CONCEPTS I TEACH ON CHORD MELODY

CHORD MELODY PRIMER - How To Construct a Chord Melody - Part 1

Here's the main point ... say you have a melody of C --> D ---> E ---> F …

... and the harmony is all over a C Major chord (family) ...

OK, I would go with a few approaches, however, I primarily choose a bass line first --
which gives me a "direction" or a "movement,” "feeling" from a place in the music to
another place -- and it also makes a musical statement (tells a story, or point of view,
etc...)...

OK, once that's decided I have a number of ways to go: (actually the re-harmonization is
more like a re-creating a movement over the given harmony which is sparse, in this case
a C Major chord ....)

Here are a few of those ways, or examples ...

1.) Descending bass line direction (this approach creates subtle, almost unperceived
movement):
a. Harmonize the C on top of C (C6, or C6/9, etc...) with C as the root.
b. Harmonize the D on top of a B half dim, or G9/B (bass line is moving downward)
c. Harmonize the E on top of a Bb7#11 or A7b9/Bb (downward bass)
d. Harmonize the F on top of Am (+5), or Dm7/A .....(downward bass...)

2) Cycle of Fifths bass line direction (this approach creates obvious movement and is full
of energy)...
a. Harmonize the C on top of C (C6, or C6/9, etc...) with C as the root.
b. Harmonize the D on top of a F (F6, F6/9, etc), Dm7/F (bass line is moving up a
4th.)
c. Harmonize the E on top of a Bb7#11 or A7b9/Bb (bass line is moving up a 4th.)
d. Harmonize the F on top of Eb (EbMaj9, 13, 6/9, etc..)

3) Slash chord bass direction - Common root tone ...whole step

a. Harmonize the C on top of Ab (Ab6, or Ab6/9, Maj7, etc...) with C as the root.
b. Harmonize the D on top of a Bb with C as the root.
c. Harmonize the E on top of a CMaj7 (etc...) with C as the root.
d. Harmonize the F on top of D (Dm7 or D7#9. etc..) with C as the root....
(...this is sort of like what's happening in “Green Dolphin St.")

This last approach uses a whole step up chord movement, but, it totally up to you ... you
could do the same with the chords moving in minor 3rds and the bass staying constant on
C ... or move the chords in major 3rds with the constant C bass ... a really cool and
interesting number of sounds are generated like this ....or move the chords in fifths: C on
top of a C6 ... to D on top of a G9 ....to E on top of a D9 .... to F on top of a A7#5) ...

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...and, if we do a tri-tone sub of the fifths: C on top of a C6 ... to D on top of a C#7b9
....to E on top of a D9 .... to F on top of an Eb9 ... hear the bass line movement?

Applications:

There’s a line at the end of “Try A Little Tenderness” that has the lead go: C D E G over
a C chord. The resolving note line is B A G … over the “turn around” Dm7 G C Major.

Now, there are many ways to approach this. Again, being mindful of the bass line
direction, I would go with the following:

a. Harmonize the C on top of a C Chord (I use plain vanilla C: C E G C)

b. Harmonize the D on top of a B min7b5 (B F A D)
c. Harmonize the E on top of an E7b5/Bb (Bb G# D E)
d. Harmonize the G on top of an Amin7 (A E G C G)

Resolving notes: B A G
a. Harmonize the B on top of a D13 (D C F# B)… I slide into the D13 from the
top G in C13 (C Bb E G) on the 10th fret.
b. I re-harmonize the ii-V-I turn in C (Dm7-G7-C) with common tone G on top
of the turn … because it’s the ending.
c. Normally it would be G on top of Dm7 = Dm7add4 or Dm11 (D A C G) … to
G7b5/Db (Db B F G) to C Maj7 (C B E G)
d. Borrowing from George Shearing’s arrangement*, the turn around goes like
this,
e. B to D on top of F9#11(A Eb G B) … (A Eb G D) to
f. C to Ab on top of Bb9 (Ab D F C) to Bb7b9#11 (E B D Ab) to
g. G on top of Eb7 (Eb Bb Db G) to Bb on top of Eb9 (G Db F Bb) to
h. Ab on top of Db9 (f B Eb Ab) to Db7 (Db Ab B F) to
i. Final chord, Cmajor7 (C G B E)

* You can hear that arrangement on my web site under the mp3 files on top of the page:
(See “Try A Little Tenderness” at http://chordmelody.org)

1) First thing I do when considering any tune for a CM: I play the tune straight
from the sheet music or fake book -- no subs, no re-harmonizations (yet) etc. If
root inversion can't reach the melody either as an extension or scale degree, I'll
cycle through the inversions; i.e., C -- C/E -- C/G -- C/A, etc., etc.

• When playing from piano sheet music, it's many times impossible to
finger those voicings, so I cycle through the inversions and also start using
some substitutions and inversions of subs..

2) After that I'll begin to find more suitable substitution chords that fit the direction

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I want to go for what's written -- while primarily concerned about a logical and
"moving" bass line that is not static. In many ways the bass line will guide the
direction of the arrangement and give it forward (or any directional) movement (or
maybe not, or semi-movement, or pedal point for dynamic effect, etc.).

• There are no written rules other than theory and how it can be used to
facilitate or leave aside in preference to what your "ears" hear and
emotional impact – that’s where your “heart” meets your “ear” – in
between is where your brain puts in gear all your studies and practice time
– But it’s all about what sounds good.

3) Next, having settled on a sold bass line, I'll find appropriate harmonic
structures (not just chords but 1-note, 2-note, 3-note, 4-5-6-etc. combinations of
“movements” based on the tune -- aware of the fact that CHORDS CAN BE
CHANGED (and melody can be changed).

• I'll find subs, inversions, inversions of subs, etc., etc. that work in line
with the a) the bass line, b) the melody, c) the rhythms of the tune.
Nothing is written in stone.

• While in this process there inevitably will be places in the tune where I'll
get an idea to "re-harmonize" the harmony (herein lies the "Art" of
composition) -- being courageous enough to change harmonies according
to a conceptual figure I “hear” -- maybe for movement, maybe for emotion,
maybe for a whole host of reasons. 

• I find many guitarists and pianists who play solo arrangements who dare
not venture away from the chart (I'm not talking about playing so “outside"
no one even recognizes the tune).

• I find it a license to respect the integrity of the original, but at the same
time to take “license,” pay respect to the landscape of the original tune, to
“make music” of the song for it to sound fresh and new (new twist on an
old tune, etc).

4) Next step is to come up with some inventive counterpoint -- not everything

involves block chords -- this involves a whole world of possibilities (and is what
usually takes the longest time because I think of it as a "song" inside a song.)
(see my files on “Counterpoint” below.)

• Chord Melody is not just placing melody notes on top of chords (Block
harmony) – this to me is very boring. It does not create interest, and really
is not “Music” … a computer can program this sort of “arranged” notes on
top of generic chords.

5) Know the rudiments of basic theory (assuming one can read music not TAB)

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6) Know virtually all the possible inversions on all the possible string groups (see
my Pat Martino section):

http://www.chordmelody.org/doc/martinochordfamily.doc

7) Know all the basic "Jazz" substitute families of chords.

8) Know the general rules of Counterpoint consisting of 4 types of “contrapuntal”

movement  or “motion”: Parallel, Similar, Contrary, and Oblique. (see my
attached file below from my site).

9) Know general concepts behind "Re-Harmonization" of a song (see my

example of "Summertime" lesson/package).

10) Know how a bass line creates movement, no movement, less or more
movement, but dynamics (Pedal, etc.), direction forward, static, erratic,
stable,etc., etc.

11) Know a mastery of chords on the fret board -- all families of chords (many
guitarists have no clue at all at the "science" behind the design of the guitar's fret
board .

12) There’s always a tendency to die on a long tone (melody note of long
duration) – to counter this, you can use a common tone on top of a moving
chord structure in 4ths, or moving chords (up or down) with a chromatic
bass line, etc., etc.

13) Use interesting inner harmonic movements like the leading tones as
launching pads for counterpoint devices.

14) Use more inner voices of the chordal structure in “action” -- creating
movements below the head’s melody tone ... (sometimes also move tones
above the melody -- don't fear that it would change the tune -- it's your
"New Tune").

15) Take your "Re-Harmonization" adventures. Don't be afraid to change

the written harmony -- you can change the chords by creating a new
conceptual harmonization -- called "Re-harmonization"  -- it’s your “New
Tune.”

• For Example: say the given chord is CMaj7 under the given melody
of say "E" ... you can do a re-harmonization in 4ths, using FMaj7
instead of CMaj7 -- yes, everyone knows the familiar Am7 (vi) or

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 Em7 (iii). Hey, there’s an E and a B in the following chords: E, E7+5,
Fmaj7#11, G6, G13, Abmin7b6, Am9, Bsus, C#7, D6/9/ Eb7+5b9,
F#7sus, Db7#9 – can they be used as a sub. for Caj7? – if it sounds
good and it moves logically in your arrangement (“to and from” within
the harmonic structure) – go for it -- theory will back you up.

• In other words, the tones of Cmaj7 are C - E - G - B -- that means

we can find other chords that contain these notes --- Yes, That Right
-- but in any key and every chord family. See my files on “re-Harm.”

http://www.chordmelody.org/doc/reharm.doc

For Example see my lesson/package on “Summertime” re-

harmonized on my site:

http://www.chordmelody.org/doc/Summertime

16) Invent 1- or 2- or 3-note inversion inventions on top or below the

melody (Counterpoint) ... this creates interest in the listener. Why?
because they are predicting the exact next note you "will be" playing - hear
my rendition of "Try A Little Tenderness" and listen to the inner voices
happening in the arrangement .... (I wish I had recorded it better....)

http://www.chordmelody.org/mp3/tryalittle.mp3

• See my file on “Counterpoint” at

http://www.chordmelody.org/doc/counterpoint.doc

17) Don't be afraid to temporarily linger in a harmonic -- could be chordal,

or two-note double-stops(diads), or triad exchange (or take a small
harmonic excursion in the key, pocket chords, etc.) into a lower or higher
inversion of the last chord you played under the melody.
• Like playing a little chordal exchange to the next melody note.

• For example, say the melody is a whole note “B” on top of G7

harmony. Play your chosen harmony say for a quarter or more note value
on the B, but then move to a lower G713 to G7+5 – and then to the next
melodic exchange.

• Many players are afraid to do this because they think they are
"killing" the melody, or changing the tune, or losing the listener. Listen
about the listener: many folks don't even know the melody, they'll think

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what you're playing is part of the tune anyway. I consider it part of
“educating” the uneducated audience.

18) Move parts of chords up or down to next resolution when & wherever
possible while maintaining integrity of the melody – you can “echo” the
melody if unreachable during counter movement.

Listen again, lots of players think CM is just putting notes (Blocking chords)
on top of chords, but, as you can see, the mastery goes way beyond that it
is not "LIKE" composing -- it IS composing MUSIC. 

LIsten to Johnny Smith ... I consider him a master at it ... and Barry
Galbraith also.

Check out all 5 of Rob Yelin’s Chord Melody Books available at

Amazon.com