Steely Dan Chords:How to Play/Use Them

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Steely Dan Chords/Harmony Analysis and the Subject of this Blog

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Classic Steely Dan Chord Sequencing with the “Top down” approach for each bar.

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Steely Dan Chords/Harmony. How to sound, play and compose like Steely Dan with musical Analysis and Examples

Two common rhythmic devices from Steely Dan:

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Steely Dan Chords/Harmony. How to sound, play and compose like Steely Dan with musical Analysis and Examples

Steely Dan chord Substitutions: How to do it:

C Major Substitutions for Composition/Chord Colouring:

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Steely Dan Chord Substitutions for Composition and song writing

C7 Dominant: [Going to FMaj7]

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Steely Dan Chord Substitutions for Composition and song writing

C Minor: [Dorian Flavour]

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Steely Dan Chord Substitutions for Composition and song writing

C m7b5: Substitution.

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Steely Dan Chord Substitutions for Composition and song writing

Next we have the “Dan” chord a trademark sound of Steely Dan:

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The “Dan” chord is a 1st inversion chord with an added 9th

The “Dan” chord in pracitce: Steely Dan:

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Steely Dan the “Dan” chord example in a chord sequence

Lastly, we have another melodic implication through colourful harmony flowing effortlessly in the Steely Dan syncopated rhythmic style.

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Steely Dan Rhythmic variations with melodic inflections example

ABOUT STEELY DAN:

Steely Dan is an American rock band founded in 1971 at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York by core members Walter Becker (guitars, bass, backing vocals) and Donald Fagen (keyboards, lead vocals). Blending elements of rock, jazzLatin musicR&Bblues[5] and sophisticated studio production with cryptic and ironic lyrics, the band enjoyed critical and commercial success starting from the early 1970s until breaking up in 1981.[5] Initially the band had a core lineup, but in 1974, Becker and Fagen retired the band from live performances altogether to become a studio-only band, opting to record with a revolving cast of session musiciansRolling Stone has called them “the perfect musical antiheroes for the Seventies”.[6]

After the group disbanded in 1981, Becker and Fagen were less active throughout most of the next decade, though a cult following[5] remained devoted to the group. Since reuniting in 1993, Steely Dan has toured steadily and released two albums of new material, the first of which, Two Against Nature, earned a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. They have sold more than 40 million albums worldwide and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2001.[7][8][9][10] VH1 ranked Steely Dan at No. 82 on their list of the 100 Greatest Musical Artists of All Time.[11] Rolling Stone ranked them No. 15 on its list of the 20 Greatest Duos of All Time.[12] Founding member Walter Becker died on September 3, 2017, leaving Fagen as the sole official member.

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Jazz Fusion Chords Part 2 From Steely Dan to Complex Slash Chords;

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Clifford Martin Article Writer

PART 2:

Simple 1st inversion 9th “Dan”chords: [Steely Dan] example.

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“Dan” chord [Steely Dan] descending chords with 1st inversion 9th chords

Variation with melody notes and the usual “Steely Dan” rhythmic syncopation movement:

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Steely Dan Chords example. Syncopated rhythmic harmonic movement example

STATIC CHORDING TO BASS MOVEMENT:

Bass Walk down technique: Minorising-Dm9 extended vamp with the harmony held in the top with a bass walking down: [More aggressive and not really swung in fusion]

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Jazz Fusion chordal vamp Bass walk down. Harmony held in top.

MORE COMPLEX CHORDING

Diminished Scale: “Slash Chords”

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Diminished Scale Slash Chords for jazz/fusion improvising and composition. Modern Jazz/Fusion Chords

B and F Triad Pairs as Chords:

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Triad Pairs as Jazz Fusion chords example lesson. Modern Jazz Fusion Chords

Whole Tone Scale Chord Movement: 20 c Classical meets Jazz Fusion.

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Whole Tone Scale Chords Example of Voicings. Modern Jazz Fusion Chords

TOP DOWN CHORD CONCEPT:

Exercise : “Top Down” Harmonisation. Chromatically Harmonising the top note A natural.

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“Top Down” Jazz/Fusion chord example/lesson and chromatic exercise for harmonising one note

CHORDS FOR HARMONISATION AND SONG DEVELOPMENT

Song Extended Endings: #1

Modern, Jazz fusion chords, Steely Dan and Chromatic complex re harmonisations
Extended Jazz/Fusion Song ending example of re harmonisation techniques

Song Extended Endings: #2

Jazz fusion chords, Steely Dan and Chromatic complex re harmonisations
Extended Jazz/Fusion Song ending example of re harmonisation techniques

CLICK HERE FOR MODERN JAZZ FUSION CHORDS PART 1

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