23rd Chords Jazz Improvisation

Lennie Tristano’s Augmented 15th Arpeggio

Screen Shot 2019-10-25 at 17.19.59

Above is the “Classic’ Lennie Tristano superimposed #15 arpeggio for C Major7. The #15 sounds “Correct” because all of the 5ths in the arpeggio are PERFECT 5THS.

Lennie Tristano Cmaj7.Dmaj arpeggios. #11 #15th diagram lesson

EXTENDING AN ARPEGGIO TO THE 23RD

23rd chord extension

 

TERTIAN HARMONY

If we keep stacking 3rds with superimposition and extension we create “Tertian” harmony. So, above a 15th we have a 17th, above that a 19th, above that a 21st and above that a 23rd. Hence a 23rd chord will use all 12 notes.

The 23rd chord example below has a major leaning

major 23rd chord example for music jazz improvisation

This example provides a 23rd chord with a minor leaning

minor 23rd chord jazz improvisation lesson tertian harmony

Here we have a 23rd chord with an augmented leaning

AUGMENTED 23RD CHORD jazz improvisation lesson

Lastly we have a 23rd chord with a diminished  leaning

DIMINISHED 23RD CHORD for jazz improvisation lesson and diagram

Going back to our old friend George Russell and the Lydian Chromatic Concept we become aware of the shifting of tonal gravity and what is available with a 23rd chord that shifts out and how we can manipulate it to create new ideas and avoid cliches. Also going back to our 1st example of Lennie Tritano’s #15th arpeggio we hear how we can exploit the perfect 5ths to make something not right “Sound” right but fresh and new.

Lydian Chromatic Concept LCC

How to create music and improvisation with the 23rd chord

Below is a great example of my personal favourite 23rd chord creating a lovely Tertian Stack. TERTIAN STACK 23rd chord for jazz improvisation lesson and example

This example also reverts back to our 12 tone blog for improvisation and jazz heads/tunes. There are 3 sets of TETRACHORDS. Or 3 sets of 4 note groupings.

23rd chord tetrachords example for jazz improvisation

Next we can take the same 23rd chord pitches and make Hexatonic or 2 groups of 6 from the 23rd chord tertian superimposition.

23rd chord hexatonics for jazz improvisation

Finally we can make 3 note cells to form a 12 tone line from the same tertian 23rd chord extension.

23rd chord 3 note cells 12 tone lesson example for jazz improvisation

23rd chord Improvised line ideas:

Employing 23rd chord outlines in Major, minor, diminished augmented.

Line 1

23rd chord improvised jazz line example lesson

Line 2

jazz fusion 23rd chord improvised line and music theory lesson

Line 3

triplets 23rd chord improvised jazz line and jazz lesson

Line 4

23rd chord improvised line for jazz improvisation lesson

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Arnold Schoenberg 12 tone “Concepts” for Jazz Fusion

A BASIC OVERVIEW OF THE 20 CENTURY CLASSICAL IDEA:

Arnold Schoenberg created a system using all 12 tones in a row. Below is the 12 tone row from OP 25.

Schoenberg 12 tone row suite OP 25

The next idea is to use the notes in reverse order. This is called “Retrograde”

Retrograde 12 tone row Schoenberg

We can also take the original tone row and “Invert” it. This is called “Inversion”. We do this by inverting each interval. For instance if a note goes up a perfect 4th in the original set then it is inverted by coming down a perfect 4th, if it goes up a minor 3rd then it comes down a minor 3rd, etc

Inversion 12 tone row schoenberg

We can also take the Inversion of the original tone row and play the notes in reverse order. This is called “Retrograde Inversion”

Retrograde Inversion schoenberg 12 tone row

These ideas from 12 tone serialism are excellent for Jazz riffs, Composition and Improvisational ideas and concepts.

We will start with a few basic Jazz applications/Ideas

JAZZ APPLICATION; 1

Jazz application moving in minor 3rds in schoenberg 12 tone rows

JAZZ APPLICATION 2:

jazz application using 12 tone rows of Schoenberg

JAZZ APPLICATION 3:

Jazz application in 4ths to 12 tone Schoenberg tone row

JAZZ APPLICATION 4:

jazz improvisation applied to Schoenberg's 12 tone rows

Joining TONE ROWS/12 TONE LINES TOGETHER

Combined 12 tone rows applied to jazz fusion improvisation

combining 12 tone Schoenberg rows to Jazz as heads

Triplets and semiquavers 16ths applied to Schoenberg's 12 tone row musical system

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For other ideas on 12 tone concepts it is a good idea to visit John O’ Gallagher’s website. There is a really interesting book on 12 tone improv.

https://johnogallagher.com/book

A Method for using tone rows in jazz book cover