.e.,# or b 5, # or b9, #11, and b 13 Rhythmic tension (busyness) Tonal tension squeak, squawks, growls etc
Increased tension Using the first change as an example Am7 to D7 1. Example root to 9th 2. Flat 5 to flat 5 3. 11 th to b9 At this point you are on the D7 moving towards resolution to G. You would set this up in a similar fashion with the exception that you would be dealing with an already tensioned chord (D7) moving to a release on the tonic. Your choices for the D7 might be more centered on altered tones moving to chord tones of the G. This is true because the D7 to G has a stronger pull than the Am to D7. Following is an explanation of why this is the case. It matters very little what the exact notes are so long as you are guided by the principal that: Tension resolves to release! One way only
Reduction to the two basic functions The function of a two / five change can reduced to its simplest: II/V change (Am7/D7.A,C,E,G/D,F#,A,C) = Extended D7 (D9/11 D,F#,A,C,E,G) This is an important point; when you are faced with complex or simple chords you will treat them the same as a function of a dominant V (5) sound. Reducing all chord functions to their most basic qualities leaves you with these two, i.e. Dominant or Tonic Tension or Release V or I At the risk of oversimplification all chords in a tonal center (the harmonized scale) can be put into one of two columns. Dominant Tonic D7 G Am Bm C Em F#m7-5 Some of the chords under the Dominant column are used to suspend a resolution, to make the song have and urgency to move on. These chords have names that I feel are somewhat antiquated so I lump them into there functional quality, i.e., subdominant or build quality Putting the chords back into a somewhat more complex array of II, V, I some interesting possibilities arise. Some chords act as subdominant and dominant Sub Dominant Dominant Tonic Am D7 G C Am Bm F#m7-5 C Em Em F#m7-5 Bm Experiment with the different combinations of subdominant to dominant to tonic qualities Don t take these descriptions as literal, C is not a dominant chord in the key of G but it can function as one. (Have your bass player play a D bass while you play C)
So What do I do?! After learning your chords, scales, and arpeggios things usually don t just fall into place as a good solo. Much trial and error needs to occur so your hands and ears are on the same page. 1. I feel the strongest first step is to listen to a lot of jazz guitar. 2. Work on tunes that you have a recorded version by a good player. 3. Recognize the form.. (Tonal centers and shifts) 4. Recognize the Function of each chord. Use chords and scales that convey the function (II/V substitutes, tritone subs, side slip, etc.. See section on blues substitutions, they all work here as well. 5. Identify the chords that can absorb the tension producing tones. (V) Decide what these notes will be 6. Play 2 notes across the barline the marks the tension/release point. This example is for rhythm reference only, you choose the pitches. Gradually increase the number of notes. Expand the pickup or build phrase, keep the target the same. As you expand the pickup the result sounds smoother and more continuous. The thinking remains the same. Build to Tension to Release The most critical point being the transition from tension to release!
Closing thoughts 1. Don t hunt and peck. Play what you are sure of Practice at home! 2. Play with good sound/tone. Play at performance volume 3. Make phrases flow naturally; even when playing scales and exercises. 4. Mentally sing the exercises, scales, patterns as you play them. 5. If an exercise is hard, slow it down. Then gradually increase the tempo. 6. Listen to every note you play. 7. Match your mind s ideas. 8. Be patient. You're not the first to make mistakes. 9.. Use jazz articulations on exercises and scale/chord practice. 10. Improvise some every day. That's the REAL YOU. Play what you hear in your head. 11. Make a habit of practicing in all twelve keys. 12. Memorize everything you can. Know what it is you are trying to play. 13. If we all waited until we were perfect musicians before we played an instrument, there would be no music in the world.. 14. Play on the best instrument you can afford and study with the finest teachers available who will give you guidance in jazz and traditional music. Some jazz guitarists to listen to: Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, Joe Pass, Jim Hall, Tal Farlow, Attila Zoller, Pat Martino, Mick Goodrick, Larry Coryell, John McLaughlin, Grant Green, George Benson, Jerry Hahn, Jimmy Raney, Doug Raney, Emily Remler, Earl Klugh, Peter Bernstein, Steve Erquiaga, Peter Leich, Vic Juris, Joshua Breakstone, Chris Flory, Joe Cohn, Scott Henderson, Dave Cliff, Howard Alden, Pat Metheny, Dave Stryker, John Scofield, Bill Frisell, Charlie Hunter, Mike Stern Thanks to: Hal Galper (piano) Jerry Coker (sax) Wes Montgomery Jim Hall Joe Pass John Scofield John Abercrombie Larry Coryell Stew Pearse Jamey Aebersold (Sax)