Modern Jazz Fusion Slash Chords: John McLaughlin Chords

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Modern Jazz Fusion Chords [Slash Chords]

IMPORTANT: Please watch video above for detailed info:

Hi Guys,

Today we will look at Modern Jazz Fusion Chords. These are mainly based around a Triad over a different bass note commonly called “Slash” chords.

Here are the main common slash chords employed in reharmonisation.

The fist chord is C/F# and creates a colurful tri-tone timbre. This is a triad of C Major over an F# bass note.

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

Next we have the most common slash chord type. Here it is C/D or a 7 Sus 4 chord. This type of chord is heard a lot in pop songwriting, but is also highly prominent and best known in Herbie Hancocks composition “Maiden Voyage”.

[These chords can also function as substitutions for a dominant, e,g F/G to CMaj]

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

The next chord is a Dominant 7th 3rd inversion. In this case it is D/C. Generally in Fusion these chords do not resolve and/or are played in succession.

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

Here we have one of John McLaughlin’s favourite Slash Chords. This is an Eb triad over an E [up 1/2 step] bass. [This is also known as a13b9 that works well with the diminished scale].

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

This next chord is a favourite of the late great jazz guitarist Pat Martino. With the open E note resonating in the bass this produces an extremely beautiful set of tone colours in one chord.

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

Here we have another John Mclaughlin voicing. This is a B Major triad over a C Bass. This also works well with the open E string ringing out.

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

Lastly another tri-tone voicing:

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

Okay, you might ask. What do we do with these chords? How to we compose with them? Re- harmonise with them? Actually use them?

Firstly, lets take a chord sequence: This will be,

iii Vi ii V7 I

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords-example

For the first chord we will employ a C6/9 but just use the E A D G tones to create a “Quartal” sound.

Next we will move a tri-tone away from Am7 chord and employ Eb. In the bass we will use the 5th note of Am7, the note E.

For the chord ii [Dm7] we will have a C triad over an F bass note acting as a First inversion Dm7 chord. [You could also think of this as having an added 9th and 11th]

The dominant chord will have the dominant root in the bass with a Db Major triad, a flat 5th [tri-tone] away in the treble.

Finally this returns to the CMaj 6/9 tonic chord

Below is another example:

Notice, the reharmonisation and how the basic chords are exploited with colourful slash chords.

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords-lesson-chart

THE BLUES

To complete this look at slash chords let’s put them into a blues 12 bar structure [turn around] so that you can clearly see how to create composition from them:

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords-blues

From the above chart notice that the first 4 bars are more of a long drawn out affair in the tonic key. Next, this is repeated in a similar fashion [or a variation] with chord IV of the key.

But, now we have the last four bars of the blues and this is where the harmonic rhythm picks up.

Firstly, with 1 chord per bar for two bars and then 2 chords per bar for two bars.

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords-turn-around

Lastly, notice the “Reharmonisation” of the blues turn around. This is where you employ all of those slash chords that you’ve learnt.

BLUES CHART: Example,

modern-jazz-fusion-slash-chords

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Modal Chords:Modal Chordal Harmony

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Modal Chords: “Chords” from Transposed Mode [C as Root] Lesson/How to/Examples

Please watch video above for detailed information and examples:

Hi Guys,

Moving on from our last blog on the Modal backing track, I have included another video [above] explanation regarding the modal chords/harmony that I employed.

modal-chords-music-theory

PDF MODAL CHORDS:

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String Skipping/Intervallic Guitar Part 3-HARMONY

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String Skipping/Intervallic Guitar Part 2-HARMONY

PLEASE WATCH VIDEO ABOVE FOR DETAILED ANALYSIS:

Hi Guys,

Today, one last look at “Intervallic string skipping” for a contrapuntal-esque picking style.

The first thing to do is take one position on the guitar fingerboard and find the “Harmony” embedded within that position.

I have taken the A Major position [F#m Relative]

al-di-meola-cycle-of-4ths

Now, let’s make an A Major basic arpeggio from the 1st string and the 6th string.

al-di-meola-string-skipping

Straight away, you will notice that the notes on the 1st string and the notes on 6th string are the same but in different octaves. This gives us an easy and excellent way to exploit the High to Low or Low to High counterpoint effect.

Now let’s do the same with a piece of scale: [Starting on an “Upstroke”]

al-di-meola-string-skipping-scales

Again, the octave makes this flow and connect easily from the low to high.

The next point is to take a chord sequence and use this “String skipping/intervallic” effect: Here we have Vi ii V7 I

al-di-meola-string-skipping

HARMONY

Th next essential point is to acknowledge the harmony in this position:

We will do this by exploiting the Cycle of 4ths in this simple 5 fret position.

al-di-meola-cycle-of-4ths

Here you can see that we have a huge amount of harmony available to us right under our fingertips. These chords don’t have to be Major, they can be minor, diminished, augmented etc. This gives us even more material to work with.

If we move down a fret [Semitone] then we have another set of harmony in 4ths awaiting us.

al-di-meola-cycle-of-4ths

Along, with this we have chord inversions and all of the inversions of A Major:

So, as you can see there is a huge amount of harmony right in front of us even in this one position that we can exploit and create lots of music from.

Lastly, let’s create another “String skipping intervallic” example:

I’m going to create a phrase outlining a D Maj#11 chord.

al-di-meola-string-skipping

To make this sequence quite quick I am going to add some scale from high to low:

al-di-meola-string-skipping-scales

Now we will add a V -I cadence

Now, let’s view the whole line:

al-di-meola-string-skipping

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