CONTENTS

Part 6 - Building Phrases And Sections

chapter page
59 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cell Elaboration and Filler........ 1843
60 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation......... 1899
61 Sections Built with Phrases..................................................................... 1959
62 Melodically Superimposed Cadences................................................. 1975
63 Melodic Character and Story.................................................................. 2091
64 The Emotive Curve and Sentiments ................................................... 2097
65 Improv Level 6: Superimposed Cadence Solo Examples............. 2103

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 59
Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

Phrases Built with

Core Melody, Cell
Elaboration and
Filler
• Conceive The Comping and Melody Together
• Build Four Tonal Layers
• The Four Harmonic Families
• Building Phrases
• One Octave Shape at a Time
• Full-Fretboard Major Scale Visualization
• Tonal Layers and Target Tones
• Harmonic Clusters
• Major Scale Line Structures 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

• Linear Voice Leading

• Top Voice Ascending first string second string

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CONCEIVE THE COMPING AND MELODY TOGETHER

Before playing a song and improvising on it, you need to conceive the accompaniment (comping) and
melody put together. You could simply strum or finger pick the chords and sing the melody or play an
arrangement that puts the two together like a strummed melody or a jazz chord solo.
In as simple a manner as necessary, quickly work up a version of comping and melody on each song.
Use both auditory and print resources. Just because it is in print, doesn’t mean its correct. First play the
melody and comping separately. If you can combine them as a chord solo or some kind of arrangement,
that’s great, but don’t let that prevent you from getting a working version of the comping and melody
right away.
Next, work up improvisation, again in as simple a manner as necessaary. It’s usually good to start with
minor and major pentatonic separately (if major pentatonic is appropriate), then work at combining
them. It’s common that your first tunes are blues-based. Use the I IV V major key blues guidelines in
the I IV V Major Key Blues section below.

cycle through a short list of songs in steps

Practice a few songs at a time to make it interesting. You should study batches of songs that cover the
same subject, such as the same type of chord progression, melodic or harmonic structure or technique.
Make a list of three to ten songs, closer to three.
First, play all of them with steps one and two, melody and comping. Then cycle through the songs again
and add layer one (below). Then with layer two, and so on.

performance mode
When you have studied enough structure and design to be able to make your statement and express
yourself creatively, play each song with other people or record it.
When you can play through any song (reading allowed), study structure and design through using the
layers. Copy a comping or solo part from a recording or play a study of harmonic or melodic structure
and design.

Give the Listener Something to Remember

Use theme and variation to establish a melodic basis to your solos. Don’t just play a bunch of licks. Base
your improvisation on minimalist themes, elaborate them and connect them with licks, scales or other
content as filler.
A good foundation includes.

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• Conceive a two, three or four note minimalist theme.

• Typically in two-bar phrases, make a pattern of your phrase start points: before, on or after
the first beat of the chord.
• Use strong melodic rhythm. You could strum rhythms from Four-Pulse Rhythmic Words or
Six-Pulse Rhythmic Words for ideas on muted strings, followed by playing same rhythm on
a scale or melodic cell. Practice strumming a melodic rhythm on muted strings, then employ-
ing it into a melodic line.
• Elaborate the minmalist theme in two-bar phrases.
• Use a few melodic cell types as elaboration and filler between the minimalist themes.

Step One: Comping and Rhythm

You can develop a comping part by memorizing comping rhythms and choosing one that seem appro-
priate. A good variety of comping rhythms is shown in the Rhythmic Words And Comping Chapter,
as well as other important aspects of rhythm.
Don’t overlook the importance of playing with others and using rhythms the listener and other musicians
expect. Study Comping Strategies. You may also benefit from the Keeping Time chapter.
Memorize Primary Rhythmic Words. Memorizing primary four-pulse and three pulse rhythmic words
is very important for comping, melody and soloing. Each rhythmic word must be in your auditory
memory and you must be able to play it as fast as your hands can move. See the Hearing Rhythmic
Words section of Rhythmic Words And Comping.

Step Two: Conceive the Melody

Read the melody and/or listen to it and sing it. If your source is a recording, listen to the recording and
sing or play along with the melody.
If you read music and can get a copy of the sheet music that’s great. Read it and listen to the recording.
They may not match. Usually the recorded version is a better guide, so trust it. If you want to work on
your reading, see the chapter Speed Reading Pitch.

vocal songs
Get a copy of the lyrics and chords online and play the chords along with the recording. Sing with along
with the recording separately, then while playing the chords. It’s great to put the chords and melody
together in your mind.

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instrumental songs
Figure out the song by ear, if you can. Determine the key, according to which chord would seem to end
the song in a traditional sense. In American pop music, including jazz, the bass part usually will give
you the roots of the chords (the note each chord is named after is its root). If you can get tab or sheet
music, that’s a great method also. The more ways you learn a song, the better. Multiple input methods
give you a better conception of the song.

Step Three: Putting the Melody and Chords Together

Whether you are playing the chords and singing or just playing instrumentally, find a way to represent
the chords and melody at the same time. Sing the melody while strumming. Play a strummed melody,
like Here Comes The Sun, where you incorporate the melody into your strumming. Work out an
arrangement like a jazz chord solo where you play the melody and chords together. If the melody has
breaks between the phrases, play the melody and strum chords in the breaks between phrases.

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BUILD FOUR TONAL LAYERS

about layers
My concept of layers is parallel to Heinrick Shenker’s Shenkerian Analysis, where he analyzes pieces
of music according to their most important notes being in the foreground (most apparent), next most
important in the middle ground and least important in the background. I am basicaly reverse con-
structing Shenkerian Analysis. I had already been using a concept of the order of melodic importance
when I began to study Schenker in the 1980’s.
I use four layers, which seem to be a good organization for the relative importance of melodic tones in
improvisational music based on European and Jazz harmony and rhythm: largely shown in American
and European contemporary music.

minimalist theme and variation

In studying theme and variation, you should learn to build a solo (or melody) with a simple basis of two,
three or four notes. This is covered in the chapters Introduction to Improv, Sections Built with Phrases
and Theme and Variation.
The first layer establishes the basic chord sound with chord tones. It is close to the same as core melody,
but is usually a bit more elaborate.
If you have a strong blues, swing or rock background, use pentatonic scales, The second layer could
also be a four or five-tone chord. The third layer is seven tone scales or large arpeggios of five or more
notes. The first three layers are usually accumulative: the first layer is a subset of the second layer and
the second layer a subset of the third, for the most part.
The fourth layer is melodically superimposed cadences. It adds another interpretation of the chord
progression. All of the layers can be ambiguous, with different versions simultaneously among different
band members and different versions upon each instance of a chord progression. See Scale Ambiguity.
Go through most or all of the steps below in each major scale line area before moving on to anoher line
area.

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Prepare to Build Layers

learn the chord progression
Learn the chord progression in numbers, as well as by letter names. Memorize it with a comp;ing
rhythm you can imagine while improvising. Record it and play it back to study improvsing on it.6

learn to finger the chord progression in each area

Use the Triad, Pentatonic And Major Scale diagrams to construct chord fingerings for each chord in the
progression. The chord tones are grey-backed numbers in bold.

improvise with a key pentatonic scale

First improvise with only the key pentatonic on the entire progression. Emphasize tones of the key
scale that harmonize with the chords.

speak the chord roots, while you improvise

The root of each chord is the letter after which it is named. While you improvise, speak the letter for
each chord root where the chord begins in time.

play an occasional arpeggio

Triad arpeggios are shown in the pentatonic diagrams on the top row of fingerings of major scale line
structures on the following pages with the notes that are both bold and gray-backed. Ninth and seventh
arpeggios are shown at the bottom of each of the following pages of major scale line structures.
Incorporate an occasional arpeggio into your improv, usually moving to the first arpegio tone by scale
step rather than by skip. While you ascend or descend the arpeggio it will usually cause skips, which is
fine. Continue speaking the root numbers.

improvise with some pentatonic scales named after each chord

Primarily continue using the key pentatonic scale. Listeners like to ponder your melody as you play it,
“buffering” phrases in their mind. In a sense, the listener composes your improv along with you, in your
“collective” imagination. This is generally easier for the listener with key scales, those named after the
key. Each section is usually in a single key and you should usually take care to make the use of scales in
other keys occasional.
Learn the scale fingerings. In the rows of Triad, Pentatonic And Major Scale diagrams, each penta-
tonic scale is shown in grey-backed notes. Make some exception to the key pentatonic scale, also using

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scales on the second or fifth of the key. V scales can usually be played over IIm and over V. II minor
scales can usually be played over IIm, IV and V.
Continue to speak the numbers of the chord roots while improvising. Sing what you play.

continue speaking the root numbers and play an occasional double stop
Arpeggios are shown in the pentatonic diagrams above with the notes that are both bold and gray-
backed. Incorporate an occasional arpeggio into your improv. Continue speaking the root numbers.
The diagrams below show double stop structures for each chord. See Double Stops and Modal Double
Stops By Triad Arc. While continuing to speak the chord root numbers while improvising, occasionally
play a double stop figure to represent the current chord. Learn to integrate the double stops into your
improvisation by segueing from the last pentatonic scale tone to a nearby tone (close in range of pitch)
in the double stop figure.
C Dm Em F G Am Bdim
G Am Bm C D Em F#dim
D Em F#m G A Bm C#dim
A Bm C#m D E F#m G#dim
F Gm Am Bb C Dm Edim

Build Tonal Layer One: Basic Chord Tones

Represent the chord tones by emphasizing the duality tones, notes that are common to the scale and to
the chord. Play the chord progression and hum or sing a melody that is very simple, two notes to the
bar. That make a core melody. Once you establish a core melody, you can freely change its rhythm and
elaborate it with the other layers.

Build Tonal Layer Two: Pentatonic Scales

I use chord names for pentatonic scales. See the next section, Chord-Style Names for Pentatonic Scales. Its
often useful to build two versions of the first layer,one based on major pentatonic and one on minor pentatonic,
See the chapters Pentatonic Scales and Octave Shapes, Intro To Improvisation and Pentatonic Fingering.
A minor pentatonic basis suggests blues. I call it minor seventh eleven (m7/11). The fifth is commonly
flatted, making minor seven eleven, flat five (m7/11b5). Also, the third is commonly natural, making
dominant seven eleven, also called “seven eleven (7/11). With the dominant seven eleven scale, (7/11)
the flatted third (enharmonically equal to sharp two) is used before the natural three.

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A major pentatonic basis suggests swing or country music. A common variation is the minor 6/9
pentatonic scale which has only one modification to the major pentatonic scale: a flatted third. So,
major 6/9 pentatonic is 1-2-3-5-6 and minor 6/9 pentatonic is 1-2-b3-5-6.

using arpeggios of four or five-note chords instead of pentatonic scales

Layer two could be chord tones, rather than penatonic scale tones. Arpeggios are chords played one
note at a time. Most pentatonic scales can be played as a chord by sustaining all the notes at once. Con-
versely, by playing a chord one note at a time (as an arpeggio), it becomes similar to a scale. Sixth and
seventh chords have four notes each. While ninth chords, 6/9 chords, 7/11 chords and others have five
notes each. See the chapter All Scale-Tone Chords.

chord-style pentatonic scale names

In the 1960’s, when I started teaching, there was not a common agreement on the naming of pentatonic
scales. “Jazz minor pentatonic”, the “blues scale” and other terms were each used to define different pen-
tatonic scales. So I started using the established chord naming system (see Chord-Naming Conven-
tions and All Scale Tone Chords) to clarify.
Here are examples of chord style pentatonic scale names: major 6/9 pentatonic, minor 6/9 pentatonic,
minor 7/11 pentatonic, 7/11 pentatonic (dominant 7/11 pentatonic), minor 7/11b5 pentatonic. See
the chapter Pentatonic Fingering/7 Pentatonic Scale Types by Octave Shape.
Chord-style names may not yet be known to a beginner or intermediate player, so I usually start by
referring to the more universal major pentatonic (1-2-3-5-6) and minor pentatonic (1-b3-4-5-b7).
Afterward, I show how to modify those scales.

pentatonic naming conventions

The scale name may begin with a letter or roman numeral. The letter shows the tone center for the scale,
after which it is named. You should find the tone center in the lowest octave in the area you want to play
(on the sixth, fifth or fourth strings) and identify the octave shape in which it occurs.
When the first part of a chord style pentatonic scale is a roman numeral, it refers to the numbered tones
of a major scale named after the current key.
Immediately after the Roman numeral the triad basis of the pentatonic scale will be shown. This occurs
before any Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, etc).
“ma” means the scale is based on major, with 1, 3 and 5
nothing (such as nothing between IV and 7 in “IV7/11”) means major
“m” means the scale is based on minor, with 1, b3 and 5

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numbers commonly include “6”, “7”,”9” and “11”.

“6” means, well, six
“7” means flat seven, unless “major” *(“ma”) occurs before it, which means natural 7
“9” is “2”
“11” is “4”.
For any number above “7”, subtract 7. So, 9 is 2, 10 is 3, 11 is 4, 12 is 5, 13 is 6.

numbers may have alterations

“b5” replaces five with flat five
“#11” means sharp four, and adds that to the scale (C7/#11 is C E F# G Bb).
“ma7” means natural seven (as stated above)

three implications of the number seven

By default, “7” means flat seven in chord names. The two exceptions are (1) when it says ma7, maj7,
major 7, ∆7 or 7 (avoid: this is sometimes used to “distinguish” 7 from other numbers) and (2) dimin-
ished seventh, which is double-flat seven (or “6”).

ambiguous use of the term “major”

In “ma6” (major sixth), “ma” refers to a major triad with an added sixth. It is assumed that the sixth is
major, since a b6 is not used (unless to imply the use of a fifth and sharp fifth, by calling the sharp fifth
a “b13”). and ma7 refers to a major chord with major 7. Confusingly, “major” refers to major 7 when
before 7.

Build Tonal Layer Three: Seven Tone Scales or Large Arpeggios

Once layers one and two have established the basic chord sound and given listeners a familiar context
with the universally known pentatonic scales, the third layer can add the last few notes to make seven
tone scales.
Not all styles of music use more than pentatonic scales (tonal layer two). Rock, blues and folk often
only use pentatonics scales and don’t use layer three. It is common that the vocal melodies in pop music
use seven tone scales, while the guitar solos use only pentatonic scales.

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Seven tone scales and large arpeggios can be used just as “filler” without any significant melodic purpose.
It’s better to often use seven tone scales and large arpeggios purposefully with melodic design. Explore
the chapter Melodic Cells for design elements.

Build Tonal Layer Four: Melodically Superimposed Chords

The most significant improviser in modern jazz is arguably Charlie Parker. The essence of Charlie
Parker’s improvisation is melodically superimposing a secondary chord progression (often through
cadences) upon another chord progression.  He decorated arpeggios with scales and chromatics and
bebop ornamentation.  He usually played in swing, with much syncopation and rhythmic theme and
variation.
If you want to draw from his style and play it on simple chord progressions, you’ll have to learn to abbre-
viate the conceptual chord progression you’re “playing on”, then layer his type of superimposed chord
progression over it.
See the chapter on Melodically Superimposed Cadences.

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BUILDING PHRASES
See the chapters Build Core Melody with Duality Tones, Tonal Themes and Schemes and Voice Leading.

Core Melody, Cell Elaboration, Filler

Phrases are build with core melody, elaborated with melodic cells and connected with “filler”. Filler is
simply ascending or descending a scale or arpeggio or playing “stock” licks that don’t have any particular
significance melodically.

Using Four Tonal Layers

While building the phrase with core melody, cell elaboration and filler, you’ll use different depths of
arpeggios and scales. See the section Build Four Tonal Layers.

Four Harmonic Families

The scales that make up the core melody, cell elaboration, filler and tonal layers are primarily derived
from The Four Harmonic Families shown in that section of this chapter.

Base Your Melody on Theme and Variation

Establish the basis of your melody with minimalist themes of two, three or four notes, elaborating with
rhythmic and harmonic theme and variation, as discussed earlier in Step Three: Improv Layers One,
Two and Three. See Theme And Variation. Themes typically occur every two or four bars.

Target Tones
thinking in chunks
In putting together fast, complex phrases, we don’t think of every note. We recall phrases, scales,
arpeggios and rhythms in groups of notes. We abstractly modify them with rhythmic and harmonic
variation, using chromatics and chord substitution.

masterful improvisers conceive a simple basis: target tones

For the guitarist, this simple basis can be a graphic pattern of target tones on the fretboard. The
visualization of target tones will be much easier once you understand The Four Harmonic Families.

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Chord substitution provides a lot of variability in playing on most chords in jazz-related styles. See
Substitution. Using an approach with a simple basis, you can trigger memories of scales, arpeggios and
phrases, and use them to abstractly build longer phrases.
For each chord type you improvise on, you need to visualize where its tones lie on the fretboard.

playing a melodic cell on each target tone

Play a melodic cell on a each tone in a series of targets based on a harmonic family. Melodic cells are
usually within the range of a fifth or less.
By default, play through the target tones in thirds, but also in perfect fifths, perfect fourths (quartal
harmony on a harmonic family chord type), octaves, stepwise and chromatic. Melody is much more
interesting with a diversity in the patterning of target tones.
Diversity if cell types is also important. Usually, don’t repeat the same cell type on each target tone.
Alternate between at least two or more types.

emphasize target tones with comper accents

In the solist’s role, you need to have enough awareness as you are soloing that you can anticipate the
most important accents the comper will play and emphasize the accents with target tones. See Comping
Strategies. Core melodic tones are those common to well-thought (and felt) key scales and preferred
current chord tones. I also call them duality tones.

obscuring the beat

In a recent study, I’ve worked on obscuring the beat and chord to make fast passages more abstract
and interesting. This causes us to be more capable of starting phrases on any part of the beat or bar.
Likewise, predicting the comper (or soloist, depending on your role) requires the same capability.

Combine Melodic Cell Types

Practice sequences of each melodic cell type, so you can easily incorporate it into your improv. Melodic
cells are often built on triads or thirds. Triads or thirds are usually part of larger chord. Learn to play
the melodic cell on each triad on third part of the larger chord.
See Melodic Cells.

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THE FOUR HARMONIC FAMILIES

Chords are commonly referred to by type. Major or I type, Dorian minor or II type, and so on. Most
chords can be thought of as part of one of four families: (1) minor fifteenth, (2) dominant thirteenth,
(3) the Phrygian family (Phrygian, Phrygian, Phrygian major super Phrygian) and (4) the Lydian family
(Lydian dominant, super Locrian and Dorian sharp four).
By practicing melodic cells on the two minor fifteenth arpeggio you develop the ability to improvise on
five of the seven major scale-tone chord types. The V13 arpeggio covers four major scale-tone types,
duplicating two of those in the IIm15 (IIIm7 and IIm7), but with different moods. These make up the
most common families, the IIm15 and V13.
The last two of four families, Phrygian major and Lydian dominant are harmonic minor and melodic
minor dominants and can enrichen your playing while making it more effortless, if they are overviewed
effectively (which is our goal). They are essential to the authentic jazz sound.

major scale target tones

These are numbered in terms of the parent scale. A V13 chord would ascend from “5” (root of V, red) to
“3” (13 of V, yellow). IIm15 would ascend from “2” (root of II, blue) to a maximum “2” (“15” of II, blue).
3 frets 1 4 frets
6 3
Be careful to ascend in thirds: 4 frets

4 thirds
3 frets

5
3 frets 4 frets

2 3 frets 7

1 1
7 3
5 4 6 2 1 2

3 2 3 6 5 7 3 2 3
1 4 4 1 4 4
7 6 3 7 6 3 7 6
5 1 2 5 4 5 1 2 5 4 5
7 7 7
6 2 1 3 6 5 6 2 1 3 6 5 6
4 4
7 3 2 7 6 7 3 2 7 6 7
1 4 5 1 1 4 5
3 7 3
2 5 4 6 2 1 2

3 6 5 7
4

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The Two Minor Fifteenth Family

“IIm15” is a hypothetical chord name that implies all the tones of a major scale in thirds from “2”,
through two octaves to “2” (2-4-6-1-3-5-7-2). The IIm15 family includes IIm13, IVma13#11, VIm11,
Ima9 and IIIm7. They are all part of IIm15. See All Scale Tone Chords (which does not include
IIm15, since it is hypothetical) for more types. On the same root as Dorian IIm13, Aeolian VIm11 uses
the same notes only through the eleventh, but since its Aeolian mode has a flat six.

“two” is the highest acceptable tone in all five chord types in the IIm15
This is really significant. We should have learned this right along with our seven and ninth arpeggios
and modes. For every one of these five chord types (IIm7, IVma7, VIm7, Ima7, IIIm7) the highest key
scale tone in thirds that the common listener accepts is scale tone two.
For the key of C, for example a II minor chord is acceptable to the common ear as a minor fifteenth,
where the highest note is the second octave above. The thirteenth serves as both a thirteenth chord
tone and a “low six” in relation to the “15th” two octaves above the root. A “low six” functions as a lower
scale tone to the root in the sense of a lower pentatonic scale tone, the sixth of a major pentatonic, for
example.

VIm and I type synonyms

Arpeggios rooted on scale tones six and one are very synonymous and are freely interchanged. Focusing
on the six type is minor and darker in mood. Focusing on the one type is major and brighter in mood.
Synonyms include: VIm7 = I6, VIm9 = Ima7/6 and VI minor pentatonic (VIm7/11) = I major pen-
tatonic (Ima6’9). Practice the VIm11 arpeggio, its elaboration VI Aeolian and its subsets VIm7, Ima7
and IIIm7 arpeggios all over the fretboard.
The three type provides upper harmonies for the six and one types, but cannot be extended beyond
its seventh chord (to a ninth, for example) without producing an unacceptable chord (like a m7b9) or
changing its type, like using a IIIm9, which makes it a VI type.

IIm and IV type synonyms

IIm13 and IVma13#11 have the same seven notes, the entire major scale. So. the chords built on scale
tones two and four are freely interchanged. The two type is minor and moderately dark in mood, while
the four type is major and produces a bright exotic mood (with the potential #4 or #11). The six type
provides upper harmonies for the two and four types, and be extended to a VIm11.
Synonyms include: IIm7 = IV6, IIIm9 = IVma7/6 and II minor pentatonic (IIm7/11) = IV major
pentatonic (IVma6’9).

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Practice the IIm13 arpeggio,

e its Two
elaboration II Dorian
Minor and its subsets
Fifteenth IIm7, IVma7 and VIm7 arpeggios
Family
all over the fretboard.
e highest note in each of these is the scale tone "2".
e Two Minor Fifteenth Family
IIm15 fretboard illustrations Beginning with IIm15 (IIm13 with "15", two octaves above the root),
progressively remove the bottom note to get IVma13#11, VIm11, Ima9 and IIIm7:
e highest note in each of these is the scale tone "2".
IIm15 (Gm15) = 24613572
Beginning with IIm15 (IIm13 with "15", two octaves above the root),
IIm15 no root is IVma13#11 (Fma13#11) = 4613572
progressively remove the bottom note to get IVma13#11, VIm11, Ima9 and IIIm7:
IVma13#11 no root is VIm11 (Dm11) = 613572
VIm11 no root is Ima9 (Cma9) = 13572
IIm15 (Gm15) = 24613572
Ima9 no root is IIIm7 (Em7) = 3572.
IIm15 no root is IVma13#11 (Fma13#11) = 4613572
ere are many synonyms, making substitute chords.
IVma13#11 no root is VIm11 (Dm11) = 613572
e synonyms
VIm11 no root is are
Ima9based on IIm13
(Cma9) and IVma13#11 (which have the same seven notes);
= 13572
IVma13#11 no root and VIm11
Ima9 no root is IIIm7 (Em7) = 3572. (same notes); VIm11 no root and Ima9 (same notes);
Ima9 no root = IIIm7.
ere are many synonyms, making substitute chords.
Gm15 (IIm15) e synonyms are based on IIm13 and IVma13#11 (which have the same seven notes);
Dm11 IVma13#11 no root and VIm11 (same notes); VIm11 no root and Ima9 (same notes);
G‹7 B¨Œ„Š7
Ima9 no root = IIIm7.D‹7 FŒ„Š7 A‹7

œœ œ
A‹7
œ œ
Gm15 (IIm15) IIm7 IVma7 VIm7 Ima7 IIIm7

° œ
œ A‹7 œ Dm11
œIVma7 œ œVIm7 œ
œ œ FŒ„Š7 œ
œ œ A‹7 œ œ
œ œ œ œ
G‹7 B¨Œ„Š7 D‹7

&b œ œ œœ œœ œ œ œœœ Ó
IIm7 Ima7 IIIm7

œ œ œ
° b œ œ œFma9 œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œœ œ
& œ œœ œ Ó
Bbma13#11
Fma9 12 15 12 12 15

¢⁄
13 10 10 13 10 13 13
Bbma13#11 10 14 10 10 10 10 14
12 12 12 12
10 13 12 15 10 13 13 12 12 15

¢⁄
13 10 10 13 10 13 13
10 14 10 10 10 10 14
12 12 12 12
10 13 10 13 13

Building Up From II Minor Seventh

Building UpIIm11
From II Minor Seventh
œ œœ
IIm7 IIm9 IIm13 IIm15

œ œ œ
° b IIm7œ œ œ Ó œ œJ Œ ™ IIm11œ œ œ œ Œ IIm13 œ œ œ œ ‰IIm15 œ œ œ œ œ
G‹7 G‹9 G‹11 G‹13 Gm15
œ œ
& G‹7
œ œ œ œ G‹13œ œ œ œ Gm15 œ œœœ
IIm9

° b œœœÓ œ œ œ œ œ œ
G‹9 G‹11

& œ1 b3 5 b7 œ œ J
œ1 b3 5 b7 9 Œ ™ œ œ Œ œ œ ‰ œ œ
œ1 b3 5 b7 9 11 œ 1 b3 5 b7 9 11 13 œ 1 b3 5 b7 9 11 13 15
2 2 4 2 4 6 2 4 6 1
1 b3 5 b7 1 b3 5 b7 9 1 b3 5 b7 9 11 1 b3 5 b7 9 11 13 12 1 b3 5 b7 9 11 13 15 12
2 10
4 613 1

¢⁄
10 10 13 2 10 13
10 10 2 102 4 10 4 6
10
12 12 12 12 12 12 12
10 13 10 13 10 13 10 13 10 13 10 13

¢⁄
10 10 13 10 13
10 10 10 10 10
12 12 12 12 12
10 13 10 13 10 13 10 13 10 13

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page
2 1858 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

Building Up From IV Major

œ œ œ œ œœ
° bœœœœÓ œ œ
œœœ
œ
œœœ
œ
B¨Œ„Š7 B¨Œ„Š9 B¨Œ„Š9(#11) B¨Œ„Š13(#11)

& œœ J ‰ Œ Œ J ‰
1 3 5 7 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 #11 1 3 5 7 9 #11 13
2 2 #4 2 #4 6
12 12 15
10 10 13 13 13

¢⁄
10 10 10 14 10 14
12 12 12 12
13 13 13 13

IV Major With A "Low Six"

œ œ œ œ
° œœÓ œÓ œœ ‰ ‰ œ œ
B¨6 Bbma7/6 Bbma9/6 B¨Œ„Š13(#11)/G
œ œ œ
b
& œ œ œ œ œœ œœ
6 1 3 5 6 1 3 5 6 1 3 5 7 9 6 1 3 5 7 9 #11 13
is is the basis for swing blues melody, 2 2 #4 6
such as Benny Goodman with Charlie Christian
or Motown sixth chord basslines.
12

¢⁄
10 13 10 13
10 10 10 10
12 12 12 12
10 13 10 13 10 13 10 13

Building Down From VI Minor Eleventh

VIm7 VIm9
œ
VIm11
œ œ
œ œ œ
° bœ œ œ œ œ
œ
œ œ
œ
D‹7 D‹9 D‹11

& Ó J ‰ Œ Œ
1 b3 5 b7 1 b3 5 b7 9 1 b3 5 b7 9 11
2 2 4
12 12 15

¢⁄
13 13 13
10 14 10 14 10 14
12 12 12

œ œ œ œ
œ œ
° bœ œ œ œ œ
B¨Œ„Š13(#11) G‹13
œ J ‰ œ œ
& œ
D‹11 D‹11
Don't play key "4" (the Bb note) in an arpeggio on Dm11. Don't play key low "2" (the G note) or "4" (the Bb note)
in an arpeggio on Dm11.
12 15 12 15

¢⁄
13 13
10 14 10 14
12 12
13 13

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1859
3

Building Down From I Major Ninth

Ima9
œ œ Ima7
œ
° bœ
FŒ„Š9
œ œ œ
FŒ„Š9
œ œ
J ‰ Œ Ó
&
1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7
2

12 15 12

¢⁄
13 13
10 14 10 14

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
° œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
D‹11 B¨Œ„Š13(#11) G‹13

&b Œ œ œ J ‰
œ œ
FŒ„Š9 FŒ„Š9 FŒ„Š9
Key "low 6" (the D note) can work as a sixth of F,
Key "low 6" (the D note) can work as don't play key "4" (the Bb note)
but don't play (key) low "2" (G) nor "4" (Bb)
a sixth of F on an Fma7(9) arpeggio in an arpeggio on Fma7(9)
in an arpeggio on Fma7(9)
12 15 12 15 12 15

¢⁄
13 13 10 13
10 14 10 14 10
12 12 12
13 10 13

Building Down From III Minor Seventh

œ œ
° œ
A‹7 œ
&b Ó
1 b3 5 b7
12 15

¢⁄
13
14

œ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ Gm15 œ œœ
° bœ œ œœ
œ œ œ œ œ
FŒ„Š9 D‹11 B¨Œ„Š13(#11)

& J‰Œ Œ œ œ J ‰ œœ œ
A‹7 A‹7 A‹7 A‹7
2 4
12 15 12 15 12 15 12 15
13

¢⁄
13 13 13
10 14 10 14 10 14 10 14
12 12 12
13 10 13

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1860 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

The Five Thirteenth Family

V13 implies all the tones of a major scale in thirds from “5” through “3” (5-7-2-4-6-1-3). The V15
family includes IIIm7, V13, VIIm11b9b5, IIm7. They are all part of V15. See All Scale Tone Chords .

“three” is the highest acceptable tone for V and VII types

In this family, the highest acceptable tone for the V13 and VII 11b9b5 arpeggios is major scale tone “3”.
IIIm7 is included in the family because of its synonyms with V type chords (there are IIIm and V type
chords that have the same notes, named after III or V).

IIm and IV type synonyms

Synonyms of IIIm and V types include: IIIm7 = V6 and III minor pentatonic (IIIm7/11) = V
major pentatonic (Vma6’9). The V7 is a funky chord, a hybrid of a bright major triad (5-7-2 of its
parent scale) and a very dark diminished triad (7-2-4 of its parent). The IIIm7 chord is dark in mood,
especially when the tones a half step above its root and fifth are used. The mode on scale tone III is
Phrygian, which is middle-eastern and Spanish by nature.
Practice the V13 arpeggio, its elaboration V Mixolydian and its subsets IIIm7, V7 and VIIm7b5
arpeggios all over the fretboard.

the five thirteen relationship to harmonic minor

When the parent scale is major sharp five, the “#5” tone can function as “b6”, making the VII chord a
diminished seventh. VII dim7 - II dim7 = IV dim7 = bVI dim7.
For use on VII type chords (minor II type chords, where VIm is being established as the key), practice
VIIm11b5b9. For use on III dominant type chords (V chords, when VIm is being established as the
key), practice VII dim7 arpeggios.

VIIm11b9b5 is a useful arpeggio but not an acceptable chord

The seventh chords built on major scale tones seven, the VIIm11b5b9, is not an accepted chord, but
it can function as an arpeggio. It is especially effective before a III7 type (III dominant seventh, with a
major third). VIIm11b5b9 = V13 no root.

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1861
e Five irteenth Family
V13 fretboard illustrations
e Five irteenth Family
e
ehighest
highestnote
notein
ineach
eachof
ofthese
theseisisthe
thescale
scaletone
tone"3".
"3".

Beginning
Beginningwith
withV13,
V13,progressively
progressivelyremove
removethe
thebottom
bottomnote
noteto
toget
get
VIIm11b5b9,
VIIm11b5b9,IIm9,
IIm9,and
andIVma7:
IVma7:

V13
V13(C13)
(C13)==5724613
5724613
V13
V13nonoroot
rootisisVII(E)m11b5b9
VII(E)m11b5b9==7-2-4-6-1-3
7-2-4-6-1-3
You
Youwon't
won'tseeseeVIIm11b5b9
VIIm11b5b9used usedasasaachord,
chord,but
butititisisusable
usableas
asan
anarpeggio.
arpeggio.
VIIm11b5b9
VIIm11b5b9no noroot
rootisisIIm9
IIm9(Gm9)
(Gm9)==2--4-6-1-3
2--4-6-1-3
IIm9
IIm9nonoroot
rootisisIVma7
IVma7(Bbma7)
(Bbma7)==46134613
ereare
ere aremany
manysynonyms,
synonyms,making
makingsubstitute
substitutechords.
chords.
e
esynonyms
synonymsare arebased
basedon onV13
V13nonoroot
rootand
andVIIm11b5b9
VIIm11b5b9(which (whichhave
havethe
thesame
samenotes);
notes);
Gm9
Gm9andandBbma7/6
Bbma7/6(same(samenotes).
notes).

C13
C13
Gm9

°° œœ œœ œJœJ ‰‰ œœ œœ
Gm9

œ
œ
C7
C7 E‹7(b5)
B¨Œ„Š7
E‹7(b5)
B¨Œ„Š7 G‹7
G‹7
œ
œ œ
œ œœ
&bb œ œœ œœ œœ
& œ
œ
œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ
œ
œ œ
œœ œ œ
œ
œ
Bbma7
Bbma7

E‹11[áÁ]
E‹11[áÁ]

¢¢⁄⁄
10
10 10
10
10
10 10
10 10
10
12
12 12
12 12
12 12
12
10
10 13
13 10
10 13
13 10
10 13
13 10
10 13
13 13
13
88 12
12 88 12
12 12
12

Building
Building up
Building Up
Up from
From
From V7V7
V7
V7
V7 V9
V9 V11
V11 V13
V13

°° b œ
œ œœ C9C9
œœ œœ œœ ŒŒ œœ œJœJ ‰
C7
C7 C11
C11 C7
C7
œœ JJ ‰‰ œœ œJœJ ‰‰ ŒŒ œ
œ
& b œ œœ œœ œœ
&
œœ œœ
œ
œ œ
œœ œœ œ
œœ
œœ œœ œ
œ ‰
œ
11 33 55 b7
b7 99 11
11 13
13 11 33 55 b7
b7 99 11 33 55 b7
b7 99 11
11 11 33 55 b7
b7 99 11
11 13
13
22 44 66 22 22 44 22 44 66

10

¢¢⁄⁄
10
10 10
10
10 10
10 10
10
12
12 12
12 12
12 12
12
10
10 13
13 10
10 13
13 10
10 13
13 10
10 13
13
88 12
12 88 12
12 88 12
12 88 12
12

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

 2 1862 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller
page Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents
2
Building Up From VIIm7b5
Building upFrom
Building Up fromVIIm7b5
VIIm7b5
°
°& bb œ œ œœ Ó œœ œœJ ‰ Œ œœ œœ œœ Œ
E‹7(b5) E‹7[áÁ] E‹11[áÁ]
E‹7(b5) E‹7[áÁ] E‹11[áÁ]
œ œ
& œœ œ œ Ó œœ œœ œ J ‰ Œ œœ œœ œ Œ
1 b3 b5 b7 1 b3 b5 b7
b9 1 b3 b5 b7 b9 11
1 b3 b5 b7 1 b3 b5 b7
b9 1 b3 b5 b7 b9 11
b2 b2 4
b2 b2 4
don't play key "5" (the C note) DON'T USE THIS ONE BY ITSELF!
don't play key "5"
on (the C note) DON'T USE Don't ascend only to key b9 (F), go to the 11 (A).
in an arpeggio Em7b5.
in an arpeggio on Em7b5. It needs the 11THIS ONE
to sound well.BYSee
ITSELF!
the next one Don't ascend only to key b9 (F), go to the 11 (A).
It needs the 11 to sound well. See the next one

¢¢⁄⁄
10
10 10 10
12 12 10 12 10
10 13 12 10 13 12 10 13 12
12 10 13 12 10 13 12 10 13
12 12 12

Building Down From VIIm11b9b5

Building up from
Building Down FromVIIm11b5b9
VIIm11b9b5
°
°& bb œœ œœ œœ œœ
E‹11[áÁ] C13
œœ œœ JJ
E‹11[áÁ] C13
œ ŒŒ œœ ‰‰
& œœ œœ œ œœ œœ œœ
1 b3 b5 b7 b9 11 1 3 5 b7 9 11 13
1 b3 b5 b7 b9 11 1 3 5 b7 9 11 13
b2 4 2 4 6
b2 4 2 4 6

¢¢⁄⁄
10 10
10 10 10 10
12 10 12 10
10 13 12 10 13 12
12 10 13 8 12 10 13
12 8 12

Building
Building Up Up From
From IIm7 IIm7
for theBuilding
II chord in this up
family,from IIm7
for the II chord in this family, only ascend to key "3"
only ascend to key "3"

°
°& b œœ œœ œœ
Gm7/6 G‹9
œœ œœ JJ
G‹9
œœ ‰‰ ŒŒ œœ ‰‰ ŒŒ
Gm7/6

& b œœ œœ JJ œœ
6 1 b3 5 b7 1 3 5 7 9
6 1 b3 5 b7 1 3 5 7 9
2
2

¢¢⁄⁄
10
12 10
10 13 12
12 10 13
12

Building
Building Down
Building downFrom
Down from
From IIm7
IIm7
IIm7
°
°& bb œœ
Gm7/6
œœ œœ ‰‰ ŒŒ
Gm7/6

& œœ œœ JJ
6 1 b3 5 b7
6 1 b3 5 b7

¢¢⁄⁄
10
12 10
10 13 12
12 10 13
12

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1863

HarmonicFamily
Harmonic Family Exercises
Exercises

° ™4 œ œœ œ œœ œ œœœ3 œœ
CŒ„Š13

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8 12 12 8 12 12

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12 16 16 12 12 16 16 12
14 14 14 14
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©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

©2014 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.
 Harmonic Family Exercises
2
page 1864 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

° ™4 œœœœ œœœœœ œœœœœ3 œœœœ

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©2014 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.
 Harmonic Family Exercises
back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1865
3

° ™4
G13
œœœ œœœœ œ œ œ œ 43 œ œ œ ™™ 44
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° ™4 œ œœ œ œœ œœ œœœ
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57 G13

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©2014 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

 Harmonic Family Exercises
page 1866 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents
4

°
FŒ„Š13(#11)
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& ™4 œ œ œ œœ œ 4 4

™ ™
™ ™
10 10

¢⁄
12 13 10 12 12 13 10 12
9 12 10 12 9 9 12 10 12 9
10 10 10 10
12 12 12 12
13 13

°
FŒ„Š13(#11)
œ œœœ œœœœ œ œœœœ œœœ
™™44 œ œœ œœ œ œœ ™™ 44
77

œœ œœ 3 œ
& œ 4

™ ™
™ ™
¢⁄
12 15 13 12 12 15 13 12
12 14 12 12 14 12
14 15 14 14 15 14
12 15 15 12 12 15 15 12
13 13

©2014 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.
 Harmonic Family Exercises
back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1867
5

° ™4
F13(#11) the target root is down a half step from this root
™™ 44
81

& ™4 œ œœœ œœœœ œ œ œ œ œ 43 œ œ œ

œ bœ bœ œ œ bœ bœ œ
œœ œœ œ œ
™ ™
™ ™
¢⁄
3 3
4 5 2 4 4 5 2 4
1 5 3 5 1 1 5 3 5 1
3 3 3 3
1 5 5 1 5 5

œ œœ œ œœ œœœœ œœœ
° ™4 bœ œ œ bœ œ œ
F13(#11)
bœ bœ œ ™ 4
85

& ™4 œ œ œ œœ œœ 3 œ ™4
4

™ ™
™ ™
7 10 8 5 7 7 10 8 5 7

¢⁄
4 8 6 8 4 4 8 6 8 4
5 5 5 5
7 7 7 7
8 8

œœ œœ œ œœ œœ œœœ œ
° œ bœ œ 3 œ œbœ œ œ
F13(#11)
™™44 b œ b œ ™™ 44
89

& œ œœ œœ œœ 4

™ ™
™ ™
10 8 10 8

¢⁄
12 10 12 12 10 12
8 12 10 12 8 8 12 10 12 8
10 10 10 10
8 12 12 8 12 12

œ œœ œ œ œ œœœ œ œbœ
° œ œ œbœ œ œ œ
F13(#11)
™™44 œ œbœ b œ ™™ 44
93

œœ œœ 3 œœ
& œ 4

™ ™
™ ™
10 10

¢⁄
12 13 10 12 12 13 10 12
8 12 10 12 8 8 12 10 12 8
10 10 10 10
12 12 12 12
13 13

œ œœ œ œ œ œœœ
° ™4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œbœ œ
F13(#11)
bœ bœ œ bœ
97

& ™4 œ œ œ œœ œ œ 3 œ
4

™
™
¢⁄
12 15 13 12 12 15 13 12
12 14 12 12 14 12
13 15 13 13 15 13
12 15 15 12 12 15 15 12
13 13

©2014 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.
page 1868 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

The Phrygian Family

Phrygian minor

Phrygian major (Phrygian dominant)

The III7b9 and III augmented arpeggios are the basis of the Phrygian major family. When the key
is established on VIm, III7b9 and III augmented become V7b9 and V augmented. Practice them
throughout the fretboard.
Phrygian major and Lydian dominant are modes representing altered domiant chords built on the fifth
of the target chord.
See Modes Of Four Heptatonic Scales and Harmonic Minor Cadences.

major sharp five makes III Phrygian major

The red “3” is the V of the blue “6” the harmonic minor tone center.
3 frets 1 4 frets
6 3
Be careful to ascend in thirds: 4 frets

4 thirds
4 frets

#5
3 frets e frets

2 3 frets 7

1 1
7
4 6 2 1 2
#5
3 2 3 6 7 3 2 3
1 4 #5 4 1 4 4
7 6 3 7 6 3
1 2 4 1 2 4
#5 7 #5 #5 7 #5 #5
6 2 1 3 6 6 2 1 3 6 6
#5 4 #5 4
7 3 2 7 6 7 3 2 7 6 7
1 4 1 1 4
3 #5 7 3 #5
2 4 6 2 1 2
#5
3 6 7
#5 4

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1869

super Phrygian
I named this scale as a good parallel to super Locrian. Where super Locrian is Locrian mode with
a flatted fourth that can proxy as (act as) a major third, my super Phrygian is Phrygian mode with a
flatted fourth that can proxy as a major third.
This is scale number 1066 is Nicolas Slonimsky’s Thesaurus Of Scales And Melodic Patterns. John
Coltrane probably used this scale. Coltrane studied this book in his middle period where he bounced
back from heroin addiction by going cold turkey and following through by practicing something like
eight hours a day. Most world class mucicians practice two to four high quality hours a day, but John
was on a mission.
Super Phrygian (1-b2-b3-3-5-b6-b7) is similar to Phrygian major (also called Phrygian dominant:
1-b2-3-4-5-b6-b7). Super Phrygian has b3 and 3, where Phrygian major has 3 and 4. They are otherwise
the same. Phrygian major could be characterized as a dominnant seventh chord with a half step above
each of its major triad tones (1-3-5). Super Phrygian could be characterized as a minor seventh chord
with a half step above each of its minor triad tones (1-b3-5).

The Lydian Family

Lydian dominant
These are modes of bVI (Ab) melodic minor. Mode IV of bVI melodic minor is bII13#11 (Db13#11)
of the target I chord (C). Mode VII of bVI melodic minor is V(G)7#9b9#5b5 (the “Swiss army seventh
chord”): V of the target chord (C).
Practice bII13#11, its modal version bII Lydian dominant, its subset IVm7b5 with its modal version
IV Aeolian b5. Practice the arpeggio cadence bVIm(ma7) to bII major triad (Abm[ma7] to Db).
Practice V(G) super Locrian resolving to I (C).
See Modes of Four Heptatonic Scales and Melodic Minor Cadences.

major b3 is melodic minor

The red “7” is the V of melodic minor, where the tone center is “3”, a note not in the scale.
3 frets 1 3 frets
6 b3
Be careful to ascend in thirds: 4 frets

4 thirds
4 frets

5
3 frets 4 frets

2 3 frets 7

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1870 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

1 1
7
5 4 6 2 1 2
b3 b3 b3
2 6 5 7 2
1 4 b3 4 1 4 b3 4
7 6 7 6
5 1 2 5 4 5 1 2 5 4 5
7 b3 7 b3
6 2 1 6 5 6 2 1 6 5 6
b3 4 b3 4
7 2 7 6 7 2 7 6 7
1 4 b3 5 1 1 4 b3 5
7
2 5 4 6 2 1 2
b3
6 5 7
4

super Locrian
Super Locrian is Locrian mode with a flatted fourth that can proxy as (act as) a major third. It can
be harmonized as a “Swiss Army seventh chord”: a dominant seventh chord with sharp and flat five
and with sharp and flat nine. The scale ascends from its tone center in a half-whole-half step sequence
(1-b2-b3-3), followed by five notes in whole steps up to the next octave tone center (3-b5-b6-b7-1)

Dorian sharp four

Dorian sharp four is equal to Lydian dominant with flat three. It is mode II of major sharp five and
is mode IV of harmonic minor. Dorian sharp four can be used as a darkened version when Lydian
dominant is a key scale. It can also be combined with Lydian dominant by generally ascending from
to flat three with Dorian sharp four and generally descending from one to natural three with Lydian
dominant.

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1871
Harmonic Family Improv Study 1
4 Harmonic Family Solo Studies
Two-Note
two-note minimalist theme Minimal
on 1 and 5 eme: 1 and 5

Swing Eighths qaa z=[qp ]e

° œ œ bÆœJ œ ™ œb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ#œ œbœ nœbœ œ nœ

F7 B¨7 F7 C‹7 F7

b ‰ ‰ nœb œ œ œ œ œ b œ
& J J œ nœ œ
3 3
8

¢⁄
6 6 8 9 8 8 8 8
8 10 10 10 10 11 11 10 8 7 7 8
10 9 8 7 7 8 10
10

° b œ ‰ œ bÆœJ œ ™ œb œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ nœ
nœ ˙ #
B¨ Bº7 F7 E‹7(b5) A‹7 D7

‰ nœ œ œ œ œ bœ n œb œ œ
& J J nœ œ
3
3

¢⁄
6 6 8 9 8 8 8 9 10 8 7
8 10 10 10 8 10 7 9
9 10 8 7 10
10

G‹7 C7 F7 G‹7 C7

° b ‰ œJ ‰ œJ ÆœJ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œb œ œ œ œ ˙
& œœ ‰ J ‰ J bÆœJ
œ

¢⁄
8 8 10 11 10 6 6 8 9 8
10 12 10 7 8 10 10
8 10
10 7
8

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

©2014 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

 Harmonic Family Improv Study 1
5
page 1872 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

two-note minimalist theme on 6 and

Two-Note 1
Minimal eme: 6 and 1

Swing Eighths qaa z=[qp ]e

œ œ œ œ œ B¨7
F7
œbœ
F7 C‹7 F7
° b J ‰ Œ œ œ œbœ œ œb œ œ#œ nœb œnœb œ œbœnœnœbœ œœœ
œ œœ #œnœ œnœ œ#œ
3 3

& nœ
3 3 3 3 3
13 13 10 13 10 8

¢⁄
9 6 6 7 8 7 6
7 5 4 5 6 7 8 8 7 6
6 5 6 5 6 7 8 10 9 8 7 8 7
8 10

œœœ
nœbœ œ œ
B¨7 Bº7 F7 E‹7(b5) A‹7 D7
° b œ œnœ nœ œ
œ œ œJ ‰ ‰ J œ œbœ œ œ œ œ#œ œ Œ
& œ œ nœj ‰ J‰ œ
3 3

13 13 10

¢⁄
12 10 10
10 10 7 13 10 10 10 10 12 11
12 10 12 12
8 8 13 10 12
10 12

° b œ #œ œ œ œ œ œF7 œ D7œ œ œ œ œ
G‹7 C7 G‹7 C7
3
œ œ œ #œ#œ œ œ ‰ J œ œœ œ Ó
& œ
3

œ œnœ
œ 3 3

¢⁄
5 8 5 9 6 10 10
5 6 10 7 10 7 10 7 10 7 10 10 7 10
7 10
5 8
`
3 6

©2014 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.
 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1873

Improv on Blues In F with Cm13 and F13

Playing over jazz blues in F, susch as “12-7362514 in F layer 1 blues” in All Favored ireal
Practice Cm15 with C Dorian (Bb major, tone center “2”) and F13 with F Mixolydian (Bb major, tone
center “5”) and use them throughout with two important changes: in bars 2, 5 and 6 use F Mixolydian
with b3 (“Ab”); in bars 9, 10 and 12 use C Dorian with a natural third.

use a simple basis

Think in C Dorian (resolving to F), F Mixolydian, F Mixolydian with a b3 (F Dorian) or F Mixolydian
with a natural 7 (F major). That way, you are primarily thinking C Dorian or F Mixolydian.

F Mixolydian with b3
Bars 1-4, 7-8 and 11 are primarily F7. Generally, use parts of Cm13 resolving to F7 or F Mixolydian.
In bars 2, 5 and 6, be sure to flat the “A” note, which is the third of F. On the harmonic family charts,
F is “5”, so flatting A would be b7. Think F Mixolydian with “Ab’s”, making F Dorian. Since the parent
scale is Bb major, flatting the seventh would make Bb Mixolydian, but it is probably better to think of
it as F Dorian, so you’re thinking of fewer scales.
Treat B dim 7 largely like Bb7, thinking of it as a chromatic connecting chord in the accompaniment
that you are not representing.

F Mixolydian with optional F#

Treat bars 7, 8 and 11 as F7, or use any of the following options. nGenerally ignore the Em7b5
chord, thinking of it as a connecting chord in the accompaniment that you are not representing. The
Am7 will sound as Am7b5 if you use F13 and F Mixolydian over it, since Am7b5 is part of F13 and F
Mixolydian. D7 will sound as Dm7 = F6, unless you want to sharp the F note, making F Mixolydian
sharp 1.

C Dorian with natural three

Bars 9, 10 and 13 can be thought of as C Dorian with a natural third (“E” natural). This sounds the
C7 chord, the more important of the two (Gm7 and C7).

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1874 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

Learn Melodic Cell Types Well, Learn to Abstractly Combine Them

On each tone of a harmonic family arpeggio (see major scale harmonic family fingeirng.pdf ), practice all
one melodic cell type, then (separately) practice another melodic cell type. Then alternate between the
two. After practicing cell types separately and alternating in pairs, alternate between three types. Then
free associate between three or more melodic cell types and abstractly modify them.
Begin with these two types, each separately first

1235 and 1345 from each chord tone of a ninth: on a triad built on its root, third and fifth.
triads with two chromatics below each chord tone

Then play 1235 and 1235 on triads in perfect fourths, empasizing the triads that are part of a larger
chord version of the current chord.

Take your time with each melodic cell type. First learn it in a familiar form, like E form. One fingering
type at a time, learn the fingerings for a cell type all over the fretboard, with the little finger on the root
(sometimes substituted with the ring finger), a middle finger on the root (middle or ring fingers) or with
the index finger on the root.

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1875

ONE OCTAVE SHAPE AT A TIME

Target Chords and Setup Chords
A target chord is preceded by one or more chords that lead to it in a familiar fashion, establishing a
temporary or permanent sense of key on the target chord. A setup chord is the chord played immedi-
ately before the target chord, that leads to and resolves on the target chord.
Here is a table showing the keys of target chords and setup chords. Remember, target chords have a
major or minor basis and setup chords can be on V or bII in the key of a target chord.
target chord C C# D Eb E F F# G G# A Bb B
setup on V G G# A Bb B C C# D D# E F F#
setup on bII Db D Eb E F Gb G Ab A Bb B C
I avoided double flats for the setups on bII. If your target chord is C# minor, no problem. The bII
would be “D”. In major, Db major is the more common version of the enharmonic equivalents C# and
Db. In Db major the bII would be Ebb (E double flat), an awkward note to think. G# works fine as
a minor key target, with a “A” as bII. G# major is only a hypothetical key that would have an F## (F
double sharp). G#’s bII would be A, bur there’s that annoying F##, making the scale pretty unusable.

Take Your Time

Fleuency in this type of improvisation takes a while. You need to memorize melodic structures involving
arepeggio subsets of harmonic minor and melodic minor scales that have complex relationships to the
key of the target chord.

start with the E form octave shape of the target chord

To play a setup chord structure to precede a target chord in the any particlular octave form, the root of
the setup chord will not be the same note as the target chord (of course). The root of the setup chord
will be on the V or bII of the target chord. If it is on the bII of the target chord, the root of the setup
chord will usually be in the same octave shape as the target chord.

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1876 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

FULL-FRETBOARD MAJOR SCALE VISUALIZATION

Major Scale Lines
The major scale can be visuzalized in a scanning fashion by looking at the notes going across the strings,
parallel to the frets, At scale tones 2, 3 and 6 on the sixth string, the “lines” include notes all on the same
fret.

1 4 5 1 line 1 - “three and four high”

1 4 5 1 notes on its third and fourth strings
1 4 7 3 5 1
7 3 1 4
2 5 71 34 6 2
5 1 are one fret toward the guitar body

2 5 1 4 6 2 1 4 7 3 5 1 line 2 - “a straight line”

2 5 1 44 6 2
2 5 71 3 6 2 (2, 3 and 6)
31 64 2 5 57 31
24 5 1 4 61 24
3 6 72 35 7 3 line 3 - “a straight line”
3 6 2 5 7 3 31 64 2 5 57 31
244 57 713 364 161 244 (2, 3 and 6)
4 1 4 351 6471 324 56 b7
b6 531
572 b6
line 4 - “three, four and five high”
24 57 713 364 61 24
7 3 6 355 611 33244 57 b7
b6
b6 7 3 6
722 b6
b7
53
5
b6 notes on its third, fourth and fifth strings
262 b7 52 b6
51 714 63 622 are one fret toward the guitar body
5 1 34 b7
b6 2 b6
5 354 61 324 57 b7
b6 721 b6
5
43
62 b7 53 116 343 62
2 b6
64 2 b727 b6
5 7 1 642
7 37 2631 264 b7
b6 5 7 334 62 b7
5 347 73
2 b6
5
line 5 - “three high”
64721 b7 5 1 34135 6412
24 b6 the notes on its third string is one fret
62 b7 5 1 3 62
2 b6 23 64 b7722 b7
57 2371 36434 b7
7
b6
1 4 7 36 345 71
2 5
b6 toward the guitar body
34 621 b7 5 71 35 612
24 b6
57 23
2 5 376144 b7
1 2 26 b6527
b6 34 b73
621 b7 57 731 435 612
24 b6 line 6 - “a straight line”
7 23 64 b7
2 7 2 5 1 42 6 27 (2, 3 and 6)
27 235 7614 b7 4 6 2
3621 b7 52 315 3473 6312
26 b6
1 4 5 1 4 5
247 235 614 b7 42 3461 427 line 7 - “two low”
3 6 27 35 7 3
7 3 31 64 2 5 75 31
7 23 64 b7 2 7
the note on its second string is one
244 5 71 34 611 442 fret toward the head of the guitar
2 5 1 4 6 2 31 64 2 5 75 31
24 5 71134 61 42
minor third major third

36 6 2 5 7 33
2 5 major
major third 1 4 6 2 minor third

3 6 2 5 7 3 4
3 6 in2thirds
4 5 71 43 5
4 1 4 34 62 2 5 771 43
minor third major third

minor third

4 1 4
©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.
 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1877

Chunking Major Scale Lines

forty two notes
The full-fretboard major scale pattern contains forty two notes. We cannot visualize that much
information at once. We can, however visualize it in chunks of various kinds. Major scale chunking
methods include major scale lines, in-position scale tone triad subsets, in-position pentatonic scale
subsets, triad arcs and linear triads by string set.

Major Scale in-Position Triad and Pentatonic Subsets

fingering 1
major scale I major II minor III minor IV major V major VI minor VII dim.
1-3-5 2-4-6 3-5-7 4-6-1 5-7-2 6-1-3 7-2-4
1 4 5 1 1 4 5 1 1 4 5 1 1 4 5 1 1 4 5 1 1 4 5 1 1 4 5 1 1 4 5 1
73 73 73 73 73 73 73 73
2 5 14 62 2 5 14 62 2 5 14 62 2 5 14 62 2 5 14 62 2 5 14 62 2 5 14 62 2 5 14 62

3 62 573 3 62 573 3 62 573 3 62 573 3 62 573 3 62 573 3 62 573 3 62 573

1 5 1 4 5 1 4 1 5 1 1 4
3 73 7 3 7
5 1 2 4 62 5 14 6 2 5 2 1 6 2 4 2

3 5 3 3 62 3 57 3 6 2 57 3 6 3 2 7
Ima6/9 IIm7/11 IIIm7/11 IVma6/9 Vma6/9 VIm7/11 VIIm7/11b5
1-2-3-5-6 2-4-5-6-1 3-5-6-7-2 4-5-6-1-2 5-6-7-2-3 6-1-2-3-5 7-2-3-4-6
7 3 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b6 b2 b6 #4 7 3 6 #4 3 6 5 1 4
2 51 4 6 2 5 1 5 1 2 5 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4 b3b6 b2 b5 b7 b3
2 5 1 4 6 2 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7 #4 7 b2
3 6 2 5 7 3 b3 b7 b3 6 2 5 1 36 6 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 5 4 b7 b3b6 1 4
4 1 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 4 b7 b6 b2 b3 b6 b5 b2 b5

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1878 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

fingering 2
major scale I major II minor III minor IV major V major VI minor VII dim.
1-3-5 2-4-6 3-5-7 4-6-1 5-7-2 6-1-3 7-2-4
2 5 1 462 2 5 1 462 2 5 1 462 2 5 1 462 2 5 1 462 2 5 1 462 2 5 1 462 2 5 1 462

3 62 573 3 62 573 3 62 573 3 62 573 3 62 573 3 62 573 3 62 573 3 62 573

4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4
7 3 6 7 3 6 7 3 6 7 3 6 7 3 6 7 3 6 7 3 6 7 3 6

5 1 2 462 5 1 46 2 5 2 1 6 2 4 2

3 5 3 62 3 573 6 2 57 3 6 3 2 7
1 4 4 4 1 4 1 4 4
3 6 7 3 6 7 3 6 7
Ima6/9 IIm7/11 IIIm7/11 IVma6/9 Vma6/9 VIm7/11 VIIm7/11b5
12356 24561 35672 45612 56723 61235 72346
7 3 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b6 b2 b6 6 2 5 1 3 6 3 6 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4
2 51 4 6 2 5 1 5 1 4 b7 2 5 b6 b3 b6 b5 b2 b5
2 5 1 4 6 2 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7 7 3 6 2 #4 7 2 5 1 1 4 b7
3 6 2 5 7 3 b3 b7 b3 1 5 1 6 2 5 1 36 b7 b3 b6 4 b7 b6 b2 b5 b3 b6
4 1 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 #4 7 b7 4 b7

fingering 3
major scale I major II minor III minor IV major V major VI minor VII dim.
1-3-5 2-4-6 3-5-7 4-6-1 5-7-2 6-1-3 7-2-4
3 62 57 3 3 62 57 3 3 62 57 3 3 62 57 3 3 62 57 3 3 62 57 3 3 62 57 3 3 62 57 3
4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4
7 36 7 36 7 36 7 36 7 36 7 36 7 36 7 36
514 2 5 514 2 5 514 2 5 514 2 5 514 2 5 514 2 5 514 2 5 514 2 5

3 5 3 62 3 57 3 6 2 57 3 6 3 2 7
1 4 4 4 1 4 1 4 4
3 6 7 3 6 7 36 7
51 5 4 2 5 5 14 5 2 5 1 4 2

Ima6/9 IIm7/11 IIIm7/11 IVma6/9 Vma6/9 VIm7/11 VIIm7/11b5

1-2-3-5-6 2-4-5-6-1 3-5-6-7-2 4-5-6-1-2 5-6-7-2-3 6-1-2-3-5 7-2-3-4-6
3 6 2 5 7 3 2 5 1 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 7 3 6 2 #4 7 6 2 5 1 3 6 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4
4 1 4 b3 b7 b3 b2 b6 b2 1 5 1 b7 4 b7 b6 b3 b6 b5 b2 b5
7 3 6 6 2 5 5 1 4 #4 7 3 3 6 2 2 5 1 1 4 b7
5 1 4 2 5 4 b7 b3 1 4 b3 b6 b2 b7 b3 2 5 1 6 2 1 4 b7 5 1 b7 b3 b6 4 b7 b6 b2 b5 b3 b6

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1879

fingering 4
major scale I major II minor III minor IV major V major VI minor VII dim.
1-3-5 2-4-6 3-5-7 4-6-1 5-7-2 6-1-3 7-2-4
4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 4 1 4
7 36 7 36 7 36 7 36 7 36 7 36 7 36 7 36
514 2 5 514 2 5 514 2 5 514 2 5 514 2 5 514 2 5 514 2 5 514 2 5
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
625136 625136 625136 625136 625136 625136 625136 625136

1 4 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 4
3 6 7 3 6 7 36 7
51 5 4 2 5 5 14 5 2 5 1 4 2
7 7 7
513 62 6 5 3 6 1 6 25 6 136 2

Ima6/9 IIm7/11 IIIm7/11 IVma6/9 Vma6/9 VIm7/11 VIIm7/11b5

12356 24561 35672 45612 56723 61235 72346
4 b3 b2 b2 7 3 6 2 #4 7 b7 b6 b5 b5
7 3 6 6 2 5 5 1 4 1 5 1 6 2
3 2 5 1 1 4 b7
5 1 4 2 5 4 b7 b3 1 4 b3b6 b2 b7 b3 #4 7 3 1 4 b7 5 1 b7 b3 b6 4 b7 b6 b2 b5 b3 b6
7 6 5 2 5 1 6 2 3 1
6 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3b6 1 4 2 5 1 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7
4 b3 b7 b6
7 6 3 2

fingering 5
major scale I major II minor III minor IV major V major VI minor VII dim.
1-3-5 2-4-6- 3-5-7 4-6-1 5-7-2 6-1-3 7-2-4
5 14 2 5 5 14 2 5 5 14 2 5 5 14 2 5 5 14 2 5 5 14 2 5 5 14 2 5 5 14 2 5
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
625136 625136 625136 625136 625136 625136 625136 625136
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
7 36 2 7 7 36 2 7 7 36 2 7 7 36 2 7 7 36 2 7 7 36 2 7 7 36 2 7 7 36 2 7

5 1 5 4 2 5 5 14 5 2 5 1 4 2
7 7 7
5 13 62 6 5 3 6 1 6 25 6 136 2
4 4 4
3 6 2 7 3 7 6 7 2 7 36 7 2 7

Ima6/9 IIm7/11 IIIm7/11 IVma6/9 Vma6/9 VIm7/11 VIIm7/11b5

1-2-3-5-6 2-4-5-6-1 3-5-6-7-2 4-5-6-1-2 5-6-7-2-3 6-1-2-3-5 7-2-3-4-6
4 b3 5 #4 7 3 b7 2 b6 b2 b5
7 3 6 6 2 5 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4 2 51 6 2 6 2
3 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 1
5 1 4 2 5 4 b7 b3 1 4 b2 #4 1 4 b7 5 1 b6 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7
7 6 5 1 4 b7 5 3 6 2 5 7 3 3 2 5 1 4 2 b5
6 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 b6 b2 b3 b6 1 2 5 1 4 6 2 b3 b6 b7 b3 1 4 b7 b3 1
4 b3 #4 b7 (2) b6 b2
7 6 3

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fingering 6
major scale I major II minor III minor IV major V major VI minor VII dim.
1-3-5 2-4-6 3-5-7 4-6-1 5-7-2 6-1-3 7-2-4
6 2 5136 6 2 5136 6 2 5136 6 2 5136 6 2 5136 6 2 5136 6 2 5136 6 2 5136
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
73 62 7 73 62 7 73 62 7 73 62 7 73 62 7 73 62 7 73 62 7 73 62 7
14 51 14 51 14 51 14 51 14 51 14 51 14 51 14 51
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

513 6 2 6 7 6 1 6 7 6 136 2
4 5 3 4 2 5 4
3 62 6 3 6 7 2 7
1 51 4 73 7 14 1 7 2 7 1 1 4
5 5 7

Ima6/9 IIm7/11 IIIm7/11 IVma6/9 Vma6/9 VIm7/11 VIIm7/11b5

12356 24561 35672 45612 56723 61235 72346
6 2 5 1 3 6 5 1 4 b7 2 5 5 #4 3 2 1
4 b3 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4 3 6 2 5 3 2 51 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7
7 3 6 2 7 6 2 5 1 6 b2 b7 1 b7 b6 b5
1 4 5 1 b7 b3 4 b7 5 1 4 b7 5 #4 3 6 #4 3 6 2 5 3 2 5 1 4 2 1 4 b7 b3 1
7 6 b6 b2 b3 b6 5 1 b7 2 5 4 b7 1 4 b3 b6 b7 b3 b2 b5 b6 b2
(2)

fingering 7
major scale I major II minor III minor IV major V major VI minor VII dim.
1-3-5 2-4-6 3-5-7 4-6-1 5-7-2 6-1-3 7-2-4
73 62 7 73 62 7 73 62 7 73 62 7 73 62 7 73 62 7 73 62 7 73 62 7
14 51 14 51 14 51 14 51 14 51 14 51 14 51 14 51
7 3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7 3 7 3
2 514 6 2 2 514 6 2 2 514 6 2 2 514 6 2 2 514 6 2 2 514 6 2 2 514 6 2 2 514 6 2

3 62 73 7 6 7 2 7 3 6 7 2 7
1 51 4 5 14 1 5 1 1 4
3 7 3 7 3 7
51 2 4 6 2 5 14 6 2 5 2 1 6 2 4 2

Ima6/9 IIm7/11 IIIm7/11 IVma6/9 Vma6/9 VIm7/11 VIIm7/11b5

1-2-3-5-6 2-4-5-6-1 3-5-6-7-2 4-5-6-1-2 5-6-7-2-3 6-1-2-3-5 7-2-3-4-6
7 3 6 2 7 6 2 5 1 6 5 1 4 b7 5 3 6 2 5 3 3 6 2 5 3 5 1 4 b7 5 1 4 b7 b3 1
1 4 5 1 b7 b3 4 b7 b6 b2 b3 b6 4 b7 1 4 4 b7 1 4 b6 b2 b3 b6 b2 b5 b6 b2
7 3 6 2 5 1 3 6 3 6 5 1 1 4
2 5 1 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7 5 1 4 b7 2 5 5 1 4 b7 2 5 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7 b3 b6 b2 b5 b7 b3

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1881

Major Scale-Tone Triad Arcs

See Note Sets, Structures And Design/Triad Arcs and EdCage Movable Triads And Arcs.

14 51 1 51 1 5
73 3 7
25 1 4 62 5 1 1 4 6 25 2

36 25 7 3 3 5 3 6 25 7
4 1 4 1 4 1 4
7 36 3 6 7
51 4 2 5 51 5 1 4 5 25
7 7
62 51 3 6 51 3 6 1 6 2 5
4 4
73 62 7 3 6 7 2 7
14 5 1 1 51 14 1 5
73 3 7
25 1 4 6 2 5 1 1 4 6 25 2

36 2 5 73 3 5 3 6 2 5 7

Major Scale Linear Triad Subsets

See Scale Tone Triads Of Four Heptatonic Scales.
14 51
73
25 1 4 62

36 25 7 3
4 1 4
7 36
51 4 2 5
7
62 51 3 6
4
73 62 7
14 5 1
73
25 1 4 6 2

36 2 5 73

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page 1882 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

TONAL LAYERS AND TARGET TONES

Tonal Layers
From the tonal perspective (in regard to the notes played), music is conceived by both the listener and
improviser in a multi-dimensional fashion. There are two main layers: the key layer and the chord layer.
In the key layer, the key is depicted by constructing melodies and other musical parts primarily with
scales named after the key. Chords progress toward the tonic chord (the chord whose root names the
key) through tension and release and other compositional devices that provide the expectation that the
song will end on the tonic chord.

This Chapter Focuses on the Fretboard

We are conceiving multiple layers of music such as one chord progression superimposed over another
(see Melodically Superimposed Cadences) or a chord being a subset of a scale. The context in this
chapter is the fretboard. We are trying to visualize the multiple layers of music on the fretboard.

Target Tones
As the improviser, you define key scale types for the key layer and you define the chord types for the
chord layer. Target tones are those notes common to the current key scale and the current chord. They
are the tonal core of your melody. It is best to practice each key scale and the arpeggio for the chord as
you depict it in the chord layer. Then, the most important thing you can do in improv development is
to practice the notes common to both, the target tones.
In the chord layer, the melody resonates each chord during its period, but without losing reference to
the key. Some of the best tones to use melodically are those that are in both the current chord and the
tonic chord. The current chord can be represented by notes that are in it or pleasing added harmonies
to the chord, such as adding a sixth or seventh to a triad (the triad would typically have the numbered
tones “1”, “3”, “5”).

Multiple Chord Layers

Commonly, the chord type depicted by the accompaniment players is not exactly the same as the chord
type depicted in the melody. The comping (accompaniment) chord layers may have more or fewer
chords per period than the melodic (improv) chord layer. During Dm7 and G7 in the comping chord
layer, the improv chord layer may depict G7sus.4 and G7, respectively. Or, during G7 in the comping

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1883

chord layer, the improv chord layer may depict Dm7 and G7, or the improv chord layer may depict
Dm7 and Db 7 (a flat five substitute for G7).
There may be multiple accompanists, each producing a slightly different chord layer. Chords can be
conceived in families, where multiple versions of chords can be compatible. There also may be multiple
improvisers (simultaneously), where they also produce multiple melodic chord layers.
The comping and improv chord layers will have the same primary chords, but may connect them in
different ways. Listeners have become very flexible in this manner, since so much has been done in jazz
and pop (especially since the sixties, with influences like Lennon and McCartney).

Chord Tone Targeting Procedure

Generally move by scale step, accenting current arpeggio tones every four to six notes on the beat, such
as eighth notes accenting on beats one and three in 4/4, on the first beat in 3/4 or on the first beat in
6/8.
A target tone is the first note at the beginning of a chord, commonly on the first beat. A setup tone is
the last note before a target. A scalar setup is a consecutive series of two or more scale tones before a
target tone. The last setup tone is ideally an upper or lower scale tone neighbor of the target tone. If
the last setup tone is a chord tone of the same chord as the target tone, it doesn’t have to be a neighbor
tone of the target, but you usually want to move to the target with a small interval.

solutions where the target is not a step away:

• skip to a chord tone of the target tone’s chord
• change the setup tone by a skip to a neighbor of the target tone

solutions where the target and the setup are the same note:
• change the last setup tone to a neighboring tone.
• shorten the time value of the last setup tone and insert a neighbor of the target after it.
• trade the last two setup tones.
• insert a chromatic

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page 1884 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

HARMONIC CLUSTERS
Core melodic tones are those common to the chord and scales being uses for improvisation. I call them
duality tones, since they are common to two things: the current chord and the current scale. You can
read further on this subject in Tonal Themes And Schemes.

triad arcs
Looking at the core melodic tones in an area of the fretboard with the clusters of scale tones around
them can be very powerful in developing your improvising. For example, focus on three srings of one of
the arcs shown on the following pages of major scale line structures. Determine which major scale the
chord progression you are working on uses and determine the number of the scale step on which the
chord is based. Emphasize the tones of the current chord and use the surrounding notes as neighboring
tones.

Triads as a Harmonic or Melodic Basis

Triads can be a structural basis to your comping or soloing. See Chord-Naming Conventions/Triads
and Thirds. During a single chord, use any of the seven triads in its parent scale, emphasizing those in
the current chord, de-emphasizing ones not in the current chord and creating tonal and stylistic envior-
nments for any that you dwell on.
The parent scale can be substituted with one that darkens the mood by chromatically lowering major
or perfect intervals, such as Dorian flatting the third of Mixolydian. This is the basis of the American
blues harmonic/emotive expression.
Where it won’t cause too much dissonance, the opposite can be done, the mood can be brightened
by using chromatically raised versions of notes in the parent scale, such as Mixolydian for Dorian to
brighten the mood. Such cases, make the accompaniment seem to be darkening notes, where in fact, it
was the melody that raised notes.
Secondary dominants change chords to dominant seventh qualities from other qualities, such as , minor,
minor seventh and major seventh. As dominant sevenths, they will more strongly progress to chords
rooted a perfect fourth higher. For example, IIm, IIIm and VIm chords are changed to dominant
seventh with a major triad basis, to respectively move They are typically dominant sevenths, with a
major triad basis.

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1885

One, two or all three of the notes in the triad can move up or down the parent scale:

one moving voice

Double Stops And Pedal Steel Bends
Voice Leading
Triad Bass Harmonization
Jazz Bass Harmonization

two moving voices Pedal Point Thirds

three moving voices

VIm Vm Triads With Pedal Point “1”
More Triads With Pedal Point
Pedal Point Triads Of Four Hepatonic Scales

modal triad improv and cluster playing

Double Stops and “Triple Stops”

Double stops are the most common use of two or three notes (technically “triple stops”, but usually also
called double stops) in improvisational styles. See the separate document on the subject: Double Stops.

Secondary Roots
Chords used in jazz usually contain four or more notes and are, by default, built with every other note
of a seven tone (heptatonic) scale. The same cycle of tones, numbered 1-3-5-6-2-4-6-1-3, etc., is used
for any step of the scale to build a chord.
With seventh chords, using four notes in that cycle, a Ima7 chord is 1-3-5-7, a IIm7 chord is 2-4-6-1, a
IIIm7 chord is 3-5-7-2, and so on.
Larger ninth chords use five notes in the cycle. Ima9 is 1-3-5-7-2, IIm9 is 2-4-6-1-3, and so on. Ninth
chords are only acceptable built on steps I, II, IV, V and VI of the major scale. Those on III and VII are
currently considered to have an unacceptable dissonance. Eleventh chords have six notes, constructed
in the same every other note pattern. All currently accepted chords can be studied in All Scale Tone
Chords.

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secondary roots on the third, fifth and seventh

Any of these chords of four notes or more have subsets. A ninth chord built on step I is Ima9 and
contains 1-3-5-7-2. 1-3-5 is a I major triad. 3-5-7 is a III minor triad. 5-7-2 is a V major triad.
Rarely, a secondary root can occur on the seventh. It happens on a suspended thirteenth chord. Bb
major seventh (Bb-D-F-A ) is the upper part of a C13 sus. 4 chord (C-G-Bb-D-F-A).

secondary roots on the sixth

A sixth chord is accepable on steps I, II, IV and V of the major scale. In each case, the chord is a triad
with an added scale tone two steps down from the root. I6, for example is scale tones 1-3-5-6. On the
sixth of that chord, a subset triad exists, which is 6-1-3 and is the same as a VIm triad. Likewise, a VII
diminished triad is built on the sixth of IIm6, a IIm on the sixth of IV6 and a IIIm on the sixth of V6.
Read more on this subject in Substitution.

Harmonic Clusters, Conceiving Seven or More Notes at a Time

Few guitar players use three or more notes at a time in free improvisation, although it is common in jazz
piano improv. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Stick with each major scale line until you know the major scale fingering well enough to conceive seven
or more notes at a time by working a while on three strings until you can visualize all of the notes on
those three strings at once, not just as a scale. This is easier to visualize on the piano, but we can learn
it, too.

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1887

Major Scale Line 1 Structures

Triad, Pentatonic And Major Scale

I IIm IIIm IV V VIm VIIdim

1 4 b6 b2 b6 b3 b6 b2 b5
7 3 5 1 3 6 2 5 1 4
2 51 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7 6 2 5 1 3 6 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4 b3b6 b2 b5 b7 b3

3 6 2 5 7 3 2 5 1 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 7 3 6 2 #4 7 6 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3b6 1 4
1 4 b3 b7 b3 1 5 1
b7 4 b7 b3 b6
b2 b5
6 2 #4 7

Triad Arcs
I IIm IIIm IV V VIm VIIdim
b2 b5
4 b7
4 2 5 b2 b7 b3 4 b7 5 1 b2 b5 b3 b6
7 5 3 1
2 5 1 3 6 4 b7 5 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4 2 5 7 3 2 5 1 6 2 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 6 b2 4 b7
4 b b2 1 b7 b6 b5
7 3 6 2 7 6251 6 5 1 4 b7 5 #4 7 3 6 #4 3 6 2 5 3 2 5 1 4 2 1 4 b7 b3 1
1 4 5 1 b7 b 4 b7 b6 b2 b3 b6 5 1 2 5 4 b7 1 4 b3 b6 b7 b3 b2 b5 b6 b2
7 3 62 5 1 #4 7 3 6 2 5 1 4
2 5 1 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b 5 1 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7 6 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3b6 1 4 b3 b6 b2 b5 b7 b3

3 6 2 5 7 3 251462 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 7 3 6 2 #4 7 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4
4 1 4 b b7 b b2 1 5 1 b7 4 b6 b3 b6 b5 b2
7 3 625 5 1 #4 7 3 3 6 2 2 5 1 1 4
5 1 4 6 2 4 b7 b 1 4 b3 2 5 1 1 b7 b3 b6 4
6
2
5 14 2 3 1 4

Ninth And Seventh Arpeggios

Ima9 IIm9 IIIm7 IVma9 V9 VIm9 VIIm7b5

Ima9 IIm9 IIIm7 IVma9 V9 VIm9 VIIm7b5

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Major Scale Line 2 Structures

Triad, Pentatonic And Major Scale

I IIm IIIm IV V VIm VIIdim

b6 b2 b6 3 6 b2 b5
7 3 5 1 5 1 4 b7 2 5 2 5 1 4
2 51 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7 6 2 5 1 3 6 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4 b3b6 b2 b5 b7 b3
6 2 5 1 36
3 6 2 5 7 3 2 5 1 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 7 3 6 2 #4 7 b7 4 b7 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3b6 1 4
4 1 4 b3 b7 b3 1 5 1 b6 b3 b6 b2 b5
(2) (5)
6 2 #4 7

Triad Arcs
I IIm IIIm IV V VIm VIIdim
4 b7 5
2 5 7 3 4 b7 b3 5 1
b 1 b6 b5
6251 6 4 b7 5 #4 7 3 6 #4 2 5 3 2 5 1 4 2 4 b7 b3 1
4 5 1 b7 b 4 b7 b2 b3 b6 5 1 2 5 4 b7 1 4 b3 b6 b7 b3 b2 b5 b6 b2
73 62 5 1 #4 7 63 2 5 1 4
2 5 1 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b 5 1 b7 b3 6 b2 4 b7 6 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3b6 1 4 b3b6 b2 b5 b7 b3

3 6 2 5 7 3 251462 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 7 3 6 2 #4 7 6 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 b3b6 1 4
1 5 1
4 b7 2 5
4 1 4 b b7 b b2 b6 b2 b7 4 b7 b6 b3 b6 b5 b2 b5
#4 7 3
7 3 6 625 5 1 4 3 6 2 2 5 1 1 4 b7
b3 b2 b7 b3
2 5 1
5 1 4 2 5 4 b7 b 1 4 1 4 b7 5 1 b7 b3 b6 4 b6 b2 b5 b3
7 6 5 3 3 2 1
6 2 5 1 36 5 14 2 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4 2 5 1 1 4 b7 b3
4 b2
5 1 4 3
`
7 3 6 2 1
1 4

Ninth And Seventh Arpeggios

Ima9 IIm9 IIIm7 IVma9 V9 VIm9 VIIm7b5

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1889

Major Scale Line 3 Structures

Triad, Pentatonic And Major Scale

I IIm IIIm IV V VIm VIIdim

1 4 b7 b3 5 1 7 3 6 2 #4 7 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4
b2 b6 b2 1 5 1 b6 b3 b6 b5 b2 b5
5 1 4 #4 7 3 2 5 1 1 4 b7
b3 b6 b2 b7 b3 2 5 1 6 2 b7 b3 b6 4 b7 b6 b2 b5 b3 b6

Triad Arcs
I IIm IIIm IV V VIm VIIdim
b5
4 b7 5 2 5 3 4 b7 b3 1
b2 b3 b6 2 5 4 b7 1 4 b7 b3 b2 b5 b6 b2
4 5 1
73 5 1 #4 7 63 2 5 1 4
2 5 1 4 6 2 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 6 b2 4 b7 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b3 b6 1 4 b3b6 b2 b5 b7 b3

3 6 2 5 7 3 2 5 1 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 7 3 6 2 #4 7 6 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3b6 1 4
4 1 4 b3 b7 b3 b2 b6 b2 1 5 1 b7 4 b7 b6 b3 b6 b5 b2 b5
7 3 6 6 2 5 5 1 4 3 6 2 2 5 1 1 4 b7
5 1 4 2 5 4 b7 b3 1 4
#4 7 3
b3 b2 b7 b3 2 5 1 6 2 1 4 b7 5 1 b7 b3 b6 4 b7 b6 b2 b5 b3
7 6 3 1
5 1 4 b7 2 5
5 #4 2
6 2 5 1 36 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3
4 b3 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4 3 6 5 7 3 2 5 1
7 36 2 6 2 5 1 6 b2 1
5 1 4
4 4 3 1
1 4 b7 b3 4 2 5 1
6 2 7 3 6 b3
1 4 5 1 2

Ninth And Seventh Arpeggios

Ima9 IIm9 IIIm7 IVma9 V9 VIm9 VIIm7b5

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page 1890 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

Major Scale Line 4 Structures

Triad, Pentatonic And Major Scale

I IIm IIIm IV V VIm VIIdim

4 b2 b2 b7 b5 b5
7 3 6 b3 5 1 4 #4 7 3 6 2
3 b6 1 4 b7
5 1 4 2 5 6 2 5 b3b6 b2 b7 b3 2 51 6 2 1 4 b7 5 1 2 5 1 b6 b2 b5 b3 b6
7 4 b7 b3 1 4 5 #4 3 b7 b3 b6 4 b7 1
6 2 5 1 36 6 4 b7 b3b6 1 4 3 6 2 5 7 3 2 5 1 4 6 2 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7
4 5 1 4 b7 2 5 1 b7 1 4 b7 b3 5 1
7 b3 #4 3 b6
6
2

Triad Arcs
I IIm IIIm IV V VIm VIIdim
4 b7 5
4 5 1 b2 b3 b6 2 5 b7 b3
73 5 1 #4 7 2 5
2 5 1 4 6 2 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 6 b2 4 b7 2 5 1 36 4 b7 2 5 4 b3 b6 1 4 b2 b5 b7 b3

3 6 2 5 7 3 2 5 1 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 7 3 6 2 #4 7 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4
4 1 4 b3 b7 b3 b2 b6 b2 1 5 1 b7 4 b7 b6 b3 b6 b5 b2 b5
7 3 6 6 2 5 5 1 4 #4 7 3 3 6 2 2 5 1 1 4 b7
5 1 4 2 5 4 b7 b3 1 4 b3 b2 b7 b3 2 5 1 6 2 1 4 b7 5 1 b7 b3 b6 4 b7 b6 b2 b5 b3 b6
7 6 5 #4 3 2 1
6 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4 3 6 5 7 3 2 5 1 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7
4 b3 b2 4 1 4 b7 b5
7 3 6 2 6 2 5 1 6 5 1 4 7 3 6 3 2 5 3 2 5 1 1 4 b7 b3
1 4 b7 b3 4 5 1 2 4 b7 1 4 b3 b2 b5
3 6
1
6 2
1 4 5 1 4 2 b3

Ninth And Seventh Arpeggios

Ima9 IIm9 IIIm7 IVma9 V9 VIm9 VIIm7b5

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1891

Major Scale Line 5 Structures

Triad, Pentatonic And Major Scale

I IIm IIIm IV V VIm VIIdim

4 b2 b2 b7 b6 b5 b5
7 3 6 b3 5 1 4 #4 7 3 6 2
3 2 5 1 1 4 b7
5 1 4 2 5 6 2 5 b3b6 b2 b7 b3 2 51 6 2 1 4 b7 5 1 b7 b3 b6 4 b7 b6 b2 b5 b3 b6
7 4 b7 b3 1 4 5 #4 3 1
6 2 5 1 36 6 4 b7 b3b6 1 4 3 6 2 5 7 3 2 5 1 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7
4 5 1 4 b7 2 5 1 b7 b6
7 b3 #4 3 2

6

Triad Arcs
I IIm IIIm IV V VIm VIIdim
4 b7 2 5 b2 b5 b7 b3

2 5 7 3 4 b7 b3 5 1 2 5 1 36 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4
4 1 4 b3 b2 b6 b2 5 1 b7 4 b7 b3 b6 b5 b2 b5
7 3 6 2 5 5 1 4 #4 7 3 3 6 2 2 5 1 1 4 b7
5 1 4 2 5 4 b7 b3 1 4 b3b6 b2 b7 b3 2 5 1 6 2 1 4 b7 5 1 b7 b3 6 4 b7 b6 b2 b5 b3 b6
7 6 5 3 1
6 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3b6 1 4 3 6 2 5 3 2 5 1 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7
4 b3 b2 1 b7 b6 b5
7 3 6 2 7 6 2 5 1 6 5 1 b7 5 #4 7 3 6 #4 3 2 5 3 2 5 1 4 2 1 4 b7 b3
1 4 5 1 b7 b3 4 b7 b6 b2 b3 b6 5 1 2 5 4 b7 1 4 b3 b6 b7 b3 b2 b5
7 3 6 2 5 1 #4 7 3 6 2 5 1
2 5 1 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 6 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 2 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4 b3
#4
3 2 5 1 1 4 7 3 62 7 5 1
b3 1

Ninth And Seventh Arpeggios

Ima9 IIm9 IIIm7 IVma9 V9 VIm9 VIIm7b5

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Major Scale Line 6 Structures

Triad, Pentatonic And Major Scale

I IIm IIIm IV V VIm VIIdim

b6 b2 b5
5 3 2 1
6 2 5 1 3 6 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4 3 6 2 5 7 3 2 51 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7
4 b3 b2 1 b7 b6 b5
7 3 6 2 7 6 2 5 1 6 5 1 4 b7 5 #4 7 3 6 #4 3 6 2 5 3 2 5 1 4 2 1 4 b7 b3 1
1 4 5 1 b7 b3 4 b7 b6 b2 b3 b6 5 1 2 5 4 b7 1 4 b3 b6 b7 b3 b6 b2
7 6 #4 (2)

Triad Arcs
I IIm IIIm IV V VIm VIIdim
2 5 7 3 4 b7 b3 5 1 4 b7 2 5
4 1 4 b3 b2 b6 b2 5 1 b3 b6 b2 b5
7 3 6 2 5 5 1 4 #4 7 3 2 5 1 4 b7
5 1 4 2 5 4 b7 b3 1 4 b3b6 b2 b7 b3 2 5 1 6 2 4 b7 5 1 b7 b3 6 4 b7 b2 b5 b3 b6
7 6 5 3 1
6 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3b6 1 4 3 6 2 5 3 2 5 1 6 2 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 6 b2 4 b7
4 b3 b2 1 b7 b6 b5
7 3 6 2 7 6 2 5 1 6 5 1 b7 5 #4 7 3 6 #4 3 6 2 5 3 2 5 1 4 2 1 4 b7 b3 1
1 4 5 1 b7 b3 4 b7 b6 b2 b3 b6 5 1 2 5 4 b7 1 4 b3 b6 b7 b3 b2 b5 b6 b2
7 3 6 2 5 1 #4 7 3 6 2 5 1 4
2 5 1 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 6 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4 b3 b6 b2 b5 b7 b3
#4
3 2 5 1 1 4 7 3 62 7 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4
b3 1 b7 4 b5 b2

3 6 2 1 4
1

Ninth And Seventh Arpeggios

Ima9 IIm9 IIIm7 IVma9 V9 VIm9 VIIm7b5

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1893

Major Scale Line 7 Structures

Triad, Pentatonic And Major Scale

I IIm IIIm IV V VIm VIIdim

7 3 6 2 7 6 2 5 1 6 5 1 4 b7 5 #4 7 3 6 #4 3 6 2 5 3 2 5 1 4 2 1 4 b7 b3 1
1
4 5 1 b7 b3 4 b7 b6 b2 b3 b6 5 1 2 5 4 b7 1 4 b3b6 b7 b3 b2 b5 b6 b2
7 3 6 2 5 1 #4 7 3 6 2 5 1 4
1 4 b7 b3 5 1
2
5 1 4 6 2 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7 6 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3b6 1 4 b3 b6 b2 b5 b7 b3

Triad Arcs
I IIm IIIm IV V VIm VIIdim
b2 b5
4 b7
4 2 5 b2 b7 b3 4 b7 5 1 b2 b5 b3 b6
7 5 3 1
2 5 1 36 4 b7 5 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4 2 5 7 3 2 5 1 6 2 4 b7 b3 5 1 b7 b3 6 b2 4 b7
4 b b2 1 b7 b6 b5
7 3 6 2 7 6251 6 5 1 4 b7 5 #4 7 3 6 #4 3 6 2 5 3 2 5 1 4 2 1 4 b7 b3 1
1 4 5 1 b7 b 4 b7 b6 b2 b3 b6 5 1 2 5 4 b7 1 4 b3 b6 b7 b3 b2 b5 b6 b2
7 3 62 5 1 #4 7 3 6 2 5 1 4
2 5 1 4 6 2 1 4 b7 b 5 1 b7 b3 b6 b2 4 b7 6 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3b6 1 4 b3 b6 b2 b5 b7 b3

3 6 2 5 7 3 251462 1 4 b7 b3 5 1 7 3 6 2 #4 7 2 5 1 36 5 1 4 b7 2 5 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4
4 1 4 b b7 b b2 1 5 1 b7 4 b6 b3 b6 b5 b2
7 3 625 5 1
#4 7 3 3 6 2 2 5 1 1 4
5 1 4 6 2 4 b7 b 1 4 b3 2 5 1 1 b7 b3 b6 4
6 2
5 14 2 3 1 4

Ninth And Seventh Arpeggios

Ima9 IIm9 IIIm7 IVma9 V9 VIm9 VIIm7b5

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1894 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

LINEAR VOICE LEADING

Top Voice C Major Scale Ascending the First String
5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5
Ima7 I6 Ima7 I6 Ima9 Ima7 IIm Ima7
Cma7 C6 Cma7/6 C6 Cma9 Cma7 Dm Cma7

IIm11 IIm7 IIm6 IIm7 IIm7 IIm9 IIm7 IIm11

Dm11 Dm7 Dm6 Dm7 Dm7 Dm9 Dm7 Dm11

IVma9 IVma9 IVma7#11 IVma7 IV6 IVma7 IV6 IVma9

Fma9 Fma7 Fma7#11 Fma7 F6 Fma7 F6 Fma9

V7 V9 V7 V7sus.4 V9 V13 V9 V6
G7 G9 G7 G7sus4 G9 G13 G9 G6

VIm7 VIm7 VIm9 VIm7 VIm11 VIm9 IIm7 VIm7

Am7 Am7 Am9 Am7 Am11 Am9 Dm7 VIm7

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1895

#5 6 7 1 2 3 4 #5
III7b9 VIIm7b5 III7b9 III7#5b9 III7b9 III7b9 III7b9 III7b9
E7b9 Bm7b5 E7b9 E7#5b9 E7b9 E7b9 E7b9 E7b9

III7 III7#5 III7#5

E7 E7#5 E7#5

Top Voice C Major Scale Ascending the Second String

2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2
Ima9 Ima7 IIm7 Ima7 I6 Ima7 I6 Iadd9
Cma9 Cma7 Dm7 Cma7 C6 Cma7 C6 Cadd9

IIm7 IIm9 IIm7 IIm11 IIm7 IIIm7 IIm7 IIm7

Dm7 Dm9 Dm7 Dm11 Dm7 Em7 Dm7 Dm7

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page 1896 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

IV6 IVma7 IV6 IVma9 IVma7 IV6/#11 IV6 IV6

F6 Fma7 F6 Fma9 Fma7 F6#11 F6 F6

V9 V13 V7 V13 V9 V7 V7sus.4 IV6

G9 G13 G7 G13 G9 G7 G7sus.4 G9

VIm11 VIm7 IIm7 VIm7 VIm7 VIm9 VIm7 Am11

Am11 Am7 Dm7 Am7 Am7 Am9 Am7 Am11

2 3 4 #5 6 7 1 2
III7b9 IIm7/11b5 III7b9 III7b9 VIIm7b5 III7b9 III7#5b9 III7b9
E7b9 Bm7/11b5 E7b9 E7b9 Bm7b5 E7b9 E7#5b9 E7b9

III7 III7b9
E7 E7b9

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller page 1897

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1898 Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and FIller Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

©2014-2017 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

 60
Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

Harmonic Frameworks
with Baroque-Bebop
Ornamentation
• Scale-Based Versus Arpeggio-Based Melody
• Bebop Ornamentation Slurring Rules
• De-Constructing Solos into Four Steps
• Core Melody Evolving to Elaborated Melody
• Core Melody to Full Elaboration in Four Steps
• 1. Core Melody: A Cluster Chord Tones
• 2. Harmonic Framework with No Elaboration
• 3. Harmonic Framework with Simple Elaboration
• 4. Full Elaboration with Ornamentation and Syncopation

• Practice
• Build Harmonic Framework with Simple Elaboration and Theme & Variation,
Recalling Auditory Memories
• Practice the Scale Options
• Practice the Six Directional Types of Turnarounds
• Practice Non-Linear Turnarounds
• Play Simple Elaboration of the Harmonic Framework with Pushes
• Practice the Slurring Options
• Add Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation

• Melodic Examples
©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.
page 1900 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases And Sections back to contents

SCALE-BASED VERSUS ARPEGGIO-BASED MELODY

Vocal melody is usually based on scales, emphasizing chord tones. Instrumental melody may
also be based on scales, but is more often based on arpeggios, while vocal melody in rock, folk,
blues, and jazz (especially standards) is usually scale-based. Improvised solos in bebop and
modern jazz, in blues and rock, in folk music are usually based on arpeggios. There are many
exceptions, including fiddle tunes in bluegrass music and speed metal which are usually scale-based.
The approach in practicing would be different for scale-based versus arpeggio based melody.
This chapter addresses arpeggio-based melody.

Practicing Scale-Based Melody

the melodic line
Melodic cells, the building blocks of melody can be based on either scales or arpeggios, as stated above.
Scale-based melody tends to create a smoother melodic line with smaller intervals. Arpeggio-based
melody typically uses larger intervals, since arpeggios are built by default with every-other tone of a
heptatonic (seven-tone) scale. The skips that often occur in arrpegio-based melody create a more jagged
melodic line.
q = 125

scale-based melody arpeggio-based melody

œ œ œ #œ D7
° 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ
A‹7 D7 A‹7

¢ & 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ

In practicing scale-based melody, you construct a melody line on a timeline with theme and variation
based on scalar melodic cells. In the Melodic Cells chapter (see Melodic Cells Types), the arpeggio
-based cells in the “Linear Scales and Arpeggios” section can be used with theme and variation as shown
in “Theme and Variation Cells. The rest of the melodic cells shown in Melodic Cell Types are scale-
based.

pentatonic melody in rock and blues

Pentatonic melody in rock and blues could be interpreted as either scale-based or arpeggio-based. You
could say those genres are “lick-based”. “Licks” tend to be more arpeggio based and usually use much
slurring. Three perspectives to conceive pentatonic scales are:

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back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation page 1901

1. Heptatonic scales (7-tone scales like the major scale) with two notes omitted. Major
pentatonic is a major scale or Mixolydian mode with its fourth and seventh step omitted.
Minor pentatonic is Aeolian, Dorian or Phrygian mode with its second and sixth step omitted.
2. Triads with two notes added. The common minor pentatonic is a minor arpeggio adding “4”
and “b7”. The common major pentatonic is a major arpeggio adding “2” and “6”.
3. Sustaining all the notes of a pentatonic scale at once makes a chord sound. I use chord names
to identify pentatonic scales, such as major 6/9 for major pentatonic and minor 7/11 for
q = 125 minor pentatonic.

C major scale with tones numbered below C major pentatonic, by omitting "4" and "7"

° 4œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 4
&4 4 4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 5 6 1 6 5 3 2 1
5 7 8 7 5 5 8 5
5 6 8 8 6 5 5 8 8 5

¢⁄
5 7 7 5 5 7 7 5

C major pentatonic, by adding "2" and "6"

œ œ œ œ œ
C major arepggio with tones numbered below
° 4œ œ œ œ œ ˙ 3œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 4
&4 4 4
1 3 5 1 5 3 1 1 2 3 5 6 1 6 5 3 2 1
8 5 8 5
5 8 8 5 5 8 8 5

¢⁄
5 5 5 7 7 5

A minor arepggio with tones numbered below A minor pentatonic, by adding "4" and "b7"
° 4 œ œ œ œ œ 3œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ
&4 œ ˙ 4
1 b3 5 1 1 5 b3 1 b3 4 5 b7 1 b7 5 4 b3 1
5 5
5 5 5 8 8 5

¢⁄
5 5 5 7 7 5
7 7 7 7

° ˙˙˙˙ ™™™ œ
Am7/11 chord Am7/11 scale with tones numbered below
œ œ œ ∑
& ˙™ œ
1-b3-4-5-b7 played together 1 b3 4 5 b7
0
8 5 8

¢⁄
7 5 7
10 7
12

(possible to play, but be careful!)

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1902 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases And Sections back to contents

turnaround-based melody in bebop

Every great bebop improviser must have practiced turnarounds in their early development. The structure
of their melody shows a turnaround basis. The concept and practice shown in this chapter can give you
an ability to improvise in bebop style.
Study this chapter thoroughly. Learn to play turnarounds without reading them, as described in Practice
the Slurring Options. Play each of the examples in the Practice section and study their makeup in four
steps, as described in the De-Constructing Solos into Four Steps section.
After playing the examples in the Practice section and thinking about their makeup, study Core
Melody Evolving to Elaborated Melody. Then start building your own harmonic frameworks, using the
ornamentation and pushes you’ve learned in Practice the Slurring Options and Add Baroque-Bebop
Ornamentation.

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back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation page 1903

BEBOP ORNAMENTATION SLURRING RULES

The Listener’s Perspective
Ornamentation typically places notes above and below chord tones, usually slurring most or all of the
notes. The listener doesn’t particularly care if your ornamentation goes above a note or below a note,
so guitarists should take advantage and play the easier slurs. You can practice your scale fingerings with
sidesteps (temporary changes to an adjacent fingering position) to accommodate ornaments going both
up and down in pitch, but it won’t necessarily be appreciated by most listeners. The studies in this
section take advantage of slurs that are easier to perform technically on guitar and sound just as well to
the listener.

Mordents and Turns

This chapter will use the baroque mordent and turn ornamentations. The terms upper mordent, lower
mordent, are used in theory and analysis of the Baroque period of classical music (1700-1850). In
this study, we will use versions of mordents and turns that are widely used in jazz. Charlie Parker,
Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Art Tatum, Chick Corea and most of the advanced improvisers
from the bebop period (1944-early fifties) and later use these ornaments. They didn’t necessarily study
the classical ornaments, although in John Coltrane’s middle period, his studied massive volumes of
musical resources, Miles Davis studied at Julliard and Cannonball Adderley studied at Florida A&M.
Instead, the ornamentation they carried on from earlier jazz traditions embodied elements of Baroque
ornamentation. Harmonically and structurally, jazz draws heavily from classical music.

upper mordent and lower mordent

With the upper mordent, you play the featured note, its upper neighbor and return to the featured note.
The lower mordent moves from the featured note to its lower neighbor and returns to the note. The
upper or lower neighbor may be in a heptatonic (seven-tone) scale like the major scale or can be in a
pentatonic (five-tone) scale.
The rhythms may vary, but mordents commonly occur within one beat. The notes are usually slurred,
on guitar most commonly with hammer-ons and pull-offs.

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1904 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases And Sections back to contents

upper and lower mordent example (click to play)

upper and lower mordents
Swing Eighths qaa z=[qp ]e an upper mordent an upper mordent a lower mordent a lower mordent
in a heptatonic scale in a pentatonic scale in a heptatonic scale in a pentatonic scale

° 4 œ œ n œ œ œ œ 3 E‹7(b5) œ œ œ 4 D‹7
œ œœ
q = 95
œ œ œ œ œ œ
‰ œ #œ œ ‰ ≈œœœ
E‹7(b5) A7(#5) 2 D‹7 A7(#5)

& b4 Ó J
‰ Ó
3 3 3

4 2 1 1 3 1 3 2 1 4 1 3 1 2 1 2 2 1 4 3 1 3 1 3

11 10 13 10 8 11 10 8 10 8 10

¢⁄
9 10 12 1012 12 10 9 7 9 10
11
13

upper turn and lower turn

There are many versions of turns. We will use what I call an upper turn and a lower turn. Both use
scalar encircling. Traditionally, the turns that begin by ascending from the main note on which they
begin are called “turns”. The versions of turns that begin by descending from the main note on which
they begin are called “inverted turns”.
The rhythms used on turns may vary, but turns usually occur within one to two beats. The notes are
usually slurred, on guitar most commonly with hammer-ons and pull-offs. Due the mechanics of the
guitar, each turn with all hammer-on and pull-off slurs must be on a single string. beginning with the
featured note as the middle of three notes on the same string.
upper and lower turns
upper and lower turn example (click to play video)
Swing Eighths qaa z=[qp ]e an upper turn an upper turn a lower turn a lower turn
in a heptatonic scale in a pentatonic scale in a heptatonic scale in a pentatonic scale

° b4 Ó œ œ ™œ œ œ œ 3 E‹7(b5) œ œ œ œ œ 4 œD‹7 œ œ
q = 95
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
‰ œ #œ œ œ œ
E‹7(b5) A7(#5) 2 D‹7 A7(#5)

& 4 ‰ Ó
J 6 6 3 3
4 2 1 2 4 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 3 1 2 4 2 1 1 3 1 4 1 3 1 3 1

11 10 11 10 10 10 13 10 10 10

¢⁄
9 10 12 10 9 10 12 10 12 10 9 10 12 12 12
11
13

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

 Swing Eighths qaa z=[qp ]e

° qbb=4100 ∑Bebop Ornamentation

∑
2

∑ Rules ∑
3 4

back& 4
to contents
Slurring
Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections
Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation page 1905

fingering qaa z=[qp ]e

mordents
Swing Eighths
⁄ q = 100
¢° are b4
2 3 4

& b 4 usually three

There ∑ tones of a seven-tone∑ scale like the major scale ∑ on each string. Use∑ an upper
mordent
ere are for thethree
usually lower-pitch note (head
tones of a seven-tone scale likeside). Use
the major scaleaon
lower mordet for the upper-pitched note (body
each string.
side). Use an upper mordent, lower mordent, upper turn orforlower
Use an upper mordent for the lower-pitch note (head side). Use a lower mordet turn onnote
the upper-pitched the(body
middle
side).note.

¢⁄
Use an upper mordent, lower mordent, upper turn or lower turn on the middle note.

6 œ
° bb œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ™ œ œ8 œ™œ œ
starting on the beat

Œ scaleÓ on each™™ œ™ œ™ œ œ ™™
C‹7
œ œ œ
5 7

ere are usually three&

tones of a seven-tone scale like the major string. Œ Ó
Use an upper mordent for the lower-pitch note (head side). Use a lower mordet for the upper-pitched
6 6 note6 (body side).
6
Use an upper mordent, lowerhead body upper
mordent, middleturn body turn on the middle6note.
heador lower
head: body: middle: middle: head:
œ œ œ play 4 times
° bb œ œ œ œ6 10 Œ œ™ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ™
upper lower lower upper upper
starting on the beat

™™ œ™ œ œ™ œ ™™
C‹7 7 mordent mordent mordent mordent 8mordent
œ œ
5 6

& 5 8 8 Ó 6 8 6 Œ Ó
™ 6 ™
8 6 8 8 10 8

¢⁄ head body middle head body

5 7 5 8 7 8
6 6 6 6
head: body: middle: middle: head:
upper lower lower upper upper

° bb ™ 6 œ œ10œ œ
œœ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ
mordent mordent mordent mordent mordent play 4 times

™ 5 7 5Œ 8 7 8 8 œ6 8Œ 8 10 8œ 6 8 6Œ
9 10 11 12

œ œ œ œ ™
& ™Ó Œ Œ5 œ 8 œ 8
as pickups
Ó
™ ™
¢⁄ 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
head: body: middle: middle: head: middle: middle:

œœœ œœ œ œ œ œ
upper 10 lower lower upper lower 11 upper lower
° bb œ œ œœœ œœœ œ œ
9 12

™™ Ó œ œ ™™
asmordent
pickups mordent mordent mordent mordent turn turn play 4 times
Œ Œ œ œ œ œ Œ Œ Œ Ó
& ™ 6 8 6
™
™ ™
8 6 8 8 10 8 8 10 8 6 8 8 6 8 10 8

¢⁄
5 7 5 8 7 8
6 6 6 6 6 6 6
head: body: middle: middle: head: middle: middle:
upper lower lower upper lower upper lower
mordent mordent mordent mordent mordent turn turn play 4 times

™ turns ™
Seven-tone scales (like major or Dorian) often have only two notes on one of the strings,
fingering 6 8 6

™ ™
as on the diagram at the left below. at wouldn't provide 8 6 8 a "middle"
8 10 8 note on that string. 8 10 8 6 8 8 6 8 10 8

¢⁄
5 7 5 8 7 8
When this occurs, you can add a note on the head side of the fingering, as shown with the
Seven-tone scales
"b3" on the second string(like majordiagram
in the second or Dorian) often have only two notes on one of the strings,
from the left below.
Use the BLACK notes below as a Cm13 arpeggio.
as on the diagram at the left below. C‹13 That wouldn’t provide a “middle” note16on that string.
° bb ™ œœœœœ œ œœœœœ œ
™ œ œ œœ œ Œ ™™
13
often have only two notes on one14of the strings, 15
‰ œ œ Œ ‰ œ
Seven-tone scales (like major or Dorian)
j j
When this occurs, you can add a note on the head side of the fingering, as shown with the
& œ œ œœ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
as on the diagram at the left below. at wouldn't provide a "middle" note on that string.
“b3”When
on the second
this occurs, you string
can add ain theonsecond
note diagram
the head side from
of the fingering,
6
the
as leftwith
shown below.
the Use the BLACK notes below as a
6
Cm13 arpeggio.
"b3" on the second string in the second diagram from the left below. middle: middle:
Use the BLACK notes below as a Cm13 arpeggio. upper lower

° bb ™ ‰ œœœœœ œœœœœ
turn turn

& ™™ j œ œ5 œ8 œ7 6 8 6 4 6 œ7 œ8 œ5 œ Œ ‰ j œ œ5 œ8 œ7 6 4 6 8 6 œ7 œ8 œ5 œ Œ ™™™
13 C‹13 14 15 16 play 4 times

¢⁄ œ6
8
6 6 œ
8
œ6
8
middle:
6 6 œ
8
middle:
upper
©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.
lower
turn turn

™ ™
play 4 times

™ ™
686 4 6 6468 6

¢⁄
7 7 7 7
5 8 85 5 8 85
6 6 6 6
8 8 8 8

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1906 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases And Sections back to contents

DE-CONSTRUCTING SOLOS INTO FOUR STEPS

Complex, highly-decorated improvisational solos can be broken down to simple core melody, identifying
the elaborations along the way. We’ll do that in four steps. They are numbered in reverse order )”4”
through “1”) to imply that after de-constructing a few solos, you can start to build your own in the
reverse order. You should conceive steps 3, 2 and 1 together, interpreting how the interpretation of each
bar is related from step 3 to 2 to 1.
The typical model would be one chord per bar. Even if the original chords were not one chord per bar,
they can be abbreviated or elaborated to be one chord per bar. See Abbreviating and Elaborating Chord
Progression.

4. Full Elaboration with Ornamentation and Syncopation. Learn the original improvised solo
well enough to play through it slowly or somehow think through it note by note. Sometimes
a complex head (main melody) to a song will work for this purpose like Charlie Parker’s
Confirmation.
3. Harmonic Framework with Simple Elaboration. Remove the decoration and the
syncopation from the full elaboration and conceive a quarter note, one note-per-beat version
(some two-beat half note exceptions are fine). Try to hear and see (on the music notation
and/or the fretboard) the theme and variation and the graphic design of the melody. Try to
conceive the graphic design on the fretboard and in its written form. Even if you don’t read
music, you can conceive the melody as a line drawn from left to right on a timeline, ascending
to raise pitch and descending to lower pitch. Step 2, the Harmonic Framework is the basis of
the theme and variation, elaborated from half notes to quarter notes, giving it more definition.
Harmonic Framework with Simple Elaboration is the harmonic framework with defined
theme and variation.
2. The Harmonic Framework with No Elaboration is the duality tone basis of the simple
elaboration, typically half notes, two notes per bar. It is the stripped-down basis of the theme
and variation in the simple elaboration described above.
1. Core Melody: A Cluster of Chord Tones is used for arpeggio based music (as featured in this
chapter) is a cluster of three (or four) notes. They are usually duality tones, notes common to
the current scale and chord. Once you get a sense of the harmonic framework, you can chose
a region of three chord tones, close together in pitch and usually including the notes of the
Harmonic Framework with Simple Elaboration.

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back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation page 1907

CORE MELODY EVOLVING TO ELABORATED MELODY

Core Melody to Full Elaboration in Four Steps
Core Melody to Full Elaboration in Four Steps (click to play video)
Swing Eighths qaa z=[qp ]e
q = 100 1. Core Melody: A Cluster of Chord Tones
w
w w
w w
w w
w
b w w
C‹7 F7 C‹7 F7
4 w w
2 3 4

&b 4
8 5 8 5
8 6 8 6

⁄
8 5 8 5

2. Harmonic Framework with No Elaboration

œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙
œ ˙
& b ™™ ™™
b
5 C‹7 6 F7 7 C‹7 8 F7

Ó Ó

™ 8 5 8 5
™
™ ™
8 6 8 6

⁄
2. Harmonic Framework with Simple Elaboration
simple elaboration 1 simple elaboration 2
œ œ œ œ œC‹7 œ œ œ œ
œ ˙ œ
& b ™™ ™™ ™™ ™™
b œ
C‹7 F7 F7
œ œ
9 10 11 12

™ 8 6 5
™ ™ 8 6 5
™
™ ™ ™ ™
6 8 6 8 8 6

⁄
5 8 5

4. Full Elaboration with Ornamentation and Syncopation

œ œ œ
& b ™™
b
C‹7 F7 C‹7 F7

‰ J
13 14 15 16

∑ ∑ ∑ Ó

™ 5 6 8

⁄ ™
full elaboration 1 (see simple elaboration 1) full elaboration 2 (see simple elaboration 2)

œ ™œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 18 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ
C‹7 F7 C‹7 F7
œ œ œ œ œ œœœ
b œœ œ œ œ ™™
17 19 20

&b Œ
6 3 6 6 3 3

10 8 6 8 5 6 5 6 5 8 10 8 6 5
™
™
6 8 6 8 8 6 6 8 10 8 6 6 8 6 8 6

⁄
5 7 8 5 8 8 5

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1908 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases And Sections back to contents

Be Flexible with Each of the Four Steps

Initially decide on what you want for each of the four steps. Feel free to go back and make changes to
create a better harmonic framework, better theme and variation and a better full elaboration. Generally,
you should go in order from steps one through four, but follow your inspiration. You make have a good
idea about any one of the four steps and then generate the other steps from it.

1. Core Melody: A Cluster of Chord Tones

In arpeggio-based music, the melody is derivative of turnarounds. Decide on the three notes to feature
for each chord, usually close together so as to have a “cluster” of chord tones to choose from. It could
be two or four notes, but three notes usually provide a good focus and good voice leading from one
chord to the next. Sustain the chosen notes through each chord, commonly four beats each chord. If
the chords are less than four beats in duration, you can abbreviate the chord progression to think one
chord per bar. Likewise, if the duration of each chord is over a bar, you can elaborate the progression to
make it one chord per bar. See Abbreviating and Elaborating Chord Progression.
Once you decide on the cluster of notes for each of a few consecutive chords, play them in succession,
if you can. If they are too close together in pitch, you may have to play them on a piano or arpeggiate
them and imagine them played together.

2. Harmonic Framework with No Elaboration

The harmonic framework with no elaboration his sets the basis of the design. Like core melody, the
harmonic framework is usually chord tones of the current chord. Tones of the harmonic framework are
usually notes of the current scale and the current chord both, making them duality tones.

3. Harmonic Framework with Simple Elaboration

The harmonic framework with simple elaboration fulfills theme and variation and provides an easy
structure to memorize and improvise on with ornamentation and rhythmic devices like pushes. It is
typically one note per beat, which is commonly quarter notes.

4. Full Elaboration with Ornamentation and Syncopation

Finally, decorate the harmonic framework (step 3, above) with Baroque-bebop ornamentation and pushes.
See Play Simple Elaboration of the Harmonic Framework with Pushes, Practice the Slurring Options and
Add Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation.

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation page 1909

PRACTICE
Build Harmonic Framework with Simple Elaboration
When you build the Harmonic Framework with Simple Elaboration, work in theme and variation.
Recall audio memories to inspire you with ideas for your parts.

Practice the Scale Options

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1910 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases And Sections back to contents

Practice the Six Directional Types of Turnarounds

Turnaounds are traditionally linear, meaning each arpeggio is ascended or descended. They are shown
below in that manner. Turnarounds can also be played non-linearly, skipped around each arpeggio,
changing direction from note to note as desired.

six directional types of linear turnarounds

Six Directional Types of Linear Turnarounds
q = 120
Swing Eighths qaa z=[qp ]e
linear turnaround, up-down linear turnaround, down-up
œ 2œ œ œ œ
b4 œ œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó
C‹7 F7 C‹7 4 F7

œ
3

&b 4 Ó Ó

6 5 6 5
8 6 8 6
5 8 8 5 8 5 8
⁄

linear turnaround, up-up linear turnaround, down-down

b œ œ 6 œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó
œ œ
C‹7 F7 C‹7 8 F7

œ
5 7

&b Ó Ó Ó

6 5 6 5
8 6 8 6
5 8 5 8 8 5 8 5
⁄

linear turnaround - up, continue up linear turnaround - down, continue down

œ œ
b œ œ œ Ó œ œ œ œ
C‹7 F7 C‹7 12 F7

œ
9 10 11

&b Ó œ œ Ó œ œ Ó
œ œ
5 6
6 8
5 8 8 5
⁄ 8
6
5 8 7
8 6

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation page 1911

Practice Non-Linear Turnarounds

The notes of each arpeggio in a turnaround can chnage direction from note to note, making the playing
of the arpeggio non-linear. Though this may more difficult for the listener to follow, it is often more
interesting for the listener, more provocative.

1-3 (fifths), 123 and 1234 fragment patterns

more random non-linear choices of arpeggio tones

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1912 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases And Sections back to contents

Play Simple Elaboration of the Harmonic Framework with Pushes

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back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation page 1913

Practice the Slurring Options

learn to predict these exercises
There are four sets of seven turnarounds in this section. All of the arpeggios are seventh chords played
one note at a time. The titles for the sets end, in order, with “root position”, “first inversion”, “second
inversion” and “third inversion”. In order of pitch, the four notes of a seventh chord ascend root, third,
fifth and seventh. For Cm7, those notes are respectively C-Eb-G-Bb. See Constructing Scale-Tone
Seventh Chords.
These exercises have a very regular form, which is described below. You can learn the form of the exercises to
the point where you don’t need to read them. Only the two most common directional forms of turnarounds
are shown here, “down-up” and “up-down”. See Practice The Six Directional Types of Turnarounds.

a seven-page section for each inversion

The four notes of any seventh chord can be identified with the numbers 1, 3, 5 and 7. Chords may
have altered thirds, fifth or sevenths, such as “b3” (flat three), “#5” (sharp five) or “b7” (flat seven), but
generically still used the numbers 1, 3, 5 and 7. The root of a chord is the note after which it is named.
If the arpeggio ascends from its root or descends down to its root, it is said to be in “root position”. If
the lowest pitch an arpeggio ascends up from or descends down to is its third, it is in “first inversion”.
With the fifth as lowest pitch an arpeggio ascends up from or descends down to, its “second inversion”.
With the seventh as lowest pitch an arpeggio ascends up from or descends down to, its “third inversion”.

one page for each pair of chords in fourths

The chord progression in this exercise shows the most common root movement in modern music,
roots ascending in fourths. See Perfect Fourth Cadences. The fourths progression used here occurs in
Autumn Leaves. It is Cm7-F7-Bbma7-Ebma7-Am7b5-D7-Gm7 (changes to G7 just before returning
to Cm7)-Cm7. Ebma7 to Am7b5 (IV to VII of Bb major) has a root movement of an augmented
fourth and is the point when the cycle of perfect fourths shown in Perfect Fourth Cadences starts
over. The seven pages for each inversion are Cm7-F7, F7-Bbma7, Bbma7-Ebma7, Ebma7-Am7b5,
Am7b5-D7, D7-Gm7 and G7-Cm7.

the structure on each page

On each page, the top three staves show “up-down” turnarounds. The bottom three staves on each
page show “down-up” turnarounds. On the first and fourth staves, the turnaround is first played with
no ornamentation, then with ornamentation to the first note using a pickup of the last two notes of a
triplet before the third beat.

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

 ° b œ œ 8 œF7 œ œ œ10 F7œ œ œ œ12 F7œ œ
œ œœ
C‹7 C‹7 C‹7
œœœœ œœÓ œ œœœ œœÓ œœÓ
7 9 11

&b Ó Ó Ó
page 1914 Harmonic Frameworks
3 3
with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases 6And Sections back to contents
6 5 6 5 6 5
8 6 8 6 68 6

¢⁄
5758
turnarounds
Bebop Turnarounds on the first
on Autumn staff - root position
Leaves 8 5 5 878 8 5 5 8 8 5

Bebop Turnarounds on Autumn Leaves - root position

°Swing
qaa z=[qp œ
œ œ œII-V
]e 14 F7
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ C‹7 œ œ œF7 œ œ œ
C‹7 C‹7 F7 C‹7 F7

Ó œ œqaa z=[2œqp ]e II-V œ3 œ œC‹7

13 15 16 17 18

b Eighths œ œ
Swing Eighths
qb = 160 Ó Ó œ œ Ó Ó œ œ œœ 66 F7œ œ œ œ Ó
°&q b=4160 œ œ 4 œF7 œ œ
F7
C‹7
œ œ œ œ œ
Œ ‰ œ œœ6 œœœœÓ
œ œ
4 5

°& bb 44 ∑ ∑ Ó œ œ œ 3œ Ó 5 C‹7

Ó œœ œÓ Œ ‰ 3œ œ œÓ
2 3

&b 4 ∑ ∑
3
ET (escape tone)
6 5 1 b3 5 b7 3 61 8b76 5 5 3 6 8 5
868 6 8 6 8 6

¢⁄⁄
5 8 8 5 1 b3 5 b7
65 8 3
5 1 b7 5 8 5 5 8 6 5 8 5
turnarounds 5 on the
8 5 fourth staff
8 6 8 6

¢19
5 8 6 5 7 5 8 6 5 8 5
8 6 8 6

⁄
¢° b œ œœœ œ
5 8 8 5 5 7 5 8 8 5
21 C‹7
œ œ
22 F7
œ œ œ 23 C‹7
œ
24 F7
œœœÓ
œ œ œ œ
20

b C‹7 ∑ ∑
œ 8 F7 Ó
°7& b C‹7 œœœœ œ œ 8 œF7 œ œ œ
œ 9 C‹7 œ 10ÓF7
œ
œ œ10 F7 œ œ œŒ ‰ 11 C‹7 œ
œ œ œ12 F7œœ œ œ œ
12 F7
9 C‹7 œ œ œ œ 11 C‹7 œ œ
7

°& bb Ó
œ œ œ œ œ Ó Ó œ
œ œ œ b7 5 b3 1 œ(5)œb7œœ1 3 œ œ œ œ Ó Ó
œ œœ œ œœœÓ
b Ó Ó Ó Ó Ó Ó
3
& 3 3 6 6 5 6 5 6 5
Most of the ornaments used here are mordents.
8
Occasionally,
3 6 I used a turn.
8 6 6

¢⁄
3 8 5 8 8 5 85
6 5 6 5 6
8 6 8 6 6 68

⁄
¢25
5758 6 5 8 5 5 878 6 5 8 5 5 8 5 5 8 6

andœthird
œ œ œ œstaves œ œornamentation 29 C‹7 œ
8 6 8 6 6 68

⁄
On the second 26 F7 of each page,27 C‹7the
œ is applied to the first
30 F7 note on the third
°
¢ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó). In swing
5 7 5 8 8 5 5 8 7 8 8 5 8 5 5 8
C‹7 28 F7
b
beat, then13&tob the
Ó second note œ œ
F7 œon the Óthird Ó œ œ œ œ Ó Ó œ œ œ œ
œœœ œœ14 F7œ œ œ œ œœ œœ œœ16 œF7 œ œ œ6 œœ œœ18 F7œ œ œ
beat (in the second and third bars of18 the staff
eighths, °
C‹7 14 15 C‹7 16 F7 17 C‹7 F7
b C‹7 œ œ3 on œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Ódefault) one
°& b b Ó œ œœœ œ Ó Ó œœ œ Ó Ó œ œ noteœ œisœ(by
15 C‹7 17 C‹7
the first note a beat œœœ
is by default two thirds of œœœ
a beat and the second
13

œ œ œ œ5150
3

third of a& b Ó
beat. Placing Ó Ó
6 5 63 three notes 5during the 6last 3 third of the Ó Ó
5 beat at a fast
6 tempo
6 over Ó beats per
8 6 868 6 86 6

¢⁄
3 8 5 38 5 ET (escape tone)
minute can be very challenging
6 5
and
8
sometimes impractical.
6 8 6 5
So,
8
the last two bars6 68ofET 5
the second
8 (escape
5
8
tone) and fourth
staves show a modified, 868
easier
5 version
6
with two 5 8 notes
8
6 8 6 instead
6
8 5 of three that
5 8 involve
8
5 a neighboring
6
tone
¢ ⁄ C‹7 5œ 8 8 6 8 32 F7 6 8 5 33 C‹7 5 œ8 35 C‹7 5 œ
5 8 6 8 5 5 6 8 8 5

° œ œ
œ Óare scale œ œ
Ó 22 F7 œ œœœ œ œ œ23 C‹7Ó œ Ó œ
œ œ
œ œ œ tones.
8 6 8 6

¢19⁄&tone.
34 F7 8 5 36 F7

bb Ó œœœœ œ œtones œ œœchord

or passing31
Neighboring tones immediately above or below 8 8 5
Passing
œ Ó
tones are°19between œ such as a “D”œnote between “C” œand Eb” in a Bb
œ œœ œœ œ 22 F7œ œœ œœ3 œ Ó 23 ŒC‹7 ‰ œ œ œ œœ œœ œ624 F7œ œœ œœ œ Ó
21 C‹7 24 F7
b ∑ two20 chord tones, usually a third apart,
20

° & b ∑ Ó
21 C‹7

bb ∑
3

& 6 ∑
major scale (Bb-C-D-Eb-F-G-A-Bb).
5 Ó 6
œ œ Ó5 3
Œ ‰6
œ œ5 Ó
8 6 b7 5 b3 1 (5)8 b7 6 8 6

⁄
8 51 7 5
3
¢turnarounds
8785 8 8 3 8 53 5 8
on the second b7 6staff
5 b3(similar
8
1 (5) b7 1to35staves three,6five
6
5 6 and six on each5 page)
8 6

¢ ⁄
6 8 5 8 5 6 5 6 8 5 8 5
8 6 8 6

¢25⁄ C‹7 œ œ
8 5 8
difficult version
8 5 8
simplified version
27 C‹7 œ 29 C‹7 œ
°25 b C‹7 œ œœ œ œ œ œ 26 œF7 œ œ œœ Ó 27 ÓC‹7 œ œœœœ œ 28 œF7 œ œ œœ Ó 29 C‹7 œœœ 3030 F7 œ œ œ
26 F7 28 F7 F7

°& bb Ó œœ œœ Ó œœœœ œœ Ó Ó œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ ÓÓ

&b Ó 3
œ œ Ó œ œ Ó 6
œ œ
3
3 3 6
6 5 6 5 6 5 6 5
8 6 868 6 86 6

¢⁄
6 5 6 8 5 8 5 6 8 5 8 5 6 8 5 8 5
8 6 868 6 86 6

¢⁄ C‹7
8 5 8 8 5 8 8 5 8

°31 b C‹7 œœ œ œœœœ 32 F7œ œ œ œœ

33 C‹7 œ 35 C‹7 œ
32 F7
œ œ œœœ 3434 œF7 œ œ œ œ œ œœ3636 œF7 œ œ œ
F7 F7
33 C‹7 œ 35 C‹7 œ
31

°& bbb ÓÓ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ Ó Ó œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ Ó Ó œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ Ó
& and sixth staves
On the fifth 3 of eachÓ page,Ó the ornamentation
3
Ó applied
is Ó to the 6
first note on Ó the fourth
beat, then to the second
6
3 note on the fourth beat. As 3with staves two and three 6but regarding the fourth
5 6 5 6 5
beatlast two bars of6 the
8
8 7fifth and
8 sixth
6
staves show
8
8 5a7modified,
6
5 easier version
8
8with
5 3 two
5 8 notes
6
instead of
¢ ⁄
85 5 6 5 8 6 5
8 6 8 6 8 6

¢⁄involve a neighboring tone or passing tone.

8785 8 8 575 8 8 53 5 8
three that
Swing rhythm is variable and the first eighth note on a beat can range from 51 to 75% of a beat, with
the second eighth note getting the remainder of 49 to 25%, respectively.

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation page 1915

bebop turnarounds on Autumn on

Bebop Turnarounds Leaves with Leaves
Autumn slurring- options-root
root positionposition
Swing Eighths qaa z=[qp ]e II-V
œ œ4œ œ œ œ œ6œ œ œ
C‹7
° b4
F7 C‹7 F7
œ œ
q = 160
œ œÓ œ
Œ ‰œ œ œÓ
2 3 5

&b 4 ∑ ∑ Ó
3
1 b3 5 b7 3 1 b7 5
6 5 6 5
8 6 8 6

¢⁄
5 8 8 5 5 7 5 8 8 5

° b œ œ 8 œF7 œ œ œ10 F7œ œ œ œ12 F7œ œ

œ œœ
C‹7 C‹7 C‹7
œœœœ œœÓ œ œœœ œœÓ œœÓ
7 9 11

&b Ó Ó Ó
3 3 6

6 5 6 5 6 5
8 6 8 6 68 6

¢⁄
5758 8 5 5 878 8 5 5 8 8 5

° b
C‹7
œ œ œ14 F7œ œ C‹7
œ œ œ œ16 œF7 œ C‹7
œ œ œ18 F7œ œ
œœ œ
13 15 17

œœÓ œœ œœÓ œœ œœÓ

&b Ó Ó Ó
3 3 6
ET (escape tone)
6 5 6 8 6 5 6 8 5
868 6 8 6 8 6

¢⁄
5 8 8 5 5 8 8 5 5 8 8 5

° b œœ œœœ œ
œœ œœœœÓ œ
œœœ Ó
C‹7 22 F7 C‹7 24 F7
œ œ
19 20 21 23

&b ∑ ∑ Ó Œ ‰
3
b7 5 b3 1 (5) b7 1 3
6 5 6 5 6 5
8 6 8 6

¢⁄
8 5 8 8 5 8

° bb œ œ œœ œ œœœ œ œœ
œœ œœœœÓ œœ œœœœÓ œœ œœœœÓ
25 C‹7 26 F7 27 C‹7 28 F7 29 C‹7 30 F7

& Ó Ó Ó
3 3 6

6 5 6 5 6 5 6 5
8 6 868 6 86 6

¢⁄
8 5 8 8 5 8 8 5 8

° b œ œ œ œ 32 F7 œ œ œ œœœ œ œœœ œ
œ œœ œ œ œ Ó œœ œ œ œ Ó
C‹7 C‹7 F7 C‹7 F7
œ œ œ
31 33 34 35 36

&b Ó Ó Ó Ó
3 3 6

6 5 6 5 6 5
8 6 8 6 8 6

¢⁄
8785 8 8 575 8 8 53 5 8

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1916 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases And Sections back to contents

° b
V-I F7 B¨Œ„Š7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
œ œœœ Ó Œ ‰œ œœœœ œœœœÓ
œœœ
1 2 3 4 5 6

&b ∑ ∑ Ó
3
œ œ
1 3 5 b7 3 1 7 5

¢⁄
5 8 7 5 8 7
7 8 7 7 8 7
8 8 8 6 8 8

° bb
F7 B¨Œ„Š7 F7 3 B¨Œ„Š7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
œœ œœœ Ó œœ œœœ Ó œœ œœœ Ó
7 8 9 10 11 12
6

& Ó Ó Ó œ
3

œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

¢⁄
5 8 7 5 8 7 5 8 7
7 8 7 757 8 7 78 8 7
868 8 8 8 8 8

° bb Ó
F7 B¨Œ„Š7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
œœœœ œ œ œ Ó œ œœœ œ œ œ Ó œ œœ œ œ œ Ó
13 14 15 16 17 18

& œœ œ Ó œœ œ Ó œœ œ
3 3
6
ET (eascape tone)

¢⁄
5758 7 5 878 7 5 85 7
7 8 7 7 8 7 7 8 7
8 8 8 8 8 8

° bb
F7 B¨Œ„Š7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
œœ Œ ‰ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó
œœ œœœœÓ
19 20 21 22 23 24

& ∑ ∑ Ó
3
b7 5 3 1 (5) 7 1 3

¢⁄
8 5 7 8 7 8 5 7
7 7 8 7 7 8
8 8

° bb Ó
F7 B¨Œ„Š7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
œœœœ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œœœ œ
25 26 27 28 29 30

& œ œœœ Ó Ó œ œœœ Ó Ó œ œœœ Ó

3 6
3

¢⁄
8785 7 8 575 7 8 75 7
7 7 8 7 7 8 7 7 8
8 8 8 8

° bb
F7 B¨Œ„Š7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7
œ œ œ œœ œ œœœ œ œœœ6 œ
31 3 32 33 34 35 36

& Ó œ œœœ Ó Ó œ œœ œ œ œ Ó Ó œœ œ œ œ Ó
3

¢⁄
8 5 7 8 5 7 8 5 7
787 7 8 7 7 8 7 7 8
8 8 868 8 86 8

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back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation page 1917

° bb œ œœœ œ œœœ
I-IV
œœœ Œ ‰ œœœ œ œ
1 2 3 B¨Œ„Š7 4 E¨Œ„Š7 5 B¨Œ„Š7 3 6 E¨Œ„Š7

& ∑ ∑ Ó œÓ œÓ
1 3 5 7 3 1 7 5
5 5
6 8 6 8

¢⁄
7 8 7 7 8 7
8 8 8 7 8 8

° bb Ó œ œ8 œ œ œ œ œ10 œ œ œ œ œ12 œ œ œ
B¨Œ„Š7 E¨Œ„Š7 B¨Œ„Š7 E¨Œ„Š7 B¨Œ„Š7 E¨Œ„Š7
œ œ œ œ œ œ
7 9 11

& œœœ œÓ Ó œ œÓ Ó œ œÓ
3 3 6

5 5 5
6 8 6 8 6 8

¢⁄
7 8 7 757 8 7 78 8 7
878 8 8 8 8 8

° bb Ó
13 B¨Œ„Š7
œ œ œœ œ14 œ œ œ
E¨Œ„Š7 15 B¨Œ„Š7
œ œ œ œ œ16 œE¨Œ„Š7
œœœÓ
17 B¨Œ„Š7
œ œ œ œ18 E¨Œ„Š7
œœœ
& œ œÓ Ó œ Ó œ œÓ
3 3 6
ET (escape tone)
5 5 6 5 6 5
686 8 6 8 6 8

¢⁄
7 8 7 7 8 7 7 8 7
8 8 8 8 8 8

° bb
B¨Œ„Š7
œ œ œ 22 E¨Œ„Š7 œ œ œ œ œ œ 24 E¨Œ„Š7
B¨Œ„Š7
œ
œ œœœ Ó œ œœœ Ó
19 20 21 23

& ∑ ∑ Ó Œ ‰
3
7 5 3 1 (5) 7 1 3
5 5 6 5
6 8 6 8

¢⁄
7 7 8 7 7 8
8 8

° bb
B¨Œ„Š7
œ œ œœ œ œ
E¨Œ„Š7 B¨Œ„Š7
œ œœœœ œ
E¨Œ„Š7 B¨Œ„Š7
œ œœœ œ
E¨Œ„Š7

œ œœœ Ó œ œœœ Ó œ œœœ Ó

25 26 27 28 29 30

& Ó Ó Ó
3 3 6

5 6 5 5 5
6 8 686 8 86 8

¢⁄
7 7 8 7 7 8 7 7 8
8 8 8

° bb Ó œœ
œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ Ó
œœ
œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ Ó
œœ
œ œœ œ œ œ œ Ó
31 B¨Œ„Š7 32 E¨Œ„Š7 33 B¨Œ„Š7 34 E¨Œ„Š7 35 B¨Œ„Š7 36 E¨Œ„Š7

& Ó Ó
3 6
3
5 5 5
6 8 6 8 6 8

¢⁄
757 7 8 7 7 8 7 7 8
8 878 8 87 8

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1918 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases And Sections back to contents

° b
IV-VII E¨Œ„Š7 A‹7(b5) E¨Œ„Š7 A‹7(b5)

œœ œœœ Ó œœ œœœ Ó
1 2 3 4 5 6

&b ∑ ∑ Ó Œ ‰
3

œœ œ œœœ œ œ
1 3 5 7 b3 1 b7 b5

¢⁄
7 5 7 5
5 8 7 5 5 8 7 5
6 6 6 5 6 6

° b
E¨Œ„Š7 A‹7(b5) E¨Œ„Š7 3 A‹7(b5) E¨Œ„Š7 A‹7(b5)

œœ œœœ Ó œœ œœœ Ó œœ œœœ Ó

7 8 9 10 11 12
6

&b Ó Ó Ó
3

œœœœ œ œ œœœ œ œ œœ œ

¢⁄
7 5 7 5 7 5
5 8 7 5 5758 7 5 578 7 5
656 6 6 6 6 6

° bb Ó
E¨Œ„Š7 A‹7(b5) E¨Œ„Š7 A‹7(b5) E¨Œ„Š7 A‹7(b5)

œ œœ œ œ œ Ó œ œœœ œ œ œ Ó œ œœ œ œ œ Ó
13 14 15 16 17 18

& œœ œ œ Ó œœ œ Ó œœ œ
3 3 6
ET (eascape tone)

¢⁄
7 5 757 5 57 5
5 878 7 5 5 8 7 5 5 8 7 5
6 6 6 6 6 6

° bb
E¨Œ„Š7 A‹7(b5) E¨Œ„Š7 A‹7(b5)
œœ Œ ‰ œœœ œ œ
œœ œ œœœÓ œÓ
19 20 21 22 23 24

∑ ∑ Ó
& œ œœœ
3
7 5 3 1 (b5) b7 1 b3

¢⁄
7 5 7 5 7 5
8 5 5 7 8 5 5 7
6 6

° b
E¨Œ„Š7 A‹7(b5) E¨Œ„Š7 3 A‹7(b5) E¨Œ„Š7 A‹7(b5)
œœœœ œ œœœ œ œœ
œœ œœœœÓ œœ œœœœÓ œœ œœœœÓ
25 26 27 28 29 30

&b Ó Ó Ó
3 6

¢⁄
757 5 7 5 7 5 5
8 5 5 7 8785 5 7 85 5 7
6 6 6 6 6 6

° b
E¨Œ„Š7 A‹7(b5) E¨Œ„Š7 A‹7(b5) E¨Œ„Š7 A‹7(b5)
œœ œ œœ œœ
3

œ œœ œ œ œ œ Ó œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ Ó œ œœ œ œ œ œ Ó
31 32 33 34 35 36

&b Ó Ó Ó
3 6

¢⁄
7 5 7 5 7 5
8 575 5 7 8 5 5 7 8 5 5 7
6 656 65 6

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation page 1919
5

° b œ œ
VII-III
#œ œ œ #œ œ œ
A‹7(b5) D7 A‹7(b5) D7
œ œ
œœ Œ ‰ œœœ œ
1 2 3 4 5 6

&b ∑ ∑ Ó œÓ œÓ
3

1 b3 b5 b7 b3 1 b7 b5
8 7 8 7

¢⁄
5 8 7 5 5 8 7 5
7 7 7 5 7 7

° b œ œ #œ œ œ Ó œ œ #œ œ œ Ó œ œ #œ œ œ Ó
A‹7(b5) 3 D7 A‹7(b5) D7 A‹7(b5) D7

œ œœ œ œ œœœ œ œœ
7 8 9 10 11 12

&b Ó œ Ó œ Ó œ
3 6

8 7 8 7 8 7

¢⁄
5 8 7 5 5758 7 5 578 7 5
757 7 7 7 7 7

° b œ œœœ œ#œœ #œ œ œ œ #œ
A‹7(b5) D7 A‹7(b5) D7 A‹7(b5) D7

œ œ œœœ œœœ œœœ œ œœœÓ

13 14 15 16 17 18

&b Ó œÓ Ó œÓ Ó
3 3 6
ET (eascape tone)
8 6 8 78 7 84 7

¢⁄
5 878 7 5 5 8 7 5 5 8 7 5
7 7 7 7 7 7

° b œ œ œ 22 œ œ #œ œnœ œ œ œ 24 œ œ #œ
19 20 21 A‹7(b5) D7 23 A‹7(b5) D7

&b ∑ ∑ Ó œ œ Ó Œ ‰ œ œ Ó
3
b7 b5 b3 1 (5) b7 1 3
8 7 8 6 8 7

¢⁄
8 5 5 7 8 5 5 7
7 7

° b œnœœœ œ #œ œ œœœœ #œ œ œœœ #œ

A‹7(b5) D7 A‹7(b5) D7 A‹7(b5) D7

œ œœœ Ó œ œœœ Ó œ œœœ Ó

25 26 27 28 29 30

&b Ó Ó Ó
3 6
3

8 68 7 8 7 8 7

¢⁄
8 5 5 7 8785 5 7 875 5 7
7 7 7

° b œœ œ
œ œœ œ œ œ#œ Ó
œœ
œ œœœ œ œ œ#œ Ó
œœ
œ œœ œ œ œ#œ Ó
31 A‹7(b5) 32 D7 33 A‹7(b5) 3
34 D7 35 A‹7(b5) 36 D7
6

&b Ó Ó Ó
3

8 7 8 7 8 7

¢⁄
8 575 5 7 8 5 5 7 8 5 5 7
7 757 75 7

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1920 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases And Sections back to contents

° bb œ œ 4 G‹7
œ œ nœ œ œ 6 œ œ nœ G‹7
III-VI
#œ #œ
D7 D7
œ œÓ Œ ‰ œœœ œÓ
1 2 3 5

& ∑ ∑ Ó
III uses Phrygian dominant 1 3 5 b7 b3 1 b7 5 3
5 8 6 5 8 6
7 8 6 7 8 6

¢⁄
7 7 7 5 7 7

œ 8 œG‹7œ œ10 œG‹7œ œ12 G‹7

œ œnœ
° b œœœ#œ œ nœ œ Ó œ#œœœ œ nœ œ Ó œ#œœ œ
D7 D7 D7
œÓ
7 9 11

&b Ó Ó Ó
3 3 6

5 8 6 5 8 6 5 8 6
7 8 6 787 8 6 78 8 6

¢⁄
757 7 7 7 7 7

œ14 œG‹7œ œ œ œ16 œG‹7œ œ œ18 œG‹7œ

° bb #œ œ œ œ nœ œ Ó #œ œ nœ œ Ó Ó œ#œ
œ nœ œ Ó
D7 D7 D7
œ Ó œ
13 15 17

& Ó
3 3 6
ET (eascape tone)
5 6 5 8 6 5 8 6 8 6 5 8 5 6
7 8 6 7 8 6 7 8 6

¢⁄
7 7 7 7 7 7

œœ œœœ œ
° bb #œ œ œ nœ œ œ Ó #œ nœ œœ
D7 22 G‹7 D7 24 G‹7
œ œ
19 20 21 23

& ∑ ∑ Ó Œ ‰ Ó
3
b7 5 3 1 (5) b7 1 b3
8 5 6 8 6 8 5 6
7 6 8 7 6 8

¢⁄
7 7 7

œœœœ œœœœ œ œ œ 30 G‹7 œ œ

7 5 3 1 (b5) b7 1 b

° bb Ó #œ œ œnœ œ œ Ó #œ œ œnœ œ œ Ó #œ œ œnœ Ó

25 D7 26 G‹7 27 D7 28 G‹7 29 D7

& Ó Ó
3 3 6

8 6 8 5 6 8 5 6 5 6 8 6 6
7 6 8 7 6 8 8 7 6 8

¢⁄
7 7 7

° b œ œ #œœœ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ #œ œ
œ œnœ œ Ó œœœ œnœ œ Ó œœ œnœ œ Ó
31 D7 32 G‹7 33 D7 34 G‹7 35 D7 36 G‹7

&b Ó Ó Ó
3 3 6

8 5 6 8 5 6 8 5 6
787 6 8 7 6 8 7 6 8

¢⁄
7 757 75 7

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation page 1921
7

° b
VI-II
œ œ œ œ bœ Ó œ œœ
G7 C‹7 G7 C‹7

Œ ‰ œ œ œ nœ œ
1 2 3 4 5 6

&b ∑ ∑ Ó œ nœ bœ œ Ó
3
œ
VI uses Aeolian dominant 1 3 5 b7 b3 1 b7 b5
6 6

¢⁄
4 7 8 5 4 7 8 5
5 8 5 5 5 8 5
8

° b œ œ œ œbœ Ó œ œ œ œbœ Ó œ œ œ œbœ Ó

G7 3 C‹7 G7 C‹7 G7 C‹7

œ nœœ
7 8 9 10 11 12

&b Ó œœœnœ œ Ó œnœœœ œ Ó œ

6
3

6 6 6

¢⁄
4 7 8 5 7 8 5 457 8 5
575 8 5 5 979 8 5 5 8 5

° b œ œœ œ œœ œ œ œ œ
G7 G7 C‹7 G7 C‹7

œnœ œœœ œnœ œ œœœ œ œœœÓ

13 14 15 16 17 18

&b Ó bœ œ Ó Ó bœ œ Ó Ó
3 3 6
ET (eascape tone)
6 686 6

¢⁄
757 8 5 7 8 5 7 7 8 5
5 9 8 5 5 9 8 5 5 8 8 5

° bb œ œ nœ œ
Œ ‰ œ œ œ nœ œ œ bœ œ œ Ó
G7 G7 C‹7 G7 C‹7
œ
œ œ bœ œ Ó
19 20 21 22 23 24

& ∑ ∑ Ó
3
b7 5 3 1 (5) b7 1 3
6 6 8 6

¢⁄
7 5 8 7 5 8
9 5 8 9 5 8

° b œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ
G7 G7 C‹7 G7 C‹7

nœ œ œbœ œ œ Ó nœ œ œbœ œ œ Ó nœ œ œbœ œ œ Ó

25 26 27 28 29 30

&b Ó Ó Ó
3 6
3

686 6 6

¢⁄
7 5 8 787 5 8 87 5 8
9 5 8 9 5 8 9 5 8

° b œœ 3 œœ 3 œœ 6
G7 G7 C‹7 G7 C‹7

nœœœœ œbœ œ œ Ó nœ œœœ œbœ œ œ Ó nœ œœ œbœ œ œ Ó

31 32 33 34 35 36

&b Ó Ó Ó

6 6 6

¢⁄
7 5 8 7 5 8 7 4 5 8
9795 8 9 575 8 57 5 8

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1922 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases And Sections back to contents

bebop turnarounds on Autumn Leaves with slurring options-first inversion

The first chord of each turnaround more often uses a ninth arpeggio from its third through ninth (3-5-
7-9), since it usually sounds better than tones 3-5-7-1.

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation page 1923

Add Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1924 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases And Sections back to contents
q = 120
Autumn Leaves core melody
Swing Eighths qaa z=[qp ]e
° bb 4
0 MELODIC EXAMPLES
original core melody, harmonic frame work and elaboration
1 2

& 4 ∑ ∑ ∑

Autumn Leaves improv - core melody

¢⁄
Autumn Leaves improv - full elaboration 120 BPM, 90 BPM, (click to play video)
4. full elaboration with ornamentation and syncopation

° bb œ b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ
G‹7 2 C‹7 3 F7 4 B¨Œ„Š7 5 E¨Œ„Š7

œ œ œ œœœœ œ œ œ ‰ ™ œ œ œnœ œ œ œ J œ œbœ œ œ œ

1

& œ ‰ #œ
3 3 3 3 6 3 3
1 4 3 1 2 1 3 1 2 3 2 1313 2 3 2 3 1 2 3431 3 1 3 2 1 1 2 1 3 232 1 3 3 2 3 2 1 21 4 1
5
9 8 6 8 686 6 6 8 7 6 6 8

¢⁄
7 5 7 7 8 7 8 7 5 7875 8 6 7 787 5 8 7 7 5 65
8 5 8 8 8 8 5

nœ
A‹7(b5) D7 G‹7

° bb œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ nœ nœ œ œ œ œ œ
6 7 8 9

& œ J œ œ œ œ œ Œ
3 3 3 3
3 4 1 3 3 3 1 4 1 3 2 3 1 1 2 1 2 3 1 3 1 3 2 1 3 1 3 2 2 3 3 2 2 3 2

6 10 6 6 5 6 5 5 6
8 8 7 7 8 8 7 6 8 6 8

¢⁄
5 7 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7
7 8 7 8 8

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 11 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 12 œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 13
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 E¨Œ„Š7

° bb œ œ #œ œ œbœ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ
10

&
3 3 6
3
3 1 3 4 1 3 1 4 3 1 3 1 3 4 1 3 1 1 2 1 2 4 2 1 2 4 1 2 1 3 4 3 1 2 1 4 3 4 1 2 1 3
10 8 10 11 8 10 8 8 6 8 10 6 8 6 5 5 6 8 6 5 6 8 5 6 5 5 6 5
11 10 6 6 7 8 8 8

¢⁄
7 5 6 5 7
8

A‹7(b5) D7 G‹7

° bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ#œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ #œ œ
14 15 16 17

œ œ œ œ œ
& #œ œ œ œ J
3 6 3
2 3 2 3 2 2 2 3 2 3 3 1 1 2 1 2 1 4 3 2 4 3 4 1 3 1 3 4 4 3 4 3 1 3 1 2 1 4 3 4 3 4
6 5 6 5 6 5 5 6 5
8 8 7 6 7 8 7 8

¢⁄
7 8 7 8 7 7 8 7 8 8 7 8 7 8 7 5 7 8
7 8 4 7 5 7 8

œ n œ œ œ œ œ 21 œ œ œ œ
œœœœœ œ
A‹7(b5) D7 G‹7

° bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ™ œ œ œ
18 19 20

& ‰ Œ
bœ œ 3 3 3
3
1 2 1 4 1 2 1 2 1 3 1 3 1 3 2 2 3 2 1 3 3 1 3 4 2 1 2 1 2 4 3
5 6 5 5 6 6 8 6 6 8 5 15 13 15 13 11 10 11 10
8 8 7 8 11 13

¢⁄
5 7 8 12
7
6
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 E¨Œ„Š7

° bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
22 23 24 25

& J œ
3 3 3 3 3
3 4 3 1 3 2 3 3 1 3 1 3 3 1 1 2 1 3 1 2 3 2 1 2 1 2 3 1 1 3 1 3 2 3 1
6
8 10 8 6 8 6 8 6 6 8 6 6 6 6 8

¢⁄
7 8 8 8 5 5 7 7 8 7 5 7 7 8 7
8 8 8 5

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

 q = 120
Autumn Leaves core melody
Swing Eighths qaa z=[qp ]e original core melody, harmonic frame work and elaboration
°2 to bcontents
back Part 6: Building Phrases and1 Sections Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation page 1925
0 2
4
&b 4 ∑ ∑ ∑
A‹7(b5) D7 G‹7

° bb œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ #œ
26 27 28 29
œ œ
bb 4œ œ œ ∑ Œ ∑ œ œ œ œ
3 3 3 3
&
& 4 ∑ J #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
3 3 3 3 œ œ œ œ œ 3
3 1 3 4 3 1 4 3 4 3 4 1 4 1 3 4 3 3 2 4
6

¢⁄
8 7 7 8
5 7 8 7 5 8 7 5 7 8 7 5 7
7 8 4 8 5 7 8
5 6 5 6 5 5 6 8
3 5 6 8 8

& bbA‹7(b5)
4
4 ∑ Straight Eighths D7 ∑ G‹7 ∑
° bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ #œ nœ œ œ
30 31 32 33

œ œ œ #œ ∑
& w
⁄
3 6
2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 3 1 1 2 1 2 1 4 3 2 4 3 4 1 2
6 5 6 5 6 5

⁄ bb 44
8 8 7 6

¢& ∑ ∑ ∑
7 8 7 8 7 7 8 8 7
7 8 4 5

Autumn
¢⁄
Leaves improv - four stages of core melody

1. core melody: a cluster of chord tones

B¨Œ„Š7 E¨Œ„Š7

° bb w
w
2 C‹7 3 F7
w
w w w
w
1 4 5

∑ w w
w w
w
&

2. harmonic framework with no elaboration

b
G‹7
˙
C‹7
˙ ˙
F7
˙
B¨Œ„Š7
˙
E¨Œ„Š7
˙
&b ∑ ˙ ˙

8 6 6

⁄
8 5 7 8
8

3. harmonic framework with simple elaboration

œ œ œ œ
G‹7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 E¨Œ„Š7
b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
&b ∑ œ œ œ

8 6 8 6

⁄
8 7 5 7 8 7 5 8 7
8 8 5

4. full elaboration with ornamentation and syncopation

b œbœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœœ œ œ œ œ bœ œ #œ œ œ ™ œ œ œnœ œ

G‹7 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 E¨Œ„Š7

&b œ ‰ œ œ œ œœœœ œ œ œ‰ œ œ œ J œ œbœ œ œ œ

3 3 3 3 6 3 3
1 4 3 1 2 1 3 1 2 3 2 1313 2 3 2 3 1 2 3431 3 1 3 2 1 1 2 1 3 232 1 3 3 2 3 2 1 21 4 1
5
9 8 6 8 686 6 6 8 7 6 6 8

¢⁄
7 5 7 7 8 7 8 7 5 7875 8 6 7 787 5 8 7 7 5 65
8 5 8 8 8 8 5

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 1926 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases And Sections back to contents

A‹7(b5) D7 G‹7

° bw #w w
2
w w
6 7 8 9

&b w
w w w ∑

b
A‹7(b5)
˙ #˙
D7 ˙ G‹7
w
&b ˙ ∑

6
7 8

⁄
8
7

A‹7(b5)
#œ
D7 œ œ
G‹7
œ nœ œ
b œ œ œ œ œ œ
&b œ œ œ Œ

6
7 7 8 6 8

⁄
5 8 8 8 7 7
7 8 8

nœ
b œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ nœ nœ œ œ œ œ œ
A‹7(b5) D7 G‹7

& b J œ œ œ œ œ Œ
3 3 3 3
3 4 1 3 3 3 1 4 1 3 2 3 1 1 2 1 2 3 1 3 1 3 2 1 3 1 3 2 2 3 3 2 2 3 2

6 10 6 6 5 6 5 5 6
8 8 7 7 8 8 7 6 8 6 8

¢⁄
5 7 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7
7 8 7 8 8

C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 E¨Œ„Š7

° bb
10 11 12 13

& ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
˙ ˙ ˙
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 E¨Œ„Š7
b ˙
&b

10 11 8 5 6 5
8

⁄
7

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 E¨Œ„Š7
b œ œ
&b

10 8 10 11 8 6 5 6 8 5 5
6 8 8 8

⁄
7

œœœœ œ œœœœœ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œbœ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 E¨Œ„Š7

b
&b
3 3 6
3
3 1 3 4 1 3 1 4 3 1 3 1 3 4 1 3 1 1 2 1 2 4 2 1 2 4 1 2 1 3 4 3 1 2 1 4 3 4 1 2 1 3
10 8 10 11 8 10 8 8 6 8 10 6 8 6 5 5 6 8 6 5 6 8 5 6 5 5 6 5
11 10 6 6 7 8 8 8

¢⁄
7 5 6 5 7
8

©2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation page 1927

3
A‹7(b5) D7 G‹7

° b ww w w
w
w
14 15 16 17
w w w w
&b w
w

b
A‹7(b5)
˙ ˙
D7
˙
G‹7 ˙ ˙
&b ˙ ˙ ˙

5 6
8 8

⁄
7 8 7
5

A‹7(b5)
œ œ
D7
#œ
G‹7
#œ œ œ
b œ œ œ œ œ ˙
&b œ œ œ

5 6
8 7 7 8

⁄
7 8 7 8 7 7
7 5 8

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ#œ nœ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ #œ œ
A‹7(b5) D7 G‹7

bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
& œ #œ œ œ œ J
3 6 3
2 3 2 3 2 2 2 3 2 3 3 1 1 2 1 2 1 4 3 2 4 3 4 1 3 1 3 4 4 3 4 3 1 3 1 2 1 4 3 4 3 4
6 5 6 5 6 5 5 6 5
8 8 7 6 7 8 7 8

¢⁄
7 8 7 8 7 7 8 7 8 8 7 8 7 8 7 5 7 8
7 8 4 7 5 7 8

A‹7(b5) D7 G‹7

° bb w
w #w
w w
w
18 19 20 21

& w w w ∑

b ˙
A‹7(b5) ˙
D7
˙
G‹7
˙ ˙
&b Ó ∑

5 6
8

⁄
5 7

œ
A‹7(b5) œ œ
D7 œ w
G‹7
b œ œ
&b œ œ ∑

5 6 6 8
8

⁄
5 7
7
6

œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œœœœœ œ
bœœœœœ œ œ
œ
œ œ œ #œ œ
A‹7(b5) D7 G‹7
œ™ œ œ
& b ‰ Œ
bœ œ 3 3 3
3
1 2 1 4 1 2 1 2 1 3 1 3 1 3 2 2 3 2 1 3 3 1 3 4 2 1 2 1 2 4 3
5 6 5 5 6 6 8 6 6 8 5 15 13 15 13 11 10 11 10
8 8 7 8 11 13

¢⁄
5 7 8 12
7
6

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page 1928 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases And Sections back to contents

4 C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 E¨Œ„Š7

° bww
w w
w w w
22 23 24 25

&b w w
w w
w

b˙ ˙ ˙
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 E¨Œ„Š7
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
&b ˙

8 6 6

⁄
8 5 7 8
8

bœ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ
C‹7 F7 B¨Œ„Š7 E¨Œ„Š7
˙ œ œ œ
&b œ œ

8 8 6 6 6 6 8

⁄
7 8 5 7 7 8 7
8 8

œ œœœœ œ œ œ
C‹7
œ
F7
œ œœœ œ
B¨Œ„Š7
œ œ œ œ
E¨Œ„Š7
œ œ œ
& bb ‰ J œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
3 3 3 3 3
3 4 3 1 3 2 3 3 1 3 1 3 3 1 1 2 1 3 1 2 3 2 1 2 1 2 3 1 1 3 1 3 2 3 1
6
8 10 8 6 8 6 8 6 6 8 6 6 6 6 8

¢⁄
7 8 8 8 5 5 7 7 8 7 5 7 7 8 7
8 8 8 5

A‹7(b5) D7 G‹7

° bb w #w
w w
w
26 27 28 29

& w w w w ∑
A‹7(b5)
#˙
D7 ˙ w
G‹7
b ˙
&b ˙ ∑

6
7 8

⁄
8
7

b
A‹7(b5)
œ
D7 œ w
G‹7
œ œ œ œ
&b œ #œ ∑

6
8 8

⁄
5 8 5 7
7 4

b
A‹7(b5)
œ œ #œ œ œ
D7
œ #œ œ œ G‹7
œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
&b œ œ œ J œ #œ œ œ Œ
3 3 3 3

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
3 3 3 3 œ œ œ œ œ 3
3 1 3 4 3 1 4 3 4 3 4 1 4 1 3 4 3 3 2 4
6
8 7 7 8

¢⁄
5 7 8 7 5 8 7 5 7 8 7 5 7
7 8 4 8 5 7 8
5 6 5 6 5 5 6 8
3 5 6 8 8

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5

A‹7(b5) D7 G‹7

° b ww w
w
30 31 32 33

&b w w w
w ∑
w
A‹7(b5)
b ˙ ˙ ˙
D7
˙
G‹7

&b ˙ Ó ∑
G‹7
5
8

⁄
7 8
5

A‹7(b5)
b œ œ œ œ
D7
#œ œ
G‹7
œ
&b œ w ∑

5
8 7

⁄
7 8 7 8
7 5

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ nœ œ œ
A‹7(b5) Straight Eighths D7 G‹7
b œ œœœœ œ
&b œ
œ œ #œ
Jazz Blues in Bb core melody
w ∑
2 3
3
2 3 2 3 2 3
Jazz
3 1
Blues in6 Bb Core Melody
1 2 1 2 1 4 3 2 4 3 4 1 2
q = 170
6 5 6 5 6 5
8 8 7 6
8 qaa z=[
7 qp 8]e 7
¢⁄
7
Swing Eighths 7 8 8 7
7 8 4 5

° bb 4
0 1 2

& 4 ∑ ∑ ∑

Jazz Blues core melody

¢⁄

Jazz Blues in Bb - full elaboration click to play

4. full elaboration with ornamentation and syncopation

° bb Ó œ 1 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ#œ œ œ œnœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ ™œ œ œ œ#œ5 E¨9

œ œ œ œ bœ 6 œ œ nœ œ 3
‰ J ‰ œJ œ œ œ œ œ
C‹7 F7 B¨7 2 E¨7 B¨7 E¨7(b9)

‰ œbœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ ‰ œ œ œ œ#œ
0 3 4
3
& ÆJ Œ
3 3 3 3 6
3 3
4 2 1 3 3 1 3 1313 1 3 2 3 3 3 1 3 1 1 2 4 1 1 3 2 3 32 1 2 4 3 4 31 2 3 1 3 3 3 1 21 3 3 1 4 3 4141 2
6 6 8 6 5 6 6 6 6 6
8 8 686 6 8 8 8 6 8 9 8986 7 8 8 8 8

¢⁄
58 8 67 8 7 87 5 8 5 65 9 5 6
6 8 8 8 8 58
8 8

œ
° b œ œ œ#œ œ™ nœ œ œbœ#œ œn œ œ œ n œ œ n œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ#œ nœ j nœbœ œ œn œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ#œnœ œ nœ œ#œ œ
B¨7 G7 C‹7 F7 B¨7 G7 C‹7 F7
7 8 9 10 11 12

&b Œ œ ÆJ ‰œ ÆJ ÆJ œœ Œ
6 3 3 3 3 3
2 1 1 2 3 131 3 1 2 3 1 3 2 4 2 1 2 1 3 431 2 3 1 2 3 131 2 3 1 2 1 3 4 1 3 1 1 1 3 12 3 1 3 1 2 3
6 7 8 10 8 7 8 8 6 8 6 6
6 7 8 686 6 8 6 8 986 686 6 8

¢⁄
7 8 6 7 7 7 8 67 5 6 5 67 5 67
8 5 8 8 8
8 8

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 &b 4 ∑ ∑ ∑

¢⁄ 1930 Harmonic Frameworks with Baroque-Bebop Ornamentation Part 6: Building Phrases And Sections
page back to contents

Jazz Blues in Bb - four stages of core melody

1. core melody: a cluster of chord tones

° bb w
w w w bB¨7
w w bbw
bw nw w bw w
C‹7 F7 1 B¨7 E¨7 B¨7 E¨7 E¨7(b9)
w w w w w
0 2 3 4 5 6

& ∑ w

2. harmonic framework with no elaboration

C‹7 F7 ˙
B¨7 E¨13 ˙ ˙
B¨7 B¨9
b˙ E¨7
˙
E¨7(b9)
˙
b ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
&b ∑ ˙ ˙

6 8 6
9 8 8

⁄
7 8 7 5
8 8

3. harmonic framework with simple elaboration

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b˙
œ œ œ œ œ nœ
B¨7 E¨13 B¨7 B¨9 E¨7 E¨7(b9)
b œ œ œ
&b ∑ ˙ ˙

6 8 6 6
6 8 8 8 6 8 9 8 8

⁄
7 8 7 5 8 9
8 8

4. full elaboration with ornamentation and syncopation

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ#œ œ œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ ™œ œ œ œ#œ E¨9

œ œ œ œ œbœ œ œ œ nœ œ 3 œ#œ
‰ J ‰ œJ œ œ œ œ œ
C‹7 F7 B¨7 E¨7 B¨7 E¨7(b9)
b ‰ œbœ œ œ
3
&b Ó Æ œ J Œ œ œ ‰ œœœ
3 3 3 3 6
3 3
4 2 1 3 3 1 3 1313 1 3 2 3 3 3 1 3 1 1 2 4 1 1 3 2 3 32 1 2 4 3 4 31 2 3 1 3 3 3 1 21 3 3 1 4 3 4141 2
6 6 8 6 5 6 6 6 6 6
8 8 686 6 8 8 8 6 8 9 8986 7 8 8 8 8

¢⁄
58 8 67 8 7 87 5 8 5 65 9 5 6
6 8 8 8 8 58
8 8

2 Jazz Blues in Bb core melody

w ˙˙ ˙˙˙˙
B¨7 G7 C‹7 F7 B¨7 G7 C‹7 F7

° bb nnw
w nw
w w
w w
w
˙˙ n ˙˙
˙˙
7 8 9 10 11 12

& w
w w w ˙ ˙

˙ n˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
b ˙ ˙
B¨7 G7(b9) C‹7 F9 B¨7 G7(b9) C‹7 F9
˙ ˙ ˙
&b ˙ ˙
7 8 6
6 8 6

⁄
7 8 7 5
8 8

œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
B¨7 G7(b9) C‹7 F9 B¨7 G7(b9) C‹7 F9
b bœ
&b œ
œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ
˙ ˙
7 8 6
6 8 6 8 8 6 6 8

⁄
7 8 7 7 7 7 5 7
8
8 8

œ œ#œ œ™ nœ œ œbœ n œ œ œ n œ œ œ n œ œ œ œb œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ nœ G7œ œ

B¨7 G7 C‹7 F7 B¨7 C‹7 F7
b œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ j b œ nœ œ
&b Œ œœ #Æœ
J ‰ œ nœ œ œ #Æœ
J œ nœ œ#ÆœJ œ œ Œ
6 3 3 3 3 3
2 1 1 2 3 131 3 1 2 3 1 3 2 4 2 1 2 1 3 431 2 3 1 2 3 131 2 3 1 2 1 3 4 1 3 1 1 1 3 12 3 1 3 1 2 3
6 7 8 10 8 7 8 8 6 8 6 6
6 7 8 686 6 8 6 8 986 686 6 8

¢⁄
7 8 6 7 7 7 8 67 5 6 5 67 5 67
8 5 8 8 8
8 8

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 61
Sections Built
Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

With Phrases
• Melodic Design Types
• Dividing Sections
• Section Designs

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MELODIC DESIGN TYPES

The jazz tunes in this section are published in books listed in this Favored Jazz song list, at the link
below:
http://www.guitarencyclopedia.com/zzFavoredJazz.pdf
The books are shown in the right column. You will probably need to read the tunes while reading my
descriptions in this chapter.
In regard to melodic cells (see Melodic Cell Types), melodic design types are designs made with melodic
cells.

Links To Melodic Design Types

Periodic Theme and Variation
Sequential Theme and Variation with the Melodic Curve
Pentatonic and Hexatonic Melody
Call And Response
Harmonic Scalar Pulse
Large Arpeggios Connected with Superimposed Cadence Scales
Joe Pass Chord Melody Style Bass and Chord

Periodic Theme And Variation

Periodic themes occur in many instances in an improvised melody with other connective material.
They use more independent ideas that occur periodically and usually have a minimalist basis.
By contrast, sequential theme and variation builds longer melodic ideas without so much connective
material. Intervallic theme and variation is more continuous structure, rather than periodic.

Au Privave
The primary theme is established with the first four notes, reoccurring in bars 2, 3, 6, 9, 10 and 12. A
secondary theme is the eighth note pickup to a quarter note in bars 5, 7, 8, 10 (pickup to beat).

Bloomdido
Two themes. The first four notes, which reoccur at the beginning of bars two and three. It also occurs
at the beginning and end of bar eleven.
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The second theme begins bar five and is an inversion of the first (down-up, instead of up-down). The
second theme reoccurs in bars six, eight and with elaboration nine.

Four
Georgia
Girl From Ipanema
Have You Met Miss Jones

Sequential Theme and Variation with the Melodic Curve

Autumn Leaves
Autumn Leaves section A uses four two-bar phrases that each begin with a three note scalar pickup
from the fifth of the target chord. Each phrase ascends 5-6-7 in the mode of the target chord, then skips
up a fourth to the third of the target chord.
Autumn Leaves section B uses two or three pickups to begin each chord. The three note pickups in
the second bar resolves to the beginning of the third bar in the same manner as the pickup in the fourth
bar resolves to begin the fifth bar. The two note ascending pickup to the first bar is the same idea as the
three-note descending pickup to the seventh bar, except the three note pickup repeats its first note with
an octave interval.

All the Things You Are

All The Things You Are bars 1-8 uses pairs of notes in fourths for three pairs of pairs: parent scale 1-4,
7-3, 6-#2, then resolves to the key on III with original key tone #5. For bars 9-16, it repeats this idea
in the key of IV.
All The Things You Are bars 17-24 uses four two-bar phrases. The first and third phrase start with
a three-note pickup that ascends to a fourth note at the beginning of the chord. That fourth note is
an upper neighbor to a chord tone, making it an appogiatura (leaning tone), which resolves afterward,
down to the chord tone. The second and fourth two-bar phrases each use a three-note pickup which
ascends to an upper neighbor with the third note. Then the fourth note resolves down to the chord tone
on the first beat of the chord.

Bag’s Groove
One note pickup from tonic to fifth of key. Each pair of eighths that follows encircles the tone that it
precedes. The melody is all tones of minor pentatonic, but ingeniously phrased so each target tone after
the encircling is a chord tone, considering the II chord is IIm11.
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In the more elaborate version of the melody, the pickups are four notes, which are a “mordent” which is a
group of slurred notes: target, upper neighbor, target, lower neighbor, target. Using F minor pentatonic
or the note “Bb”, this would be Bb-C-Bb-Ab-Bb.

Black Orpheus
The theme is fifth of target I minor to flatted third of I minor on the first beat of the chord. Two note
pickup to the tonic beginning bar two, which is a chord tone of that chord. The end of bar two encircles
the tonic to begin bar three, but rather that the tonic, the melody skips to the fifth of the key, which
is a chord tone of that chord. In the encircling, the fifth of the parent scale (the relative major key) is
sharped, making harmonic minor.
The same melody is used on the next four bars, which cadence to the relative major on in bar seven
(the third of those four bars). The theme is only changed by using natural five of the parent scale (the
relative major scale).
Bars nine through sixteen begin with four two-bar phrases that each use a three eighth-note pickup that
ascends to the fifth of the target chord. The first three of those two-bar phrases follow beginning each
chord on its fifth with the root of the chord.
Bars seventeen through thirty two follow the same general ideas.

Blue Bossa

Fly Me to the Moon

Here’s That Rainy Day

How High the Moon

How Insensitive

In a Mellow Tone

The Way You Look Tonight

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Pentatonic and Hexatonic Melody

minor pentatonic
Blues by Five, Cantelope Island, It Don’t Mean a Thing, Moanin’, The Road Song, Sonnymoon for Two,
Speak Low, Sunny

minor pentatonic add two

In a Sentimental Mood, Mr. P.C., Pawky (also uses flat five), Summertime, Take Five, This Masquerade

major pentatonic
Joy Spring, Last Train Home, Mercy Mercy Mercy, Now’s the Time, One for Daddy O” (major pen-
tatonic flat three, called m6/9 pentattonic), Tenor Madness (flat three on the IV chord, making m6/9
pentatonic), Willow Weep for Me (also uses minor pentatonic in bars five and six)

major pentatonic add four

Call snd Response

Angel Eyes

Killing Me Softly with His Song

Harmonic Scalar Pulse

Large Arpeggios Connected with Superimposed Cadence Scales

Much of Charlie Parker’s melody is ninth through thirteenth arpeggios connected with harmonic minor
and melodic minor cadences. He also chromaticized arpeggios. See Melodic Cell Types.

Anthrolopology

Confirmation

Donna Lee

Groovin’ High

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Harlem Nocturne

Joy Spring

Night In Tunisia

Ornithology

‘Round Midnight

Scrapple from the Apple

Yardbird Suite

Joe Pass Chord Melody Style Bass and Chord

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DIVIDING SECTIONS
The first thing you should do in preparing to play a song is to get a feel for its emotive quality and genre
(see Modes And Harmony Chosen By Feel) Get on the same page with the other musicians and the
audience. The second thing you should do is to make a simple plan for each section as you approach it.

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page 1966 Sections Built with Phrases Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

SECTION DESIGNS

“E” phrases are “empty”, usually with one note at their beginning.
Sections are designated with hyphens (A-1) and phrases without hyphens (A).
A number before a letter beginning a phrase name indicates it’s length in bars (“4A1” shows that A-1 is
four bars long).
Charlie Parker tends to use minimalist themes (typically four-note) with rhythmic displacement. He
varies phrases by contrast with consecutive syncopation. It’s amazing how alike his 12 bar blues heads
are alike in this way.
Sections may vary to accommodate harmonically, such as “3” in section A on a I7 chord and “b3” in
another section A during a IV7 chord.

Phrase Divisions Are Similar to Section Divisions

Phrase divisions are similar to section divisions, but are more abstract.

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8 or 16 Bars
bars 1-2 bars 3-4 bars 5-6 bars 7-8 bars 9-10 bars 11-12 bars 13-14 bars 15-16
bar 1 bar 2 bar 3 bar 4 bar 5 bar 6 bar 7 bar 8
A B
A B
A A A A
A A B B
A A A B
A A B A
A B A B
A B B A

AA
In A Sentimental Mood B (see AABB), Isn’t She Lovely A (see AB), It Don’t Mean A Thing A (see
ABAB), Moanin’ B (A1, A2; see ABBA),

AB
Georgia On My Mind A-1 &A-2 (4A, 4B; see AAAB and ABC), Isn’t She Lovely A (see AA),
Meditation B (see ABAB), My Funny Valentine A--1 & A-2 (8: AB; see AAAB),

AAAA
Autumn Leaves A, Golden Lady A & B (see AAE), Harlem Nocturne A-1 (A1, A2, A1, A2; see AAAB),
Harlem Nocturne A-2 (A1, A2 only), Here’s that Rainy Day A-1 (A1, A2, A3, A4), Here’s that Rainy
Day A-2 (A1, A2, A3, A2), How Insensitive (8A1, 8A1, 8A2, 8A1), I Got Rhythm B (see AAAB), In

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page 1968 Sections Built with Phrases Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

A Mellow Tone A (see AABA), It Had to be You A-1 & A-2 (A1, A2, A1, A3), Mercy Mercy Mercy
(see AABB),

AABB
Fly Me to the Moon A-1 & A-2 (A1, A2, B1, B2), Four A (see AABC), How High the Moon A (see
AABC), In a Sentimental Mood (2A, 2A, 4B; see AA), Joy Spring B (A1, A2, B, B), Mercy Mercy
Mercy (see AAAA),

AAAB
Blue Bossa A (A1, A1, A2, B), Blue Bossa B, Angel Eyes B, Caravan A (AAAE), Caravan B, Gentle Rain
A-2 (AAAE; see AABC), Georgia B (A1, A1, A2, B; see AB), Girl from Ipanema A (A1,A2,A3,E),
Girl from Ipanema B, Harlem Nocturne B (AAAB, AAABE; see AAAA), Groovin’ High A-1 (AAAB),
Groovin’ High A-2 (2A, 2A, 2A, 4B), I Got Rhythm A-1 (A1, A1, A2, B; see AAAA), I Got Rhythm
A-2 (A1, A1, A2, B), Misty B (AAAE; see AABC), My Funny Valentine B (8: AAAE; see AB), Night In
Tunisia A (see ABAB), Night In Tunisia C (six 2-bar “A” phrases followed by a four-bar unaccompanied
solo break),

AABA
In A Mellow Tone B (4A, 4A, 4B, 2B/2A; see AAAA),

ABAB
It Don’t Mean a Thing A (see AA), Meditation A-1 & A-2 (A, B1, A, B2; see AB), Night in Tunisia B
(A, B1, A , B2; see AAAB),

ABBA
Moanin’ A (see AB),

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ABAC
Angel Eyes A, Chopin Waltz Opus 64 B (A1, A2, A1, B) , Confirmation A-1 & A-2 (A1, B, A2, C),
Corcovado A-1, A-2, B-1 (A1, A1, A2, B; see 12 bar AAAEAE), Have You Met Miss Jones A (ABAE),

AABC
Chopin Waltz Opus 64 A-1 & A-2, Days of Wine and Roses A-2, Four B-1 (see AABB), Four B-2 (20
bars: A, A, B1, B2, C), Gentle Rain A-1 (AABE; see AAAB), How High the Moon A (see AABB), Joy
Spring A-1, A-2 & A-3 (A-1, A-2, B,C; see AABB), Misty A (A1, A2, B, E; see AAAB), My Favorite
Things A-1 & A-2 (8: A, A , B , E, see 8A16B),
Nature Boy A-1, A-2, B & A-3 (A, A, B1, B2),

ABCA
Anthropology B,

ABCD
Donna Lee A & B (share the same A; classic Parker big arpeggios , heptatonic; many triplets beginning
arpeggios),

More Complex
EAAB
Cantaloupe Island,

8: 2A, 1B, 2A, 3C

Have You Met Miss Jones B,

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16: 4A, 4A, 2B, 2B, 2B, 2E

Black Orpheus A, Black Orpheus B,

16: 4A, 4B, 2C, 2D1, 2D2, 2E

Days Of Wine A-1 A-2 (AABC),

12 or 24 bars
AAA
Bag’s Groove, C Jam Blues, Killing Me Softly A (A1, A2, A3), Killing Me Softly B (4A1, 8A2),

AAB
Freddie Freeloader, Golden Lady C (AAE; see AAAA),

ABC
Au Privave, Billie’s Bounce, Blues ForAlice, Footprints (24 bars), Georgia A-3 (see AB and AAAB),

ABABCB
Mr. P.C.,

AAAEAE
Corcovado B-2,

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8A, 16B
My Favorite Things B (see AAB)

A1, A2, B1, A2, C, E

Blues By Five,

Links To Section Designs

A Single Statement, Made Multiple Times
Statement and Response, Two Pairs (Commonly Eight Bars)
Statement and Response, Three Pairs (As In 12 Bar Blues)
Three Statements and Ending Response (As In 16 Bar Gospel Blues)
Abstract (Complex)

A Single Statement, Made Multiple Times

jazz
Afro Blue (two pairs of the same two- bar statement for section A, two pairs of a four bar statement
for section B),

Beatles
Eleanor Rigby chorus (a single statement, made twice), Norwegian Wood verse (a single statement,
made twice), Penny Lane chorus (a single statement, made twice), With a Little Help from My Friends
chorus (a single statement, made three times), You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away chorus (a single
statement, made twice),

Statement And Response, Two Pairs (Commonly Eight Bars)

Beatles
And Your Bird Can Sing verse (the fourth phrases serves as an ending response), Can’t Buy Me Love
chorus, Don’t Let Me Down verse, Don’ Let Me Down chorus, Eight Days A Week verse, Eight Days
a Week chorus, Eight Days a Week bridge (the fourth phrases serves as an ending response), Help!
verse, Hey Jude verse, Hey Jude bridge, I Will verse, In My Life verse, In My Life bridge, Let It Be verse,
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Michelle verse, Norwegian Wood bridge, Nowhere Man verse (sparse last response), Penny Lane (the
second statement is darker in tone color than the first statement), Something bridge, Ticket to Ride
bridge, While My Guitar Gently Weeps verse, While My Guitar Gently Weeps bridge, With a Little
Help From My Friends verse, With a Little Help From My Friends bridge, You’ve Got to Hide Your
Love Away verse,

Statement And Response, Three Pairs (As In 12 Bar Blues)

jazz

I-IV-V Blues
I7 I7 I7 I7
two-bar theme 1 two-bar theme 1
(optional variation)

IV7 IV7 I7 I7
two-bar theme 1 modi- two-bar theme 1
fied for IV (optional variation)

I7 IV7 I7 V7
four-bar ending theme typically sparse

All Blues

I7 I7 I7 I7
two-bar theme 1 two-bar theme 1
(optional variation)

IV7 IV7 I7 I7
two-bar theme 1 modi- two-bar theme 1
fied for IV (optional variation)

V7 VI7 V7 I7 I7
four-bar ending theme typically sparse

Billie’s Bounce. The first two-bar phrase uses lower chromatic neighbors and features the tonic (“F”)
and its “low six”, the sixth of the key commonly used as a lower neighbor to “one” (in the sense of a
pentatonic neighbor). Bars three and four just keep bopping along with “one” and its “low six”.
Bar four begins with a lower chromatic embellishment, an encircling mordent (F-G-F-D-F in the key
of F), followed by more one and six.

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Bars five and six use the key tones that are the b7 and root of the IV chord. Notice that the first note
in bar six is the third of the key, even though the IV7 chord has a flatted third of the key. Charlie
Parker would commonly refer to our memory of major melodies by using major over Mixolydian or our
memory of minor melodies by using harmonic minor over Aeolian.
The end of bar six and beginning of bar seven feature I7 chord tones. Bar eight (including the pickup
at the end of bar seven) are structured around three sixths in the key of “F”: G-E for the Am7, F#-Eb
(D#) for the D7 and F-D for the Gm7 (“F” for the Gm7 is not actually played, but implied).
Bars nine and ten outline the II minor chord with a descending bass figure: “G” in Gm to“F#” in Gm(ma7) to
“F” in Gm7 (or C7sus4) to “E” in C7.
Finally, in bars eleven and twelve, we return to one and the low six.

Beatles
Can’t Buy Me Love verse, Hard Day’s Night (on a second level, the third pair serves as a response to the
first two pairs), Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band chorus,

Three Statements And Ending Response (As In 16 Bar Gospel Blues)

Beatles
All My Loving verse, All You Need is Love verse, All You Need is Love chorus, And I Love Her verse.
And I Love Her chorus, And Your Bird Can Sing bridge, Drive My Car verse, Drive My Car chorus,
Fool on the Hill chorus, Get Back chorus (two-note response), Help! chorus, I Saw Her Standing
There, I Will bridge, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band verse.

Four Phrases With A Busy Third And Sparse Fourth Phrase

(commonly eight or 16 bars)
Beatles
Fool on the Hill verse. Four one-bar phrases of four eighth notes except more contiunous but
syncopated eighths in the third bar.
Here Comes the Sun verse. Two pairs of statement and response, each pair taking four bars. The third
set of four bars is two statements and the fourth set is a response followed by a “hook” guitar theme.
Let It Be chorus, Nowhere Man bridge, Ticket to Ride verse,

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More Complex
Beatles
Eleanor Rigby verse. A five-bar phrase. A four-note theme in the first bar. A variation of the theme in
the second and third bars by repeating the four-note theme ending with a push, then three instances of
the same theme by using the last three of four eighth notes starting on the beat. Bar four is pushed into
from the end of bar three, otherwise empty. Bar five restates bar one.
Day in the Life verse. Two pairs of statement and response, followed in the end of the first verse with
a restatement of the fourth phrase (the second response). At the end of the second verse, the two pairs
of statement of response are followed with a conclusion (“I’d love to turn you on”).
Fool On The Hill pre-chorus. It begins with one statement and response. Another pair begins, but is
statement only, to be completed by the chorus.
Michelle bridge (“I love you”). A two-bar statement, two-bar response; then a two bar statement and
a four bar response (first three bars busy, last one sparse).
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band bridge. A one-bar statement, one-bar response; then a
one-bar statement and a two-bar response, making five bars in all.
Something verse. A two-bar statement, two bar response; then a two bar statement and a three-bar
response (first three bars busy, last one sparse). This takes nine bars.

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 62
Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

Melodically
Superimposed
Cadences
Superimposed Cadence Theory
• Cadence Defined
• Target Chords and Setup Chords
• Mild and Harsh Cadences
• Scales in Superimposed Cadences
• Secondary Dominants
• Principles of Superimposed Cadences
• Superimposed Cadence Voice Leading
• Superimposing Cadences in Fourths
• Superimposing Stepwise and Chromatic Cadences
• Combining Fourths and Stepwise
• Modal Contexts and Time

Playing Melodically Superimposed Cadences

• Making Melody with Superimposed Cadences
• Harmonic Minor Cadences
• Melodic Minor Cadences
• Combined Cadences
• Subsets on the Fifth

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CADENCE DEFINED
Cadences (also called harmonic cadences) are short chord progressions that are known to establish a
particular chord as a key or temporary key by sound. The tonic chord is the focal point of the cadence
that establishes the key.
We have heard the dominant chord (V or V7 type) so often before the tonic (I or Im type) that we
have an automatic association with the tonic (I) being the key. This succession uses perfect fourths.
To make the cadence, a dominant seventh chord is used on the fifth step of a scale named after the root
of the tonic chord. “bII” of the target can also be used as a “flat five substitute”, since it is on the flatted
fifth of V (“Db” or bII is a flatted fifth of “G” or V).

melodic cadence
A melodic cadence is the implication of a harmonic cadence in melody. Melodies can be analyzed from
multiple perspectives, where each can be valid.

cadences in fourths
Cadences are typically in fourths or flat five substitutes of fourths. “Back cycling” in fourths can created
longer cadences, building with the series of perfect fourths #IV-VII-III-VI-II-V-I-IV. The most
common cadences have one or two chords before the tonic or temporary tonic chord.
Cadences often involve minor chords changed to major to strengthen the progression. These are called
secondary dominants, since the chord changed to major can act like a V chord (major, as it would occur
in the major scale) of the chord it preceeds.
Cadences can also be made in fourths without dominant seventh chords, such as IIm7 Vm7 I (notice
the V minor). These tend to be less dramatic and less aggressive by nature and are characteristic of
calmer music such as old english folk music or slave work songs with V minor chords.
The entire sequence of perfect fourths in the major scale is VII-III-VI-II-V-I-IV (7-3-6-2-5-1-4). In
the unaltered major scale, the triad versions of these chords are VII diminished-IIIm-VIm-IIm-V-I-
IV. Notice the successions of three minor chords (IIIm-VIm-IIm) and three major chords (V-I-IV).
The seventh chord qualities of these chords are VIIm7b5, IIIm7, VIm7 IIm7, V7, Ima7 and IVma7.
Since V is known to lead to I, II can also lead to V, since it is the “V of V”. This leads to the chord
progression II V I, which is the most common three-chord cadence.
In establishing the key on VI, we preceed it with III, so as to go up a fourth, as with V to I. To
make the progression stronger, III is commonly changed to major if a triad or to a dominant seventh.

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VIIdim-III-VIm or VIIm7b5-III7-VIm has become the most common minor cadence in establishing
VIm as the key.

the harmonic breath between consonance and dissonance

Consonance produces calm. It is produced with harmonies that alternate major and minor thirds,
perfect fourths and perfect fifths. Dissonance produces tension. It is produced by half steps, diminished
and augmented fifths, major sevenths and by serial intervals in diminished seventh chords (all minor
thirds) and augmented chords (all major thirds).
When emphsized notes are primarily within the current chord and the chord has consonant intervals,
there is a sense of calm. When emphasize notes are not in the current chord, tension is produced.
There is even more tension when the chord has dissonant intervals, like minor seconds and diminished
fifths (same as augmented fourths).
Sense the “breathing” of consonance and dissonance in the accompaniment of the piece you are
improvising on. Then decide if your “harmonic breath” will be the same as the accompaniment. More
commonly the harmonic breath in the melody changes more rapidly than in the accompaniment. While
the accompaniment may remain calm through an entire bar or two, the melody may fluctuate between
consonance every beat or two.
I, IV, V and VIm chords are typically consonant. V and bII chords are commonly dissonant, especially
when they have altered fifths and/or altered ninths (b5, #5, b9#9). Any chord with a major third and
altered fifths or ninths is dissonant.
By alternating melodic cells of three to six notes back and forth between chord tones (or pleasing added
chord tones) and non-chordal tones of the current chord, you could say the music “breathes” with
tension as it inhales and relaxation as it exhales.

Hit Points
cadences are expected to end on the target
Cadences follow logical progressions of roots moving in stepwise, perfect fourth or chromatic order.
They help us recall the establishment of a key or temporary key as we’ve heard it in previous music we
have heard.

phrasing cadences
In composition and arranging, two-chord and three-chord cadences are usually phrased so the last
of them ends on the first beat or on the third of four beats. Other locations can work, but should be
metrically strong.

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This same phrasing is used for superimposed chords. Superimposing adds more chords, but they still
follow the same phrasing guidelines of targeting the first beat, third beat or other metrically strong
location.
Chords should be melodically emphasized by playing chord tones of the target chord at the beginning
of the chord or on strong metric points like the first or third beat in 4/4 (optionally pushing the beat).

jazz-related styles are based on seventh chords

In jazz-related, the target chord is can be a secondary root on its third or sixth, implying a larger seventh
or ninth chord. As a result, a superimposed three-chord progression can begin or end with any scale
tone and be phrased to work on the target chord, with one exception. One of the sequences of three
chords will have the target in the middle, in which case.
If you want to emphasize the first chord of a three-chord cadence, put it at the beginning of a chord in
the accompaniment or on the first or third beat (optionally pushing the beat). If you want to emphasize
the last of three chords, start the phrase before the target chord begins or before the first or third beat,
so the last chord arrives at the hit point.

pop styles are based on triads

Pop styles like folk, reggae, hard rock, soft rock and metal are typically based more on triads. Triads
have fewer synonyms. It is a bit of a stretch to even imply a triad as a four-note sixth or seventh chord,
and even more stylistically inappropriate to imply an five note chord like a ninth chord. This makes the
uses of cadences more difficult in pop music.

target the root in pop styles

In pop music, the target chord is generally on the root of the current chord, not on a secondary root on
its third or sixth, as this would inappropriately imply a larger seventh or ninth chord.

Types Of Cadences
authentic cadence
The authentic cadence is V-I. In a cadence to the chord C7 with Dm7-G7-C7, “C7” is the tonic chord.
In the key of C, establishing “F7” as a temporary tonic, Gm7-C7-F7 could be used as a II-V-I cadence
to the temporary key of F.

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flat five substitute

A flat five substitute for the authentic cadence is bII-I. Using flat five substitutes makes chord root
progression chromatic. VI-II-V-I becomes bIII-II-bII-I. See flat five substitute.

plagal cadence
The plagal or “amen” cadence is IV-I. It uses cadences down in perfect fourths, instead of up in fourths.
Perfect fourths are two and one half steps and are equivalent to the interval from the first to the fourth
step of a major scale, or any pair in the series 4-1-5-2-6-3-7-#4-#1, etc. A double plagal cadence is
bVII-IV-I. A triple plagal cadence is bIII-bVII-IV-I. A quadruple plagal is bVI-bIII-bVII-IV-I
(C-G-D-A-E), such as Hey Joe, Hush ( Joe South, popularized by Deep Purple) or the “aah” middle
section of Day In The Life.

deceptive cadence
Although the listener expects a song to end on the tonic chord, it doesn’t have to. A song can end with
a deceptive cadence, where the final chord is not the tonic chord. See deceptive cadence in Modes.

Escherian cadence
An Escherian cadence is a special kind of deceptive cadence. Maurits Cornelis Escher’s drawings
displayed relationships in perspective that defy logic. Each element seems to make sense in its own right,
but shouldn’t co-exist with related elements. Look at his art at www.cescher.com, especially “Waterfall”,
“Ascending and Descending” and “Belevedere”.
Like Escher’s art, music can suggest one thing and do another, leading you along a path of audio logic
that may take an unexpected turn. A chord progression can suggest movement to a particular chord
and go to another that uses a different mode or that contains the expected chord, but with a different
root.
Expert magicians, like expert improvising musicians and composers are clever at distracting the audience
while introducing something unexpected. A magician may distract you with one hand while sneaking
something with the other. An improvising musician may use a familiar melodic phrase and by changing
the right note, use the notes that will introduce an unexpected chord or key.
An Escherian cadence is a resolving chord progression that suggests a resolution to a particular modem
then resolves to another. It may do this by resolving to a different mode of the same key, or to a chord
that includes the implied chord, but has as different root, such as suggesting Am and resolving to Fma7,
which contains Am.

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TARGET CHORDS AND SETUP CHORDS

Target Chords Have Tonality
tonic chord
In music history, we have been trained that pieces should end by default with the main chord of the
piece. That chord is called the tonic chord and has the primary tonality. It can be established by any
combination of many criteria, including:

• frequent occurrence
• longer duration
• chord root (note after which a chord is named) movement up or down a scale to the tonic
chord
• continual occurrence of the chord root of the tonic chord in the bass (even when the chord
name is different, such as a G tonic chord combined with a C chord with a G bass)
• well-known chord sequences called cadences that we have known to establish a chord as a key

Sometimes there ambiguously may be two chords “fighting” for the sense of key, but usually one chord
predominates as the tonic chord. Sometimes the ending does not sound final, and a piece may end with
a decepetive cadence. In such a case, you are challenged to imagine what the ending chord should be to
make the ending of the piece sound final and complete.

secondary tonalities
During each section of a song, the overall key is usually established on a particular chord. Other chords
are usually established as temporary tonalities, which then progress back to the tonic chord. In treating
a chord as a temporary tonality, you may use scales named after that secondary tonality chord’s root,
but it is preferred to predominantly make melody with scales named after the primary tonality, which
is the overall key.

target chords have primary or secondary tonalities

In this study of setup and target chords, the target chords may have primary or secondary tonalities. In
either case, the melody has a sense of consonance and calm when it is on a target chord.

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tonic and secondary tonic chords are based on a major or minor triad
We have been trained, again by music history, that tonic (primary or secondary) chords have a major
or ninor third and a perfect fifth, so they are based on a major chord (with 1, 3 and 5 of the major scale
named after its root) or on a minor chord (with 1, b3 and 5 of a major scale named after its root).

Setup Chords
A setup chord are the last chord in a cadence before the target or tonic chord (temporary tonic chord).
See Superimposed Cadence Voice Leading.

V and bII setup chords

A harmonic cadence to a target chord can be suggested melodically by building a melodic on the core
melodic tones of each of one or more chords suggested immediately before the target chord. We will
first be working with a single setup chord, immediately before the target chord. Numbered in the key
of the target chord, those are most commonly V chords and bII chords.

Core Melodic Tones

Experienced improvisers have practiced playing each of many scales over each common chord pro-
gression and know which notes are common to the current chord and the scale being used. I call
these commonality tones duality tones. They are functionally the core melodic tones, those sweet notes
improvisers look for. Over time improvisers gain an awareness of these duality tones and can base their
improvisation on them without necessarily thinking of scales.
You need to be able to free associate while improvising. With so many ways to number these scales, the
numbering can be confusing and distracting. You need a system of few numbered core melodic tones
for each chord you are improvising on.

Improv Strategies
Resolve turnarounds to the target chord by step, not by skip.
By default, resolve to root, third or fifth of the target chord: to its triad. So, if the target chord is based
on suspended fourth, resolve to 1, 4 or 5. If you resolve to another chord tone, such as a seventh or
ninth, consider playing one or two or more notes down the arpeggio (down in odd numbers) to “paint”
the arpeggio for the listener and make it clear what the chord is.
If the last setup tone (tone of the chord before the target chord) is in the target chord, you can resolve
by a skip to another chord tone. Smaller intervals are usually preferred.

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MILD AND HARSH CADENCES

Cadences are harmonically milder with unaltered major scale modes. In Aeolian mode, sharping the
fifth or flatting the sixth of the parent major scale harshens the chords, by creating a major and dominant
V chord (Phrygian dominant) and diminished sevenths (II dim. 7 = IV dim. 7 = bVI dim. 7 = VII
dim. 7).

Full-Tertian Arpeggios
Full-tertian arpeggios can be used to extend tertian chords farther than is acceptable in sustained chords.
Gm11b5b9, for example, is not an acceptable comping chord, but is usable melodically as an arpeggio (it
is the same as Eb13 no root).
Some chord extensions are not acceptable because they contradict the familiar character of the chord.
Flat nine on a minor chords contradicts its basic nature with too much dissonance. Dominant chords
with altered fifths and ninths have drastic contrasts between the “happy” major third and the depressed
or angry altered tones. Minor chords are more somber. Also, the flat nine on a dominant seventh type
chord is usually associated with the diminished seventh chord, which is the remainder of a dominant
seventh flat nine chord when its root is omitted.
We are used to hearing notes in thirds in melody, apart from thirds used to construct chords. So, when
we hear a chord extended in arpeggio tones beyond its acceptable harmonic limit, we are forgiving of
momentary dissonances.

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SCALES IN SUPERIMPOSED CADENCES

Many Perspectives
Before you start using these scales, learn the relationship between the scale and the chord you are using
it on. There are multiple reference notes for each scale, so each scale can be numbered many different
ways. They are all useful, but must be studied individually. As you’ll read below, we will focus in
numbering the major scale to numbers in the key of the target chord.

Harmonic Minor Scale

This scale will be used here in the key of the target chord. A chord built on the fifth step of the harmonic
minor scale in the key of the tonic chord will be the setup chord.

Melodic Minor Scale

In classical music, melodic minor scale has different ascending and descending forms. In classical music,
melodic minor ascends with only the third of a major scale flat, but descends with b3, b6 and 7. This is
effective to build tension ascending to “1” and descending to “5”. In jazz, melodic minor is typically used
(as it will be here) as a major scale with flat three ascending and descending.
We’ll use the jazz version melodic minor scale (major b3 up or down) in two ways, one with a melodic
minor scale on the root of the target chord and another with melodic minor on b6 in relation to the root
of the target chord.

bVI melodic minor

The common use of melodic minor is complex. The melodic minor scale is used in the key of b6, in
relation to the target chord.
The core melodic tones in this use of the bVI melodic scale should be thought of as tones of a bII13#11
chord in the key of the target chord.
The scale should be thought of as super Locrian, which is on the seventh step of the bVI melodic minor
scale. So the super Locrian tone center is on the fifth of the target chord. This is getting complex. See
“Too Many Numbers”, below.

I melodic minor
An uncommon, but effective use of melodic minor is in the key of the target chord. It is used most
effectively during a dominant type IV chord: IV7, IV9 or any part of IV13#11. Melody on that IV
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chord should be more arpeggio-based, sequeing from the arpeggio tones of the IV13#11 on the fourth
step of melodic minor to V7(optional #5), V9 (optional #5) or V augmented.

thinking melodic minor dominants

Think the scale fingering as super Locrian, unless the Lydian dominant fingering in the octave shape
you are playing is a Mixolydian fingering you know really well with a sharp four. Locrian flat four is
commonly called super Locrian. Super Locrian ascends the interval pattern half - whole - half, then
four whole steps. This is almost a whole tone scale, but where the last two whole tones are replaced with
half - whole - half. Check this out on a single string to see what I mean. It’s like replacing the second
note as you ascend a whole tone scale with two notes, one a half step above it and one a half step below it.
For both V7b9 and bII9 types, gray-backed notes are ninth arpeggio tones and black-circled notes are
roots. Red notes are roots of V chords (V of the target). The remaining notes are non-chordal scale
tones. Since ninths span more than an octave it can “overlap” a ninth arpeggio in another octave.
To discern one ninth arpeggio from another, one is shown in bold numbers, another in plain numbers,
but all in gray-backed notes. Ascend the ninth arpeggio in the low octave (on the bass strings) up to the
ninth (the last ascending note in all bold or all plain), then descend one tone to the opposite (bold or
plain) and ascend the next ninth arpeggio.

Learn the modes of Melodic Minor and of Harmonic Minor

Harmonic minor and melodic minor scales may be numbered in terms of any of their modes. This
needs simplification, as noted below. See Modes/Modes Of Four Hepatonic Scales.
There are three ways to number a harmonic minor setup chord/scale (major sharp five parent scale,
target harmonic minor key scale, Phrygian dominant chord scale). There are four ways to number a
melodic minor setup chord/scale (bVI melodic minor parent scale, target Phrygian flat one target scale,
a setup scale as melodic minor Lydian dominant on b2 of target and a seteup scale as super Locrian
[Locrian flat four] on V of the target chord. This needs simplification, as noted below.
By thinking of a harmonic minor V7b9 setup chord in key scale numbers as 5-7-2-4-b6, numbered in
terms of the target chord, you can more easily figure out how to resolve to 1-3-5 (or 1-b3-5 if minor).
By thinking of a melodic minor V13#11 setup chord as b2-4-b6-7-b3-5-b7 (notice that there is both
7 and b7), numbered in terms of the target chord, you can more easily figure out how to resolve to
1-3-5 (or 1-b3-5 if minor). “7” would otherwise be “b1”, since the numeration of the bII13#11 chord
should otherwise be based on the key scale numbers 2-4-6-1-3-5-7 (b2-4-b6-b1-b3-5-b7). By using
“7” instead of “1”, you can more easily predict its stepwise movement to the target triad tone “1”.

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 1985

the character of harmonic and melodic minor dominants

Harmonic minor and melodic minor each have one half -whole - half regions (at 7 1 2 b3). Harmonic
minor combined with Aeolian can have an additional one at 5-b6-b7-7, making a harmonic minor /
Aeolian hybrid. In scalar form, this hybrid usually should not ascend 5-b6-b7-7 al the way to “1”, but
should end or change direction and descend before “1”. Just a preference: ascending to “1” can work, but
build such a phrase carefully. The half -whole - half regions sound middle eastern, gypsy and Spanish
(because of the Moorish invasion).
In terms of the target chord using a harmonic minor setup scale, the half -whole - half region is 7-1-2-
b3. Melodic minor, as we are using it is b2-b3-4-5-b6-b7-7, in terms of the target chord. In terms of
the target chord using a melodic minor setup scale, the half-whole-half region is 5-b6-b7-7. Notice
that this melodic minor half-whole-half region is the same as the Aeolian hybrid: 5-b6-b7-7.
The harmonic minor V, when combined with Aeolian can have #9 (b7 of target). Otherwise, it can have
a b9 (b6 of target) or #5 (b3 of target), but not a natural 9 (6 of target) nor flat five (b2 of target).
The four consecutive whole steps in melodic minor have a tormented, mad scientist, wacky, Simpsons,
whole tone scale, augmented sound. Super Locrian’s tone center is V of the target chord and produces
the “Swiss Army” collection of altered V chords with sharp and flat five, sharp and flat nine. At the same
time, the bII of target root, a flat five away from the V of target root is an exotic (#11) bII13#11 chord.

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page 1986 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

SECONDARY DOMINANTS
What Is a Secondary Dominant?
It is the V chord of any target, V of I (G is V of C in the key of C), V of V (D is V of G in the key of
C), V of IV (C is V of F in the key of C), V of VI (E is V of A in the key of C, E is V of Am in the key
of C), etc.
The interesting secondary dominants are harmonized with harmonic minor and melodic minor. See
Secondary Roots in the chapter, Substitution.
In our use of harmonic minor and melodic minor with cadences, we will commonly be using Escherian
cadences.

Harmonic Minor Practice Strategies

To use a secondary dominant with harmonic minor, play a melodic structure that suggests a cadence to
a harmonic minor I minor chord, but in Escherian manner, resolve to any chord with the expected root:
major seventh type (Cma7), dominiant seventh type (C7), minor seventh type (Cm7), minor seventh
flat five type (Cm7b5). Resolutions to other chords with a flat five are difficult to convey to the listener
and should be avoided.
A harmonic minor cadence with a single chord before the target would use dominant seventh or 7b9
(sith an optional sharp five to I minor (G7b9 to Cm). IIm7b5-V7(b9) I minor can also be used, a three
chord cadence. We will be focusing on the two-chord cadence V7 (optional b9 and optional #5) to I
minor, particularly V7b9 to Im.

V7b9 of target
V7b9 can be used as a setup chord before any target with a perfect fifth or before a minor seventh flat
five chord. Other chords with altered fifths are possible, but difficult to convince the listener. The target
can be major 7, dominant seventh, minor seventh or minor seventh flat five.

7b9 no root is a diminished seventh

There are only three diminished sevenths, since each has four names. Diminished seventh chords divide
the octave of twelve half steps into four minor third intervals, so any of its tones can be the root. The
default names for letter names for the three diminished seventh chords are A-C-Eb-F#, B-D-F-Ab and
E-G-Bb-C#. Each of the tones with an accidental can use its enharmonic name (Eb is also D#, F# is
also Gb, etc.), but these are the most common names and it is convenient to think of them this way by
default.

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practice diminished sevenths

This is an outline of the studies covered thoroughly in Harmonic Minor Cadences/Practicing Dimin-
ished Seventh And Half-Whole-Half Cells.
Half-whole-half is a very familiar and useful melodic device. See Half-Whole-Half Cells in the chapter,
Melodic Cells. Practice diminished sevenths for half-whole-half, first in chords, then arpeggios, then
half-whole-half: II dim7, #I dim7 and I dim 7 are respectively the setup chords for the target chords I,
IV and V chords and their respective families.
II diminished 7 just before the I family: I, VI (relative minor), bV or bIII (relative major)
#I diminished just before the IV family: IV-bVI-VII-II (modal relative minor)
I diminished just before the V family: V-bVII-#I-III (modal relative minor)
The two main relation ships in each family are a chord and its relative minor.
II diminished 7 just before I and VI, its relative minor.
#I diminished 7 just before IV and IIm, its relative minor (modally).
I diminished 7 just before V and IIIm, its relative minor (modally).
Each family is on the roots that make up a diminished seventh chord.
1-b3-b5-6 are the tones of a I dim. 7 and are the same numbers in the I family.
2-4-b6-7 are the tones of a II dim. 7 and are the same numbers as the II family.
#1-3-5-b7 re the tones of a #I dim. 7 and are the same numbers in the V family.
Chord progression in  fourths with diminished 7 of (target in parenthesis) forms a chromatic pattern
of diminished seventh roots: 
  VII (#Iº7), III (Iº7), VI (IIº7), II (#Iº7), V (Iº7), I (IIº7), IV (#Iº7), etc.  

default letter names for diminished sevenths

There are only three diminished seventh chords, since each can be named after either of its four notes.
Default letter names allow you to recall them quickly. Each of the three sets of four letter names begins
with the natural notes: A-C-Eb-F#, B-D-F-Ab, E-G-Bb-C#. Don’t use four versions of A-C-Eb-F#:
A-C-Eb-F#, C-Eb-F#-A, Eb-F#-A-C and F#-A-C-Eb. Too much information to recall quickly when
improvising.

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page 1988 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

Melodic Minor
To use a secondary dominant with melodic minor, play a melodic structure that suggests a cadence to
a melodic minor I minor chord, but in Escherian manner, resolve to any chord with the expected root:
major seventh type (Cma7), dominiant seventh type (C7), minor seventh type (Cm7), minor seventh
flat five type (Cm7b5). Resolutions to other chords with a flat five are difficult to convey to the listener
and should be avoided.
We will be focusing more on a synonym of the V altered chord bII of target (part or all of Db13#11 to
C, including Db7 to C). Remember, the target (C) can be any quality with a natural fifth or a minor
seventh flat five chord.

super Locrian on V of the target

For any target chord with a perfect fifth, super Locrian builds a super-altered (Swiss army) seventh
chord on its fifth. So the setup chord of any target can be a seventh chord with a sharped or flatted fifth
or with a sharped or flatted ninth, or any combinations. That’s as useful scale, but the useful chords are
limited, because of their dissonance....(see the next paragraph).

the flat five substitute

Continuing the thought of the previous paragraph: “however”, the flat five substitute family on the
bII (Db) of the target (bII is a flatted fifth from V, Db is a flatted fifth of G) is any part of bII13#11
(Db13#11 in the key of C). This chord is the scale tone chord on the fourth step of bVI melodic minor
(Ab melodic minor for a C target). Super Locrian is on the seventh step of that melodic minor, which
is the fifth of the target. See Flat Five Substitute Chord Progression.
It is very useful to practice the cadence bVIm9(ma7)-bII13#11-I (any type with a perfect fifth). In
making melody, first resolve by default to the triad of the bII chord then to the triad of the target chord,
with conservative voice leading (small intervals). Within each chord, larger intervals can be used, but
the last note of one chord to the first of the next should approach by hepatatonic stepwise, by a minor
third as part of a pentatonic scale or from the fifth of the target to the root.

practice the bVIm(ma7)-bII13#11-I cadence

Play bVIm(ma7) to bII7(13#11) chord cadences first in chords, then arpeggios, then half-whole-half
(5-b6-b7-7 of target and b6-5-4-3 of major target) then with V super Locrian of target and IV Aeolian
b5 of target.
Resolve

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 1989

Progressions for Study with Harmonic Minor and Melodic Minor

See Harmonic Minor Cadences/Practicing Diminished Sevenths and Half-Whole Half Cells.
See Melodic Minor Cadences/Practicing The bVIm9(ma7)-bII13#11 Cadence.

first target I and II in I VI II V songs:

Stand by Me (play it as a bossa nova), The Way You Look Tonight, Isn’t She Lovely, I Got Rhythm B
(last three bars of B to the first bar of A, treat the I-VIm as I and treat the IIm V as IIm), One Note
Samba (the first eight bars is I VI II V twice, substituting IIIm for I, bIII for V and bII for V), bars 9
and 10 of any jazz blues (see the I, IV and II jazz blues list below), Road Song (the last bar of A and
the first three bars of makes VI II V I in the relative major key), All the Things You Are, Fly Me To The
Moon, There WIll Never Be Another You, Someday My Prince Will Come (last three bars of B and
first bar of A), A Foggy Day (has VIm7b5 in A section, useful for darkening), Ornithology (the last
three bars of B and the first bar of A is VI II V I), Have You Met Miss Jones?, Anthropology A (A &
B are basically the same changes as I Got Rhythm), Misty, Speak Low, St. Thomas, Stormy Weather,
Breezin’, Caravan B, part of all of the songs to target 7362514.

then target I, IV and II in jazz blues:

in F (progressive order)-Now’s The Time, Au Privave, Bags’ Groove, Blues for Alice
in Bb (progressive order)-Blues By Five, Sonnymoon for Two, Tenor Madness, Billie’s Bounce,
Bloomdido, Everyday I Have the Blues, Gibson Creek Shuffle, Excuse My Blues, One for Daddy ‘O
in C-C Jam Blues
In G-The Thumb

then, songs to target III and V:

III (progressive order)
Autumn Leaves (thinking in parent major), St. Thomas A, How High the Moon C (last A), Have
You Met Miss Jones, Golden Lady, Anthropology B, Ornithology B and C (based on How High The
Moon), Georgia A, I Got Rhythm B, I Remember B (III∆7), The In Crowd, Joy Spring A, Last Train
Home, Meditation, Nature Boy (thinking in parent major), One Note Samba, Peel Me a Grape (first
chord), Night in Tunisia (first chord), The Days of Wine and Roses (beings the B section).
V (progressive order)
House of the Rising Sun, Grinnin’ in Your Face, Me and My Uncle, The Road Song, St. James Infirmary,
Paint It Black, Sugar, The Preacher, I Got Rhythm B (treat the II V as V), A Foggy Day, I Saw Her

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Standing There, Santeria, Baja Nights, When the Saints Go Marching In, Tiger Rag, Anthropology
B, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Girl From Ipanema (treating bII as V and last chord in B), On
Every Page (E is V), Sultans of Swing, Mediterranean Sundance/Rio Ancho, The Way, Pegao, Hotel
California, The Entertainer, Round Midnight B

next, target all chords in I VI II V songs:

Use the earlier list: “first target I and II in I VI II V songs”, but omit I Got Rhythm.

next, songs to target 7362514 (fourths):

(progressive order) Autumn Leaves, You Never Give Me Your Money, Fly Me to the Moon, There Will
Never Be Another You, All The Things You Are, Europa, Still Got the Blues, Killing Me Softly, Black
Orpheus, Days of Wine and Roses, Meditation, My Favorite Things, Yardbird Suite, Scrapple from the
Apple, Take Five,
In  fourths with diminished 7 of target in parenthesis: 
 VII (#Iº7)-III (Iº7)-VI (IIº7)-II (#Iº7)-V (Iº7)-I (IIº7)-IV (#Iº7), etc.  
With half-whole-half melodic structures, first target I and VI, then IV-II-VII, then V-III.
Then all of the 7-3-6-2-5-1-4 songs, playing diminished seventh structrues only in the end of the bar
previous to each target.

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 1991

PRINCIPLES OF SUPERIMPOSED CADENCES

If you listen for the implication of short chords in improvised solos, you’ll start hearing harmonic
regions. Every couple of beats, another chord is sounded. Especially in jazz, but in all styles. Try
listening to the music in segments of two beats (or one beat on very fast soloing like an up-tempo Pat
Martino, John Coltrane, Alan Holdsworth or Charlie Parker solo), whatever would divide the improvi-
sation into groups of about three to six notes.

Elaboration Or Substitution
Whether it is done consciously or not, a player makes their improvisation more interesting with a
diversity of chord sounds. When a chord has a long duration (a bar or more), the chord progression
can be elaborated by adding chords up or down a fourth, up or down a step, or dominant chords from a
half step above (bII dominant chords, usually part of bII13#11). When chords are already occurring at
the rate of every two beats or every beat, the improvisation can be made more interesting with substitute
chord progression. See Substitution.
You may be curious as to why I said “it is done consciously or not” in the last paragraph. Melody is based
on what we have heard before. Over the centuries, great improvisers like Johann Sebastian Bach, John
Coltane, Chick Corea and Alan Holdsworth have put the sense of elaboration and substitution into the
minds of their listeners.

Layered Chord Progression

In improvised music, each musician can establish their own version of the chord progression. While one
plays a chord for two bars, another may briefly insert another chord, but largely play the same chord.
At important hit points, the musicians need to sound part of the same chord, so the listener hears their
harmonic agreement. Between the hit points, the musical parts can wander, preferably with structure,
such as chord progression with roots moving in fourths or stepwise.
See Phrases Built with Core Melody, Cells and Filler/Build Four Tonal Layers and Tonal Layers and
Target Tones.

Three Important Preparatory Steps

Voice leading is the intentional planning of moving each note in a chord to one in the next chord, or
retaining it (on the same note). It is possible to improvise with sophisticated voice leading. To do so,
we need to determine the key regions, determine the parent scales for each chord and convert all of the
parent scales to versions of key scales by region.

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key regions
The key regions are generally the same for all the members of an ensemble. There are usually many
options. It is preferrable for the listener that there are few key regions in a song, often only one key.

parent scale
The parent scales allow you to have quick fretboard access to structures like scale fingerings and scale-
tone chords. They are most effective with well-memorized fingerings and sequences, such as knowing
the order of triads built on a scale even when thinking them without numbering each tone.

convert parent scales to key scales

This can all you to voice lead on the fly. See Convert Parent Scale-Tone Chords to Key Scale Tone
Chords.

Superimposed Cadences in the Original Key

An authentic cadence, plagal cadence, flat five substitute or deceptive cadence may be used in the original
key. See Types of Cadences. Each of these would be an added cadence not in the original song.

Superimposed Cadences on Secondary Roots

three essential steps
Determine the parent scale for the chord you are playing on. To determine the optional chords you can
use to think for each chord, referred to by their alternate root locations as secondary roots, perform these
three essential steps:

1. determine the step of the parent scale on which the original chord root occurs
2. determine the step of the parent scale on which the secondary chord root occurs
3. know the scale tone triads, sevenths and modes for the parent scale, so you can build a chord
on a secondary root

regions of thirds
All of these relationships revolve around the idea of sharing regions of thirds in the tertian cycle that
chords are built from by default. The cycle is shown below for the four usable heptatonic (seven tone)
scales. Learn more about these scales (modes) in Modes / Modes of four Heptatonic Scales.

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minor third
1 major third minor third
1 major third minor third
1 minor third major third
1 major third

6 3 6 3 6 b3 b6 3
major major #5 mel. min. major b6
major third minor third major third major third major third major third minor third major third

4 in thirds
5 4 in thirds
#5 4 in thirds
5 4 in thirds
5
minor third major third minor third minor third minor third major third minor third minor third

2 minor third 7 2 minor third 7 2 minor third 7 2 minor third 7

sixths on I, IIm IV and VI of major

Chords built on I, IIm, IV or V of a major scale can have a sixth. In each of those cases, there is a tone in
the parent scale that is a whole step (two frets) above the fifth. A I major triad uses 1, 3, 5 of its parent
major scale, so adding “6” a whole step above its fifth makes a I6 chord. The table below shows such a
relationship for each chord. The tones of VIm7 are 6, 1, 3, 5. The tones of I6 are 1, 3, 5, 6. They share
the same tones, so are synonyms.
scale tone numbers of parent scale name of parent scale tones in synonym with a sixth
triad parent scale tone a whole sixth chord sixth chord version of the origi-
step above nal chord and the
the fifth chord on its sixth
I major 1-3-5 6 I6 1-3-5-6 I6 = VIm7
II minor 2-4-6 7 IIm6 2-4-6-7 IIm6 = VIIm7b5
IV major 4-6-1 2 IV6 4-6-1-2 IV6 = IIm7
V major 5-7-2 3 V6 5-7-2-3 V6 = IIIm7

ninths on I, IIm IV, V and VIm of major

Chords built on every step of the major scale are acceptable as ninths except three and seven. Since each
ninth chord uses five notes in thirds (see regions of thirds), it has thrre subset triads and two subset
sevenths (tertian quadrads).

• what number of the parent scale is on the third of the current chord
• what is the quality of the triad and seventh on that note that is the third

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scale numbers subset triad subset seventh subset triad subset seventh synonym for
tone of parent on root on root and on third and on third and original chord and
ninth scale and parent parent tones parent scale its parent scale seventh on third (nr
scale tones tones tones = no root)
I major 1-3-5-7-2 I , 1-3-5 Ima7, 1-3-5-7 IIIm, 3-5-7 IIIm7, 3-5-7-2 Ima9 nr = IIIm7
II minor 2-4-6-1-3 IIm, 2-4-6 IIm7, 2-4-6-1 IV, 4-6-1 IVma7, 4-6-1-3 IIm9 nr = IVma7
IV major 4-6-1-3-5 IV, 4-6-1 IVma7, 4-6-1-3 VIm, 6-1-3 VIm7, 6-1-3-5 IVma9 nr = VIm7
V major 5-7-2-4-6 V, 5-7-2 V7, 5-7-2-4 VII dim, VIIm7b5, 7-2-4-6 V9 nr = VIIm7b5
7-2-4
VI minor 6-1-3-5-7 VIm, 6-1-3 VIm7, 6-1-3-5 I, 1-3-5 Ima7, 1-3-5-7 VIm9 nr = Ima7

combined sixths and ninths on I, IIm IV and V of major

Ninth chords can use triads on their root, third or fifth. Triad structures on the fifth tend to need a
little help. The chord will be clearer to the listener if the melody goes on down the arpeggio structure
to the third.
Sixth chords can use triads on their sixth. I, II, IV and V type chords built on the major scale can be
sixths or ninths. This means they use a sequence of six of the seven notes of the major scale in thirds. This
makes them very flexible. Here is an example for the C major scale
scale numbers sixth ninth subset triads on sixth, root, subset seventh on sixth and
tone of parent chord chord third and fifth of parent, num- root of parent, numbers of
scale in with C with C bers of parent for roots parent for roots
sixth and major major
ninth parent parent
I 6-1-3-5-7-2 C6 Cma9 Am, C, Em, G 6-1-3-5 Am7, Cma7 6-1
II 7-2-4-6-1-3 Dm6 Dm9 Bdim, Dm, F, Am 7-2-4-6 Bm7b5, Dm7 7-2
IV 2-4-6-1-3-5 F6 Fma9 Dm, F, Am, C 2-4-6-1 Dm7, Fma7 2-4
V 3-5-7-2-4-6 G6 G9 Em, G, Bdim, Dm 3-5-7-2 Em7, G7 3-5

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minor elevenths on II and VI of major

Because of the lack of dissonance between the flatted third and the fourth of minor seventh chords,
IIm7, IIIm7 and VIm7 sound reasonably consonant with an added fourth. IIIm7 is not used with an
added ninth, since it would be a flat nine (b9 = b2) and b9 is only acceptable on dominant type chords
(with a major third and flatted seventh).
Triad structures on the seventh of a minor eleveneth need a little help. The chord will be clearer to the
listener if the melody goes on down the arpeggio structure occasionally, at least to the fifth.
So, minor eleventh is acceptable on steps II and VI, where the ninth is not flat. This means triad subsets
can occur on the root, third or fifth and that seventh chord subsets can occur on the root or third.

• what number of the parent scale is on the third and fifth of the current chord?
• what is the qualities of the triads on the root, third or fifth?
• what is the quality of the seventh chords on third?

scale numbers ninth subset triads on root, third, subset seventh on root, third and fifth of
tone of parent chord fifth and seventh of parent, parent, numbers of parent for roots
scale in with C numbers of parent for roots
minor 11 major
parent
VI 6-1-3-5-7-2 Am11 Am, C, Em, G 6-1-3-5 Am7, Cma7, Em7 6-1-3
II 2-4-6-1-3-5 Dm11 Dm, F, Am, C 2-4-6-1 Dm7, Fma7, Am7 2-4-6

chord types on roots or secondary roots of I, IV, V and IIm

I, IV, V and IIm chords can be treated as triads or seventh chords on their sixth, root or third.
I6 = VIm7, IV6 = IIm7, V6 = IIIm7 and IIm6 = VIIm7b5. What is the sameness in the relationship
between these four sets of chord synonyms? This is explained below.
The chord scale modes for I, IV, V and IIm chords each have a sixth. Each of those chords can be
conceived as a triad with an optional added sixth a whole step above its fifth. In each case that note that
would be the sixth of the chord is two tones down the scale, a minor third below the root. Each chord
(I, IV V and IIm) has a synonym on the root built down two scale tones.
On a I, IV, V or II type, build chords on each tone of the relative minor (IIIm tones 3, 5, 7 for a V
chord). On a III, VI or VII, build chords on the triad of the chord itself.

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chord types on root, third and fifth of IIIm7 or III7

III or VIm chords can be treated as triads or sevenths on their root, third or fifth.
A IIIm7 secondary root on the fifth of the VIm chord makes VIm11.
For III chords, the parent scale often needs to have #5. V7 (G7) of parent built as secondary roots on
the third of III (Em) causes a b9 for the III chord, which is only acceptable if the chord is dominant:
III7 with the formula 1, 3, 5, b7 (numbered after a major scale on the root of III.
To allow the b9, make the III chord III7b9 by using a parent major scale with sharp five. This changes
the seventh chord on the third of III to #Vdim7 (G#dim7 for the C major parent scale with III as “E”).

chord types on root, third and fifth of VIIm7b5

See also secondary roots.
As a chord, the VIIm7b5b9 is not acceptable, but it works as an arpeggio and melodically, since the
dissonances are periodic and not continuous. VII7b5b9 (B7b5b9) can be substituted as a strummed
chord, with a major third making it a domiant chord with acceptable b5 and b9.
For VII chords, the parent scale often needs to have b3, which creates synonyms of IV13#11 (F13#11)
that are much easier to hear and think harmonically that the VII chords it creates. Possible VII chords
are subsets of VII7b9#9b5#5, the basis of which is the VII7b5 synonym of IV7b5.

dominant type preferred for 13#11

Avoid use superimposed chords on IV7 or VIm7b5 of the parent melodic minor scale for IV13#11
type chords. The IV713#11 usually needs to be more of a dominant seventh type chord, often altered
(#11 =b5), not a sixth chord. Using melodic minor IIm7 as a superimposed chord over a IV13#11
type would sound IV6, since IIm7 = IV6. Especially don’t use the IIm7 with its root in the bass over
a IV13#11 type.

Proxy Issues
proxy defined
With some scales, scale tones assigned one particular number can function as another. In a scale with a
sharp four, that tone can be used as a flat five, then allowing both five and flat five. Scales with a flat four
(melodic minor mode VII and major flat six mode five) can use the flat four as a natural three, allowing
both flat three and flat three.

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b4 tone in melodic minor VII chords

Mode VII in melodic minor is usually called super Locrian. It has every numbered tone flatted except
“1”. The flat four is a proxy for natural three. When super Locrian (melodic minor VII) is used on the
root of a m7b5, the flat four really can sound like an upper neighbor to the flat three.
When used on any part of melodic minor VII7b9#9b5#5, it is preferrable that the flat third is in the
upper octave and the flat four proxies as a natural third in the lower octave. So, this makes it difficult
to use the system of superimposing chords.
A practical solution for the melodic minor VII7b9#9b5#5 is to use Locrian, which would impose a blue
note flat three against the “proxied” natural third (flat four).

b4 tone in major b6 III chords (super phrygian)

Avoid this scale when chord needs a major 3.

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Superimposed Cadences with Changed Versions Of Chords

These may be applied to superimposed cadences in the original key or on secondary roots.

darkend (bluesy) versions

I type chords can be treated like V type chords, V type chords like II type chords. This darkens the
mood and is typical of blues.

brightened versions
V type chords can rarely be treated like I type chords, as long as the conflicting flat seventh and natural
sevenths are not sustained or otherwise emphasized against one another too strongly. Charlie Parker
commonly played on blues with a I major seventh type where the listener expected the accompaniment
to play a I dominant seventh type.
Charlie Parker’s accompanists typically avoided the flatted seventh of the I7 when he played I major
seventh, though the listener could imagine the dominant seventh in their memory of the standard blues
with I dominant seventh. Charlie’s use of the major seventh seems to be part of his general brightness
of mood.

well-known minor mode

For most of the last milenium, European music has primarily featured songs and melodies in major
and Aeolian (or its common variant, harmonic minor). With the African influence in American music,
major has been darkened with Mixolydian (with flatted seventh), and Mixolydian darkened with Dorian
(with flatted third and seventh).
We still have such a strong heritage in the Aeolian mode that when a section of a song is in Dorian, we
can accept Aeolian or harmonic minor melody, as long as the conflicting natural sixth of Dorian and
the flatted sixth in Aeolian (or harmonic minor) are not sustained or otherwise emphasized against one
another too strongly.

the subsets of the substituted chord still apply

All the subsets of V type chords can be used in place of the I type chords with the V type is substituted.
Likewise, all the subsets of II type chords can be used in place of

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Convert Parent Scale-Tone Chords To Key Scale Tone Chords

practice writing down the alternate chords
Write down a chord progression with a list for each chord of the possible alternates. Learn to quickly
assess what the alternate chords are.

prepare to voice-lead the progression like an arranger composer

A good arranger or composer is aware of the possible alternate chords, a great one is aware of all the
alternates. This allows them to make a harmonic design on one chord and carry it on to the next.
Two chords in a row may share the same alternate chord, such as Em on a G7 chord followed by Em on
a Cma7 chord in the key of C. In such a case, the harmonic and melodic structure on the Em used on
the G7 can be thematically varied on the Cma7.
Two chords may share the same alternate chord root, with different qualities, such as C major during
the C7 chord and C minor fifth of an F9 chord in a blues in C. In such a case, the harmonic variation
would compare the C major and C minor, otherwise elaborating with the character of each chord.

learn to convert parent scale chords to key scale chords

It’s not easy, but you can learn to convert scale-tone triads and sevenths of the parent scale (triads are
usually enough) to thinking of them in the key scale. If you are using a set of parent scale tone triads
to improvise on a particular chord, it is initially easiest to think in the key of the parent scale, usually
being a familiar major scale.
Learn to think the group of parent scale tone triads both on the fretboard and in your mind in stepwise
or fourths (stepwise is easier) without needing to associate them to a numbered order. The triads of
the major scale ascend major, two minors (IIm and IIIm), two majors (IV major and V major), minor
and diminished. Start with any particular chord thinking of its location according to the grouping of
chords by quality, such as V as the second of the two majors (in ascending) and ascend the order renum-
bering them. As you ascend from the second of two majors, use the usual order: major (the “old V”),
minor, diminished, major (the “old I”), two minors (the “old lIm and IIIm”), etc.; but renumber them
with the old V as I through the old IV as bVII. Whichever mode you are calculating, you use its altered
numbers, such as “b3 and b7” for Dorian and proceed through the usual order of triads.
Once you can think with all the triads in the same key for a region in that key, you can voice lead on the
fly.

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Key Scale Alternate Triads For Jazz Blues

roots C7 F7 C7 F7 F#º7 C7 A7(b9) Dm7 G7 C7
in C I7 IV7 I7 IV7 I7 VI7 IIm7 V7 I7
1 C Cm C Cm Cºdim C (C) C
blue Cm Cm Cm C Cm
b2 C#dim
2 Dm Dm Dm Dm
b3 Eb Eb Ebºdim Eb Eb
3 Edim Edim Edim Edim Em Edim
blue Edim
4 F F
b5 F#dim F
5 Gm Gm Gm G Gm
blue Gm
6 Am Adim Am Adim Adim Am A Am
blue Am Am
b7 Bb
7 Bdim Bdim

Key Scale Alternate Triads And Sevenths For Jazz Blues

roots C7 F7 C7 F7 F#º7 C7 A7(b9) Dm7 G7 C7
in C I7 IV7 I7 IV7 I7 VI7 IIm7 V7 I7
1 C7 Cm C7 Cm Cº7 C7 C7
blue Cm7 Cm7 Cm7 C Cm7
b2 C#dim
2 Dm7 Dm7 Dm7 Dm
b3 Ebma7 Ebº7 Ebma7 Ebma7
3 Em7b5 Em7b5 Em7b5 Edim Em7 Eø7
blue Em7b5
4 F7 F7 Fma7
b5 F#º7
5 Gm Gm Gm G7 Gm
blue Gm7
6 Am7 Am7b5 Am7 Am7b5 Aº7 Am7 A Am7
blue Am Am7
b7 Bbma7
7 Bø7 Bm7b5

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SUPERIMPOSED CADENCE VOICE LEADING

Voice Leading Defined
Voice leading is the creative design of voices in chords, treating the chords as an ensemble, made of
voices. The succession of all of the top notes of a series of chords creates the top voice, commonly
called the soprano. The succession of all of the bottom notes of a series of chords creates the bottom
voice, commonly called the bass. With four voices, he next-to-top voice is called the alto and the next
to bottom voice is the tenor. So, a series of chords can be thought of as a collection of voices or parts.

Principles Of Voice Leading in Superimposed Cadences

retain common tones
It is preferred that notes are retained (don’t change from chord to chord), when possible. This makes
less work for the listener and allows the listener to focus on other important parts of a composition.

move by small intervals

It is also preferred that when notes cannot be retained, they change by small intervals, making it easier
for the listener. An exception is moving all voices up on the same chord, which is easy for the listener
to follow.

dominant and flat five substitute voice leading

In this cadence voice leading study, we are using two-chord and three-chord authentic or flat five
substitute cadences. See Flat Five Substitute Chord Progression.

core melodic tones

Core melodic tones are common to a key scale that is being used to make the melody and to the chord.
The most important core melodic tones for the dominant (G7) or flat five substitute (Db7) chord or
the tonic chord (C7) are the root, third and fifth of each. We need to transition those core tones with
voice leading so the listener can understand the melody by being able to predict it to a reasonable degree.

make “singable” melodies

The listener will usually like your melody more if they can understand it. It needs to be melody they
can think in a vocal sense, so hypothetically they could “sing it back to you”. Some of your melody will
be mechanical licks that can’t necessarily be sung, but be sure to make a large part of it “singable”.

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Generally, make the melody understandable. You may have to reinforce a melody that uses two dis-
releated scales by using theme and variation or otherwise showing the commonality of the two scales.

don’t change mood too quickly

Cadences can radically change the scale. This usually changes the mood. We are using many modes
of major, harmonic minor and melodic minor. Modes are named after the Greek word modus, which
means mood.
Some scale changes may involve most notes changing but still be understandable when one scale is
largely the same as the next, but in a different key, chromatically up or down. For example, Db Lydian
dominant (1-2-3-#4-5-6-b7) can be used before C Mixolydian (1-2-3-4-5-6-b7) and your melodic
structure could communicate the simularity, such as playing “1-3-5” in Db, then “1-3-5” in C.

chromatic notes can be confusing

In some situations, two notes could used chromatically below and one or two notes chromatically above
a note they will resolve to. This can be confusing to listen to. The “Bb, Cb (B) and Db” of Ab melodic
minor could be used during a Db7 chord. If they resolve to “E” in the C7 chord that follows them, it is
hard to understand.
Simpler chromatic sequences can be understandable, such as “Eb, D, Db, B”, then “C”, which encircles C
and starts with a chord tone of a C minor chord.

Incorporating 1-2-3-5 and 1-3-4-5

These two fragment patterns are very effective in sounding each chord in a cadence in four-note cells
such as four eighths or four sixteenths, straight or swing on either. The links below will take you to
many such cells in all keys:
Ab A Bb B C Db D Eb E F F# G

Four Categories Of Voice Leading

The four categories of voice leading in superimposed cadences are fourths, stepwise, chromatic and
pedal point. They are typically consist of two or three chords. All of the two-chord cadences are the
last two chords of a three-chord cadence. So, by studying the three-chord cadences, you’ll know the
two-chord ones.
We’ll look at each of the four types, then at which chords should be emphasized by aligning the phrase
so a particular chord is played at the beginning of a target chord or at an important metric location
like the first or third beat in 4/4. The “hit points” intended for the first or third beat of the bar can be
“pushed” or played a half beat early to provide a “jazzy” rhythmic feel.
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Look for these primary types chord progression in each song you play:

roots in fourths
• ascend 7-3-6-2-5-1-4-7-3-6, et cetera; in letters B-E-A-D-G-C-F-B-E-A (“Bead” Go Catch Fish),
et cetera
• descend 4-1-5-2-6-3-7-4-1-5, et cetera; in letters F-C-G-D-A-E-B, et cetera or descend
F-C-G-D-A-E-B, flat five substitutes

roots ascending or descending stepwise

Chord progression based on the roots of the chords ascending or descending a seven tone scale.

chromatic voice leading

• stepwise chord progression where the chords are connected with one or more voices moving
chromatically, including I-#Iº7-IIm, V-#Vº7-VIm, I7-Iº7-IIm6-I, I -I/3-IV-#IVdim.

pedal point progression

variants of fourths or stepwise progression with a pedal tone

• thirds and pedal, especially I-IV-I7 no fifth

• triads and pedal, especially I6 no5 to I9 no root, no third

Root Movement in Fourths or Fifths

The oldest cadence is V I (G to C in the key of “C”), called the authentic cadence in classical music. It
is a root movement up a fourth (or down a fifth, which is to the same note in the lower octave). This
cadence was successively repeated as chord progression developed, by first using “V of V” to establish
V as a temporary key. By the time European music evolved to American Jazz, fourths were extended to
include the entire scale in the order 7-3-6-2-5-1-4.
A list of jazz songs that use the entire “7-3-6-2-5-1-4” root sequence is shown below. The steps of a key
scale on which chord roots occur is traditionally shown in Roman numerals, but I’ll list them in Arabic
numerals (7-3-6-2-5-1-4) when there is a long sequence. The “VII” usually starts somewhere in the
middle of a section, then the progression cycles back to “I”, then “IV”.
Alice In Wonderland
Autumn Leaves
Black Orpheus
Confirmation

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Europa
Fly Me to the Moon
My Favorite Things
Scrapple from the Apple
The Shadow of Your Smile
Still Got the Blues
Take Five
You Never Give Me Your Money
See The Cycle of Fourths on the Major Scale in Major Scale-Tone Triads and Perfect Fourth Cadences
in Scale Tone Seventh Chord Progression.

Stepwise Root Movement

Chord roots moving up or down the scale in alphabetical order are in stepwise order. This progression
has a processional nature, as most or all notes move up or down one scale tone in tandem, such as a I
chord with 1-3-5 moving to a IIm chord with 2-4-6.
See The Stepwise Cycle on the Major Scale in Major Scale-Tone Triads and Major Scale-Tone Stepwise
Seventh Chords in Scale Tone Seventh Chord Progression.

Chromatic Chord Progression

When chords are a whole step apart, a chord can be inserted between them. If two chords are of the
same quality, the chord in between can be of the same quality as well. The in-between chord can also
be major.
Superimposed chromatic chord progression are not used much in pop music, but very common to jazz-
related music.

lower chromatic embellishment chord progression

Chords can be approached with a chord of the same quality with one a half step below. When a single
note is approached from a non-scalar tone (a note not in the current scale), it is called a lower chromatic
embellishment. So, when this is down with chords, it could be called a lower chromatic embellishment
chord progression This is more often applied to chords with a major basis, like major (C), major seventh
(Cma7) or dominant seventh (C7) chords .
Chords approached with a root a half step above are usually flat five substitutes, shown below.

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flat five substitute chord progression

Flat five substiututes can convert root movement in fourths to chromatic root movement. The perfect
fourth root porgression IIIm7-VIm7-IIm7-V7-Ima7 (Em7-Am7-Dm7-G7-Cma7) can be converted
to the chromatic root progression IIIm7-bIII7-IIm7-II7-Ima7 (Em7-Eb7-Em7-Db7-Cma7) by using
a flat five substitute for every second chord.
Remember, the classic cadence is the authentic cadence, V to I. A flat five substitute chord replaces the
chord on the fifth of the target chord with one a flat fifth above or below the root of the chord on the
fifth of the tonic. This changes hanging II-V7-I to II-bII-I. The note a flat fifth above or below any given
note is the same note.
Superimposed chord progression with flat five substitutes is generally not used in pop music, but very
commonly used in jazz-related music.
The flat five substitute becomes a chord built on the upper chromatic neighbor to the tonic, on the root
up a half step (one fret) from the root of the intended tonic chord. It could be thought of as a “bII” chord.
The flat five substitute is based on the synonym V7b5 = bII7b5. In chord progression, bII chords are
usually part of bII13#11, which is melodic minor mode IV, Lydian Dominant (Lydian flat seven: 1-2-
3-#4-5-6-b7). Modes of any seven tone scale are synonyms of one another, since they all have the same
notes. The IV13#11 chord on the fourth of melodic minor is used for bII chords, while its synonym
VII7b5#5b9#9 (the “Swiss Army” seventh chord) is its flat five substitute, used for the V of I.
So, you could say bII13#11 = V7b5#5b9#9. bVI13#11 V I = II7b5#5b9#9 V I
Study bVI13#11 V7 Im and II7b5#5b9#9 V7 Im extensively. They are optional three-chord cadences
where the first chord could be bVI, which is bII of V or the flat five substitute for bVI, which is II (or
V of V). Any part of bVI13#11 can be used, such as bVI7 or bVI9. Any part of II7b5#5b9#9 can be
used, such as II7b5, II7#5, II7b9 or II7#9.
Think of the bVI13#11 as an arpeggio and of the II7b5#5b9#9 as a II super Locrian scale (V Phrygian
flat one).
See Scale Ambiguity/Ambiguous Scale For Dominant Chords/VII super Locrian, IV Lydian Dimin-
ished and the flat five substute.

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Pedal Point Progression

Pedal point progression a treatment of other types of progression by repeating a particular note in the
bass. This has been done so routinely with certain progressions that pedal point progrssion has taken
on a nature of its own. See the Pedal Point Chord Progression chapter and especially these sections:
I-IV-I7: Thirds With A Pedal Point
“Six Nine”: VIm-Vm Triads With Pedal Point “1”

and More Triads With A Pedal Point

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SUPERIMPOSING CADENCES IN FOURTHS

Two-Chord Cadences in Fourths
secondary dominant

diminished connecting chords

Three-Chord Cadences in Fourths

a secondary root chord expanded to a fourths cadence

modal II V I cadences

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SUPERIMPOSING STEPWISE & CHROMATIC CADENCES

Two-Chord Stepwise Cadences

Two-Chord Chromatic Cadences

Three-Chord Stepwise Cadences

Three-Chord Chromatic Cadences

A Secondary Root Chord Expanded to a Stepwise Cadence

A Secondary Root Chord Expanded to a Chromatic Cadence

modal stepwise chords with a chromatic passing chord

modal IIm7-bII7 to target

Inserting Chromatic Chords

Where two chords with roots a whole step apart are of the same quality, such as IIm and IIIm or IV
major and V major, a chord can be inserted in-between of the same quality. This makes IIm-#IIm-IIIm,
IIIm-bIIIm-IIm, IV-#IV-V, and -bV-IV.
Melodic minor (ascending version, same as major scale flat three) has IV and V, IV7 and V7, IV9 and
V9, VI dim. and VII dim., VIm7b5 and VIIm7b5. Providing many possible chromatic insertions of
the same quality.
Where chords a whole step apart are of different qualities, such as I and IIm, insert major triad between
I-#I-IIm or IIm-bII-I. With seventh or larger chords with descending roots, insert dominant seventh
between, such as VIm7-bVI7-V7. With seventh or larger chords with ascending roots, insert dimin-
ished seventh between, such as Ima7-#Idim7-IIm7.

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Parallel Major Triads

The most convincing abstract use of chords of the same quality is major triads. Pat Metheny makes
common use of this. Move bIII major chromatically down to I major, bVII major down to V major. IV
major chromatically all the way down to I.

the wacky major triad at diminished fifth intervals

Suggesting the flat five relationship, major triads can be played at intervals of a dimminished fifth (same
as an augmented fourth, three whole steps). This has a cool, wacky, “other worldly” sound. Try it on
something modern and jazzy.

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COMBINING FOURTHS AND STEPWISE

Since pop music is based more on triads, there are fewer chords synonyms, therefore fewer possible
superimposed progressions. Three-chord progressions need to end on the target in pop music. In jazz-
related music they can start on the target, establish a sequence of fourths or stepwise root movement the
veer off into something new. Triad progression with substitution and superimposition is more confined.
In both jazz and pop styles, three-chord progressions that combine stepwise and fourths work best
ending on the target chord, since they are not establishing a strong repeating root pattern like three
roots in fourths or three stepwise roots. .
So, use any combination of stepwise and fourths root movement, but always with the target on the
last. Chords on numbered steps of the scale are usually represented by Roman numerals, but I’ve used
Arabic numbers here for ease of reading.
up a step, up a fourth versions are: 1-2-5, 2-3-6, 3-4-7, 4-5-1, 5-6-2, 6-7-3, 7-1-4
down a step, up a fourth versions are: 2-1-5, 3-2-6, 4-3-7, 5-4-1, 6-5-2, 7-6-3, 1-7-4
up a fourth, up a step versions are: 1-4-5, 2-5-6, 3-6-7, 4-7-1, 5-1-2, 6-2-3, 7-3-4
down a fourth, up a step versions are: 7-4-5, 1-5-6, 2-6-7, 3-7-1, 4-1-2, 5-2-3, 6-3-4

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MODAL CONTEXTS AND TIME

Think in Multiple Modal Contexts
Any mode you will use in any key has the letter that name the setup chord scale, the target chord scale
and the key scale. If the key is “C “ and the target chord is F and the setup chord scale is Db melodic
minor, be able to:

• Think in terms of the mode named after the target chord (“F”) with the letter “F” in Db
melodic minor, which is F Lydian flat one (Fb) on the flat third of Db melodic minor.
• Think in terms of the setup chord, Gb13#11, think in the mode with the letter “Gb”, which is
“Gb” Lydian dominant on the fourth step of Db melodic minor.
• Think in terms of the key of C, think in the mode with the letter “C”, which is “C” super
Locrian on the seventh step of Db melodic minor.

So, be able to think the same notes in terms of the setup chord, the target chord and the key. The target
chord may be the same as the tonic chord that names the key.

modes of Db melodic minor scale

Db melodic Eb Dorian flat F Phrygian flat Gb Lydian flat Ab Mixolydian Bb Aeolian flat C Locrian flat
minor two one (Fb) seven (Lydian flat six five four (super
dominant) locrian)
b3 b2 b1 b7 b6 b5 b4
1-2-b3-4-5-6-7 1-b2-b3-4-5- b1-b2-b3-4-5- 1-2-3-#4-5-6-b7 1-2-3-4-5-b6-b7 1-2-b3-4-b5- 1-b2-b3-b4-b5-
6-b7 b6-b7 b6-b7 b6-b7

Think in Terms of the Setup Chord’s Scale

The setup chord is the last chord in the cadence before the target chord. In a three-chord Dm7 - G7 -
C7 cadence that resolves to (sounds finished on) Cma7, the Cma7 is the target chord. G7 is the setup
chord that leads to the target chord.
To get oriented to the tones of the setup chord, name the setup chord scale in terms of the mode that
uses the letter of the setup root. This will usually make it easier for you to create melody during the
setup chord. Don’t stop there, you also need to state the tonality of the key and suggest movement to
the target chord.

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a secondary root of the setup chord

By thinking of a secondary root for the setup chord, you can obtain different colors and moods by using
a synonym or subset of the setup chord. For example, use IV (F) Aeolian flat five on the third of a bII9
(Db) chord. This allows you to use dark minor (Aeolian) key melodies with a flat five that you may
already know and create new sounds with them in this new setting.

Think in Terms of the Target Chord’s Scale

Include strong references to a target chord scale by being able to think in the mode named after the
letter of its root. As with the setup chord, this will make it easier for you to find and sound tones of the
target tone chord. Also state the tonality of the key, as discussed next.

a secondary root for the target chord

By thinking of a secondary root for the target chord, you can create a kind of deceptive cadence. When
the listener expects VIm (Am), having heard VI(A) harmonic minor, it can resolve to a chord that
includes VIm, such as I6 (C6) or IVma7 (Fma7).

Think in Terms of the Key Scale

Include strong references to a key scale by being able to think in key scale. You don’t have to always refer
to the key scale in your melody, but you should refer to it enough that the key scale predominates the
tonality.
Each chord in a progression can be treated as many optional chords that are subsets or altered versions
such as darkened ones with flatted notes. So, for each chord there is a conceptual list of chords it can be
thought of as. A composer or arranger conceives such lists and voice leads from one chord to the next,
taking advantage of similarities and patterns.

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Best Scales to “Think” on Jazz Blues In C

C7 C7 blue F7 A7 Dm7 G7 G7 blue G7 very blue
target chord F major Bb major Bb major F major #5 C major C major F major Bb major
parent scale
think as C Mixo. C Dorian C Dorian C Mixo. #1 C major C major C Mixo. C Dorian

melodic minor Ab melodic minor Db mel. m. F mel. min. Bb mel. m. Eb melodic minor
before target
best to think G super Locrian, C sup. Loc., E sup. Loc., A sup. Loc., D super Locrian
V super Locrian, F Aeolian b5 on third of Bb Aeo. b5 D Aeo. b5, G Aeo b5 on or C Aeolian b5 on the third of Ab13#11
IV Aeolian b5, Db13#11 on third of on third of third of
bII13#11 Gb13#11 Bb13#11 or Eb13#11
C Mixo. b6
harmonic minor C harmonic minor F har. min. A har. min. D har. m. G har. min.
before target = Eb major #5 = Ab ma. #5 = C maj. #5 = F ma.#5 = Bb major #5
best to think:a C harmonic minor C Phrygian C major #5 C Mixo. #1 C Dorian #4
= Eb major #5 dominant
or G harmonic minor*
= Bb major #5
= C Dorian #4

in summary, use...
Melodic minor tone center down a major third from the target root, which is a diagonal shape on the
bass strings. Major sharp five (for harmonic minor on the target) with its tone center a minor third
above the target. You can also say melodic minor targets a root on its major third (though it has a flat
third) and harmonic minor targets a root on its sixth.

primary major scale fingerings fingering 3 fingering 7 fingering 4 fingering 2 fingering 6

melodic minor targets natural three

harmonic minor targets six
review Modal Contexts And Time

* Used during IV diminished 7(F#dim7). This special case is chromatic and common to blues. I
diminished 7 (Iº7, Cº7) = #IVº7 (F#º7) to I7 (C7), where all tones other than the root move up
chromatically.

Be Aware of the Listeners Time-Based Tolerance for Discord

As you emulate a super imposed cadence with your melody, one or more of the chords you emulate may
have a strong disagreement with the current chord. The effects of discord are time-based.
Build your melody in time from the end of the setup chord “backward” in time, being able to play it
longer.
©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.
page 2014 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

MAKING MELODY WITH SUPERIMPOSED CADENCES

Set Up Your Practice
strum the chords, then play cells, then make melody
First strum the new chords over the chord progression. Then represent the new chord progression with
strong melodic cells (groups of three to six notes) such as “1235” in the chord scale for each chord to get
the harmonic sense of the new progression. Finally, start to abstract the progression with melodic ideas
you commonly use. Start moving all around the fretboard.
Listen to your imagination. It can create much more complex things than your logical mind, but with
fuzzier definition. When you like something new you’ve created on discovered, figure out its nature in
a general sense and populate as much of your music as can with it. See Globalizing Musical Structure
and Design.
Most of this is numbered and thought of in terms of the parent scale.

prepare with comping rhythms

Determine one or more appropriate comping rhythms to use in playing the chord progression. Comping
rhythms will give you a rhythmic grid (of two, three, four or six parts per beat) and an enviornment to
create melody.

Learn The Original Chord Progression

First practice playing chords with the accompaniment. You’ll clearly hear any dissonances, since all the
notes are sustaining against the accompaniment.
Play the target chord at a “hit point” at the beginning of the chord or on a strong beat, like the first or
third beat in 4/4. First practice playing a chord before the target chord that is down a fourth. Use the
series of fourths: 7-3-6-2-5-1-4, For a I chord, precede it with V. For a V chord, precede it with IIm,
and so on.
Use the Put It Where You Want It II V rhythm track to practice each of the two exercises below. Below
them there is a detailed study directed at your visualization of the chord and scale tones you will need
to improvise on the progression.

©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 2015

IIm7 and V7 type targets, key on IIm7 of parent, hit point at beginning of chord
original chords/key scale Cm7 (Im7)/C Dorian F7 (IV7)/C Dorian Cm7 (Im7)/C Dorian F7 (IV7)/C Dorian

superimposed letter name Cm7 F7 Gm7 Cm7 Cm7 F7

by parent scale IIm7 V7 Vm7 IIm7 IIm7 V7
by key scale Im7 IV7 Vm7 Im7 Im7 IV7

IIm7 and V7 type targets, key on IIm7 of parent, hit point on beat three
original chords/key scale Cm7 (Im7)/C Dorian F7 (IV7)/C Dorian Cm7 (Im7)/C Dorian F7 (IV7)/C Dorian

superimposed letter name Gm7 Cm7 Cm7 F7 Gm7 Cm7 Cm7 F7

by parent scale Vm7 IIm7 IIm7 V7 Vm7 IIm7 IIm7 V7
by key scale Vm7 Im7 Im7 IV7 Vm7 Im7 Im7 IV7

Visualize the arcs for C minor and F major in the VIII position area. Using the major and minor arcs
shown below. C minor would be in the E form. F major would be in the A form.
major chord tone arcs minor chord tone arcs
E form

E form

C form D/C form

G form
A/G form

Practice major scale tone seventh chord progression with “descend five and seven voicing-bass note
trading root and fifth” and “descend five and seven voicing-bass note trading third and seventh”: very
useful. Keep it simple. Just play one chord before the target.

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Descend five and seven voice leading progresses roots up in perfect fourths, like IIm7 to V7. It uses
exclusively four-note chords. On each string in descend five and seven voice leading, each note either
trades root and fifth or it trades third and seventh. This means that in a perfect fourth sequence of
chords that uses descend five and seven voice leading, if a note on one chord is a fifth, the next chord
will have a root on that string (trading root and fifth). On a string where third occurs in one chord will
be a fifth in the next chord.
As you can read in the “descend five and seven” links above, roots and thirds each are retained. The same
note that is the root of one chord is the fifth of the next chord . Likewise, the same note that is a third
of one chord will become the seventh of the next. Fifths and sevenths each descend to become roots
and sevenths (respectively) in the next chord. A fifth of one chord descends one scale tone in the parent
scale to become the root of the next. A seventh of one chord likewise descends in the parent scale to
become the third of the next chord.
If we focus on strings one through four (the four smallest strings) with root and fifth trading in the
bass, the Cm7 (IIm7 of parent) is 0015b7b3 and the F7 (V of parent) is 00513b7. The generic 001573
family (including 001573, 0015b73, 0015b7b3 and 001b5b7b3) trades with the generic family 005137
(including 005137, 00513b7, 0051b3b7 and 00b51b3b7). In summary, 001573 trades with 005137.
Cm7
X F7 X

On the four smalleset strings with third and seventh trading in the bass, the Cm7 (IIm7 of parent)
is 00b7b351 and the F7 (V of parent) is 003b715. The generic 007351 family (including 007351,
00b7351, 00b7b351 and 00b7b3b51) trades with the generic family 003715 (including 003715,
003715, 0051b3b7 and 00b51b3b7). In summary, 007351 trades with 003715.
Cm7 VIII F7 VI

Why bother with all this detail? You’ll get faster and faster at recalling the descend five and seven
voicings until you memorize all the versions on string sets 5-4-3-2, 6-4-3-2, 4-3-2-1 and 5-3-2-1. Then
that part of your visualization for improv will be very robust and you will be a much more capable
soloist and composer.

©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

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The pentatonic subsets C minor pentatonic (Cm7/11) and F major pentatonic (Fma6/9) of the Bb
major scale are shown below. For more on the subject, see Scale Tone Arpeggios and Pentatonics /
Major Scale Tone Pentatonic Scales.
4/5
major
scale
fingerings

IIm7/11
pentatonic
tones 45612

V ma 6/9
pentatonic
tones 56723

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Practice each of the four blues in C exercises below with either of theese rhythm tracks:
12 Bar I IV V Slow Triple Blues in C
12 Bar I IV V Medium Duple Blues in C

12 bar blues in C
IIm7 V7 (in key of target) with V7 type targets, hit point at beginning of chord
original chords/key scale C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian

superimposed letter name Gm7 C7 Gm7 C7 Gm7 C7 Cm7

by parent scale IIm7 V7 IIm7 V7 IIm7 V7 IIm7
by key scale Vm7 I7 Vm7 I7 Vm7 I7 Im7

original chords/key scale F7 (IV7)/C Dorian F7 (IV7)/C Dorian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian

superimposed letter name F7 Cm7 F7 Gm7 C7 C7 Dm7

by parent scale V7 IIm7 V7 IIm7 V7 IIm7 V7 IIm7

by key scale IV7 Im7 IV7 Vm7 I7 Vm7 I7 IIm7

original chords/key scale G7 (V7)/C major F7 (IV7)/C Dorian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian G7 (V7)/C major

superimposed letter name G7 Cm7 F7 Gm7 C7 Dm7 G7

by parent scale V7 IIm7 V7 IIm7 V7 IIm7 V7

by key scale V7 Im7 IV7 Vm7 I7 IIm7 V7

12 bar blues in C
IIm7 V7 (in key of target) with V7 type targets, hit point at beat three
original chords/key scale C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian

superimposed letter name Gm7 C7 Gm7 C7 Gm7 C7 Gm7 C7

by parent scale IIm7 V7 IIm7 V7 IIm7 V7 IIm7 V7
by key scale Vm7 I7 Vm7 I7 Vm7 I7 Vm7 I7

original chords/key scale F7 (IV7)/C Dorian F7 (IV7)/C Dorian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian

superimposed letter name Cm7 F7 Cm7 F7 Gm7 C7 Gm7 C7

by parent scale IIm7 V7 IIm7 V7 IIm7 V7 IIm7 V7

by key scale Im7 IV7 Im7 IV7 Vm7 I7 Vm7 I7

original chords/key scale G7 (V7)/C major F7 (IV7)/C Dorian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian G7 (V7)/C major

superimposed letter name Dm7 G7 Cm7 F7 Gm7 C7 Dm7 G7

by parent scale IIm7 V7 IIm7 V7 IIm7 V7 IIm7 V7

by key scale IIm7 V7 Im7 IV7 Vm7 I7 IIm7 V7

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sixth type root alternatives on I, IV, V and IIm

I, IV, V and IIm type chords built on the major scale have alternate roots on their sixth, root and third.
They have a the potential to be a sixth chord and each has a synonym minor seventh chord down two
steps (see “chord on sixth/result” in the table below). Each chord can be a seventh chord, or many other
types, but the fact that they all have perfect fifths and major sixths makes them similar. The mode in
which each occurs (I major, II Dorian, IV Lydian and V Mixolydian) contains a major pentatonic scale
(major 6/9 pentatonic), except Dorian contains major pentatonic scale with a flatted third (minor 6/9
pentatonic).
The IIm chord falls into this category when it can be a IIm6 type chord, which has a strong reference
to swing music, especially when the tone “6” is used melodically as a lower neighbor to the chord root.
To remember those alternate roots for I, IV, V and II type chords, think of the numbered tones of the
parent scale-tone triad down two scale tones: 6-1-3 for the I chord, 2-4-6 for the IV chord, 3-5-7 for
the V chord and 7-2-4 for the II chord.
Here’s a table for I, IV, V and IIm chords with parenthetical examples for the key of C major:
major scale tone chord chord on third/result chord on sixth/result
Ima7 (Cma7) IIIm7 (Em7) / Ima9 (Cma9) VIm7 (Am7) / I6 (C6)
IVma7 (Fma7) VIm7 (Am7) / IVma9 (Fma9) IIm7 (Dm7) / IV6 (F6)
V7 (G7) VIIm7b5 (Bm7b5) / V9 (G9) IIIm7 (Em7) / V6 (G6)
IIIm7 (Dm7) IVma7 (Fma7) / IIm9 (Dm9) VIIm7b5 (Bm7b5) / IIm6 (Dm6)

seventh type root alternatives on IIm, III, VIm and VIIm7b5

IIm, IIIm, VIm and VIIm7b5 type chords built on the major scale have alternate roots on their root
third or fifth. The IIm chord is in both groups. In each case the root alternative on the fifth of one of
these chords makes a part of a five-note chord.
In the case of the IIIm7 and VIIm7b5, roots on their fifth should only be used melodically, since the
chord result is not currently acceptable. Some special accommodations need to be made for the III and
VII chords. The IIIm or IIIm7 are often changed to III or III7, requiring a sharp five of the parent scale.
As a chord, the VIIm7b5b9 is not acceptable, but it works as an arpeggio and melodically, since the
dissonances are periodic and not continuous. VII7b5b9 (B7b5b9) can be substituted as a strummed
chord, with a major third making it a domiant chord with acceptable b5 and b9.

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Here’s a table for IIm III, VIm and VII chords, with parenthetical examples for the key of C major:
major scale tone chord chord on third/result chord on fifth/result
IIm7 (Dm7) IVma7 (Fma7) / IIm9 (Dm9) VIm7 (Am7) / IIm11 (Dm11)
IIIm7 (Em7) V6 (G6) = Em7 n/a
III7 (E7) #Vdim.7 (G#dim.7) / III7b9 (E7b9) VIIdim.7 (Bdim.7) / III7b9 (E7b9)
VIm7 (Am7) Ima7 (Cma7) / VIm9 (Am9) IIIm7 (Em7) / VIm11 (Am11)
VIIm7b5 (Bm7b5) IIm (Dm7b5) / IIm7b5b9 (Bm7b5b9)* IVma7 (Fma7) / VIIm11b5b9 (Bm11b5b9)
* acceptable as an arpeggio or melodically, but not as a chord

Eventually, you should play long sequences of fourths and stepwise, forward or backward and target the
right chord on the hit point.

12 bar blues in C
IVma7 (IV∆7) VIIm7b5 (VIIø7) with V7 type targets, hit point at beginning of chord
original chords/keyscale C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian

superimposed letter name Bb∆7 Eø7 Bb∆7 Eø7 Bb∆7 Eø7 Eb∆7

by parent scale IV∆7 VIIø7 IV∆7 VIIø7 IIm7 VIIø7 IV∆7

by key scale bVII∆7 IIIø7 bVII∆7 IIIø7 bVII∆7 IIIø7 bIII∆7

original chords/key scale F7 (IV7)/C Dorian F7 (IV7)/C Dorian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian

superimposed letter name Aø7 Eb∆7 Aø7 Bb∆7 Eø7 Bb∆7 Eø7 F∆7

by parent scale IIIø7 IV∆7 IIIø7 IV∆7 VIIø7 IV∆7 VIIø7 IV∆7

by key scale VIø7 bIII∆7 VIø7 bVII∆7 IIIø7 bVII∆7 IIIø7 IV∆7

original chords/key scale G7 (V7)/C major F7 (IV7)/C Dorian C7 (I7)/C Mixolydian G7 (V7)/C major

superimposed letter name Bø7 Eø7 Aø7 Bb∆7 C7 Dm7 G7

by parent scale VIIø7 IV∆7 IIIø7 IV∆7 VIIø7 IV∆7 VIIø7

by key scale VIIø7 bIII∆7 VIø7 bVII∆7 IIIø7 IV∆7 VIIø7

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Learn To Represent The Progression With Melodic Cells

The shortest note sequences are melodic cells, typically three to six notes. Short licks, repeating fragment
patterns such as 1-2-3-5 on the chord scale for each chord, arpeggios or pentatonic scales are all cells.
See the chapter Melodic Cells.
Arpeggio cells are a great way to learn the clusters of tones in the parent scale that make up each chord
as shown in the Harmonic Clusters section of Phrases Built with Core Melody, Elaboration and FIller.
For the most common scale-tone chord progression, roots ascending in fourths, play four-note seventh
arpeggios as cells with descend five and seven voicing. Through this, you will quickly learn the geometric
shapes of tones for each chord as a subset of the parent scale in a confined fretboard area. Play root,
third, fifth and seventh ascending one chord, then descend the fifth and seventh each one scale tone. The
descending arpeggio will be the scale-tone chord up a fourth. Repeat the same process ascending third-
fifth-seventh-root, fifth-seventh-root-third and seventh-root-third-fifth. This will take you through
the inversions of the arpegggios.

chord roots in fourths

Fourths ascend 7-3-6-2-5-1-4-7-3-6-2-5 in numbers or B-E-A-D-G-C-F in letters. Fourths descend
4-1-5-2-6-3-7-4-1-5 in numbers or F-C-G-D-A-E-B in letters.
Practice descend seven voicing (major scale tone seventh chords) in scale tone seventh chords. In “sets
of five fourths” below, each underlined number is a target, to be placed at a hit point.
“3-6-2-5-1” can make five different cadences. “6-2” would preceed the target IIm7 with VIm7. “3-6-2”
would preceed the target IIm with IIIm-VIm, making the cadence IIIm7-VIm7-IIm7 (with IIm7 on
a hit point). “6-2-5” (VIm7-IIm7-V7) would put IIm7 on a hit point and then need to resolve to
tones of whatever chord is in the accompaniment after V7 (the last chord in the 625 cadence). “2-5-1”
would place IIm7 on a hit point, followed by V7 Ima7, then resolve to tones of whatever chord is in the
accompaniment after Ima7 is played.
All of these sequences fourths can also be played in reverse order, making an order down in fourths or up in
fifths. “3-6-2-5-1” in reverse makes 5-2, 1-5-2, 5-2-6, 2-6 (resolve afterward) and 2-6-3 (resolve afterward).
sets of five fourths
sixth root third
sets of 5 (shown for “4” or “2”): 3-6-2-5-1 5-1-4-7-3 7-3-6-2-5
sets of 5 (shown for “1” or “6”): 7-3-6-2-5 2-5-1-4-7 4-7-3-6-2
sets of 5 (shown for “5” or “3”): 4-7-3-6-2 6-2-5-1-4 1-4-7-3-6
sets of 5 (shown for “2” or “7”): 1-4-7-3-6 3-6-2-5-1 5-1-4-7-3
summary: 1-4-7-3-6-2-5-1-4-7-3-6-2-5-1-4-7-3-6-2-5-1-4-7-3-6-2-5-1

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stepwise chord roots

Stepwise ascend or descend; connect with chromatic prog. (incl. I-#Iº7-IIm, V-#Vº7-VIm, I7-Iº7-
IIm6-I, I-I/3-IV-#IVdim).
“7-1-2-3-4” can make five different cadences. “1-2” would preceed the target IIm7 with Ima7. “7-1-2”
would preceed the target IIm with VIIm7b5-Ima7, making the cadence VIIm7b5-Ima7-IIm7 (with
IIm7 on a hit point). “1-2-3” (Ima7-IIm7-IIIm7) would put IIm7 on a hit point after preceding it with
Ima7 and then need to resolve to tones of whatever chord is in the accompaniment after III7 (the last
chord in the 1-2-3 cadence). “2-3” would place IIm7 on a hit point, followed by IIIm7, then resolve to
tones of whatever chord is in the accompaniment after IIIma7 is played. “2-3-4” would place IIm7 on
a hit point, followed by IIIm7 and IVma7, then resolve to tones of whatever chord is in the accompani-
ment after IVma7 is played.
All of these stepwise sequences can also be played in reverse order, making an order down stepwise.
“7-1-2-3-4” in reverse makes 3-2, 4-3-2, 2-1 (resolve afterward) and 2-1-7 (resolve afterward).

sets of five stepwise

sixth root third
sets of 5 (shown for “4” or “2”): 7-1-2-3-4 2-3-4-5-6 4-5-6-7-1
sets of 5 (shown for “1” or “6”): 4-5-6-7-1 6-7-1-2-3 1-2-3-4-5
sets of 5 (shown for “5” or “3”): 1-2-3-4-5 3-4-5-6-7 5-6-7-1-2
sets of 5 (shown for “2” or “7”): 5-6-7-1-2 7-1-2-3-4 2-3-4-5-6
summary: 5-6-7-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-1-2-3

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Create Melody
Once you have clearly demonstrated the sound of the chords and cells over the progression, aligning with
th hit points, start to abstract the progression by playing the cells with harmonic theme and variation or
with melodic ideas you commonly use.
Once you have the harmonic progression “in your ear” and its placement phrase-wise, start playing
variations of the cell or something similar to represent it. As you play repeatedly over the progression,
get more and more abstract. Move progressively more freely around the fretboard, changing positions
and octaves. Freedom!
Work extensively in each area of the fretboard, until you can see the Harmonic Clusters. Progressively
learn other fretboard areas, learning the strucutes in relation to each triad arc, octave shape and major
scale fingering area (in Harmonic Clusters and Scale Tone Arpeggios And Pentatonics).
Put It Where You Want It
8 and 12 Bar Blues, Jazz Blues, All Blues
Freddie the Freeloader
Mr. PC
The Way You Look Tonight
Cantaloupe Island
Afro Blue
Song for My Father
Sunny
Blue Bossa
Isn’t She Lovely
Sugar
Autumn Leaves
Fly Me to the Moon
My Favorite Things
All The Things You Are
Black Orpheus
Four
Moanin’
Girl from Ipanema
One Note Samba (treat the first chord as ma9 no root; Dm7 would be Bbm9 nr)
Take Five
Killing Me Softly
How High the Moon
Meditation

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Night in Tunisia
Caravan

Visualization
chunking and multiple contexts
In 1956, George Miller, of Princeton University’s Department of Psychology published a paper titled
“The Magic Number Seven, plus or minus Two”, also called “Miller’s Law”. In it, he described a human
ability to retain about seven objects (numbers, letters, graphic shapes, etc.) in working memory.
Miller and other psychologists have indicated compensations we can use to work around our limitations.
Two important compensations are chunking and multiple contexts. With chunking, we develop a strong
memory of a group of objects (a chunk). Multiple contexts can strengthen the memory of a chunk.
When we improvise on an area of the fretboard, we need to know the mass of notes in each small area,
such as the eight or nine notes of a major scale on three consecutive strings. We can get a very strong
memory of those notes by memorizing them in these multiple ways, including chords and arpeggios,
scales and licks.

chords and arpeggios

• the major and minor arcs that make up each of the seven triads built on the major scale
• the major scale tone descend five and seven voicings on the relevant set of four strings
• pentatonic subsets of the scale
• building ninth arpeggios from pentatonic scales in the area

scales
• the linear major scale fingering:
• the major scale lines that make up each three-note-per-string fingering
• building each three-note-per-string major scale fingering with the master pattern
• making each in-position fingering by combining two three-note-per-string major scale fingerings

licks
• a mental library of licks that use the scale
• the emotive function of each note, so you can predict its sound and emotive before playing it

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visual scanning versus mass visualization

Using the chunking methods above, you can get a vivid memory of the notes in a fretboard area and
begin experimenting.
Use mass visualization for smaller numbers of items such as the six notes in each triad arcs or the three
to six notes in a chord fingering. Use visual and conceptual scanning for around ten to twenty items,
such as major scale lines, or pentatonic lines.
Once you have chunkcd a group of items, such as well-memorized major scale lines, you can conceive
combining them, such as visuzalizing an in-position major scale fingering by combining three major
scale lines.
Each group of notes or items (such as rhythmic words) has a different degree of clarity versus fuzziness
for you. Make your visualization more clear with multiple points of reference and repetition.

the vast power of the creative mind

I advocate experimenting, free association and improv on a musical idea, followed by interpretation and
globalizing. Most of the time, I am amazed at what ideas come up when I have worked creatively, then
interpret what I have discovered. You probably have a perfectly good brain and can do the same thing.

The Two Second Rule

With superimposed cadences, you will often play chord sounds that briefly don’t harmonize with
the accompaniment. This is often called “outside”, versus “inside”, where “inside” harmonizes with the
accompaniment and “outside doesn’t.
The current chord might be C7, but you are playing something that represesents Gb7 to transistion
to the next chord F7. If the Gb7 chord or melodic content is played for two seconds or less and then
resolves to F7, it will probably make sense to the listener. If the Gb7 is played for more than two seconds,
the listener is likely to have the time to realize that it is not harmonizing with the current chord and it
night not sound correct to many listeners.
So, generally play cadences and other content that doesn’t harmonize with the current chord for two
seconds or less. At 120 beats per minute, two seconds is four beats. At 60 beats per minute, two
seconds is only two beats. So something that doesn’t harmonize with accompaniment can work for one
bar at 120 BPM, but not at 60 BPM.

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HARMONIC MINOR CADENCES

See also: Melodic Minor Cadences.

Practicing Diminished Sevenths and Half-Whole-Half Cells

As you practice the material in this section, begin to look forward to the theory shown in the remainder
of this Harmonic Minor Cadences section. Be sure to read Cadence Defined and Secondary Dominants
first.
See Progressions For Study with Harmonic Minor and Melodic Minor for suggested songs to study.
Half-whole-half is a very familiar and useful melodic device. See Half-Whole-Half in the chapter,
Melodic Cells. Below, we’ll learn to practice diminished sevenths for half-whole-half, first in chords,
then arpeggios, then half-whole-half.

diminished seventh families

There are only three unique diminished seventh chords, since each one can use four names. As a quick
way to find them for any particular key, think of them as II dim7, #I dim7 and I dim 7. Those three
diminished sevenths respectively makeup the setup chords for the target chords I, IV and V chords and
their respective families.
II diminished 7 just before the I family: I, VI (relative minor), bV or bIII (relative major)
#I diminished just before the IV family: IV-bVI-VII-II (modal relative minor)
I diminished just before the V family: V-bVII-#I-III (modal relative minor)
See practice diminished sevenths.

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diminished seventh in chords before I-VIm-II-V

Stand by Me in A
I VIm IIm V I
bars 1-2 bars 3-4 bar 5 bar 6 bars 7-8
Ama7 V F#m7 IV Bm7 VII E7sus4 VII Ama7 V
II dim7 II dim7 #I dim7 II dim7
Bdim7 VI Bdim7 VI A#dim7 V Bdim7 VI

The Way You Look Tonight in F

I VIm IIm V
Fma7 V Dm7 V Gm7 VII C7 V
II dim7 II dim7 #I dim7 I dim7
Gdim7 VI Gdim7 VI F#dim7 V Fim7 IV

Isn’t She Lovely in E

VIm IIm V I
C#m7 IX F#9 VIII B13sus4 IX E IX
II dim7 II dim7 #I dim7 I dim7
F# dim7 X F# dim7 X F dim7 IX E dim7 VIII

See more songs to practice I VI II V.

©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 2028 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

diminished seventh in arpeggios before I-VIm-II-V

Read Half-Whole-Half Cells in Melodic Cells. Review these fingerings. You should draw from the
diminished scale fingerings, but usually don’t play them for over an interval of a sixth without abstract
ornamentation to make them less exercise-like.
the numbers on the diagrams below are finger numbers
for diminished scale, the target diminished seventh is black when ascending, grey when descending

diminished seventh arpeggio diminished scale

fingering 1 fingering 2 fingering 3 up fingering 1 up fingering 2 up fingering 3
down fingering 3 down fingering 1 down fingering 2

1 1 (1) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

Develop strong memories: restrict your playing to the first three strings, then two strings 4-3-2-1, then
4-3-2-1, 5-4-3-2, then all of the strings. Spend a long time with each string set.
Spend at least a half hour on each of these four steps:
First, play the entire progression with a II dim7 arpeggio before the I and the VIm chords only.
Next, play the entire progression with #I dim7 arpeggio before the IIm chord only.
Next, play the entire progression with I dim7 arpeggio before the V chord only.
Next, play the entire progression the appropriate arpeggio before each chord.
Last, repeat the four steps using half-whole-half cells.

Stand By Me in A in V position
I VIm IIm V I
bars 1-2 bars 3-4 bar 5 bar 6 bars 7-8
Ama7 V F#m7 IV Bm7 VII E7sus4 VII Ama7 V
II dim7 II dim7 #I dim7 II dim7
Bdim7 IV Bdim7 IV A#dim7 IV Bdim7 IV

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 2029

The Way You Look Tonight in F in V position

Improvise in the fifth position area, generally keeping your first finger at the fifth fret.
I VIm IIm V
Fma7 V Dm7 V Gm7 VII C7 V
II dim7 II dim7 #I dim7 I dim7
Gdim7 IV Gdim7 IV F#dim7 IV F#im7 IV`

Isn’t She Lovely in E in IX position

Improvise in the ninth position area, generally keeping your first finger at the ninth fret.
VIm IIm V I
C#m7 IX F#9 VIII B13sus4 IX E IX
II dim7 II dim7 #I dim7 I dim7
F# dim7 VIII F# dim7 VIII E dim7 VIII F# dim7 VIII

diminished seventh in arpeggios before 7-3-6-2-5-1-4

In seventh chords progress below with their roots in ascending order of perfect fourths. Each chord is
preceded with a with diminished seventh chord whose root is a half step below the target.
  VIIm7b5-(#II dim7)-IIIm7-(#V dim7)-VIm-(#I dim7)-IIm7-(#IV dim7)-V-(VII dim7)-
Ima7 (III dim7)-IV (#IV dim7)-VIIm7b5, etc.  

©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 2030 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

Harmonic Minor is Mode VI of Major Sharp Five

From our perspective of European music based on the major scale and Greek modes, harmonic minor
scale is a dramatized version of Aeolian mode. It strengthens the harmonic progression in the minor key
so the V - Im cadence has a major V chord, as in a major key. Also, the VII diminished seventh (VIIº7)
and its three synonyms (VIIº7=IIº7=IVº7=bVIº7) are tension-producing sources of cadences to the
Im chord and to other chords a half step above or a whole step below their roots.
Harmonic minor is the mode on the sixth step of major sharp five scale. Compared to Aeolian mode
(the mode on the sixth step of the major scale), it has a natural seven, while harmonic minor has a flat
seven. See also Melodic Minor Cadences.

the modes of major sharp five in all keys

mode of major sharp Dorian sharp Phrygian Lydian sharp Mixolydian Aeolian Locrian natu-
major sharp five four dominant two sharp one natural seven ral six
five (natural third) (harmonic
minor)
summary ma9#5 (4-6) m13#11 7b9b13 13#11 13#1 m9(ma7) 7#5b5#9b9
chord º7-b2b4b6
7th and 246 ma7#5 (2-4-6( m7 (2-#4-6) 7 (b2-4-b6) 7 (2-#4-6) 7(#1) (2-4-6) m(ma7) m7b5
º7 (b2-b-4-b6) (2-4-b6) (b2-b4-b6)
alteration of #5 #4 natural 3 #2 #1 natural seven natural 6
grand parent
major
formula 1-2-3-4-#5- 1-2-b3-#4-5- 1-b2-3-4-5- 1-#2-3-#4-5- #1-2-3-4-5- 1-2-b-4- 1-b2-b3-4-b5-
6-7 6-b7 b6-b7 6- 7 6-b7 5-b6-7 6-b7

C D E F G# A B
G A B C D# E F#
D E F# G A# B C#
A B C# D E# F# G#
E F# G# A B# C# D#
B C# D# E F## G# A#
F# G# A# B C## D# E#
C# D# E# F# G## A# B#
F G A Bb C# D E
Bb C D Eb F# G A
Eb F G Ab B C D
Ab Bb C Db E F G
Db Eb F G A Bb C
Gb Ab Bb Cb D Eb F

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 2031

graphic relationships of useful harmonic minor modes to the target root

fingering number  1/2 3 4 6 7
major scale

I harmonic minor with

b3 b6 5 1 4 2 5 b6 b6 1 4 b3 5 1 2 5 1 4 2
scale-tone numbers
2 5 7 b6 7 b3 b6 2 5 1 7 b6 b3 b6 b3
4 b3 b6 1 4 2 5 1 b3 b6 4 2 5 1 4 2 3 5 7
7 b3 b6 4 7 2 7 b3 b6 b3 4 b3 b6 1 4
5 1 4 2 5 7 7 1 4 b3 5 7 2 7 7
b3 b6 7
I harmonic minor
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
(tone center circled)
1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2
“grey-back” is target
2 2 2 1 1 3 3 3 2 2 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
3 4 4 4 3 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 3 3 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 4 4 4
4 4 4
II Locrian natural six
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
(tone center circled)
1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2
“grey-back” is target
2 2 2 1 1 3 3 3 2 2 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
3 4 4 4 3 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 3 3 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 4 4 4
4 4 4
V Phrygian dominant
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
(tone center circled)
1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2
“grey-back” is target
2 2 2 1 1 3 3 3 2 2 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
3 4 4 4 3 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 3 3 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 4 4 4
4 4 4
VII
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Mixolydian sharp one
1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2
(tone center circled)
“X” is target
2 2 2 1 1 3 3 3 2 2 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
3 4 4 4 3 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 3 3 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 4 4 4
4 4 4

©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 2032 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

Think the Harmonic Minor Tone Center

In harmonic minor cadences, you give the impression that you are progressing to the minor key named
after the harmonic minor scale you are using. You may actually go to the key named after letter of the
harmonic scale, but in different mode like major or Mixolydian. So, you may use A harmonic minor and
progress to A major seventh in the key of A major.
You may progress to a chord that contains the minor chord named after the letter of the harmonic minor
scale you are using, but with a different root. For example, you may be using A harmonic minor and
progress to Fma7, which has the notes of Am.

Think the Key Scale with the Same Letter as the Harmonic Minor Scale
Every type of seven tone scale in any key uses all seven letters of the musical alphabet (A - B - C- D- E-
F- G) and uses each letter only once. So, whatever seven-tone scale you are using, you can name it after
the letter of the key.
It is very important to think in terms of the key. The listener aurally expects it.
I7 (C7) IV7 (F7) V7 (G7) VI7 (A7) IIm7 (Dm7)
target chord 
implied scale (commonly C harmonic F harmonic G harmonic A harmonic D harmonic
changed at resolution) minor minor minor minor minor
key scale I (C) harmonic I (C) Phrygian I (C) Dorian I (C) Major sharp I (C) Mixolydian
minor dominant sharp four five sharp one (C#)

First Learn to Improvise Aurally with the Scales

Improv with aurally intuition first, before engaging your left brain into much thought in numbers and
letters. To use elements of theory afterward in your improv, you need to learn the theory thoroughly.
Learn the necessary harmonic minor scale fingering and the location of the root, third and fifth of the
chord it will resolve to.

Begin with Harmonic Minor to Aeolian (Relative Minor)

use these three steps:
1. improvise on VIm with minor blues
2. emphasize the tones of VI minor using the parent major scale
3. include the sharped fifth of the parent major scale, but without drawing attention to it

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 2033

Practice this first, to get an aural sense of the authentic minor cadence. Using the C major parent scale,
this puts the key on six minor, A minor. To dramatize and strengthen the cadence to VIm (Am), the
III chord is changed to major or seventh, so III major, III7, III7#5, III7b9 or III7b9#5 (all “E”” chords
before Am) are used before the VIm (Am).

minor cadences
The minor key is traditionally derived by establishing major scale tone six as the tone center. With the
C major scale, this means making Am the key. Parent major scale tone III(E) major (altered from III
minor) to VI minor (E to Am) is the authentic minor cadence. In the key of Am, E - Am is re-num-
bered as V to Im. See the table below.
Em E Am
C major parent scale number from root IIIm III (major) VIm
A minor key scale from each root Vm V Im

Cadences are traditionally made in fourths. The entire sequence of fourths in the major scale is 7 - 3 -6
-2 -5 - 1 - 4. A two-chord cadence in fourths establishing VIm (Am) as the key is III VIm (E Am) of
the parent scale (C major). This is V - Im in the key scale.
A three chord cadence establishing VI (Am) is VIIm7b5 III VIm (Bm7b5 E Am). Re-numbering VIm
as Im, to make it the key, 7 - 3- 6 becomes 2 - 5 - 1, mimicking the common 2 - 5 - 1(Dm G C) used in a
major key. So, VIIm7b5 III7 VIm7 in a major key is re-numbered IIm7b5 V7 Im in the relative minor.
Bm7b5 E7 Am
C major parent scale number from root VIIm7b5 III7 VIm
A minor key scale from each root IIm7b5 V7 Im

1. improvise on VIm with minor blues

To make authentic, jazz must have the blues element. So, start your study in using harmonic minor
with minor pentatonic and add the harmonic minor carfully as you develop the melodic style. Establish
VIm (Am) of the parent major scale (C major) as a key with A minor pentatonic blues melody. Use
some flat five tones (Eb notes), making Am7/11b5 scale.
Use Minor Pentatonic Blues Rock Cells as a resource. They are written in G minor, so you’ll need to
move them up a whole step (two frets toward the body of the guitar).

©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 2034 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

2. emphasize VIm tones and use the entire parent major scale
Next, make it a point to emphasize tones of the VI minor (A minor) triad during the VIm (Am) chord
in the chord progression. Use the entire parent major scale, but continue the VIm blues basis.
A minor pentatonic
subset of A Aeolian (C major) A minor C major scale C major sharp five
fingering 2 VII arpeggio VII fingering 7 VII fingering 7 VII

1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2
3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4
4

3. include the sharped fifth of the parent major scale

Include the sharped fifth of the parent major scale, making VI harmonic minor. Continue to use VIm
(Am) blues as a basis. The goal is to use the harmonic minor scale to establish the VIm chord, which
does not include the sharp five. VIm7 has a “5” of the parent scale, being made with 6 - 1- 3- 5 of the
parent scale. Sharp five is dissonant against five, so it should be de-emphasized.
Use the sharped fifth unobtrusively. Avoid starting or ending phrases with it. Use it as a lower neighbor
to the sixth step of the parent major scale. Use the sharped fifth in a scale passage.

A minor II V rhythm tracks

The rhythm tracks linked use the progression: ||: Am7 | E7 | Am7 | Bm7b5 E7 :|| 

Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_LatinBossa
Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_JazzSamba
Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_BBRock
Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_DrJohnRock
Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_FunkSeventies
Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_FunkSoft
Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_JamesBrown
Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_JamesTaylorLatin
©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.
 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 2035

Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_Marcus
Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_Marley
Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_MilesFunk
Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_MilesRock
Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_Aretha
Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_Otis
Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_SamDave
Am7_E7_Am7_Bm7b5E7_StevieW

Next, Use VIm During I and IVma7

An Escherian cadence is a resolving chord progression that suggests a resolution to a particular modem
then resolves to another. It may do this by resolving to a different mode of the same key, or to a chord
that includes the implied chord, but has as different root, such as suggesting Am and resolving to Fma7,
which contains Am. Read about this in Escherian Cadences.
In Escher-like fashion, sound VIm (Am) just before or during C and/or F∆7, predicting the Am part
of I6 (C6) or IVma7 (Fma7). Strengthen your melodies with familiar minor themes with VI (A)
harmonic minor that sound the VIm (Am) more than the III7 (E7, which is V7 of Am). The Am chord
below is part of C6 and Fma7.
Am IX C6 IX Fma7 VIII

VIm (Am) is major scale tones 6-1-3. I6 (C6) is major scale tones 1-3-5-6. IVma7 (Fma7) is major
scale tones 4-6-1-3. Both I6 (C6) and IVma7 (Fma7) contain 6-1-3, the notes of VIm (Am). See the
circle of thirds (below) from which they are built.

©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 2036 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

1 1
C 4 frets
minor third major third

6 3 6 3 frets
3
A E
major
major third minor third 4 frets 3 frets

4F thirds G5
4 in thirds
5 3 frets 4 frets

D B
minor third major third

2 7 2 7
3 frets
minor third

Use these three steps:

1. improvise on I (6, 7 or ma7) and IVma7 with I major pentatonic
2. emphasize VIm tones using the parent major scale
3. include the sharped fifth of the parent major scale

harmonic minor scale fingerings 7 and 3

A minor pentatonic
subset of A Aeolian (C major) A minor C major scale C major sharp five
fingering 2 VII arpeggio VII fingering 7 VII fingering 7 VII

1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2
3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4
4

A minor pentatonic
subset of A Aeolian (C major) A minor C major scale C major sharp five
fingering 4 XII arpeggio XII fingering 3 XII fingering 3 XI

1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2
3 3 3
4 4 4
4 4

©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 2037

1. improvise on I and IVma7 with I major pentatonic

Base your melody on I (C) major pentatonic, in swing blues style.
Use Major Pentatonic Swing Cells as a resource. They are written in G major, so you’ll need to move
them up two and a half steps (five frets toward the body of the guitar) or down three and a half steps
(seven frets toward the head of the guitar).

2. emphasize VIm tones using the parent major scale

Emphasize the VIm (Am) chord tones as part of I6 (C6) or IVma7 (Fma7). Continue to use swing
blues as a basis. In the swing blues style, the blue notes flat three and flat seven can be included. Flat
seven changes the I major scale to I Mixolydian. Flat three and flat seven (both ) change I major to I
Dorian. Usually, if three is flat, seven is flatted also, to make the more familiar Dorian mode instead of
melodic minor (major flat three is melodic minor).

3. include the sharped fifth of the parent major scale

Include the sharped fifth of the parent major scale, making VI harmonic minor. Continue to use I
major pentatonic and swing blues (in the key of I) as a basis. The goal is to use the harmonic minor
scale to establish the VIm chord sound as part of I6 (C6) or IVma7 (Fma7) in Escher fashion.
I major and IVma9 have “5” of the parent scale. I major is 1- 3- 5 of the parent scale. IVma9 is 4-6-1-3-5
of the parent. Although IVma7 does not literally include tone five of the parent scale, it implies it. Sharp
five is dissonant against five, so it should be de-emphasized.
Use the sharped fifth unobtrusively. Avoid starting or ending phrases with it. Use it as a lower neighbor
to the sixth step of the parent major scale. Use the sharped fifth in a scale passage.

an optional preview of Mixolydian sharp one

During the later part of V7 (G7) before I (C), use chord scale V (G) Mixolydian #1, which is the same
notes as A harmonic minor. Like a magician (see Escher and magicians), this will attract the listener to
the major blues melody on G7, but bring in the middle-eastern sounding harmonic minor scale as well.
Here are the modes of C major sharp five to support this idea:

©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 2038 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

modes of C major sharp five scale for VI harmonic minor

C major sharp D Dorian sharp E Phrygian F Lydian sharp G Mixolydian A Aeolian B Locrian natural
five four dominant two sharp one (G#) natural seven six
(natural third) (harmonic
minor)
#5 #4 natural 3 #2 #1 natural seven natural 6
12-3-4-#5-6-7 1-2-b3-#4-5- 1-b2-3-4-5-b6- 1-#2-3-#4-5-6-7 #1,-2-3-4-5-6-b7 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 1-b2-b3-4-b5-
6-b7 b7 6-b7

C major II V I IV rhythm tracks

The rhythm tracks linked use the progression: ||: Dm7 | G7 | Cma7 | Fma7 :||
Dm7_G7_Cma7_Fma7_BossaBrazil
Dm7_G7_Cma7_Fma7_BossaNew
Dm7_G7_Cma7_Fma7_PastoriusLatinFunk
Dm7_G7_Cma7_Fma7_BBRock
Dm7_G7_Cma7_Fma7_Funk70s
Dm7_G7_Cma7_Fma7_FunkSoft
Dm7_G7_Cma7_Fma7_JamesB rown
Dm7_G7_Cma7_Fma7_JamesTaylorLatin
Dm7_G7_Cma7_Fma7_Marcus
Dm7_G7_Cma7_Fma7_Marley
Dm7_G7_Cma7_Fma7_McCoyBossa
Dm7_G7_Cma7_Fma7_MilesFunk
Dm7_G7_Cma7_Fma7_MilesRock
Dm7_G7_Cma7_Fma7_StevieW

©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 2039

harmonic minor scale fingerings 6, 7 and 3 for VIm

Also see melodic minor scale fingerings 6, 7 and 3, based on the same parent scales.
C major pentatonic
subset of C major A minor C major scale C major sharp five
fingering 1 V arpeggio V fingering 6 V fingering 6 V

6 2 5 1 3 6 1 1 1 1 1
4 2 2
7 3 6 2 7 3 3 3 3 3
1 4 5 1 4 4 4
7 4 4

C major pentatonic
subset of C major A minor C major scale C major sharp five
fingering 2 VII arpeggio VII fingering 7 VII fingering 7 VII

7 3 6 2 7 1 1 1 1 1
1 4 5 1 2 2 2
7 3 3 3 3
2 5 1 4 6 2 4 4 4 4 4
4

C major pentatonic
subset of C major A minor C major scale C major sharp five
fingering 4 XII arpeggio XII fingering 3 XII fingering 3 XI

3 6 2 5 7 3 1 1 1 1 1
4 1 4 2 2 2 2
7 3 6 3 3 3
5 1 4 2 5 4 4 4
4 4

©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 2040 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

Using Mixolydian Sharp One

Harmonic minor occurs as a mode on the sixth step of major sharp five scale. Mixolydian sharp one is
the mode on the fifth step of major scale five. In many situations, Mixolydian can be established, then
altered to Mixolydian sharp one, which becomes the same notes as harmonic minor up a half step.

the magic trick

This provides the opportunity to distract the listener with familiar Mixolydian melody in blues or jazz
styles, while changing the scale to harmonic minor to suggest an upcoming minor chord or to suggest a
minor chord as part of another chord.
mode of major sharp Dorian sharp Phrygian Lydian sharp Mixolydian Aeolian Locrian natu-
major sharp five four dominant two sharp one natural seven ral six
five (natural third) (harmonic
minor)
summary ma9#5 (4-6) m13#11 7b9b13 13#11 13#1 m9(ma7) dim. 7
chord º7 (b2-b4-b6)
7th and 246 ma7#5 (2-4-6) m7 (2-#4-6) 7 (b2-4-b6) 7 (2-#4-6) 7(#1) (2-4-6) m(ma7) m7b5
º7 (b2-b4-b6) (2-4-b6) (b2-4-6)
alteration of #5 #4 natural 3 #2 #1 natural seven natural 6
grand parent
major
formula 1-2-3-4-#5- 1-2-b3-#4-5- 1-b2-3-4-5- 1-#2-3-#4-5- #1,-2-3-4-5- 1-2-b3-4- 1-b2-b3-4-b5-
6-7 6-b7 b6-b7 6-7 6-b7 5-b6-7 6-b7

C D E F G# A B
G A B C D# E F#
D E F# G A# B C#
A B C# D E# F# G#
E F# G# A B# C# D#
B C# D# E F## G# A#
F# G# A# B C## D# E#
C# D# E# F# G## A# B#
F G A Bb C# D E
Bb C D Eb F# G A
Eb F G Ab B C D
Ab Bb C Db E F G
Db Eb F G A Bb C
Gb Ab Bb Cb D Eb F

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 2041

I Mixolydian Sharp One before II Harmonic Minor

theory summary: C Mixolydian sharp one
In the modes of major sharp five, the mode on the sixth step is harmonic minor. The mode on the fifth
step (see below) is Mixolydian sharp one. This is very convenient! To suggest the key of II minor when
it follows I, I Mixolydian can be first established, then altered. Theme and variation works well for this.
II minor is not as common after I as is VI, then IIm. The most common four-chord progression in jazz
is I-VI-IIm-V (VI can be minor and still treated melodically as major or dominant). The nickanme for
this progression is “rhythm changes”, both because it is a common progression in a rhythm section and
is the main progression of the classic Gershwin song “I Got Rhythm”.
In the I-VI-IIm-V progression, suggest the key of II minor by playing I Mixolydian during the I chord,
then I Mixolydian sharp one during the VI chord. I Mixolydian sharp one is the same notes as II
harmonic minor and aurally predicts it.
To apply this to jazz blues in C, play C Mixolydian during the C chord in bar 7, then C Mixolydian
sharp one during the A7 chord in bar 8. C Mixolydian sharp one (C#) is the same notes as D harmonic
minor, so it will predict the Dm chord in bar nine.
The mode on the sharpened fifth of F major sharp five is C Mixolydian sharp one (C Mixolydian which
a “C#”). The mode on the sixth step of F major sharp five is D harmonic minor. Of course, all the
modes of F major sharp five have the same notes. See the table below:
modes of major sharp five scale
F major sharp five G Dorian sharp A Phrygian Bb Lydian sharp C Mixolydian D Aeolian natural E Locrian natural
four dominant two sharp one (C#) seven (harmonic six
(natural third) minor)
#5 #4 natural 3 #2 #1 natural seven natural 6
1-2-3-4-#5-6-7 1-2-b3-#4-5- 1-b2-3-4-5-b6- 1-#2-3-#4-5-6-7 #1,-2-3-4-5-6-b7 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 1-b2-b3-4-b5-
6-b7 b7 6-b7

By recalling and using C Mixolydian melodies and licks that you otherwise would use on a C7 type
chord and sharping the C (C#), you can easily build a repurposed library of licks for the A7b9 chord.
This works particularaly well because A7b9 no root is C#diminished seventh and C7 with “C” changed
to C# is A7b9 no root.

voice leading V of IIm tones to IIm

Learn to voice-lead each tone of A7b9 to Dm. See Voice Leading The Tones Of Harmonic Minor V
to I.

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page 2042 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

harmonic minor scale fingerings 6, 7 and 3 for IIm (Dm)

D minor pentatonic
subset of D Aeolian (F major) D minor F major scale F major sharp five
fingering 1 X arpeggio X fingering 6 X fingering 6 X

2 1 1 1 1 1
1 4 b7 b3 5 1 2 2
b6 3 3 3 3 3
2 5 1 4 2 4 4 4
b3 b6 b7 b3 4 4
(2)

D minor pentatonic
subset of D Aeolian (F major) D minor F major scale F major sharp five
fingering 2 XII arpeggio XII fingering 7 XII fingering 7 XII

1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2
3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4
4

D minor pentatonic
subset of D Aeolian (F major) D minor F major scale F major sharp five
fingering 4 XII arpeggio V fingering 3 V fingering 3 V

1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2
3 3 3
4 4 4
4 4

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 2043

V Harmonic Minor in Bar Six of Jazz Blues in C

theory summary: F Mixolydian sharp one
Imply the Vm (Gm) part of the I9 chord in bar seven by playing IV Mixolydian sharp one in bar six,
empasizing the tones of F sharp diminished seventh, the VII chord in G harmonic minor (sharp five
Mixolydian sharp one).
In the modes of Bb major sharp five, the mode on the fifth step is F Mixolydian sharp one (tone center
F#). The mode on the sixth step is G harmonic minor. Play F Mixolydian melodic ideas in bar six, but
with “F’s” changed to “F#s”. This will create G harmonic minor and suggest the Gm part of the C9 chord
and allow you to repurpose your F Mixolydian melodic ideas. See the table below:

modes of Bb major sharp five scale for V harmonic minor

Bb major sharp C Dorian sharp D Phrygian Eb Lydian sharp F Mixolydian G Aeolian natural A Locrian natural
five four dominant two sharp one (F#, seven (harmonic six
(natural third) with F#dim.7) minor)
#5 #4 natural 3 #2 #1 natural seven natural 6
1-2-3-4-#5-6-7 1-2-b3-#4-5- 1-b2-3-4-5-b6- 1-#2-3-#4-5-6-7 #1,-2-3-4-5-6-b7 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 1-b2-b3-4-b5-
6-b7 b7 6-b7

theory summary: suggest the G minor part of C9 with G harmonic minor

C9 is built on the fifth step of an F major scale. It uses scale tones 5-7-2-4-6 of F major. As you
probably know scale tones 2-4-6 of a major scale makeup a IIm chord. In the diagram of a C9 arpeggio,
the numbered tones of the F major scale with a white background, “2, 4 and 6” are the tones of the G
minor chord.
minor third
1 major third

6 3 C9 VII
major 7 6
major third minor third

4 in thirds
5 5 4
minor third major third

2 7 2
minor third

theory summary: C Dorian #4

The fifth, seventh and ninth of the F9 arpeggio are the root, third and fifth of Cm. As shown on the
table above, F Mixolydian sharp one (Bb major sharp five) can be thought in terms of a key scale with
the mode “C Dorian sharp four”.
By thinking in C, you can retain the sense of key and use theme and variation to tranistion to the C7
chord that follows, using C Mixolydian or C Dorian (darker, bluesier) on the C7.
©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.
page 2044 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

harmonic minor scale fingerings 6, 7 and 3 for Vm (Gm)

G minor pentatonic
subset of G Aeolian (Bb major) A minor Bb major scale Bb major sharp five
fingering 1 III arpeggio III fingering 6 III fingering 6 V

2 1 1 1 1 1
1 4 b7 b3 5 1 2 2
b6 3 3 3 3 3
2 5 1 4 2 4 4 4
b3 b6 b7 b3 4 4
(2)

G minor pentatonic
subset of G Aeolian (Bb major) G minor Bb major scale Bb major sharp five
fingering 2 V arpeggio V fingering 7 V fingering 7 V

1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2
3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4
4

G minor pentatonic
subset of G Aeolian (Bb major) G minor Bb major scale Bb major sharp five
fingering 4 X arpeggio X fingering 3 X fingering 3 X

1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2
3 3 3
4 4 4
4 4

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 2045

Harmonic Minor to Major or Mixolydian Targets

For a dominant to tonic cadence (G7 to C7 or Dm7b5 G7 C7), use the bIII major sharp five scale (Eb
major sharp five for a C tonic chord) to create a harmonic minor scale in the key of the tonic chord to
target the root, third and fifth tones (core melodic) of the tonic chord.

voice leading the tones of harmonic minor V to I

tones of V7b9 V tones in key of 1 voice lead V7b9 to I (various types)
1 5 retain to become fifth of I
3 7 up to root of I
5 2 down to root of I
b7 4 up to fifth of I
b2 b6 down to fifth of I
b13(#5) b3 down to ninrh or root of I (or any Im tone)
In summary, resolve tones of V7b9 to the root or fifth of I or resolve the b7 of V to 3 of I.
Prefer resolving to 5 with key scale b7, b6, 5 instead of 7, b6 5 (key scale tone b7 makes
Vm7 adn I Aeolian dur the V chord).

jazz blues In C
Many of the examples in this section use Jazz Blues in C. The progression is shown below. You should
also see Modes/Modes On Jazz Blues and especially Jazz Blues Key Scales.
C7 (I7) F7 (I7) C7 (I7) C7 (I7)
F7 (IV7) F#dim7 (IV7) C7 (I7) A7 (VI7)
Dm7 (IIm7) G7 (V7) C7 (I7) A7 (VI7) Dm7 (IIm7) G7 (V7)

Application Of Harmonic Minor Cadences

Harmonic minor cadences can be applied to any chord with a perfect fifth, with different degrees of
effectiveness. The classic minor II V I cadence is most effective in jazz blues in the key of IIm, using the
VI chord (A7) in bar eight as a V of IIm (Dm). In bar six, #IV diminished seven can be elaborated with
V harmonic minor, suggesting the V minor part of I9. The I or IV chords can each be preceded with
harmonic minor in the key of their root by emphasizing the tones of V7b9 in each harmonic minor
scale. All of these will be covered in detail below.

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page 2046 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

Harmonic Minor before I , IV or V

harmonic minor dominants to I, IV and V
This is the most straight-forward use of harmonic minor in major keys (such as jazz blues) but not
the most common. The most common use is II harmonic minor dfuring VI7 preceding a IIm chord.
Dominant chords are built on the fifth step of the scale named after the tonic. V7 (G7) is the dominant
seventh chord for I (C or Cm). With secondary dominants, you precede a temporary tonic with its V
chord, such as C7 before F, where C7 is V7 in the key of F.
In a bar immediately before I, play I harmonic minor (C harmonic minor), which is the mode on the
sixth step of bIII major sharp five scale (Eb major sharp five scale). I harmonic minor can also be used
in the middle of a long duration of I (such as bars three and four in a twelve bar blues), but make sure
use it early enough to establish the resolution to I, before moving on to another chord.

modes of bIII (Eb) major sharp five scale for I (C) harmonic minor
Eb major sharp F Dorian sharp G Phrygian Ab Lydian sharp Bb Mixolydian C Aeolian D Locrian natu-
five four dominant two sharp one (B) natural seven ral six
(natural third) (harmonic
minor)
#5 #4 natural 3 #2 #1 natural seven #6
1-2-3-4-#5-6-7 1-2-b3-#4-5- 1-b2-3-4-5-b6- 1-#2-3-#4-5-6-7 #1,-2-3-4-5-6-b7 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 1-b2-b3-4-b5-
6-b7 b7 6-b7

In a bar immediately before IV (F), play IV harmonic minor (F harmonic minor), which is the mode
on the sixth step of bVI major sharp five scale (Ab major sharp five scale). As with I harmonic minor,
IV harmonic minor can also be used in the middle of a long duration of IV (such as bars five and six
where they are both the IV chord). Use it early enough to establish the resolution to IV, before moving
on to another chord.
modes of Ab major sharp five scale for IV harmonic minor
Ab major sharp Bb Dorian sharp C Phrygian Db Lydian sharp Eb Mixolydian F Aeolian natural G Locrian natu-
five four dominant two sharp one (E) seven (harmonic ral six
(natural third) minor)
#5 #4 natural 3 #2 #1 natural seven #6
1-2-3-4-#5-6-7 1-2-b3-#4-5- 1-b2-3-4-5-b6- 1-#2-3-#4-5-6-7 #1,-2-3-4-5-6-b7 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 1-b2-b3-4-b5-
6-b7 b7 6-b7

In a bar immediately before V (G), play V harmonic minor (G harmonic minor), which is the mode on
the sixth step of bVI major sharp five scale (Bb major sharp five scale). As with I harmonic minor, V
harmonic minor can also be used in the middle of a long duration of V (not available in a jazz blues).
Use it early enough to establish the resolution to IV, before moving on to another chord.

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modes of Bb major sharp five scale for IV harmonic minor

Bb major sharp C Dorian sharp D Phrygian Eb Lydian sharp F Mixolydian G Aeolian A Locrian natural
five four dominant two sharp one (F#) natural seven six
(natural third) (harmonic
minor)
#5 #4 natural 3 #2 #1 natural seven #6
1-2-3-4-#5-6-7 1-2-b3-#4-5- 1-b2-3-4-5-b6- 1-#2-3-#4-5-6-7 #1,-2-3-4-5-6-b7 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 1-b2-b3-4-b5-
6-b7 b7 6-b7

theory summary: suggest the C minor part of F9 with C harmonic minor

F9 is built on the fifth step of a Bb major scale. It uses scale tones 5, 7, 2, 4, 6 of Bb major. As you
probably know scale tones 2, 4, 6 of a major scale makeup a IIm chord. In the diagram of a F9 arpeggio,
the numbered tones of the Bb major scale with a white background, “2, 4 and 6” are the tones of the C
minor chord.
minor third
1 major third

6 3 F9 XII
major 7 6
major third minor third

4 in thirds
5 5 4
minor third major third

2 7 2
minor third

The mode on the sixth step of Eb major sharp five is C harmonic minor. By using C harmonic minor in
bar four, you can suggest that the next chord (in bar five) will be C minor, but it will in fact be F9 with
C minor as part of it.

modes of Eb major sharp five scale for I harmonic minor

Eb major sharp F Dorian sharp G Phrygian Ab Lydian sharp Bb Mixolydian C Aeolian D Locrian
five four dominant two sharp one (B) natural seven natural six
(natural third) (harmonic
minor)
#5 #4 natural 3 #2 #1 natural seven #6
1-2-3-4-#5-6-7 1-2-b3-#4-5- 1-b2-3-4-5-b6- 1-#2-3-#4-5-6-7 #1,-2-3-4-5-6-b7 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 1-b2-b3-4-b5-
6-b7 b7 6-b7

voice leading
Learn to voice-lead each tone of G7b9 to Cm to use before I7 and to voice-lead each tone of C7b9 to
Fm before IV7. Use the voice leading table shown earlier. For the I7 chord (C7), voice-lead V7b9 to I
in the key of I (G7b9 to C). For the IV7 chord (F7), voice lead V7b9 to I in the key of IV (C7b9 to F).

©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 2048 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

V Harmonic Minor in Bar Nine of Jazz Blues in C

theory summary: expect G minor, get G dominant seventh
Imply the Vm (Gm) version of the V chord in bar ten by playing V harmonic minor in bar nine with
D7b9, the V dominant chord of G harmonic minor. In the modes of Bb major sharp five, the mode on
the sixth step is G harmonic minor. Hearing G harmonic minor in bar nine, the listener would expect
a G minor chord in bar ten, but will hear a G7 chord. See the table below:

modes of Bb major sharp five scale for V harmonic minor

Bb major sharp C Dorian sharp D Phrygian Eb Lydian sharp F Mixolydian G Aeolian natural A Locrian natural
five four dominant two sharp one (F#) seven (harmonic six
(natural third) minor)
#5 #4 natural 3 #2 #1 natural seven natural 6
1-2-3-4-#5-6-7 1-2-b3-#4-5- 1-b2-3-4-5-b6- 1-#2-3-#4-5-6-7 #1,-2-3-4-5-6-b7 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 1-b2-b3-4-b5-
6-b7 b7 6-b7

theory summary: C Dorian #4

The fifth, seventh and ninth of the F9 arpeggio are the root, third and fifth of Cm. As shown on the
table above, F Mixolydian sharp one (Bb major sharp five, tone center on F#) can be thought in terms
of a key scale with the mode “C Dorian sharp four”.
By thinking in C, you can retain the sense of key and use theme and variation to tranistion to the C7
chord that follows, using C Mixolydian or C Dorian (darker, bluesier) on the C7.

©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

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VI Harmonic Minor Before I or VIm of Jazz Blues in C

theory summary: expect A minor, get A7
Imply the Am playing VI harmonic minor in bar seven with E7b9, the V dominant chord of A harmonic
minor. In the modes of C major sharp five, the mode on the sixth step is A harmonic minor. Hearing
A harmonic minor in bar seven, the listener would expect an A minor chord in bar eight, but will hear
an A7 (or A7b9) chord. See the table below:

modes of C major sharp five scale for VI harmonic minor

C major sharp D Dorian sharp E Phrygian F Lydian sharp G Mixolydian A Aeolian B Locrian natural
five four dominant two sharp one (G#) natural seven six
(natural third) (harmonic
minor)
#5 #4 natural 3 #2 #1 natural seven natural 6
1-2-3-4-#5-6-7 1-2-b3-#4-5- 1-b2-3-4-5-b6- 1-#2-3-#4-5-6-7 #1,-2-3-4-5-6-b7 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 1-b2-b3-4-b5-
6-b7 b7 6-b7

theory summary: expect A minor, get C6

Imply the Am playing VI harmonic minor before any C7 with E7b9, the V dominant chord of A
harmonic minor. In the modes of C major sharp five, the mode on the sixth step is A harmonic minor.
The listener would expect an A minor chord, but will hear a C7 chord, which can easily be imagined as
C6. C6 contains A minor. C6 has the notes “C, E, G and A”, while A minor has “A, C and E. See the
table above.

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A Theory Summary for Every Major Sharp Five Mode

major sharp five is the parent scale for harmonic minor
Parent scales are major scales or major scales with a simple alteration. By using a major scale or simply
altered major scale as a point of reference, we can use a well-known set of fingerings, scale tone chords,
and chord progression to relate to the modes of that scale. The parent scale for A harmonic minor is C
major sharp five scale. By thinking of the modes we know of C major and sharping the “G” on each of
them, we can conceive the modes of C major sharp five, which has A harmonic minor on its sixth step.
See the tables below, and the modes of major sharp five in all keys.
C major D Dorian E Phrygian F Lydian G Mixolydian A Aeolian B Locrian
#5 #4 natural 3 #2 #1 natural seven natural 6
1-2-3-4-#5-6-7 1-2-b3-#4-5- 1-b2-3-4-5-b6- 1-#2-3-#4-5-6-7 #1,-2-3-4-5-6-b7 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 1-b2-b3-4-b5-
6-b7 b7 6-b7

theory summary: parent scale I major sharp five

This will represent the parent scale III augmented (key scale V augmented) with its synonym, parent
scale I augmented (key scale bIII augmented).

The triad basis of C major sharp five is C augmented. Like diminished seventh chords, augmented triads
are made from a repeating interval. Augmented triads are repeating major thirds. Augmented triads
major third from the root to the third, a major third from the third to the sharped fifth and a major
third from the sharped fifth to the octave. Since the intervals are all equal, any note in the augmented
triad can be the root, making three synonyms. C augmented = E augmented = G# augmented.

The minor authentic V - I cadence uses III (E) of a parent major scale changed to major (which makes
the parent scale major sharp five, since a three major triad uses scale tones 3, #5, 7) for the V chord and
VIm of the parent major scale for the I chord, as you can see below.

parent major I major II Dorian III Phrygian IV Lydian V Mixolydian VI Aeolian VII Locrian
by number 
parent major C major D Dorian E Phrygian F Lydian G Mixolydian A Aeolian B Locrian
by letter 
parent major sharp C major #5 D Dorian #4 E Phrygian F Lydian #2 G Mixolydian A Aeolian B Locrian
five by letter  natural 3 #1 (G#) natural seven natural six
(harmonic
minor)
parent major sharp I major #5 II Dorian #4 III Phrygian IV Lydian #2 V Mixolydian VI Aeo. nat. 7 VII Locrian
five by number  natural 3 #1 (G#) (har. minor) natural six

re-number for har- bIII major #5 IV Dorian #4 V Phrygian bVI Lydian #2 VII Mixolyd- I harmonic II Locrian
monic minor  natural 3 ian #1 (G#) minor natural six
(Aeo. nat. 7)

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 2051

The authentic V - I cadence (D to Am) can be modifed to V augmented (E augmented) to Im. In terms
of the parent scale, this cadence is III augmented to VIm. Since III augmented (E augmented) = I
augmented (C augmented), you could play I augmented (C augmented) and be playing the same notes
as III augmented. So to emulate the cadence III augmented to VIm of the parent scale (which is V
augmented to Im in the key scale), you can think I augmented to VIm (C augmented to VIm). If such a
cadence were composed into a piece, the bass would play III of the parent scale (“E”), while the melody
treated the III augmented as I augmented, since they are synonyms.
The target key scale I chord can be changed to I dominant type (major with b7) or I major type (major
with natural seven).

theory summary: parent scale II Dorian sharp four

Key scale VII diminished seventh is a synonym of V7b9 no root. Represent the key scale V7b9 to I
minor cadence with II diminished seventh to I minor, since key scale VIIº7 = IIº7 (= IVº7 = VIº7)).
In terms of the parent scale, VIIº7, IIº7, IVº7 and VIº7 are repectively #Vº7, VIIº7, IIº7 and IVº7.
The key scale II diminished seventh (º7) to V augmented to Im (B dim. E aug. Am) cadence (see theory
summary: parent scale III Phrygian dominant) could also be thought of as IIº7- I augmented - Im,
since key scale V augmented (E augmented) is a synonym of I augmented (C augmented).
Use your vocabulary of Dorian phrases, but sharp the fourth, making Dorian sharp four. Play them
in key scale IV (D Dorian sharp four before an Am target). Since they will represent VII diminished
seventh (º7), bring out the tones of IVº7, which is a synonym of VIIº7.
As usual, the target key scale chord doesn’t have to be I minor, but can be I dominant type (major with
b7) or I major type (major with natural seven).
The hybrid Aeolian and harmonic minor scale includes the notes of both. It is like Aeolian with both
a flatted seventh and a natural seventh. This scale is not harmonizable in the traditional sense, but it is
useful melodically. The mode on the fourth step of this scale would be Dorian add sharp four, and would
have both four and sharp four in the key of the Dorian scale. Four and sharp four of the temporary
Dorian key can be used in phrases that treat the sharp four as a flat five and avoid ascending from flat
five (sharp four) up to five. Likewise, use of the hybrid Aeolian and harmonic minor scale should avoid
ascending from natural seven to one, which is relatively the same pair of notes as its “Dorian add sharp
four” modes’ sharp four and five.
See also Theory Summary: C Dorian Sharp Four.

theory summary: parent scale III Phrygian dominant

This is the classic V chord (E) of the authentic minor V - I cadence. See harmonic minor dominants to
I, IV and V and modes of bIII (Eb) major sharp five for I (C) harmonic minor.

©2013-2018 Jim Gleason. All Rights Reserved.

page 2052 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

Be sure to also explore the key scale II diminished seven to V augmented to Im (B dim. E aug. Am)
cadence.

theory summary: parent scale IV Lydian #2

Use parent scale IVm(ma7), constructed with parent scale 4, #5 (proxies as b6), 1, b3. Or use the hybrid
Aeolian and harmonic minor scale (see above) to create IVm9(ma7). In either case, the parent scale III
augmented (= #V aug. = I aug.) part of the IVm(ma7) or IVm9(ma7) can cadence to the parent scale
VIm. Elaboarate with parent scale IV Lydian #2. In terms of key scale, this is bVI Lydian sharp two,
with the cadence bVIm(ma7) to Im, where the bVIm(ma7) contains V augmented, emulating the V
augmented Im cadence. The usual options for I7 and Ima7 target types apply.
Key scale VII diminished seventh (º7) is a synonym of V7b9 no root. Using the synonyms of diminished
seventh chords in the major sharp five parent scale, VIIº7 = IIº7 = IVº7 = VIº7 (key scale #Vº7,
VIIº7, IIº7 and IVº7), represent the key scale VII diminished seventh (º7) to I minor cadence with IV
diminished seventh to I minor.
The key scale II diminished seventh (º7) to V augmented to Im (B dim. E aug. Am) cadence could also
be thought of as IVº7 - I augmented - Im, since key scale IVº7 (Dº7) is a synonym of IIº7 (Bº7) and V
augmented (E augmented) is a synonym of I augmented (C augmented).

theory summary: major parent scale V Mixolydian #1

See theory summary: C Mixolydian sharp one, which uses the synonyms modes of major sharp five
parent scale V Mixolydian sharp one and VI harmonic minor.
See theory summary: F Mixolydian sharp one, which uses the synonyms modes of major sharp five
parent scale V Mixolydian sharp one and VI harmonic minor in the key of V harmonic minor to
suggest the V minor part of the I9 chord that the IV7b9 will resolve to.

theory summary: parent scale VI harmonic minor (Aeolian natural seven)

This is the same as the classic V chord (E) of the authentic minor V - I cadence discussed in theory
summary: parent scale III Phrygian dominant, but from the perspective of the target chord. The target
is implied as a minor chord, using harmonic minor scale in the key of the target chord before the target
chord, emphasizing its V7b9 tones.
See harmonic minor dominants to I, IV and V and modes of bIII (Eb) major sharp five for I (C)
harmonic minor.
Be sure to also explore the key scale II diminished seven to V augmented to Im (B dim. E aug. Am)
cadence.

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theory summary: parent scale VII Locrian natural six

Key scale VII diminished seventh (º7) is a synonym of V7b9 no root.
The key scale II diminished seventh (º7) to V augmented to Im (B dim. E aug. Am) cadence could also
be thought of as IVº7 - I augmented - Im, since key scale VIIº7 (G#º7) is a synonym of IIº7 (Bº7) and
V augmented (E augmented) is a synonym of I augmented (C augmented).

More Harmonic Minor Theory Summaries

theory summary: voice leading with key scales
For both comping and soloing, thinking versions all of the scales named after the tone center (“C” in C
jazz blues) can make it much easier to see relationships for theme and variation and for voice leading.
It is quite a chore to learn all of the modes as key scales (all in “C”, for example), but worth the effort.
On the table “harmonic minor modes used for secondary dominant (V of I, IV, V, VI or IIm”, you can
find a mode for every melodic minor scale that names it with the letter “C”, for the key of “C”.
Here is a key scale summary of the harmonic minor mode table:
C7 tonic F7 temp. tonic G7 temp. tonic A7 temp. tonic Dm7 temp. tonic
target tonic chord 
key scale used during V7b9 of C harmonic C Phrygian C Dorian sharp C major sharp C Mixolydian
tonic minor dominant four five sharp one (C#)
implied tonic chord scale C harmonic F harmonic G harmonic A harmonic D harmonic
(usually changed at resolution) minor minor minor minor minor
V of tonic G7b9 C7b9 D7b9 E7b9 A7b9

key scale formula 1, 2, b3, 4. 5. 1, b2, b3, b4, 1, 2, b3, #4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, #5, 6, #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
b6, 7 (of C) b5, b6, b7 (of 6, b7 (of C) 7 (of C) b7 (of C)
C)

parent Eb major sharp Ab major sharp Bb major sharp C major sharp F major sharp
major #5 scale five five five five five

theory summary: pedal point triads

For both comping and soloing (as usual), you can create a wealth of harmonic and melodic structures
based on scale-tone triads. If you’re more excited about single-note soloing than comping (which is
typical) be aware that the triad structures can be thought of a template to build single note melodic lines.
In Pedal Point Triads/Modal Triad Improv, you can learn to build chords and melodies with triads.
It also directs you to Scale Tone Arpeggios aand Pentatonics/Building Triad Arcs, where you can go
through a set of the seven major scale in-position fingerings to get an overview of the full fretboard triad
structure.

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page 2054 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

Fingering Harmonic Minor Cadences for Jazz Blues in C

E form tonic (C7 in jazz blues in C)
Dm7b5 IX G7b9 IX C7 VIII Cm7 VIII Cma9 VIII

C har. min. VII Dm7b5 VII G7b9 VII C9 VI Cm9 VIII Cma9 VII

1 1 1 1 1 1 3 5 3 3 2 1 b7 b3 5 3 2
2 2 b7 b3 b7 b7 1 1 b7 5 1 5
3 3 3 3 3 b5 3 b2 3 5 1 2 7 3
4 4 4 1 b7 b3 1 5 1 b7 5 5 1 2 b3 b7 5 1 2
4 4 b5 b2 b7 2

A form tonic (F7 in jazz blues in C)

Dm7b5 III G7b9 III C7 III Cm7 III Cma9 II

F har. min. VII Gm7b5 VIII C7b9 VII F9 VIII Fm9 VIII Cma9 III

1 b7 b3 1 3 1 b7 2 5 1 b7 2 5 1 2 5
2 1 1 1 1 b5 b5 1 b7 5 b3 7
3 2 2 2 1 b7 3 b2 5 1 3 5 1 5 1 3
3 3 3 b5 b3 5 1 b7 b3 b7
4 4 4 b2 b7 3 3 7
4

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D form tonic (A7b9 in jazz blues in C)

Bm7b5 VII E7 VII Ab7b9 X A7 VII Am7 VII

A har. min. VII Bm7b5 VII E7b9 VII A7b9 V A9 V Am9 V

1 1 1 1 1 1 b7 b3 1 1 b7 5 1 1 1
2 2 2 b5
3 3 3 1 5 1 3 5 1 5 1 2 5 1 2
b3 b5 b7 b3 b2 b7
4 4 4 4 4 b2 b7
5
b7 b3 b7
3
4 3 3 2 5 2 5
b7
3 b2
b7 b7 b3
3

G form tonic (Dm7 in jazz blues in C)

Em7b5 VII A7 VII Dm7 VII D7 VII Cma9 V

D har. min. VI Em7b5 VI A7b9 V Dm9 VII D9 VII Dma9 VII

1 b5 b5 1 5 1 5 1 3 5 1 3
1 1 1 1 b7 b3 b7 b7
2 2 1 b5 b3 5 1 2 3 2 3 2 7
1 b2 b7
1 b7 b3 5 1 5 1 5
3 2 2 5
b7
3
4 4 3 3 3 b7 b3 b7 7
b7
4 4 2 2 2
3 b2
4

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page 2056 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

C form tonic (G7 in jazz blues in C)

Am7b5 VII D7b9 VII G7 VIII Gm7 VIII Gma9 IX

G har. min. VI Am7b5 VI D7b9 VII G9 VII Gm9 VI Gma9 VII

1 1 b5 5 1 3 3 2 5 3 b3 3 2 5 7 3
1 1 1 1 b2 b7 b7 1 2 5 1
2 2 2 1 1 b3 b5 b7 b3 3 3 b7 b3 7 3
3 1 b7 5 5 1 b7 2 5 5 1 2 5
4 4 4 3 3 b7 b3 1 b2
5 1 b7 2
4 4 b5

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 2057

Harmonic Minor Cadences to Each Chord in Jazz Blues

Using a IIm7b5 to V7b9 cadence in the appropriate key, every chord in a jazz blues can be approached
with a harmonic minor cadence. I’m using the term “grandparent” major here (upper left of the table) to
refer to the major scale which was altered to produce the major sharp five scale (including the harmonic
minor mode) on its sixth step.

harmonic minor modes used for secondary dominant (V) of I, IV, V, VI or IIm
altered tone of grandparent #5 #4 natural 3 #2 #1 natural seven natural six
major scale 
mode forumla 1-2-3-4-#5- 1-2-b3-#4-5- 1-b2-3-4-5- 1-#2-3-#4- #1,-2-3-4- 1-2-b3-4- 1-b2-b3-4-
 6-7 6-b7 b6-b7 5-6-7 5-6-b7 (of 5-b6-7 b5-6-b7
the original
Mixolydian)
target tonic
key scale  mode I
of major
mode II
of major
mode III
of major
mode IV
of major
mode #V
of major
mode VI
of major
mode VII
of major
chord  sharp five sharp five sharp five sharp five sharp five sharp five sharp five
C7 (I7) C harmonic Eb major F Dorian G Phrygian Ab Lydian Bb C Aeolian D Locrian
or Cm as minor sharp five sharp four dominant sharp two Mixolydian natural seven natural six
secondary (natural sharp one (harmonic
root of F9 third) (B) minor)

F7 (IV7) C Phrygian Ab major Bb Dorian C Phrygian Db Lydian Eb G Aeolian A Locrian

sharp two sharp five sharp four dominant sharp two Mixolydian natural seven natural six
(natural sharp one (harmonic
third) (E) minor)
G7 (V7) C Dorian Bb major C Dorian D Phrygian Eb Lydian F Mixolydian G Aeolian A Locrian
sharp four sharp five sharp four dominant sharp two sharp one natural seven natural six
(natural (F#) (harmonic
third) minor)
Dm7 (IIm7) C F major G Dorian A Phrygian Bb Lydian C D Aeolian E Locrian
Mixolydian sharp five sharp four dominant sharp two Mixolydian natural seven natural six
sharp one (natural sharp one (harmonic
(C#) third) (C#) minor)
A7 (VI7) C major C major D Dorian E Phrygian F Lydian G A Aeolian B Locrian
or Am as sec- sharp five sharp five sharp four dominant sharp two Mixolydian natural seven natural six
ondary root (natural sharp one (harmonic
of C third) (G#) minor)

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page 2058 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

MELODIC MINOR CADENCES

See also: Harmonic Minor Cadences.
Melodic minor cadences work better to major targets. Of the minor modes, melodic minor resolves
best to Phrygian, like in Night In Tunisia. See Default Melodic Minor Scales.

Practicing the bVIm9(ma7)-bII13#11 Cadence

As you practice the material in this section, begin to look forward to the theory shown in the remainder
of this Harmonic Minor Cadences section. Be sure to read Cadence Defined and Secondary Dominants
first.
See Progressions For Study With Harmonic Minor And Melodic Minor for suggested songs to study.

the modes of melodic minor

We will be using modes on five steps of melodic minor. See Modes/Modes Of Four Heptatonic Scales/
Melodic Minor Modes (major b3).
Mode One. You’ll need to quickly find the melodic minor scale you intend on using just before the
target chord. You should learn to find it multiple ways, mostly related to the modes of melodic minor.
The melodic minor scale you will use on your target chord is on the flatted sixth (b6) of your target.
This is a half step above the fifth of your target. The flatted sixth of your target is also a major third
below the target.
Super Locrian. In relation to Secondary Dominants, the most important melodic minor mode is super
Locrian, which is on the fifth of your target. On the bass strings (the largest, 4, 5 and 6), this would
be on the same fret of the next larger string in relation to your target or on the next smaller string, two
frets higher.
Cadences. In relation to cadences, the most important melodic minor modes are one (discussed above)
and four. Mode four is Lydian dominant, which is the same as Mixolydian sharp four, since it has sharp
four and flat seven. See Lydian Dominant And The Flat Five Substitute, below.
The bVIm9(ma7)-bII13#11-I cadence (Abm9-Db13#11-C for a “C” target) mimics the II V I cadence
based on the major scale. This is not commonly used, but is very effective. I love it when that happens!
Lydian Dominant And The Flat Five Substitute. A flat five substitute uses a chord on the flatted
second (b2) of the target, instead of on the fifth (5). See Substitution/The Flat Five Substitute and Flat
Five Substitute Chord Progression.

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bVIm9(ma7) bII13#121 in chords before I VIm II V

The Way You Look Tonight in F

I VIm
Fma7 V Dm7 V
bVI of I bII of I II dim7 bVI of VI bII of VI
Gdim7 VI

IIm V
Gm7 VII C7 V
bVI of II bII of II bVI of V bII of V

Isn’t She Lovely

I VIm IIm V
C#m7 IX F#9 VIII B13sus4 IX E IX

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page 2060 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

Melodic Minor is Major Flat Three

While harmonic minor scale is a dramatized version of Aeolian mode (see Harmonic Minor Is Mode VI
Of Major Sharp Five), melodic minor is more of a normalized minor scale to counter-act the commonly
used harmonic minor. In European classical music, melodic minor has a traditional ascending form that
is the major scale with a flat three. Its descending form is the same as Aeolian (natural minor) with flat
three, flat six and flat seven. In jazz, melodic minor is used as major flat three, ascending or descending.

the modes of melodic minor in all keys

mode of major flat three Dorian flat two Phrygian flat Lydian Mixolydian Aeolian flat Locrian flat
melodic one flat seven flat six five four (super
minor (Mixolydian Locrian)
sharp four)
summary m9(ma7) m7/6/11 m7b1 13#11 11 m11b5 7#5b5#9b9
chord ma9#5
7th and 246 m(ma7) -246 m7-b246 ma7#5-2#46 7-2#46 7-24b6 m7b5-24b6 m7b5-b2b4b6
alteration of b3 b2 b1 b7 b6 b5 b4
grand parent
major
formula 1-2-b3-4-5- 1-b2-b3-4-5- b1-b2-b3-4-5- 1-2-3-#4-5- 1-2-3-4-5-b6- 1-2-b3-4-b5- 1-b2-b3-b4-
6-7 6-b7 b6-b7 6-b7 b7 b6-b7 b5-b6-b7

C D Eb F G A B
G A Bb C D E F#
D E F G A B C#
A B C D E F# G#
E F# G A B C# D#
B C# D E F# G# A#
F# G# A B C# D# E#
C# D# E F# G# A# B#
F G Ab Bb C D E
Bb C Db Eb F G A
Eb F Gb Ab Bb C D
Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F G
Db Eb Fb G Ab Bb C
Gb Ab Bbb Cb Db Eb F

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 2061

Think in the Most Relevant Melodic Minor Mode

this will be a challenge in memorization
Stick with one fingering for hours, until you can freely improvise with it. Strengthen that memory with
multiple perspectives by using many modes of the fingering. That will make you harmonically more
fluent as well.

melodic minor modes, rather than melodic minor itself

In jazz and other styles that use melodic minor improvisationally, melodic minor is typically not used
in the key of the melodic minor scale. Instead, modes of melodic minor are used, mostly modes IV, VI
and VII of melodic minor.

multiple modes are better

The most fluent and interesting improvisers like Art Tatum, Charlie Parker, Joe Pass, Pat Martino,
Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett and George Benson make free-form melody that shows resources from a
great many modes. Being able to think in multiple modes allows making more theme and variation
relationships by playing with common roots involving substitute chords and their modes.
In melodic minor, at least learn to think in modes IV, VI and VII, which are respectively on bII, IV and
V of your target.

you need to know all the modes for cadences with inversions
A descending number series occurs when you look at the alterations of the major scale modes that occur
when you alter a tone of the major scale, then look in ascending order of modes (I, II, III, etc.) and
which numbered tone is altered. That is shown in the table below for melodic minor.
major scale major Dorian Phrygian Lydian Mixolydian Aeolian Locrian
modes 
mode of major flat three Dorian flat two Phrygian flat Lydian flat Mixolydian Aeolian flat Locrian flat
melodic one seven (Lydian flat six five four (super
minor Dominant) Locrian)
alteration of b3 b2 b1 b7 b6 b5 b4
grand parent
major
formula 1-2-b3-4-5- 1-b2-b3-4-5- b1-b2-b3-4-5- 1-2-3-#4-5- 1-2-3-4-5-b6- 1-2-b3-4-b5- 1-b2-b3-b4-
6-7 6-b7 b6-b7 6-b7 b7 b6-b7 b5-b6-b7
harmonic use Im(ma7) IV7 IIm7 = IV6 thinking in bII13#11 of V chords of secondary root super-altered
cadence the key of the the target target with b6 on the third of V chords
target of mel. min. bII13#11
bass

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page 2062 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

deciding which mode to focus on

You may know one of the modes better. It may be easy for you to think in Mixolydian and sharp the
four. This would be on bII of your target.
Or, you may have a blues background and find it easiest to think in a minor key with b5, using Aeolian
b5. This would be on IV of your target.
If you are thinking in terms of altered V chords, you may want to think in terms of super Locrian on V
of your target, as elaborated below.

the super Locrian basis

In jazz, melodic minor is mainly used to sound a super-altered V chord. I call this chord the Swiss army
seventh chord. It is a seventh chord with sharp and flat five, sharp and flat nine, written 7b5#5b9#9. Of
all the modes of seven-tone scales, only one has the notes of this chord (of course, all modes are unique).
That is the mode on the seventh step of melodic minor scale.

Relating Melodic Minor Modal Tone Centers to the Target Root

The melodic minor tone center (“1’) is a point of reference from which to build its modes. It is usually
not played in the key of the chord which it is targeting.

graphically relating melodic minor 1 and the target root

The melodic minor scale you’re using is on the flat sixth of the target. Looking at in from the perspective
of the melodic minor tone center (mode I), the target is a major third above it, though it has a flat third.
On the bass strings, a major third has a diagonal shape, making one of the shapes below.

this occurs in this occurs in this occurs in

fingering 2 fingerings 3 and 4 fingerings 6 and 7
mel. min. 1 target root X target root X
mel. min. 1 mel. min. 1
target root X

graphically relating Lydian dominant and the target root

Mode IV of the melodic minor scale is Lydian dominant (Lydian mode with flat seven). It is to be used
on “b2” of the target. This is easy to visualize, since the tone center for melodic minor IV is a half step
above the target root. See the diagrams on the table below and note the one-fret relation ship between
the circled tone center of melodic minor IV and the target root (marked “X”).

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graphically relating Aeolian flat five and the target root

Mode VI of melodic minor is Aeolian flat five. It should be used on IV of the target. So it will be either
a perfect fourth above the target or a perfect fifth below (which is the same note).

this occurs in this occurs in this occurs in

fingerings 2 and 3 fingering 4 fingerings 6 and 7
target root target root target root
X X X
mel. min. VI
mel. min. VI mel. min. VI
(Aeolian b5)
(Aeolian b5) Aeolian b5)

graphically relating super Locrian and the target root

Mode VII of melodic minor is super Locrian. It should be used on V of the target. So it will be either
a perfect fifth above the target or a perfect fourth below (which is the same note).

this occurs in this occurs in this occurs in

fingerings 2 and 3 fingering 4 fingerings 6 and 7
target root mel. min. VII target root
X (super Locrian) X X
mel. min. VII mel. min. VII
(super Locrian) target root (super Locrian)

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page 2064 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

graphic relationships of useful melodic minor modes to the target root

fingering number  2 3 5 6 7

major scale 7 3 6
5 1 4 2 5
7
6 2 5 1 3 6
4
7

I melodic minor with

X b3 b3 7 X 7 b3
scale-tone numbers
2 5 1 4 6 2 X6 2 5 7 X 5 1 4 2 5 6 2 5 1 X6 7 X 6 2 7
“X” is target
b3 b3 4 b3 1 4 7 b3 b3 4 1 4 b3 5 1
X6 2 5 7 X 7X6 6 2 5 1 X X6 7 X6 2 7 7X
4 b3 1 4 5 1 4 2 5 b3 4 1 4 b3 5 1 2 5 1 4 6 2
7 X X6 7 (7) X b3

I melodic minor with 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1X 1 1

finger numbers
2 2 X1 1 1 1 X 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 X1 1 X1 1 1
(tone center circled)
“X” is target
X3 3 3 3 X 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
4 4 4 4 3X3 3 3 3 3 X3 3 X 3 3 3 3X
4 X 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 44 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
X4 4 (4) X 4
IV Lydian dominant 1X
1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1
(finger numbers, tone
2 2 X1 1 1 1 X 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1X1 1 X1 1 1
center circled)
“X” is target
X3 3 3 3 X 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
4 4 4 4 3X3 3 3 3 3 X3 3 X3 3 3 3X
4 X 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 44 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
X4 4 (4) X 4
VI Aeolian b5
1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 X 1 1
(finger numbers, tone
2 2 X1 1 1 1 X 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 X1 1 X1 1 1
center circled)
“X” is target
X3 3 3 3 X 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
4 4 4 4 3X3 3 3 3 3 X3 3 X3 3 3 3X
4 X 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 44 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
X 4 4 (4) X 4
VII super Locrian
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 X 4 1
(finger numbers, tone
2 2 X1 1 1 1 X 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 X1 1X1 1 1
center circled)
“X” is target
X3 3 3 3X 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
4 4 4 4 3X3 3 3 3 3 3 X 3 3 X3 3 3 3 X
4 X 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 44 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
X 4 4 (4) X 4

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Aural Melodic Minor Improv

IV Aeolian b5, V Super Locrian and bII13#11

use these three steps:
1. improvise with bluesy IV Aeolian flat five
2. improvise with super Locrian, resolving to the target triad
3. voice-lead with bII13#11 to the target triad

See melodic minor scale fingerings 6, 7 and 3.

For the I chord (C7) in a blues in C, learn to use Ab melodic minor (b6 of C) during the Db7 chord in
Db7 to C7.
For the IV chord (V7) in a blues in C, learn to use Db melodic minor (b6 of F) during the Gb7 chord
in Gb7 to F7. Then use Db melodic minor on Dbm9(ma7) Gb7 and F Mixolydian (same notes as C
Dorian) on the F7.

1. improvise with bluesy IV Aeolian flat five, resolving to the target triad
Before actually using the IV Aeolian b5, establish a blues-based style.
If in a minor key, Begin your improv with minor pentatonic and elaborate to the minor mode, Aeolian
or Dorian, as appropriate.
If in a major key, also use minor pentatonic. Slur flat three to natural three, use occasional flatted thirds
as a blue note. In some cases, use natural three instead of flat three. If you are in major mode and have
a natural seven in the key scale, use some blue note flat sevens.
If in a major key, combine minor pentatonic and major pentatonic. This combination is the basis of
B.B. King’s style, as adopted by Eric Clapton and countless others. Use Minor Pentatonic Blues Rock
Cells as a resource. They are written in G minor, so you’ll need to move them up a whole step (two frets
toward the body of the guitar). Use Major Pentatonic Swing Cells as a resource. They are written in G
major, so you’ll need to move them up two and a half steps (five frets toward the body of the guitar) or
down three and a half steps (seven frets toward the head of the guitar).
IV Aeolian flat five (on the four of your target) can be very effective in sharing memories of bluesy
minor melodies with a flat five with your listeners (on IV of the target). These are likely familiar to you
and your listeners. Using the melodic minor with its super Locrian mode on the fifth of your target can

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page 2066 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

also be thought of as Aeolian flat five on the fourth of the target. If your target chord is C7, F Aeolian
flat five on the fourth of C has the same notes as G super Locrian on the fifth of C.
Here are minor 7/11b5 pentatonic (minor pentatonic with a flat five) subsets of Aeolian flat five. Locate
the circled tone center on IV of your target.
m7/11b5 m7/11b5 m7/11b5 m7/11b5 m7/11b5
fingering 1 fingering 2 fingering 3 fingering 4 fingering 5
grandparent grandparent grandparent grandparent grandparent
major fingering 6 major fingering 7 major fingering 2 major fingering 3 major fingering 4

2 b5 2 b5 b5 2 1
1 4 b7 b3 1 2 1 4 2 4 b7 b3 b6 1 4 1 4 b7 2 b7 b3 b6 4 b7
b5 b6 b3b6 b5 b7 b3 b5 b5 b6 b5 b3 b6 2 b5
2 1 4 2 2 1 4 b7 2 2 1 1 4 b7 b3 1
b3 b6 b5 b7 b3 4 b7 b3b6 1 4 b6 b5 b3 b6 b7 b6 4 b7
b3 b5 b6
b5 (2)
(2) (1) 2

2. improvise with V super Locrian, resolving to the target triad

Do this aurally and intuitively at first, before engaging your left brain into much thought in numbers
and letters. Think of melodic minor first in terms of the super Locrian tone center on its seventh step.
This is the fifth of your target. In the super Locrian scale on V of your target, locate the half-whole-half
and five-note whole step parand use them.
Learn versions of altered seventh chords, including 7#5, 7b5, 7#9, 7b9, 7#5#9, 7b5#9, 7b5b9 and use
parts of them rooted on the super Locrian tone center in your melody. With the “flat all” formula of
super Locrian (1-b2-b3-b4-b5-b6-b7), the flat four proxies as (acts as) a natural three. The flat two
and flat three function as flat nine and sharp nine (b3 = #2 = #9). The flat sharp six proxies as sharp
five. Along with the flat four acting as a natural three, the scale has the tones 1, 3, b5 and 7 to make a
seventh flat five chord. With the other tones, it has all the tones of 7b5#5b9#9.

3. voice lead with bII13#11 to the target triad

Another melodic minor mode makes a colorful chord on the flat two of your target. For a C7 target,
this would be bII (Db) Lydian flat seven, which makes the chord Db13#11. The root triad part of
II(Db)13#11 (its root, third and fifth) is very important in voice leading to the target chord. Each note
progresses down to its target chord tone.
Voice lead arpeggio tones of bII13#11 (Db13#11) to the root, third and fifth of your target. If the
target chord is major, each tone of the bII triad progresses down a half step (one fret) and the third can
optionally resolve up a whole step (two frets). If the target chord is minor, the only change is the third
voice leading down a whole step.

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flat five substitute

In addition to providing the Swiss army seventh chord, melodic minor allows a set of synonym chords.
Most of the Swiss army seventh chords based on V7b5#5b9#9 (G 7b5#5b9#9) have alternate names
as parts of bII13#11 (Db13#11). Basically, use the super Locrian V type (G7b5#5b9#9) for scalar
ideas and chunks of chords (see “use Swiss army seventh chord fingerings below). Use the bII type
(Db13#11) for arpeggio ideas. See Flat Five Substitute Chord Progression.

if the setup chord is bII, think Lydian flat seven first

If the chord in the accompaniment actually is bII of the target, such as Db7 before C7, think Lydian flat
seven (Db Lydian b7) first. That reverses the order of priority shown earlier:

• Lydian flat seven on the flat two of your target chord

• Aeolian on the fourth of your target
• super Locrian on the fifth of your target

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page 2068 Melodically Superimposed Cadences Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections back to contents

melodic minor scale fingerings 6, 7 and 3

The target chord below is Cma7, C7 or Cm7. Also see harmonic minor scale fingerings 6, 7 and 3 based
on the same parent major scale fingerings.
Ab major scale Ab major flat three Db9 target chord target chord target chord
fingering 6 I fingering 6 I F Aeolian b5 I arpeggio I Cma9 II C9 II Cm9 I

1 2 1
1 1 1 1 X 1 1 4 b7 b3 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 b5 b6 2 2
3 X3 3 3 2 1 4 2 3 33 3
4 4 4 4 4 b3 b6 b5 b7 b3 4 4 4 4 4
(4) (X) (2) (4)

Ab major scale Ab major flat three Db9 target chord target chord target chord
fingering 7 III fingering 7 III F Aeolian b5 II arpeggio II Cma9 III C7 III Cm7 III

1 b5 1
1 X1 1 1 2 1 4 2 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 b3b6 b5 b7 b3 2 2 22 2
3X 2 3
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 b7 b3b6 1 4 44 4 4 4 4
4 b5 4

Ab major scale Ab major flat three Db9 target chord target chord target chord
fingering 7 VIII fingering 7 VII F Aeolian b5 VI arpeggio VII Cma9 VIII C7 CIII Cm7 VIII

1 1 b5 b5 1 1
X1 1 1 1 X 1 4 b7 2 11 1 1
2 2 2 2 b6 b5 b3 b6 2 2 2 2
3X3 2 1 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 b7 b3 b6 4 b7 4 4 4 4 4

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Voice Leading the Tones of Melodic Minor IV13#11

voice lead interval

1 down half step
3 up or down down half, up whole
5 down half step
b7 up up half
2 down minor third (or half)
#4 retain (or to 5 then down half)
6 retain (or to b7 then up half)
It’s most important to voice lead the root, third
and fifth of the bII7 chord (Db7 before tonic
C) down a half step, with an option of the third
resolving up a whole step.

Think bII bVI In The Key Of The Target Chord

In the key of the target chord, think of the melodic minor Im9(ma7) IV9 cadence as bIIm9(ma7)
bVI9. Melodic minor cadences are shown below in every key.

target chord key melodic minor key mel. minor I mel. minor I
 bII of target bVI of target

A A Bbm9(ma7) Fb(E)13#11
Bb Bb Cbm9(ma7) Gb13#11
B B Cm9(ma7) G13#11
C C Dbm9(ma7) Ab13#11
C# C# Dm9(ma7) A13#11
Db Db Ebb(D)m9(ma7) Bbb(A)13#11
D D Ebm9(ma7) Bb13#11
Eb Eb Fb(E)m9(ma7) Cb 13#11
E E Fm9(ma7) C 13#11
F F Gbm9(ma7) Db 13#11
F# F# Gm9(ma7) D 13#11
Gb Gb Abb(G)m9(ma7) Ebb(D) 13#11
G G Abm9(ma7) Eb 13#11
Ab Ab Dbm9(ma7) Eb 13#11

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Voice Leading bII Tones to I

melodic minor arpeggios with voice leading
Each tone of the bII resolves down one fret. Optionally, the third of the bII chord (“F” in the Db7)
can resolve up a third to the fifth of the tonic C7. Extensively practice resolving from each tone of the
bII chord to a tone of the I chord. Memorize a library of phrases that employ resolution from the
root, third and fifth of the bII (Db7) to the root, third and fifth of the I tonic (C7). Similarly practice
resolving in the key of IV (F) with Gb7 to F7.

jazz blues In C
Many of the examples in this section use Jazz Blues in C. The progression is shown below. You should
also see Modes/Modes On Jazz Blues and especially Jazz Blues Key Scales.
C7 (I7) F7 (I7) C7 (I7) C7 (I7)
F7 (IV7) F#dim7 (IV7) C7 (I7) A7 (VI7)
Dm7 (IIm7) G7 (V7) C7 (I7) A7 (VI7) Dm7 (IIm7) G7 (V7)

melodic minor “I IV” cadences

C9 is the target chord, using a Im(ma7) IV9 (Abm [ma7] Db9) cadence in Ab melodic minor. Db
Lydian dominant is mode IV of Ab melodic minor, as you can see in the table below.

modes of Ab melodic minor scale used for Db Lydian dominant

Ab melodic Bb Dorian flat C Phrygian flat Db Lydian flat Eb Mixolydian F Aeolian flat G Locrian flat
minor two one (Cb) seven (Lydian flat six five four (super
dominant) locrian)
b3 b2 b1 b7 b6 b5 b4
1-2-b3-4-5-6-7 1-b2-b3-4-5- b1-b2-b3-4-5- 1-2-3-#4-5-6-b7 1-2-3-4-5-b6-b7 1-2-b3-4-b5- 1-b2-b3-b4-b5-
6-b7 b6-b7 b6-b7 b6-b7

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A Theory Summary for Every Melodic Minor Mode

The target key scale chord doesn’t have to be I minor, but can be I dominant type (major with b7) or I
major type (major with natural seven).

theory summary: melodic minor contains a super-altered dominant

Im(ma7) begins the I IV melodic minor cadence (Abm[ma7] - Db7 to C target), which can elaborate
on the bII chord before the target I chord. I melodic minor is chord scale that elaborateas on the
Im(ma7) that occurs as a secondary root on the fifth of IV13#11.
The melodic minor scale was chosen for jazz improv because of its super Locrian mode. We needed a
super-altered domiant chord with flat five, sharp five flat nine and sharp nine, yet still with a major third
and a flatted seventh. That calls for seven specific notes. Only one mode has those: melodic minor
mode seven, commonly called super Locrian.
Thinking in melodic minor is the is based on using a super-altered V chord in authentic minor V - I
cadence with V7b5#5b9#9 (G7b5#5b9#9(, but from the perspective of the target I chord (Am). See
theory summary: melodic minor VII (super Locrian).
Remember, the target key scale chord doesn’t have to be I minor, but can be I7 type (major with b7) or
Ima7 (major with natural seven).

theory summary: Dorian flat two

The flat five substitute for the key scale V - I authentic cadence is bII - I. Use the synonym bII6 =
bVIIm7 (Db6 = Bbm7) as a basic for use of key scale bVII Dorian flat two. In terms of the bVI
melodic minor parent scale, this is II Dorian flat two.
Especially resolve the key scale bII triad to the I triad, where the bII triad is the root, third and fifth of
bVIIm7. In addition to resolving those tones, generally emulate key scale bVIIm7 to VIm7, which is a
synonym of I6. Key scale IVm7b5 - bVIIm7-VIm7 (= I6) is a cool cadence.
Use your library of Dorian licks and flat the two. For jazz blues in C (or most any jazz tune in C), use
Bb Dorian b2 emulate a Db13#11 chord for up to two seconds before a C chord.

theory summary: Phrygian flat one

This is a useful theme and variation perspective. Key scale bVI melodic minor emulates the key scale
V7b5#5b9#9 (Swiss army, super-altered) and its flat five substitute, the key scale bII13#11. Key
scale I Phrygian flat one (C Phrygian flate one, on Cb) is a mode of key scale bVI melodic minor (Ab
melodic minor). It can be used to conceive theme and variation that ambiguously suggests the Cm
or Cm7 of C Phrygian, but with a flat one (Cb) while emphasizing tones of key scaleV7b5#5b9#9

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or bII13#11. The theme can then be restated when you follow onto the tonic I chord and change the
mode of the theme to the appropriate one for the tonic chord (I Mixolydian for a I7 chord, for example).

theory summary: Lydian flat seven (Lydian domiant)

This is the classic flat five substitute mode. Subsets of key scale IV13#11 (like IV9) make numerous
synonyms of subsets of VII7b5#5b9#9 (like VII7b5#5b9 no root). The IV13#11 is used in key as
bII13#11 and the VII7b5#5b9#9 as V7b5#5b9#9. These are based on the synonym IV7b5 = VII7b5.
The melodic minor Im9(ma7) - IV13#11 (or subset such as IV9) is very effective with this mode. See
Fingering Melodic Minor Cadences.

theory summary: Mixolydian flat six

The root, third and flat six (b13 or #5) of the key scale bIII chord is an augmented triad and is a synonym
for key scale V augmented. Make use of that as a synonym for an authentic V augmented - I cadence.
Tone five of melodic minor is a major third below the root of the super-altered (Swiss army) family of
chords rooted on the seventh step of melodic minor (see melodic minor VII, below). So, it can function
as a root in the same manner that Am (A-C-E) over “F” is Fma7. This produces hypothetical names like
G7#9/Eb, where Eb is the fifth of Ab melodic minor and G7#9 is one of the altered seventh chords on
mode VII of melodic minor.

theory summary: Aeolian flat five on the third of bII9

Theory summaries allow you to tap whole genres of melody and repurpose them in a manner very
understandable to the listener. In this case, you can play your minor key (Aeolian) blues ideas with a flat
five (Aeolian flat five) and be using the notes of melodic minor without having to think melodic minor
at first.
F can be a secondary root on the third of Db9, using Fm7b5 as a partial Db9. Db9 without its root has
the same notes as Fm7b5. To then elaborate on Fm7b5, use F Aeolian flat five, mode six of Ab melodic
minor. The result is the same notes as Ab melodic minor or Db Lydian dominant but stylized as dark
minor blues. You can see the examples of Aeolian flat five for each chord of a C jazz blues on the table
“melodic minor modes used for bII Lydian dominant of each target”.
Key scale IVm7b5 - bVIIm7 - VIm7 (= I6) is a cool cadence. See theory summary: Dorian flat two.

theory summary: melodic minor VII (super Locrian)

The fingering for super Locrian is half-whole-half steps, followed by five notes a whole step apart. The
formula for super Locrian is 1-b2-b3-b4-b5-b6-b7. Thinking of flat four as natural three, there is a note
a half step above the tone center (“b2“ is a half step above “1”) and a note a half step below three (b3 is
a half step below b4, which is 3). From three (“b4”) up to one, it is five notes in whole steps: 3, b5, b6,
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b7 and 1. On a single string, it looks like this (from the players perspective, looking down at their own
guitar):

1 b2 b3 3 b5 b6 b7 1

I call the super-altered key scale V chord (G7b5#5b9#9) created by super Locrian the Swiss army seventh
chord. In your improv with this scale, you can think of chord fingerings such as G7#5#9 or G7b5b9 as
a graphic template for melody. Elaborate on notes in the chord in single note melody.
By thinking in super Locrian, you’ll suggest the super-altered V chords. Thinking of Ab melodic minor
in terms of its mode VII, G super Locrian before a C7 chord suggests part or all of the super-altered
(Swiss army) G7b5#5b9#9 chord.
A similar mode occurs on the third step of major flat six scale: Phrygian flat four. Because of its simi-
larity to super Locrian, I call it “super Phrygian”. It has all the same notes as super locrian, but has a
perfect fifth rather than a flatted fifth. So, it has the notes to make a flat nine and sharp nine but only a
sharped fifth, not a flatted fifth.

More Melodic Minor Theory Summaries

theory summary: half-whole-half
The super Locrian scale starts with the interval pattern half step, whole step, half step, which makes one
of the most popular four-note melodic cells in jazz improv. This half-whole-half pattern is steps seven,
one two flat three of harmonic minor, melodic minor and Phrygian flat four (super Phrygian, mode
three of major flat six scale).
Half-whole-half also occurs with the hybrid Aeolian and harmonic minor (1-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7-7) with
tones 7-b7-b6-5. Other instances of half-whole-half occur at the transistion from one scale to another,
such as descending 5-#4-3 (Ab-G-F) of Db Lydian dominant (Lydian flat seven, mode four of melodic
minor) to the third of C (“E”).

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theory summary: voice leading with key scales

For both comping and soloing, thinking versions all of the scales named after the tone center (“C” in C
jazz blues) can make it much easier to see relationships for theme and variation and for voice leading.
It is quite a chore to learn all of the modes as key scales (all in “C”, for example), but worth the effort.
On the table “melodic minor modes used for bII Lydian dominant of each target”, you can find a mode
for every melodic minor scale that names it with the letter “C”, for the key of “C”.
Here is a key scale summary of the melodic minor mode table:
C7 tonic F7 temp. tonic G7 temp. tonic A7 temp. tonic Dm7 temp. tonic
target tonic chord 
key scale used during C Phrygian flat C Locrian flat C Phrygian flat C Mixolydian C Dorian flat two
(bVIm) bII cadence one (Cb) four (super one (Cb) flat six
(flat five substitute) locrian)
key scale formula b1-b2-b3-4-5- 1-b2-b3-b4-b5- b1-b2-b3-4-5- 1,-2-3-4-5-b6- 1-b2-b3-4-5-6-b7
b6-b7 b6-b7 b6-b7 b7
authentic V of tonic or G7b5#5b9#9 C7b5#5b9#9 D7b5#5b9#9 E7b5#5b9#9 A7b5#5b9#9
temporary tonic
parent melodic minor Ab melodic Db melodic Eb melodic F melodic Bb melodic minor
minor minor minor minor

theory summary: pedal point triads

For both comping and soloing (as usual), you can create a wealth of harmonic and melodic structures
based on scale-tone triads. If you’re more excited about single-note soloing than comping (which is
typical) be aware that the triad structures can be thought of a template to build single note melodic lines.
In Pedal Point Triads/Modal Triad Improv, you can learn to build chords and melodies with triads.
It also directs you to Scale Tone Arpeggios And Pentatonics/Building Triad Arcs, where you can go
through a set of the seven major scale in-position fingerings to get an overview of the full fretboard triad
structure.

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Fingering Melodic Minor Cadences for Jazz Blues in C

E form tonic (C7 in jazz blues in C)
C jazz blues video sketch examples: E Form To C7-1, E Form To C7-2
Ab mel. min. VII Abm(ma7) VIII Db9 VIII C9 VII

1 1
X1 1 1 1 X
2 2 2 2
3X3
4 4 4 4 4
Ab melodic minor C Mixolydian more Ab melodic minor
Db Lyd. dom. VII Abm9(ma7) VIII Db9 VII C9 VII Abm9(ma7) VII Db13#11 VIII

1 1 5 7 b7 3 2 b3 b3 3 2 #4
1 1 1 1 b3 3 2 1 b7 5 2 5 7 1 b7 5
2 2 2 2 1 b7 5 3 b3 1 3
3 3 1 2 3 5 1 2 7 5 1 6 2
4 4 4 4 4 5 1 2 b7 5 1 2 5 b7

A form tonic (F7 in jazz blues in C)

C jazz blues video sketch examples: A Form To F7-1, A Form To F7-2
Db mel. min. VII Dbm(ma7) IX Gb7 IX F7 VII

1
1 X1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2
3X
4 4 4 4 4 4
4
Db melodic minor C Mixolydian more Db melodic minor
Gb Lyd. dom. VII Dbm9(ma7) VII Gb9 VIII F9 VII Gb13#11 VIII

1 b3 3 3 3 #4
1 1 1 1 2 7 1 b7 2 5 1 b7 2 5 1 b7 2 5
2 2 2 2 2 1 b3 5
3 7 5 1 3 5 1 3 5 1 3 6
4 4 4 4 4 4 5 1 2 b7 b7 b7
4

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D form tonic (A7b9 in jazz blues in C)

F mel. min VI Fm(ma7) VIII Bb7 VIII A7 VII

1 1
1 1
2 1 2 1 1
2 2
4 3 4 3 3
4
4
Ab melodic minor VI7 type target dominant target

Bb Lyd. dom.VI Fm9(ma7) VIII Bb9 VI Bb13#11 VI A7b9 V A9 VII

1 1 1 2 5 1 b7 1 b7 1 5 1 2
1 1 7 b3 3 3 b7
2 2 2 1 1 5 1 5 1 2 5 1 6 2 5 1 3 2 5
b2 b7 b7
2 2 b3 b7 #4 b7
3 5
4 4 4 3 3 7 3 2 5 3 2 5
b7
3
4 3 b2
4 #4

G form tonic (Dm7 in jazz blues in C)

Bb mel. min. VIII Bbm(ma7) VIII Eb9 VIII Dm7 VII D9 VII

1 X
1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2
X3 3 3 3 X
4 4 4 4
(4) (X)
Ab melodic minor dominant target
Eb Lyd. dom.VII Bbm9(ma7) VIII Eb9 VIII EIb13#11 VII Dm9 VII C9 V

1 5 1 2 5 1 3 5 1 3 6 5 1 5 1 3
1 2 1 1 1 1 b3 b7 b7 b3 b7 b7
2 2 2 5 7 3 2 3 2 #4 2 3 2
4 3 3 3 b3 1 b7 5 1 b7 5 1 b7 b3 5 1 b7 5
4 4 4 4 7
(4) 2

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C form tonic (G7 in jazz blues in C)

Eb mel. min. VIII Ebm(ma7) VIII Ab9 IX G7 VIII

1
1 1 1 1 X1
2 2
3 X3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4
(4) (X)
Ab melodic minor C Mixolydian more Ab melodic minor
Ab Lyd. dom.VIII Ebm9(ma7) VIII Ab9 XIII G9 VII Ab13#11 XIII

1 5 1 3 2 5 3 3 2 5 3 5 1 3 6
1 1 1 1 1 b3 b7 1 b7 1 b7
3 2 2 7 3 3 3 2 #4
3 3 3 3 1 b3 5 5 1 b7 2 5 5 1 b7 2 5 1 b7 5
4 4 4 4 4 7
(4)

Melodic Minor Cadences to Each Chord in Jazz Blues

Using a Im(ma7) IV9 cadence in the appropriate key, every chord in a jazz blues can be approached
with a melodic minor cadence. I’m using the term “grandparent” major here (upper left of the table) to
refer to the major scale which was altered to produce the major sharp five scale (including the harmonic
minor mode) on its sixth step.

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melodic minor modes used for bII Lydian dominant of each tonic or temporary tonic
altered tone of grandparent b3 b2 b1 b7 b6 b5 b4
major scale 
mode forumla 1-2-b3-4-5- 1-b2-b3-4-5- b1-b2-b3-4- 1-2-3-#4-5- 1-2-3-4-5- 1-2-b3-4-b5- 1-b2-b3-b4-
 6-7 6-b7 5-b6-b7 6-b7 b6-b7 b6-b7 b5-b6-b7

target tonic
key scale  mode I
of melodic
mode II
of melodic
mode bIII
of melodic
mode IV
of melodic
mode V
of melodic
mode VI
of melodic
mode VII
of melodic
chord  minor minor minor minor minor minor minor
C7 (I7) Ab melodic Ab melodic Bb Dorian C Phrygian Db Lydian Eb Mixolyd- F Aeolian G Locrian
or Cm as minor minor flat two flat one (Cb) flat seven ian flat six flat five flat four
secondary (Lydian (super
root of F9 dominant) locrian)

F7 (IV7) Db melodic Db melodic Eb Dorian F Phrygian Gb Lydian Ab Mixolyd- Bb Aeolian C Locrian

minor minor flat two flat one (Fb) flat seven ian flat six flat five flat four
(Lydian (super
dominant) locrian)
G7 (V7) Eb melodic Eb melodic F Dorian flat G Phrygian Ab Lydian Bb Mixolyd- C Aeolian D Locrian
minor minor two flat one (Gb) flat seven ian flat six flat five flat four
(Lydian (super
dominant) locrian)
Dm7 (IIm7) Bb melodic Bb melodic C Dorian flat D Phrygian Eb Lydian F Mixolydian G Aeolian A Locrian
minor minor two flat one (Db) flat seven flat six flat five flat four
(Lydian (super
dominant) locrian)
A7 (VI7) F melodic F melodic G Dorian A Phrygian Bb Lydian C Mixolyd- D Aeolian E Locrian
minor minor flat two flat one (Ab) flat seven ian flat six flat five flat four
(Lydian (super
dominant) locrian)

The more dis-related the scales are in a cadence and its target (tonic or temporary tonic), the more time
you need to establish the cadence melodically and the simpler the resolution needs to be. When such
cadences happen in a few seconds, it is usually better to use a two-chord version of the cadence, such as
bII9 to I, rather than the three-chord version bVIm(ma7) bII9 to I.
To make it simpler, stay closer to the triad tones of each chord and use common tones. For example,
in playing a melodic minor cadence during the later part of bar nine in a jazz blues in C with Ab9 to
G7b9, you could use the secondary root of the Ab9 and play Cm7b5 and think C Aeolian flat five as its
chord scale. This will get you playing dark C minor flat five blues ideas and strike a relationship with
the key. To further strengthen it, be sure to include the note “D”, so the chord also suggests the synonym
of Ab13#11, D7b5#5b9#9 (the “Swiss army”, super-altered mode VII of its parent Eb melodic minor
scale).

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COMBINED CADENCES
E form I, IV or V type tonic
IIm bII IIm V7b9 V13 bII
Dm7 VII Db9 VIII Dm7 VII G7b9 IX G13 VIII Db9 VIII

Dm9 Db9 Dm9 G7b9 G9 Db9

C major VII Db Lyd. dom.VII C major VII C har. min. VII C major VII Db Lyd. dom.VII

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
22 1 1 X1 1 1 1X 22 1 1 1 1 1 11 2 2 2 2 X1 1 1 1X
3 3 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 2 3 3 2 2 2 2
4 4 4 3 3 3 3X 3 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 33 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 3X 3
4 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 4
4 4 4 4 4

A form I, IV or V type tonic

IIm bII IIm V7b9 V13 bII
Dm9 III Db9 III Dm7 III G7b9 III G13 III Db9 III

Dm9 Db9 Dm9 G7b9 G9 Db9

C major I Db Lyd. dom. II C major I C har. min. II C major I Db Lyd. dom. II

1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1X 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1X 1 1 1
21 1 11
2 22 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 22 1 1 2 22 1 1 2 2 2 2 2
3 2 22
2 3X 2 3 33
2 3X
4 4 4 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 44 4 4 4 3 3 3 44 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4

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D form I, IV or V type tonic

IIm bII IIm V7b9 V13 bII
Dm9 X Db9 X Dm9 X G7b9 XII G13 IX Db9 IX

Dm9 Db9 Dm9 G7b9 G9 Db9

C major VIII Db Lyd. dom. IX C major VIII C har. min. VII C major VIII Db Lyd. dom. IX

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1X1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1X1
2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 21 1 1 2 2 2 1 1
2 2 22 1 1 1 2 2
4 4 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 3 X 3 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 4 4 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 3 X 3
4 4 4 4 4 33 3 4 4 4
4 4 44 4 4

G form I, IV or V type tonic

IIm bII IIm V7b9 V13 bII
Dm7 VI Db9 VI Dm7 VI G7b9 VI G9 V Db9 VI

Dm9 Db9 Dm9 G7b9 G9 Db9

C major V Db Lyd. dom. VI C major V C har. min. V C major V Db Lyd. dom. VI

1 1 X 1 11 1 1 1 X
1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 3 2 2 2 2
2 2
4 4 3 33
3 3 3 3 3 X 3 3X
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 X 3 3X
3 3
4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
(4) (4) (X) (4) (4) (4) (X)

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C form I, IV or V type tonic

IIm bII IIm V7b9 V13 bII
Dm7 XIII Db9 XIII Dm7 XIV G7b9 XIII G9 XIV Db7 XIII

Dm9 Db9 Dm9 G7b9 G9 Db9

C major XII Db Lyd. dom. XIII C major XII C har. min. XI C major XII Db Lyd. dom. XIII

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 1 1 1 1 X 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1X1
3 3 3 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 21 1 3 3 3 2 2
4 4 4 4 4 3X3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 3 3 3X3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 444 3 3 4 4 4 4 4
(4) X 4 4 4 4 (4) X

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Cadence Pairs
E form
IIm9 V7b9 IIm9 bII9 bVIm9(ma7) bII9 V9 bII9
II Dorian V Phrygian maj. II Dorian bII Lyd. dom bVI mel. min. bII Lyd. dom V Mixolydian bII Lyd. dom.

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
22 1 1 1 1 1 11 22 1 1 X1 1 1 1X X1 1 1 1X X1 1 1 1X 2 2 2 2 X1 1 1 1X
3 3 2 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 2 2 2
4 4 4 3 3 3 3 33 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 3 3X 3 3X3 3X 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 3X 3
4 4 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 24 4 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 3 4 4
4 4 4 4 4

A form
IIm9 V7b9 IIm9 bII9 bVIm9(ma7) bII9 V9 bII9
II Dorian V Phrygian maj. II Dorian bII Lyd. dom bVI mel. min. bII Lyd. dom V Mixolydian bII Lyd. dom.

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1X 1 1 1 1X1 1 1 1X 1 1 1 1 1 1 1X 1 1 1
21 1 11
2 22 1 1 2 22 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 22 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 22 1 1 2 2 2 2 2
3 2 22
2 3 33
2 3X 3X 3X 2 3X
4 4 4 3 3 3 44 4
4 4 4 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

D form
IIm9 V7b9 IIm9 bII9 bVIm9(ma7) bII9 V9 bII9
II Dorian V Phrygian maj. II Dorian bII Lyd. dom bVI mel. min. bII Lyd. dom V Mixolydian bII Lyd. dom.

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1X1 1X1 1X1 1 1 1X1
2 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 21 1 1 2 2 2 1 1
22 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 4 4 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 3 X 3 4 4 3 3X3 4 4 4 3 X 3 4 4 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 3 X 3
4 4 33 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 44 4 4 4 4 4

G form
IIm9 V7b9 IIm9 bII9 bVIm9(ma7) bII9 V9 bII9
II Dorian V Phrygian maj. II Dorian bII Lyd. dom bVI mel. min. bII Lyd. dom V Mixolydian bII Lyd. dom.

1 11 1 1 1 X 1 1 X 1 1 X
1 1 11 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2 2 2
4 4 3 33
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 X3 3 3 3X X3 3 33 X X3 3 3 3X 3 3 3 3 3 X3 3 3 3X
4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
(4) (4) (4) (X) (4) X (4) (X) (4) (4) (X)

C form
IIm9 V7b9 IIm9 bII9 bVIm9(ma7) bII9 V9 bII9
II Dorian V Phrygian maj. II Dorian bII Lyd. dom bVI mel. min. bII Lyd. dom V Mixolydian bII Lyd. dom.

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 X1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 1X1 2 2 1 1 1 1X1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1X1
3 3 3 2 2 21 1 3 3 3 2 2 3X3 3 3 2 2 3 3 3 2 2
4 4 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 3X3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 3X3 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 3X3 3 3
444 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 X 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 (4) X 4 (4) X 4 4 (4) X

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 2083

Cadence Arpeggios and Scales from Four Heptatonic Scales

E form
IIm9 V9 IIm11b5b9 V7b9 bVIm9(ma7) bII9 IIm9b5 V7b9
II Dorian V Mixolydian II Locrian V Phrygian maj. bVI mel. min. bII Lyd. dom II Dorian b5 V Mixo. b2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
22 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 11 X1 1 1 1X X1 1 1 1X 1 1 1 1 1 1
3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 22 1 1 2 2 1 1
4 4 4 3 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 33 3 3 3X3 3X 3 3 2 2 3 2 2
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 24 4 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 4 4 4 3 3
4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4

A form
IIm9 V9 IIm11b5b9 V7b9 bVIm9(ma7) bII9 IIm9b5 V7b9
II Dorian V Mixolydian II Locrian V Phrygian maj. bVI mel. min. bII Lyd. dom II Dorian b5 V Mixo. b2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1X 1 1 1 1 1 1
1X1 1 1 1 1
21 1 11
2 22 1 1 2 22 1 1 3 3 3
3 2 22
2 2 22 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 2
2 2 4 4 4 4 4 3 33 3X 3X 3 2 2 3 3 3
4 4 4 3 3 3 4 4 3 3 3 3 44 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4
4 4
D form
IIm9 V9 IIm11b5b9 V7b9 bVIm9(ma7) bII9 IIm9b5 V7b9
II Dorian V Mixolydian II Locrian V Phrygian maj. bVI mel. min. bII Lyd. dom II Dorian b5 V Mixo. b2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1X1 1X1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 21 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 21 1
3 3 3 3 4 3 3 33 3 2 2 2 2 3 3
4 4 3 3 3 3 4 4 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3X3 4 4 4 3 X 3 4 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4

G form
IIm9 V9 IIm11b5b9 V7b9 bVIm9(ma7) bII9 IIm9b5 V7b9
II Dorian V Mixolydian II Locrian V Phrygian maj. bVI mel. min. bII Lyd. dom II Dorian b5 V Mixo. b2

1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 X 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 11 1 1 1
1
2 2 2 1 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2
4 4 3 33
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 X3 3 33 X X3 3 3 3X 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 44 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
(4) (4) (4) X (4) (X) 4

C form
IIm9 V9 IIm11b5b9 V7b9 bVIm9(ma7) bII9 IIm9b5 V7b9
II Dorian V Mixolydian II Locrian V Phrygian maj. bVI mel. min. bII Lyd. dom II Dorian b5 V Mixo. b2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 X1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1X1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 21 1 3X3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 3X3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4 444 3 3 4 X 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 (4) X 4

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Table of Combined Cadences by Parent Major Scale

melodic minor targets natural three primary parent major scale fingering
t harmonic minor targets six fingering 3 fingering 7 fingering 4 fingering 2 fingering 6
a
r
g review Modal Contexts And Time
e
t
 position in C
6251 I major scale for VIm7, IIm7, V7, Ima7 XII VII I or XIII X V
2 VI(A) harmonic minor, sound VIm (Am) XII VII I or XIII X V
during I (C) or Escher-like VIm (Am)
before IVma7 (Fma7), predicting the VIm
(Am) part of IVma7 (Fma7)

4 bII (Db) melodic minor before IV (F) see below

1 V (G) har. minor = IV (F) Mixo. #1, in X V XI VIII III

the later part of of IV7 (F7) before I(C),
predicting the Escher-like Vm(Gm) part of C9

pairs in fourths that share a parent scale:

6 IV (F) melodic minor before VI7(A7) V XII VI III X

2 II (D) harmonic minor = I (C) Mixo. #1 on V XII VI III X
VI7 (A7) before IIm7 (Dm7)

2 bVII (Bb) mel. minor before IIm7 (Dm7) X V XI VIII III

5 V pos. G harmonic minor before G7 X V XI VIII III

5 bIII (Eb) melodic minor before V(G). XII VII I or XIII X V

1 I (C) harmonic minor before I (C). XII VII I or XIII X V

1 bVI (Ab) melodic minor before I(C) VIII III IX VI I or XIII

IV (F) harmonic minor before F7 VIII III IX VI I or XIII
(“4” to “6” is a major third, so the tone center for the
second scale is down a fret from a perfect fourth)
4 bII (Db) melodic minor before IV (F) I or XIII VIII II or XIV XI VI
6 VI (A) harmonic minor before VI (or Am) XII VII I or XIII X V

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Comparing Combined Cadences to Chromatic Drift

Chromatic drift is the reptition of a melodic cell (short phrase) up or down chromatically (in half steps).
It is then resolved to the chord used by the first cell. Combined cadences are more often chromatic than
not and can be very similar to chromatic drift. Combined cadences don’t usually return to the original
chord, which is the distinction.

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SUBSETS ON THE FIFTH

Subsets Triads on the Fifth of the Dominant
Each of the ninth chords described below V9, V7b9 or bII9 are preceded in three chord cadences with
a chord whose triad is the same notes as the fifth, seventh and ninth of the ninth chord. With major II
V or harmonic minor II V cadences, these make up the tones of a II or II dim triad which each resolve
down a scale tone to a triad tone of the tonic chord. With bVIm bII cadences, the tones of the bVIm
triad have more specific and complicated resolutions:
the fifth of the bII9 (root of bVIm) resolves down a half step to the fifth of the I tonic
the b7 of the bII9 (b3 of bVIm) resolves up a half step to the root of the I tonic
the ninth of the bII9 (fifth of bVIm) resolves down a minor third to the root of the tonic

IIm is a Subset of V9
Any II V cadence that uses exclusively tones of a single scale shares tones. The root, third and fifth of a
IIm chord are 2, 4, 6 of the parent and are the top tones of the V9 chord, which is 5, 7, 2, 4, 6.

II dim is a Subset of V7b9

In a minor IIm7b5 V7b9 cadence, the II diminished triad part of the IIm7b5 (Dm7b5) is 2, 4, b6 of the
harmonic minor tonic scale (C harmonic minor scale) and are the top tones of the V7b9 chord, which
is 5, 7, 2, 4 b6.

bVIm is a Subset of bII9

In a flat five substitute cadence, the bVIm triad part of the bVIm9(ma7) (Abm9[ma7]) is 1, b3 5 of the
bVI melodic minor scale (Ab harmonic minor for Abm to Db7 to a C tonic) and are the top tones of
the bII7b9 chord, which is 4, 6, 1, b3, 5 of the bVI melodic minor.

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 back to contents Part 6: Building Phrases and Sections Melodically Superimposed Cadences page 2087

bVIm(ma7) is a Subset of bII13#11

When thinking the bVIm bII (Abm Db) cadence (Im IV of bVI parent melodic minor), there are
shared tones in the arpeggios. bVIm(ma7) tones are 1, b3, 5, 7, 2 of the parent bVI melodic minor
scale. IV13#11, which is used for flat five substitutes (bII of tonic) is 4, 6, 1, b3, 5, 7, 2 of the parent
bVI melodic minor scale. “4, 6, 1, b3, 5, 7, 2” are respectively the root, third, fifth, flatted seventh, ninth,
sharp eleventh and thirteenth of the 13#11. Notice that the fifth through the thirteen of the IV13#11
are “1, b3, 5, 7, 2” of the parent bVI melodic minor scale, the same thing as the Im(m9).
So, when you are using the Im(ma7) or Abm9(ma7) arpeggio, be aware that is is the top of the IV13#11
and can resolve to the tonic chord, especially if you descend the arpeggio to the lower tones of the
IV13#11.

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Melodic Character
And Story

• Telling a Story
• The Character of Chord Progression
• The Character of Melody

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UNTITLED
Body..............

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The Emotive Curve

And Sentiments

• The Emotive Curve

• Sentiments (Rasas) in Indian Classical Music

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Practice using the emotive curves and sentiments discussed below. Each sentiment should be staged
with appropriate characteristics in the accompaniment and the accompaniment should support the
expressive curve (growing loud or soft, fast or slow with the melody, for example).
Immediately before a live performance or recording, performers should conceive how their music will
sound and what moods it will create. Developing performers typically have in mind what they want
out of a performance but during the performance, they are affected emotionally by the audience or band
members and lose track of how they wanted to perform the music. There may be some confused com-
munication with a band member or a comment or look from someone in the audience that throws you
off and distracts you. You have memorized your scales, chord progressions and licks so you can recall
and control them, why not do the same with the elements of expression when under pressure?

THE EMOTIVE CURVE

The emotional expression during a piece of music can be expressed with a diagram. The timeline would
run from left to right. High intensity to low intensity would be indicated top to bottom. There are
typically two or more peaks, with the greatest one near or at the end as a climax.

time
Emotive Curve ______________ (overall, dynamic, rhythm, etc.)

30 sec ➞ 1 min ➞ 1.5 min ➞ 2 min ➞ 2.5 min ➞ 3 min ➞ 3.5 min ➞ 4 min ➞ 4.5 min ➞ 5 min ➞ 5.5 min ➞

high intensity

low intensity

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Melody
Stage the melody with the appropriate accompaniment. The overall emotive curve combines any or all
of the elements below.

Pitch: slurs, dynamics, rhythm, timbre, combinations.

Dynamics: fade, skip in volume level.
Rhythmic intensity: rhythmic level, syncopation, phrasing, polyrhythm.
Harmonic Complexity. More complex chord progressions, particualarly those with dissonance
or chromaticism increase the intensity.
Timbre. Anything that draws the listeners attention increases the intensity. The location of pick
up and down string affects its tone, with brighter tone toward the bridgte. Rotation of the pick
on its axis affects the clarity of its tone, with the clearest tone where the pick is parallel to the
string and the roughest tone when the picks axis is angled at a 45º angle to the string. Choice of
pick. Plucking versus picking. Muting. Guitar and amp tone and effects such as distortion and
wah wah.
Melodic Expression Contrasted By The Accompaniment. Melodic content strikingly different in
nature from the accompaniment can increase the intensity.

Expressive Curve Example In A Lesson. We copied the overall expressive curve from the intro solo
to Metallica’s Sanitarium by sketching it. Used the first half of it to play over Center (C to Em 4X) in
pitch curve context. Curve (first half ) was generally four segments: mid-range plateau, rise to slightly
higher plateau, break briefly, descend to low range. Sentiments used were:

(1) Astonishment, where the student suggested “tinkling octaves” in the accompaniment.
(2) Disgust (angry), where the student suggested hard feel and accents with some dissonance. I
used syncopation in the accents to support the anger.

SENTIMENTS (RASAS) IN INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC

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Improv Level 6:
Superimposed
Cadence Solo
Examples
• Superimposed Harmonic Minor Solo Examples
• Superimposed Melodic Minor Solo Examples
• Superimposed Major Flat Six Solo Examples

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SUPERIMPOSED HARMONIC MINOR CADENCE

SOLO EXAMPLES

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SUPERIMPOSED MELODIC MINOR CADENCE

SOLO EXAMPLES

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SUPERIMPOSED MAJOR FLAT SIX CADENCE

SOLO EXAMPLES

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