"Tension" chords

Sonny Jenkins · From: Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx

Need some ideas for what I call close harmony,,,or tension chords,,,,jazz feel. Kinda like where the verse ends on a 5 chord and hangs for a couple of measures,,,,or like the nite life intro,,,,little 2 bar fills. This would be for C6,,,ACEGACEG (lo-hi)

Mike Neer · From: NJ

There are a lot of ways to approach it, but I will give you the simplest and most tension producing using major triads only.

Let's say that the song is in Eb and the V7 is Bb7: if you play the Bb major triad, it is nothing special. Go up a minor 3rd to Db major triad, and all of a sudden you are implying Bb7#9. Go up another minor 3rd to E major, and now you are implying Bb7b5b9. Go up a minor 3rd, you imply Bb13b9.

Of course, there are many other ways of doing it, but this is a start. You can also just figure out how to play simple diminished triads and moves those around in minor 3rds, starting with the Ddim triad within the Bb7 chord.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links

Sonny Jenkins · From: Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx

Hey Mike,,,I was hoping you,,,,or Doug would jump in here,,,THAT'S GREAT!!! I don't suppose you could tab something (in my C6 tuning),,,like that dim thing,,,and maybe a few words about how and why those tension things work. Does your book address these things?

I even think a discussion on the nite life thing would be enlightening!!!

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Sonny, did you see my Night Life tab for C6?

Some tab for 8 string C6 (E C A G E C A F):

This is what it sounds like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUU1vlz7CV4
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links

Steve Knight · From: NC

I always thought of the Night Life changes as a I-VI-ii-V turnaround that has been modified with flat-5 substitutions, then the chord quality was changed, too. In the key of D:

D, B7, Em7, A7 is changed to:

D, F7, Bb7, Eb7

The root chord (D) is not changed. Theses are the flat-five chords:
B=F, Bb=E, A=Eb
You may also hear those called tritone substitutions.

I forget the theory behind why changing the quality (minor, major, etc) of those tritones still works but it sure sounds good.

Sonny Jenkins · From: Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx

Yeah Steve,,,that's the kind of discussion I was thinking of,,,,,seems like there is a lot of theory in that turn around that we could all use. Those kinds of things seem to fit in a lot of places. Like you say,,,not sure why,,,but it sounds good anyway.

Rob Fenton · From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The theory on the tritone substitution is that the interval of a tritone (that occurs between the 3rd and 7th of a 7th chord) retains it's relationship when inverted. It is exactly half an octave, and will still be half an octave upside down.

The third of A7 is C#, the seventh is G

The third of Eb7 is G, the seventh is Db (enharmonically C#)

Same notes, same tritone, different chords. Reharmonized with the guide-tones still the same.

Often in these substitute chord progressions you have to work backwards in analysing them. The rest of the chords turn out to be secondary dominants.

Eb7 is bII7 of D (tritone substitute for A7 - V7 of D)
Bb7 is V7 of bII7 of D
F7 is V7 of V7 of bII7 of D

That explains the switching of the flavour of the chords from minor to major. The original Em7 was iim7 of D, and not V7 of V7 of D, which would have been E7.

Now, if you're doing these sorts of substitutes in real time whilst playing, you are likely better off memorizing where to start. For example: Sub bIII7 over the VI7 in a 6-2-5 turnaround and go through the cycle from there.

I hope that helps,
Rob

Jean-Sebastien Gauthier · From: Quebec, Canada

When playing a VI-II-V-I I like playing a simple thing that create tension based on the tritone substitution.

With the C13 tuning, in the key of G I start on fret 4 with a E7 then lowering one fret over each chord changes.

---VI--II------V----I
---E7--A7b9--D7--G7b9
E
C
A
G--4---3-----2---1
E--4---3-----2---1
C
Bb-4---3-----2---1
C

Steve Knight · From: NC

Rob,

The one chord sub that I can't explain with theory is the Ebmaj7#11. I know I've played that sub in a bunch of tunes(Day of Wine & Roses, several Miles tunes), but can't tell you why it's used. The only "clue" I can recall is in a jazz guitar lessons 20 or 25 years ago is that a teacher told me that if you alter the substitute chords they actually become less dissonant. In other words, if you take an "outside" chord "more outside", you are actually moving back "inside" the home key.

If you look at the 2nd-to-last chord here, the tritone sub for A7 is Eb7. An Eb7 chord would have the notes: Eb G Bb Db

Ebmaj7#11, the changed tritone sub here, has Eb G Bb D and A. I think most voicings that people use leave out the Bb and don't play the implied 9th tone, F. This leaves you with Eg G D A. Those notes are a lot closer to the key of D, your target chord/home key.

There's a Miles tune (maybe more) that use this turnaround to C. All are major 7th chords: C Eb Ab Db and back to C. I don't recall if the #11 is added here or not.

Rob Fenton · From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Hi Steve,

In the case of Night Life intro, it seems as though the nature of the last two chords is due to voice leading. It sounds great to leave that A ringing on top for all of the chords.

A being the fifth of D
A being the third of F7
A being the Major seventh of BbMa7
A being #11 of Eb7#11

I don't know the case with the Miles Davis tune. It may have something to do with voice leading too, but generally all Maj7th and 7th chords that have an 11th use #11 instead of natural 11 to avoid the dissonance of a minor 9th interval between the third and natural 11.

It's true, with a tritone sub chord, it seems to also have the benefit of sounding more inside the key, if that's something you're looking for.

Cool thread. Fun to dust this stuff off, instead of obsessing over my bad right hand technique, and reshaping my fingerpicks for the thousandth time...

Steve Knight · From: NC

"instead of obsessing over my bad right hand technique, and reshaping my fingerpicks for the thousandth time..."

I hear you there.

Mike Neer · From: NJ

There are countless ways to substitute chords, but really it boils down to the bass movement, and in the case of Night Life, the pedal point in the melody, which is the A note. What is going on in the turnaround is Coltrane changes, like he used on Giant Steps.

Any quality of a chord can be used in tritone substitutions. There is so much material available in books about this, that I would rather refer you to that, but also when you hear something cool, figure it out! Listen to the bass notes, piecemeal the chord together.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links

Ed Mikenas · From: Virginia, USA

Sonny Jenkins · From: Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx

Hey Ed,,,now THAT is something to use!!!! Dumb question,,,,,are these all in C,,,,i.e. are the ones that start on "E" some sort of substitution?,,,or,,,are those actually in E?

Ed Mikenas · From: Virginia, USA

Hey Sonny,

All these changes are written in the key of C.
You would transpose each set of relationships to other keys as necessary. To answer your question - the E's in this case would build from the 3rd scale degree. The way I've written them an (E-7) would be an E minor 7th; spelled E G B D: the (-) implies a flatted 7th. Similarly an (E7) is an E dominant 7th chord with a flatted 7th or E G# B D. I spell each chord as if it starts on its own tonic. You can think of each chord in terms of a graph. The name of the chord lets you know how far horizontally you must travel from the tonic: Key of C is C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C. Then when you spell the chord, it's the notes make the chord vertically that you see on the staff
and each chord has its own little rule that determines its unique "sound."

Hope this helps.

All the best,

Ed

Sonny Jenkins · From: Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx

Hey thanks for that clarification Ed. I would have thought the (-) would imply a flatted 3rd,,,as in minor. I usually write E minor as E-??? Was that a typo?

Ed Mikenas · From: Virginia, USA

Dear Sonny,

There have been a number of different ways to show chord symbols with a keyboard over the years. Some folks use lower case letters for minor as in e-7. I just use the dash (-) as in E-7.
Hope this helps.

All the best,

Ed

Sonny Jenkins · From: Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx

Thanks Ed for this GREAT input,,,and ,,I see you are a recent member of the forum,,so,,let me offer a HUGE WELCOME!!!!

Ed Mikenas · From: Virginia, USA

Hey Sonny,

Thanks for the welcome!
My wife's from north of Dallas.

All the best,

Ed

Stefan Robertson · From: Hertfordshire, UK

C7 / F7 / C7 / C7 /
F7 / Fâ™¯dim7 / C7 / Em7 - A7 /
Dm7 / G7 / Em7 - A7 / Dm7 - G7 //

or

F7 / Bb7 Bdim / F7 / Cm7 F7 /
Bb7 / Bdim / F7 / D7 /
Gm7 / C7 / F7 / Gm7 C7 /

and

http://www.jazzguitar.be/II-V-I-VI-chord-progressions.html
_________________
Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com

"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist"

Sonny Jenkins · From: Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx

This thread deserves revival!!!!

Guy Cundell · From: More idle ramblings from South Australia

This may be helpful. I used to use it in the classroom. It is an evolution of the blues progression using increasingly complex substitutions and turnarounds. #18 is the modal approach of All Blues. I can't remember where it is from. One of Dan Hearle's piano books, I think.

Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

The steel guitar is limited chordwise somewhat by the bar, but you can get some cool chords by combining some open strings with barred notes to make maj7ths, sus4, diminished, augmented etc.

You will have to experiment with barring on the 1st or 2nd fret and playing one or two open strings at the same time. When you find something you like, figure out the chord name and what key it works with.

Then you simply have to play arrangements in that key to utilize those "tension" chords.

If you play with a vocalist that needs to sing in a certain key, then this probably won't work...

Dom
_________________
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYG9cvwCPKuXpGofziPNieA/feed?activity_view=3

Stefan Robertson · From: Hertfordshire, UK

Guy

You just posted the holy grail jam bebop straight ahead blues. THANKYOU

Blues in F. Finally. Going to work on it soon.
_________________
Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com

"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist"

Forum Index > Steel Without Pedals		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic