internalizing harmonic colors

Here we continue to examine the chordal resources created from within the equal temper system and apply them to the various styles of American music. Internalizing the harmonic resources essentially revolves around figuring out what each of us needs to get our ideas across and to practice those elements to internalize them, then expand from there as our abilities evolve. Perhaps the easiest way to initially define these elements is by examining and learning ( if possible ) the songs we love within a particular style of music. As we discover what we dig in a song, exploring the theory of those elements helps us internalize the chordal colors and potentially expand outward from there in other creative ways. The discussions on this page focus on tertian harmony or chords built in thirds, look to the quartile colors for another chord building option.

Thinking style, as a jazz player, I want to have all of the chords in all the keys, extended into the upper color tones of their arpeggios. Jazz players might think in terms of chord type, often substitute one chord for another and often employ various artistic techniques to work the harmonic magic. Blues players dig the blue colors, thus blues chords are mostly of the dominant 7th family or minor 7th chords, often played in principle guitar keys such as E, A and G, using the principle One, Four and Five chords from within one key. The rockers tend to simplify the blues chords into triads or just 5th's, as some of the more modern, electric distortion sounds are best articulated with the simplest groupings of pitches. The key of E is often the key of choice for rockers as it relates well to the open strings of the guitar and with the movable chord forms, all of the keys are easily accessible. In telling our stories in the folk traditions of the American peoples, we often use open chords on a guitar, thus, mostly diatonic triads with the occasional 7th chord, usually within the range of a couple of keys. Pop artists most often use colors from the full spectrum of diatonic harmony and modulate to closely related keys for variety and building climaxes.

So in regards to the internalization of the harmonic colors, if you want to play more bluesy, add a few blues notes to your chords. Sound more jazzy, look to adding additional color tones to your existing colors. Sound more primitive, eliminate the 3rd of your chords, try just the root and 5th. Create traditional folk harmony, look to the triads. Ever considered your musical big picture? Here is a chart locating the kinds of chords commonly used in creating the popular American styles.

Variations on the above categories? Endless. Can we borrow chords from one style and place into another? Totally. As this is a reasonably large topic, this page is quite long. Here are a few bookmarks to help dial in potential areas of interest for the reader.

Folk chords, major / minor triads. Starting with the major and minor pentatonic colors, common practice in American music is to support pentatonic melodies with chords created from the pitches of the major / relative minor scale. Here is a major pentatonic melody backed by the principle triads from the major scale. Have you ever used the Roman numerals to designate the chords? Example 1.

This next idea is created from the minor pentatonic group of pitches and our chords created from the natural minor scale. Example 1a.

Very straight ahead theoretically. Adding a tritone color to the pentatonic colors, the major scale and the minor blues scale evolve. Example 2.

The major scale / Ionian mode is by far and away the most popular of the melodic resources with which we create our harmony. So, chords come from scales right? This next idea simply harmonizes the pitches of the major scale. Example 2a.

Sound familiar? It should, the vast majority of American music is based on these 7 diatonic triads. Other chord colors? Chord progressions? For new learners, are you cool with the morphing of scales into arpeggios into chords? Same pitches, different configurations.

So what chords are essential to folk players? Well, a common place to start is with the open chords on guitar, find a good vocal key for the range of your voice and explore the One, Four and Five chords in that key. Develop a strumming pattern you dig and maybe a fingerpicking sequence to change textures in your accompaniment. If your singing is more important than your playing, simply get a capo to change the key of the instrument, while retaining the same chord shapes.

Blues chords. In working with the traditional minor blues scale and playing blues in the major tonality, a rather unique situation occurs whereby the pitches of the scale create the minor tonality while the chords are major. Compare the scale pitches and chords generally used to create the One / Four / Five 12 bar blues in the major tonality. Thinking C blues, compare the scale and chord pitches. Example 3.

As we can see from the above chart, it's common for the blues chords to be based on a major triad while the overall scale color is minor. Thus, essentially a dominant chord type or  V 7 type, these blues chords contain the tritone interval between the 3rd and 7th chord degrees. Common blues chord extensions include the 9th, #9 and 13. Compare the sounds. Example 3a.

Pretty cool huh? Perhaps add these colors to your blues palette in your favorite keys. Oh, hip to the term voicing? That the same pitches of a chord can be reconfigured into different voicings, each with their own unique hue of color and way of fitting in?

In the minor blues, the pitches are a bit closer in terms of scales becoming chords, although using a major triad / dominant type chord for the Five ( V 7 ) is again very common, To create this Five 7 chord, we have to borrow a pitch outside of both the minor blues scale and the natural minor scale, where we get the majority of pitches to create or chords. Here is a chart looking at the pitches. Example 3b.

The B natural is the leading tone in the key of C major and is not generally accepted as one of the blue notes, although common practice uses this leading tone in the creation of the major triad within the Five chord G 7, in both the minor or major tonalities. Augmenting the 5th of the Five chord helps firm up the tonal direction towards minor. Here are the pitches of the above chart in action. Example 3c.

Even though the pitches of the blues chords are different from the blues scale, the essential pairing of the two influence all of the popular styles of American music. Click blues chords to survey more of the possibilities. Are the blues colors at the heart of the American sounds? Could very well be.

As within the major tonality, building triads on each of the scale degrees of the natural minor scale provide the bulk of the chords we use to create the harmonies when telling our stories in the minor environment. Example 3d.

Common enough eh? Other progressions? Other minor chordal colors?  Are you hip to the "relativity" between the major and minor tonalities?

In evolving the natural minor scale to include the leading tone, we create from within equal temper what is known as the harmonic minor scale. Compare the pitches. Example 3e.

From the above chart, we can see that by raising the 7th degree of the natural minor group, the harmonic minor emerges. So not only do we create a dominant 7th chord based on a major triad, but a fully diminished 7th chord emerges also. Here is a chart extracting these chords from the harmonic minor group of pitches. Example 3f.

Hip to the theory of the diminished chord structure? Perhaps you are familiar with it's ability to resolve to multiple tonics? Basically from here on out the theory gradually increases in complexity and the colors created are essentially within the domain of American jazz music.

Diminished colors. Mainly found within the jazz literature, the diminished color enjoys a wide spectrum of applications. The following ideas for internalizing the sound of the diminished chord sketch out two of the more common ways we use the color in creating the various American styles. First examined is as a passing chord inserted between diatonic motions within common chord progressions and then discovering the diminished color within the V7b9 chord, exploring it's symmetry and resolving properties.

A very common chord progression found in many jazz standards is to use the fully diminished chord as passing chord between tonic harmony ( I maj 7 ) and Two chord harmony (ii-7), commonly referred to as the sharp One diminished ( # i dim 7 ). This harmonic situation is an integral part of rhythm changes, a common jazz form of the 1930's and 40’s most recently picked up by the rockabilly stars. When soloing, strong improvisers will substitute this color into their chordal and melodic ideas, whether written or not, to create a greater sense of energy and forward motion in their lines. In the following idea we create a melodic idea from the major scale group, move into the diminished color creating tension, then move back to our parent scale diatonic pitches completing the phrase. Example 4.

Push this # i dim 7 motion through all twelve keys. This will help get the pitches of the color under your fingers in a clearly defined, resolving format. A cool and simple way to generate more excitement and forward motion in our lines, guitar players have a way easy diminished scale and chord shape to blister.

If this diminished thing is so cool going to the Two chord, which is minor, can the sharp one ( # 1 ) diminished color slide us from tonic to Two major, from C# diminished into D major? So it seems to be, C# is the leading tone of D major yes? Here is a shedding sequence chart for the sharp one diminished color moving by half steps. Example 4a.

Here is the sounds of the above chart. Example 4b.

click the icon for a practice loop of the above sequence with the scales.
same loop, you add the melodic lines.
how Bird, Trane, Diz and Miles did it.

Getting through the above shedding format is a rather difficult operation, even for seasoned players, but not impossible by any means "and the rewards to those who shed will know no bounds" ( biblical quote ). Need a melodic approach for the above charts?

Are there any other close relatives of the sharp one diminished color? Once the triads are under our fingers, the next level of mastery would be to create one motif or idea and filter it through the above key / color scheme. Perhaps a more extended arpeggiated figure or simple scalar idea might be a good way to start.

We occasionally find from within the literature the diminished color between the Two and Three chords in the major tonality. Same melodic approach as above. Example 4d.

Isn't D# diminished the same as Eb diminished? Right. And isn't Eb diminished the same as C diminished? Right again. Is there another way to use this relationship? You bet, players call it "common tone diminished" and oftentimes use this positioning of the diminished color within the major tonality to extend the tension just a wee bit longer before resolving. Does arpeggiating the pitches of a chord give a clear representation of it's color and properties? Is there any other way for horn players, or any single line instrument for that matter, to play chords? Example 4e.

Cool huh? Not all that common in the written literature, but something a player might substitute into a ballad whatever. Using the common tone diminished color is a cool way to delay the resolution and milk a phrase a phrase just a wee bit more.

As a way to shed these chordal colors, try moving back and forth between a major chord shape and a diminished chord with the same root pitch, try a minor triad to diminished and back with the same root etc. Should horn players play a bit of a chordal instrument, piano, guitar etc.? Absolutely. No better way to get a feel of the harmony than to get in there and try to do it.

A similar situation of using the diminished chord as a passing color often occurs in a jazzier realization of the 12 bar blues form. A common substitution utilizing the fully diminished seventh scale and chord shapes are found following the Four chord ( IV 7 ) of bar six in a twelve bar blues form. This chord is generally known as the sharp Four diminished seventh ( # iv dim 7 ) but which is also theoretically the tonic, One or common tone diminished coloring as used above. Really? Yep. The key is the tritone interval relationship between tonic and # 4. Here is a chart of the pitches. Example 4f.

See how each of the paired pitches are a tritone ( 2 minor 3rd's ) apart? Ah, the beauty of the symmetrical colors! Here we use the diminished color on the # 4 and # 1 degrees to accelerate the motion towards the last phrase within a 12 bar blues. Example 4g.

Can we run scales over these chords? Of course, we do it all here. Example 4a.

In the last examples, we simply ran the diminished arpeggio or scale over the diminished chord with the same root pitch. Thinking from the root of the chord is a sure way to go and brings forth the jazz mantra of anything from anywhere. In thinking of passing diminished chords, do you know of any root position passing diminished chords commonly used in the minor tonality? Any ideas? Click here to view this cool blues substitution in action as found within a jazz / blues solo.

So, in regards to internalizing the diminished chord color on your palette, do you see a need for it in the music you play? Can you hear the possibility of subbing in the color as done in the last few ideas, even if it is not written into the chord changes of songs you play? So, whether needed at present or not, maybe try to get one diminished scale and a diminished chord voicing under your fingers, ya just never know when it might come in handy.

Depending on the who, what, when, where and why of your music, these next ideas can become a theoretical "kaboom" in getting to the next level of theoretical understanding, begin to open the door towards polytonality and create an advancing merger between the 12 keys and the major and minor tonalities.

V 7b9 diminished chord. A second common application of the diminished chord from within the jazz library is found with the V 7b9 chord ( dominant 7th flat 9 ), which contains a fully diminished 7th chord starting from it's third chord degree. Click diminished studies for more of the theory. Here we isolate the fully diminished chord with G 7. Example 5.

Same ideas as above but in the minor tonality. Example 5a.

The multiple resolving properties of the diminished color create some interesting possibilities in both the major and minor tonal environments. Based on these resolving properties, can we use the one diminished chord to smoothly move into four different major keys? Perhaps four minor keys? Of course, but you knew that eh? No? Oops, sorry, click diminished studies for the theory.

Thinking that there are multiple tonics associated with the diminished colors, here is a format for shedding the fully diminished seventh scale and associated colors and resolving them into their various tonal centers, using the inherent tension and release found in the structure of the basic Two / Five / One chord progression. Due to the symmetrical construction of the diminished scale, the potential resolutions include the tonic major and minor of the V 7b9 chord being employed, as well as the major and minor tonics up or down intervals of the minor third. These possible resolutions become manifest due to the various tritone convergence possibilities contained within the symmetrical minor 3rd diminished construction, the basis of the fully diminished seventh color. Again, review the theory in diminished studies if necessary. In chart form, the multiple resolving properties of the diminished color as found within the V 7b9 chord starting with C major. Example 5b.

So in theory, the one diminished chord created in the upper structure of G 7b9 potentially contains the leading tones to resolve to all of the key centers listed above? Minor 3rd apart right? Right, a minor 3rd apart. That's what the kaboom thing is all about. Run the three diminished scales C, Db and D to their appropriate four major and minor tonics. Example 5c.

Notice how the pitches of the C diminished chord are respelt to theoretically spell the V 7b9 chords for each of the four resolving key centers? Even respelt, the diminished chord sounds the same right? That's the coolness, one chord shape, four keys, very cool n'est pas?

Nice chordal runs can be created moving the above shape around in minor thirds. Here is a common lick based on this idea. In the modern day sense of today, this following diminished run is a bit cliché, but it does have it's place, both historically and in helping emerging artists utilize the color. Gradually we will "hipify" this sequence by softening the diminished chord towards a more polytonal sound, but for all practicable purposes, this is an easy way to start with the color.

In G major, play the following shapes in the order presented and enjoy the delayed resolution, building tension and generally cool sound. In G major moving, moving diminished chords over the D dominant pedal, thus creating D 7b9 colors converging towards G major. Example 5d.

Using the various spellings of a Db diminished chord in the above fashion. Are we simply taking each of the 4 pitches of the chord, treating them as leading tones and resolving to the 4 key centers they gravitate towards? Yep. Example 6.

Notice the different voicings of the diminished chords in the last idea? Using the D diminished scale in the above fashion and revoicing the chords to put the leading tone in the lead. Example 7.

Here we apply the same resolving ideas as in the previous example with the addition of a diatonic Two chord ( ii - 7 ) prior to sounding the diminished chord and resolving. We'll run the same D diminished chord over G7b9, Bb 7b9, Db 7b9 and E 7b9 in the following ideas. Example 8.

Dig the sounds? Very common in the jazz vocabulary. Recreate the above format for the minor tonality as well as running the C and Db diminished scales through this filter. Is there a ton of shedding here or what? Can we can "mix and match" these diminished routes to get to each of the tonic destinations? Of course, they form the basic framework for dominant chord substitution, click tension cells for the theory.

Lets pick one of the Two / Five possibilities from above and resolve it to it’s for different tonics. Each of the following choices potentially may become very common in your approach, depending on your artistic tastes and direction. "Softening" the flat nine / diminished color to other hues is also very common with these four different dominant root motions. These first four examples use the same Two chord and dominant seventh flat nine moving to four different keys. In the next group we’ll "artistically" shape each voicing depending on the tonal center we’re approaching. Example 7.

Example 7a. Perhaps somewhat moderne eh?

Example 7b. The definitive tritone sub.

Example 7c. The ever cool "b7" dominant to tonic.

Here are the above ideas artistically "softened" and revoiced for a smoother resolution. What is happening here is we are using the multiple resolving properties of the diminished color as discussed above and simply looking for ways to soften the diminished sounds to create smoother resolutions. This first idea is pretty straight ahead. Example 7d.

Here we use the blue notes to color the dominant chord as if we were approaching the minor tonality in C. Hip to the relationship between C minor and Eb major? Example 7e.

Example 7f. Note chromatic line in top voice.

Example 7g. Note common tone in top voice.

Is this the theory from which most of the common jazz substitutions emerge? Pretty much. Although I got a bit ahead of myself with the previous substitutions, I feel it is important to see the possibilities created by the fully diminished chord’s resolutions even if the dominant chord employed does note contain the fully diminished chord in it’s upper structure or the Two chord comes from another key center. We are basically "breaking the rules", ( if there really are any rules anyway ), to create new combinations based on what the dominant seventh flat nine potentially provides, i.e., resolution to four different tonics. Click diminished proof for details. Would using a diatonic Two chord of the resolving key be cool with the above choices? Absolutely, we'll make this adjustment in our ideas when we start our return to a more diatonic approach in creating our harmonic lines of tonal convergence.

In regards to internalizing these softened diminished colors, the idea is to simply explore what the theory says is possible, then experiment with these possibilities looking for coolness. When a cool idea emerges, advancing players will want to run the idea through the 12 major and minor key centers to lock in the idea. Cool with this? Here is a chart and potential exercise for shedding the V 7 b9 color to the 12 major key centers. Example 7h.

Nice looping of pitches eh? No matter how we shake it down, this equal tempered system is so very cool. And if C# diminished moves to D and F, are there other keys as well? Here is the sounds of the above chart. Example 7i.

click the icon for a practice loop of the above sequence with the scales.
same loop, you add the melodic lines.
how Bird, Trane, Diz and Miles did it.

Getting through the above shedding format is a rather difficult operation, even for seasoned players, but not impossible by any means "and the rewards to those who shed will know no bounds" ( biblical quote ). Need a melodic approach for the above charts?

Now continuing along with the internalization of the fully diminished chord concepts ...

A close associate to sharp One diminished seventh ( #1 dim 7 ) is the dominant seventh flat nine ( V7b9 ) built on the Sixth degree of the major scale, which oftentimes is used in a similar fashion. Compare the following ideas. Example 8.

Example 8a.

By crunching down the letter names we find the same fully diminished seventh chord in both the sharp One diminished ( #1 ) and dominant seventh flat nine ( V7b9 ) built on the Sixth degree of the major scale. Example 8b.

Exact same pitches eh ...? Except the root of course. So the # One dim 7 and the Six 7b9 can function the same way? So why one or the other? Basically it comes down to musical styles and how the bass line of the tune "tells the story" of the song. The sharp One motion is sleeker, thus potentially faster and a stronger accelerator for the line. Walking the bass line from tonic down to Six is very classic in the ballad, Gospel, blusier settings generally. Is it all a matter of style and taste? Tis is indeed ... for the pitches are the same no ...?

With this in mind and following along the above theoretical lines, with the musical construction of the diminished sounds being a closed loop of minor thirds, a unique and important consideration emerges with regard to the doubling up of the Two / Five progression into the non-diatonic grouping of the Three / Six / Two / Five chord progression, a very common harmonic motion found in jazz standards as well as many of the styles of American. Two basic possibilities emerge relating the above Three / Six / Two / Five with the minor third interval of the diminished chord.

In comparing the Three / Six component to the Two / Five, we realize that the component parts potentially have an identical construction, i.e., a Two chord type moving to a Five chord type which are located a whole step apart. For example, in creating the non-diatonic Three / Six / Two / Five in the key of C major, we can arrive at the following chords. Example 8c.

The minor third interval is dividable into whole steps and half steps yes? With this in mind, is moving a particular diminished chord or scale up or down a whole step the equivalent of moving that same group down or up a half step? Confused? Let's add a flat nine to each of our Five chords above, to create the diminished seventh chord in it's upper structure, spell out the letter names of the chords then crunch it all down. Example 8d.

To restate our question, is the diminished chord and scale found within the G 7 b9 located a whole step below A 7 b9, equivalent to the diminished chord and scale found a half step above the A 7 b9, namely Bb 7 b9? Let's spell out the Bb 7 b9 chord and compare pitches. Example 8e.

Glancing between the pitches of the G 7 b9 and the Bb 7 b9 chords reveal an identical grouping of pitches. These pitches are a minor third apart and comprise the fully diminished seventh chord found within the upper structure of any V 7b9 chord. In regard to our Three / Six / Two / Five progression, with the inclusion of a flatted ninth to our dominant chords, the common pitch relationship between dominant seventh flat nine chords ( V7b9 ), a minor third apart, creates a situation where our possible choices now include moving up a half step from Three / Six. Thus, our original chord progression evolves. Example 8f.

In terms of moving things around, this can become very handy for the advancing jazz artist. Example 8g.

Moving the other way creates a more diatonic option towards C major. Example 8h.

Where can we sub in this double Two / Five convergence motion? Well, like most options, just about anywhere. Perhaps the key is ... "but can we still sing our lines?" For those so inclined, check out the harmonic motion of John Coltrane’s essential "Moments Notice." As so often happens in the playing, how a player realizes the written music is the basis of their sound and artistic signature, so, cool to sub in a double Two / Five when only a diatonic Two / Five is written? Totally, it's all a matter of making it work. Oftentimes the same idea is simply cycled into a more complex harmonization. Of course, charting things out with the other players in the group is helpful, but not always mandatory to still make good, spontaneous "go for it" music.

So ... did Trane exhaust the the Two / Five. then the Three / Six / Two / Five prompting this "evolution" based on the diminished theory ...? I think so. Was there something after this "double" Two / Five in Tranes searching? Yep.

Altered dominant / softened diminished chords. Here we begin our return trip from the diminished colors back towards the diatonic world of the major / minor tonality. One of the coolest things about understanding the resolving properties of the diminished color as examined above and in the diminished proof is that we can apply these diminished chord resolving principles to other forms of dominant colors and basically follow the same pathways of convergence, creating not only different dominant chord's colortone configurations but most of the common chord substitutions . I like to call the possibilities "softened diminished colors", and while they do not contain the fully diminished 7th structure, they do contain similar tension creating elements for tonal convergence. Here we begin to invoke our artistic license, so totally at home in American jazz music.

Is this simply one approach to creating the altered dominant colors? Pretty much, I present things this way on this page to show the organic similarity and connectedness between the myriad of different altered dominant chord possibilities. For as we shall see in the following ideas, that one altered dominant chord is simply a different altered dominant with a different root pitch. Really? Believe it not, tis often the case.

Let's "soften" our fully diminished shape to create an "altered" dominant color. For example, using D diminished 7, the upper part of the G 7b9 chord, we can create a common altered dominant color by changing one pitch. Example 9.

This voicing is basically a dominant seventh flat 9 / thirteenth, V 7b9 / 13 and is created by simply raising the 5th of the chord up a whole step, breaking the diminished symmetry. Can this shape can be utilized in a similar fashion as did the fully diminished seventh, i.e., can we build this shape from flat two ( b2 ), major third ( maj 3 ), perfect fifth ( p.5 ) and flat seventh ( b7 ) of our dominant chord and resolve it to the associated tonics as done in the preceding examples above? Absolutely. This shape does not "perfectly invert" as does the fully diminished seventh chord due to it's asymmetrical construction. What are created are various altered dominant chords based on the pitch relationship between the various roots provided by the diminished magic. The following idea simply places the same upper part of the G 7 b9 / 13 chord over different roots in resolving positions to the keys of C, Eb, Gb, and A major. Example 9a.

Example 9b.

See the different color tones created for each of the four different dominant 7th chords using the exact same pitches as derived from G 7 b9 / 13? Some sound pretty awful huh? Lets add the diatonic Two minor seven chord to the above groups creating four Two-Five-One progressions using our pseudo diminished / altered dominant color, adjust some of the voicings to smooth out the voice leading and watch what happens. Example 9c.

Example 9d.

A bit smoother eh? Ah, the timbre of the midi digital! The idea here in regards to the internalization of the harmonic colors is to get a sense of how the process of generating altered dominant chords can happen. That not all of the possibilities created in this process are "show stopping golden", but that if in the experimenting part of the process you discover a convergence you dig, it's yours to keep, created by your own energies and good chance you understand it's emotional strengths and character in telling your stories as well as how it fits into the theoretical scheme of things.

Perhaps filter your discoveries through a half step lead in or larger pitch cycle, "grind" an idea through the other keys and you are working part of the magic in discovering your own thing, created by your own labors and further generating your own what if questions about the theory and the resources. And based on my own personal experience, this can be a very exciting place to hang out. Sorry about the preaching. I guess for me the discovery part of the process is the coolest part.

As this page is too long for the software to comfortably handle, click to continue this discussion with dominant 9th / 13th chords and onwards.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Lao tzu