Tag: chord scales

Harmonizing Minor Scales for Guitarists:

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application
Modern Jazz Fusion Chords part 2. Steely Dan, Dan Chord and Slash Chords

Hi Guys,

Today, a quick look at creating colourful and interesting harmonisations of the minor scale.

We will employ the A minor scale for simplicities sake and see where this leads….

EXAMPLE 1:

In this first example, we will stack fourths on top of each other and harmonise A Dorian:

Here, is the outlining chord of Am7add6. Here, we see the Dorian implication by the F# note.

harmonising_minor_scales_guitar_lesson_example

A Dorian as scale:

Now, let’s harmonise the scale with Quartal Dorian Voicings:

Sheet music notation for the dorian mode "Quartal Dorian" voicing's for harmonising chords on the guitar with tablature
Quartal Dorian Voicing’s.

EXERCISE 2:

We will now exploit the melodic minor scale:

Once again, we will stack 4th’s together. This creates a cool minor/major harmonic approach.

Am/Maj7 melodic minor implication. Notice the C natural [imply minor]and the F# and G# [imply Major]

quartal_harmonising_minor_scales_guitar_lesson_example

A melodic minor scale:

Here, is the chordal harmonisation:

Sheet music depicting the A melodic minor scale chordal harmonisation, with standard notation for the melody and tablature for guitar.
Chordal harmonisation example for the A melodic minor scale, showcasing its unique minor/major harmonic approach.

EXAMPLE 3:

In this example we will add a three note voicing to A Dorian. This will be a root with a 2nd and then a 3rd up.

harmonising_minor_scales_guitar_lesson_example

BEWARE: This employs quite wide stretches.

cluster_harmonising_minor_scales_guitar_lesson_example

EXERCISE 4:

In this last example, we will harmonise the A natural minor scale.

harmonising_minor_scales_guitar_lesson_example_chord

A natural minor scale:

Once again: BEWARE: There is some stretching.

harmonising_minor_scales_guitar_lesson_example

Conclusion:

This was just a quick look at how to harmonise a scale and what can be done with it.

This, is a great idea for use when stuck in one minor key or on one minor chord, as, this creates colour and movement.

The quartal harmonisation work especially well for syncopated and quick chord movement over a static chord.

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harmonise minor scaleDownload

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Modern Jazz Fusion Chords part 2. Steely Dan, Dan Chord and Slash Chords

Modern Jazz Fusion Chords:How to create them from scales

Posted on by Modern Music Theory and Application

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Hi Guys,

Today, a look at how to create colourful and interesting jazz/fusion chords:

Because, we are dealing with jazz/fusion we will manipulate a scale in modal form. This will be C Mixolydian:

Now, let’s add one note above each note of the mode and create 3rds. [Here we can hear the mode in double stops].

Now, we will add another note a 5th above the root and create triads.

jazz-fusion-chords-lesson

We have now harmonised the Mixolydian mode.

As you will hear it doesn’t sound very jazzy or have a fusion-esque sound.

So what do we do?

Well, we will add another note and manipulate the chord “Voicing’s”. Let’s exploit 4ths, flattened 5ths and Major 3rds.

Ascending Chord Scale:

jazz-fusion-chords-lesson

Descending chord scale:

jazz-fusion-chords-lesson

THE DORIAN MODE:

Now, we will apply this to the C Dorian Mode which has another flat note, this being Eb.

jazz-fusion-chords-lesson

C Dorian Chord Scale : Harmonisation idea:

jazz-fusion-chords-lesson

CREATING MUSIC:

Now, let’s play these chords in a sequence and make a bit of music from them:

EXAMPLE: Notice-Motifs and melodic movement from the chord voicings:

jazz-fusion-chords-lesson

Melodic minor quartal harmonisation

Finally, to really get that “Fusion” exoticism let’s now exploit the melodic minor scale:

Below, we have the A melodic minor scale: Notice it’s just like the A Major scale but with the 3rd flattened: [In this case C natural]

jazz-fusion-chords-lesson

Again, we will try out some ideas to harmonise the scale with some interesting chord voicing’s:

jazz-fusion-chords-lesson

Here is a really nice set of chords built from from the scale.

jazz-fusion-guitar-chords-lesson-melodic-minor

From here it’s a good idea to play re-harmonised chords from chord scales in sequences like:

ii V7 I

Vi ii V I

iii Vi ii V7 I

IN CONCLUSION:

This was just a basic look at how to create interesting chords from scales and modes and how to create interesting and unique voicing’s.

At the end of the day it really comes down to your own ears and imagination and sense of creativity. But, this is how easy it is to create chords from scales and then put them into sequences for composition and re-harmonisation.

FREE PDF DOWNLOAD:

chord-scaleFREE DOWNLOAD

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