Sample Pages from the Linear Harmony Section of the Book
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_A Brief Introduction to Linear Harmony and Melodic Devices
Harmony is commonly thought of as the vertical aspect of music, but it should also be thought of as “time-sensitive” since it is always heard and interpreted in linear motion. A lot of modern music theory focuses on the static relationship between scales and chords and how they can overlap into chord-scales, but many graceful melodic phrases seem to “break the rules” (with the placement of chromatic tones, harmonic “anticipations”, and other devices that resolve over time) if they are taken out of their rhythmic contexts. Harmonic and melodic rhythms are somewhat elastic, and the listener is easily seduced by a confident musical delivery. It is important to be able to sense the interdependent relationships that melody, rhythm, and harmony have with one another. Developing this sense will allow you to manipulate each element to your advantage and say something articulate and expressive on your instrument.
Beyond the superficial layer of “this scale goes with that chord” lies a realm of melodic detail of which many lead guitarists are unaware. By targeting the choicest notes on the harmonically strongest beats, and outlining the underlying chords along the way, a guitar solo can become something far beyond an energetic running up and down of scales, or a recital of clichéd blues licks.
This introduction to “linear harmony” is based in the classic jazz tradition since many great jazz musicians innovated and elaborated on the models presented on the following pages. I am not, however, the kind of teacher to force strict jazz concepts on my students, so rest assured that these models are compatible with most contemporary genres. Playing harmonically specific lines is not something reserved only for advanced jazz players.
The following are some general tips for integrating harmonically specific lines into a piece of music through melodic improvisation or composition.
· Play the chord-scale changes and target the chord-tones (basic, extended, or superimposed). Resist the idea of “noodling” or using too many blues clichés, unless they produce the desired effect.
· Always get a deep sense of the underlying pulse of the song while interpreting the surface activity.
· Be aware of the “harmonic rhythm”. This means if there is a new chord every two beats, the harmonic rhythm is moving in half-notes; and if there is a new chord every four beats, the harmonic rhythm is moving in whole-notes, etc. The harmonic rhythm may change frequently throughout a piece of music.
· Be aware of the underlying song form and the amount of measures going by. Many songs have structures that are broken into four bar sets. Many rock songs are a series of four or eight bar riffs, traditional blues forms are twelve bars long, and many other popular song forms are sixteen or thirty-two bars long. It almost always helps to think in groups of fours and eights. Hypermeters are structured units that consist of more than one bar, such as these. Thinking in single measures is like watching your feet while you walk; you may accidentally stumble into what would have been an easily avoidable predicament.
· Be aware of the harmonically strongest beats. Usually the first beat in a measure is the strongest (the “down-beat”), but various syncopations can shift the heavy accents all over the place. In jazz, chords often change one-half beat (or more) ahead of the measure as “anticipations”. Either decide to play the choicest notes on the strongest beats, or develop a tasteful way of emphasizing weaker beats and placing unexpected accents on a given melodic line. A well-played series of accents can even suggest a superimposed meter.
· When choosing a “target note” (or “guide tone”) to place on the harmonically strongest beat, the 3rd of the chord is the first choice of many players (since the root is usually redundant, and the fifth is fairly nondescript). Assuming that the bassist (or accompanist) is playing a root in the bass register, as they often do, the harmonic relationship between the root and the 3rd describes the chord with the most clarity. Even if no chordal instrument is present, this intervallic combination sounds almost like the full chord. For example, an F note played over a D bass note sounds like D Minor, and a B note played over a G bass note sounds like G Major. Though the 3rd is often preferable, the other chord-scale tones are also available.
(Note: the actual printed and PDF E-Book pages are much higher quality than the samples below.)
Harmony is commonly thought of as the vertical aspect of music, but it should also be thought of as “time-sensitive” since it is always heard and interpreted in linear motion. A lot of modern music theory focuses on the static relationship between scales and chords and how they can overlap into chord-scales, but many graceful melodic phrases seem to “break the rules” (with the placement of chromatic tones, harmonic “anticipations”, and other devices that resolve over time) if they are taken out of their rhythmic contexts. Harmonic and melodic rhythms are somewhat elastic, and the listener is easily seduced by a confident musical delivery. It is important to be able to sense the interdependent relationships that melody, rhythm, and harmony have with one another. Developing this sense will allow you to manipulate each element to your advantage and say something articulate and expressive on your instrument.
Beyond the superficial layer of “this scale goes with that chord” lies a realm of melodic detail of which many lead guitarists are unaware. By targeting the choicest notes on the harmonically strongest beats, and outlining the underlying chords along the way, a guitar solo can become something far beyond an energetic running up and down of scales, or a recital of clichéd blues licks.
This introduction to “linear harmony” is based in the classic jazz tradition since many great jazz musicians innovated and elaborated on the models presented on the following pages. I am not, however, the kind of teacher to force strict jazz concepts on my students, so rest assured that these models are compatible with most contemporary genres. Playing harmonically specific lines is not something reserved only for advanced jazz players.
The following are some general tips for integrating harmonically specific lines into a piece of music through melodic improvisation or composition.
· Play the chord-scale changes and target the chord-tones (basic, extended, or superimposed). Resist the idea of “noodling” or using too many blues clichés, unless they produce the desired effect.
· Always get a deep sense of the underlying pulse of the song while interpreting the surface activity.
· Be aware of the “harmonic rhythm”. This means if there is a new chord every two beats, the harmonic rhythm is moving in half-notes; and if there is a new chord every four beats, the harmonic rhythm is moving in whole-notes, etc. The harmonic rhythm may change frequently throughout a piece of music.
· Be aware of the underlying song form and the amount of measures going by. Many songs have structures that are broken into four bar sets. Many rock songs are a series of four or eight bar riffs, traditional blues forms are twelve bars long, and many other popular song forms are sixteen or thirty-two bars long. It almost always helps to think in groups of fours and eights. Hypermeters are structured units that consist of more than one bar, such as these. Thinking in single measures is like watching your feet while you walk; you may accidentally stumble into what would have been an easily avoidable predicament.
· Be aware of the harmonically strongest beats. Usually the first beat in a measure is the strongest (the “down-beat”), but various syncopations can shift the heavy accents all over the place. In jazz, chords often change one-half beat (or more) ahead of the measure as “anticipations”. Either decide to play the choicest notes on the strongest beats, or develop a tasteful way of emphasizing weaker beats and placing unexpected accents on a given melodic line. A well-played series of accents can even suggest a superimposed meter.
· When choosing a “target note” (or “guide tone”) to place on the harmonically strongest beat, the 3rd of the chord is the first choice of many players (since the root is usually redundant, and the fifth is fairly nondescript). Assuming that the bassist (or accompanist) is playing a root in the bass register, as they often do, the harmonic relationship between the root and the 3rd describes the chord with the most clarity. Even if no chordal instrument is present, this intervallic combination sounds almost like the full chord. For example, an F note played over a D bass note sounds like D Minor, and a B note played over a G bass note sounds like G Major. Though the 3rd is often preferable, the other chord-scale tones are also available.
(Note: the actual printed and PDF E-Book pages are much higher quality than the samples below.)