augmented dominant seventh colors

Of the three chord types, does the dominant or Five chord type have the greatest potential for variation of color, augmented or otherwise? Could very well be. Why? Well, if the Five chord is most often expected to create some kind of tonal instability or musical tension, perhaps listeners we can accept a wider range of different varieties of instability, as long as the stability to which the dominant resolves remains reasonably clear? Even in American blues, where the basic "default" tonic environment is based in the dominant color, Five chord tension possibilities seem to outnumber stable tonic choices. In writing tunes, why is the need to create a sense of tonal center stability still necessary to tell our stories?

In adding the augmented color to dominant chords, our choices closely resemble the tonic chord possibilities of + 5 and # 11, the key difference here is blue 7th associated with dominant harmony. Compare the following dominant seventh chords using the C major tonality as their basis, thus the roots of our dominant chords are G. Example 1.

Sound familiar? Dig the sound of these dominant augmented chords in bars 3 and 4? Let's spell out the pitches of the chords in example 1 and see what we've got going here. Example 1a. Cool with spelling dominant chords? 

Starting with the essential dominant 7th chord ( G 7 ) in bar 1, in the 2nd measure the fifth degree of the major triad is augmented by half step, creating the augmented triad, as designated in the written chord symbol, G 7 + 5. Continuing up into the upper structure of the arpeggio past the minor seventh, we add the ninth chord degree in bar 3, creating the cool funky and potentially essential dominant ninth chord. The presence of the ninth, in theory, "allows" us continue upward in the arpeggio to add the augmented 11th, as presented in the 4th bar of example 1, thus the chord symbol G 9 + 11. 

What is the interval relationship between the tonic G and augmented 11th pitch C #? Well, by removing the octave, the interval of a tritone emerges creating another common augmented chordal color, the V 7b5. Lets examine the pitches and see. Example 1b.

Great chord huh? Using the pitches of the G Mixolydian mode, the basis of dominant harmony within the major tonality, we can create it's arpeggio by simply ordering the pitches by 3rds? Yep, that's cool, but all of pitches in the arpeggio are not exactly the same as in the C major / G Mixolydian scale. Oh well. What's up with that? Compare the following possibilities and let your ear be the guide my friend. Example 1c.

Well? If you had to choose which chord is cooler or sounds "most correct" from the example above, which would it be? Au natural 11? Augmented 11? From a theoretical perspective, the dominant 9 + 11 color is perhaps more correct? As with tonic harmony, in chords of this dimension, the 11th is raised by half step to avoid the dissonance of the minor 9th, created between the third of the chord B and natural 11, C. Do we ever use the natural 11 in dominant harmony? You bet. We do everything here. The natural 11 is a popular coloring for both the dominant and Two chord harmony, though we call it the sus 4 chord or minor 11 respectively, and make the 3rd of the chord go away. Here we keep the third, defining the triad as major, with the blue 7th,so dominant, with the 9th for funky and # 11 for augmented coolness. Again the sound of V 7 b5 in action chromatically. Example 1d.

Pretty complex sound eh? Mostly for jazz music? Totally. Are you hip to sus 4 and minor 11th? Essential to most rockers, the "sus 4" creates that "epic feel" where rockers love to go. The minor 11 chord is potentially essential to players in all of the American popular styles. Even the Two / Five One cadential motion? Yep. So where does the C# come from?

Where can we organically derive the augmented colors from within equal tempered system? Well, from a couple of different sources. Let's look at the common dominant seventh augmented fifth ( G 7 + 5 ) color first. One way to view the diatonic construction of this chord is from either the harmonic minor or melodic minor scales. Let's build these scales using the root C and look for the pitches needed to create our chord ( G 7 + 5 ). Example 2.

So, G 7 + 5, extracting this chord from the chord spelling chart from example 2 above we see that this chord is created by combining the following pitches. Example 2a.

Easy enough huh? Can you see the pitches of the G 7 + 5 chord in both of the minor scales? Cool, no problem with the D# / Eb labeling? Exactly the same pitch, just enharmonic equivalents n'est pas? Lets hear these colors in action. Example 2b.

Do you dig the minor / major seventh tonic colors? Yes admittedly, a bit "out there" but they are diatonic to the melodic and harmonic groups and do have their coolness. Can we "borrow" this dominant color from it's above diatonic origins and place it into settings where it becomes non-diatonic to the pitches of the overall key center? As in perhaps the natural minor tonality, major scale etc.? Of course we can, we're theorists yes? Kidding aside, but to consciously "borrow" an element from one key and place it in another, i.e., to theoretically originate and place non-diatonic components within a diatonic environment is a big step forward on the evolutionary path of the player, composer / improviser. These borrowed elements become one important way to "spice up" our diatonic creations. In the following idea, we "borrow" the augmented dominant seventh chord and utilize it within the natural minor tonality. Example 2c.

Much better huh? A very common motion, especially in that the above idea utilizes the potential common tone relationship between the two voicings, i.e., the D# / Eb pitches in bars 10 and 11. Try running this last idea through all of the 12 minor keys at the piano, try using the cycle of fourths to organize the workout. Even though players have used this last combination of nondiatonic pitches for ever, knowing the theory is and where they come from is still cool.

Another organic source for the pitches to create the common augmented dominant seventh chord ( G 7 + 5 ) would be from the whole tone scale, whose root or tonic pitch is the same as the chord we are trying to create, thus, G 7 + 5  / G whole tone scale. Here are the pitches. Example 3.

Easy enough eh? Again the D# can easily be respelt to Eb, it's enharmonic equivalent. By the same token, we can respell the C# to Db and again create the common non resolving augmented V 7b5 color. Example 3a.

If we can build the chord from the scale, can we support a melodic idea with the chord? Like soloing over changes? You betcha. Let's try this combination of scale and chord, create a bit of tension then resolve, first to the minor and then the major tonalities. Example 3b.

Example 3c.

Is the whole tone scale new to you? Although it's construction is rather basic ( exclusively whole steps ), the musical properties of the whole tone scale color are pretty vast. Difficult if not impossible to disguise, multiple tonic resolving potential, it's ability to suspend and / or accelerate tonal gravity, all contribute to the whole tone's complexity and beauty. Look to the musical proof / whole tone discussion to continue it's examination. 

With a sense of where this augmented dominant chord is organically coming from, let's slip this color into a few favorite chord progressions. Perhaps the most common of any of the augmented colors, tonic or dominant, throughout all of the styles of American music, is the dominant seventh chord augmented fifth ( V 7 + 5 ). Common in both the major and minor tonalities, let's hear this cool and potentially important chordal color in action. Starting with the essential Two / Five / One harmonic motion, let's begin to place this augmented chord color within a tension / release format. Thinking C major, example 4.

Cool huh? The + 5 Eb pitch in the above G 7 + 5 chord, the minor 3rd of the key of C minor, creates a bit of a surprise and sets up a nice half step motion up to the major 3rd of the tonic chord. This is a very common motion between these colors. Check out "Cherokee" by Ray Noble and Duke Ellington's "Prelude To A Kiss" to hear the V 7 + 5 color in 2 / 5 action. 

In the minor tonality, we find the V 7 + 5 chord in a very similar role. Thinking 2 / 5 / 1 in C minor, example 4a.

Nice motion eh? Very common for the seasoned jazz artist. Note the minor third blue note Eb common tone pitch between the Five, One and flat Two chords, so essential to the minor tonality. Are you hip to and cool with the sound of the flat Two major nine chord ( bII maj 9 ) used in bar 32? A reasonably common chord substitution in the minor tonality, especially at the end of a chorus. Check out the cool minor blues in Stanley Turrentine's contribution "Suger", where the flat Two color is oh so hip and powerful.

Let's explore using this augmented dominant color on the other diatonic scale degrees, i.e., One, Two, Three, Four, Six and Seven and see where the augmented color can take us. For example, we commonly hear this cool color setting up the harmonic motion between One and Four. Thinking C major, example 4b.

Sound familiar? In theory, our C 7 + 5 is perhaps more accurately described as V 7 of IV, implying an authentic cadence but in reality a temporary modulation to Four, the subdominant? However viewed and understood, we can find this coloring in most styles of American music. Building the same augmented dominant color on the third scale degree of the major scale, the Three chord, we can achieve a similar motion to Four. Example 4c.

"Someday My Prince Will Come" by Frank Churchill uses the above motion perfectly. A common alternative to the above idea is to use the augmented Three chord to move into the relative minor key. Let's do that. Example 4d.

Altering the Two chord to this augmented dominant color, we can easily modulate to the dominant of our tonic key, to either the major or minor tonality. Example 4e.

Example 4f.

In creating a cycle of keys that modulate down by whole steps, morphing the diatonic Four chord into an augmented dominant color sets up this motion nicely. Example 4g.

Check out the bridge in "Cherokee", John Lewis's "Afternoon In Paris", Charlie Parker's "Ornithology" for cool tunes using a similar descending key scheme. 

Altering the Six chord to include this cool dominant color, we find the very common cadential motion of the One / Six / Two / Five found in oh so many places within the many styles of American music. Example 4h.

Used commonly within the body of a tune as well as a very common improvised intro, check out the following bass line. Example 4i. 

Sound familiar? In so many of our common chord progressions, we simply move away from the tonic then cycle back by fourths. Examine the bass line of the classic jazz standard "My One And Only Love." We can alter the diatonic Seven chord with the augmented dominant color and easily slip into the minor tonality via the diatonic Three chord. Example 4j.

Pretty slick color eh? This V 7 + 5 can effectively go in lots of different directions. In common practice, this dominant color can find it's way into virtually any cadential motion, whether in non-diatonic chord progressions, cycle of fourths type progressions, chord cadence, vamps whatever. 

What about the dominant seventh augmented 11th chord ( V 7 + 11, V 9 + 11)? This is a very handy color with a rather cool and unusual "wholetonish" sound. As stated above when initially theorizing about the augmented sounds, "the presence of the ninth chord degree "allows" us continue upward in the arpeggio to add the augmented 11th pitch." Is there a way to organically derive this group from within equal temper? No. not really... What? Caught me, sorry. One way we can derive and build this color is from the "Lydian flat seven group of pitches." What group of pitches? Lydian flat seven. Your hip yes? Cool. No? Well, let's hip you to this important melodic / chordal color of the modern improvising musician. 

The Lydian mode is created within the major scale yes? Which scale degree? Right, upon the fourth degree of the major scale we find the Lydian mode. The "b7" of the name simply implies to lower the seventh degree of the mode. Easy enough eh? Let's create a handy chart and distill the "Lydian b7 color" as described in the above verbiage. Example 5.

So, from the pitches of the D major scale, we reconfigure the intervals to create the G Lydian mode, then simply flat the seventh scale degree by half step. Vwala, "Lydian b7." Cool with the above theoretical procedure? Click modes to update your cognitive abilities in this process. Let's create the arpeggio of this group of pitches and find our dominant ninth augmented eleventh chord ( V 9 + 11 ). Example 5a.

Presto, our dominant seventh augmented eleventh chord, based on the root G appears. Note how the # 4 ( b5 ) / +11 are the same pitch. However labeled, all of these possibilities create a tritone interval from the root of the scale, i.e., G to C# / Db etc. essentially creating the dominant chord type. Let's auralize the above chart. Example 5b.

In common practice, must the ninth chord degree always be present within the chord to utilize the +11 color? Nope. We often find this dominant color in the literature as a V 7 +11, V 7 # 11, V 7 b5 etc. By omitting the ninth chord degree, we slightly reduce the polytonal properties of the chord, leaving one major triad as the basis of it's tonal gravity. So, depending on one's artistic needs... So why is this Lydian b7 scale potentially so hip? Well, mainly for it's polytonal properties contained within a reasonably stable color. There are two pairings of tritones for within the group, B to F and G to C#. Also, two different dominant seventh chords within the one arpeggio, G 7 and A 7. We can also locate a melodic minor scale as one of it's modes. Pretty hip huh?

From the literature, we find this dominant seventh augmented eleventh ( V 7 + 11 ) color on all of the diatonic pitches of a chosen key center, as recreated in the examples 4a through 4j. We can also view any of the diatonic pitches of the chosen key center as the # 11 pitch, then build a this V 7 + 11 chord underneath it, so that this chosen pitch becomes the augmented 11th of the chord. Why would we want to do this? To view the elements from this perspective can expand our art dramatically and help to create unique arrangements of songs, to harmonize a familiar melody in potentially new and exciting ways, to better control and shape the forces of tonal gravity. Can we use this approach with other chord types? Of course. Mmm...? Curious about this? Click harmonizing melodies to go there now.

Moving back to the theory of the dominant 9th augmented 11th chord, perhaps charting out this relationship between pitch and chord will help clarify the process just described. Example 6.

So, the pitch C is the +11 pitch within a Gb 9 + 11 chord. The pitch D is the +11 pitch within a Ab 9 + 11 chord etc. Cool with this? Also, interesting that pairing the pitch C with it's tritone Gb 7 + 11 chord is reversed when we pair the pitch Gb with the C 7 + 11 chord n'est pas? Let's hear the sound of the above chart, we are in one sense simply harmonizing the pitches of the C major scale, making each diatonic pitch the +11 degree of the chord. Example 6a.

Perhaps needless to say, we can support any of the 12 pitches of the chromatic scale in a similar fashion. Sorry to get so far off the track in the last few paragraphs, but the V 7 + 11 color is a potential polytonal window, which we just used above to enter into a way of viewing the relationship between pitches / scales with chords / chord type, which depending on your artistic direction, can dramatically expand one's palette and ability to reshape tonal gravity. Covering all the bases? Well, any opportunity to project the theory discussions into the polytonal world

So, where can we use this combination of V 7 + 11 colors? Well, when thinking chromatically, just about anywhere. From the literature we can extract some important positionings of this unique color within common chord progressions. Thinking C major, this first idea uses dominant seventh augmented 11 color from flat Two, making it a tritone substitution. A what? A tritone sub. Check it out. Example 6b.

Note the common tone G in the lead of the above example. Rogers and Hart's essential "My Funny Valentine" and John Coltrane's loving "Naima" employ the above harmonic possibilities.

Another reasonably common position for this color is on the second scale degree of the major tonality, creating an altered Two chord. Example 6c.

Really a Five of Five or secondary dominant chord, this above harmonic motion provides the basis for the main theme of Billy Strayhorn's jazz standard, "Take The A Train." Also "Desafinado" by A. C. Jobim is a popular tune using the exact same harmonic motion as in example 4d above.

Flat seven within the major tonality is a favored position for this unique dominant color. Here we create a bluesy vamp using the pitch E as a common tone between the tonic and flat Seven chords. Example 6d.

John Coltrane's "Lazybird," "A Night In Tunisia" by Dizzy Gillespie and Vernon Duke's classic "I Can't Get Started", among many, use this popular positioning of this unique and cool dominant color.

Can we create a cycling of chords using this augmented color? Sure, why not. Here is the ever popular Two / Five cell placed within the cycle of fourths. Example 6e.

Check the Wes Montgomery's "Four On Six" to see a similar cycling in action. What's next? Perhaps look to the musical proof / whole tone discussion to continue the examination of the augmented chords?

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Albert Einstein (1879-1955)