Voicing Modes - 2nd edition Revised & updated Etudes in Standard notation & TAB

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2 Voicing Modes Voicing Modes - 2nd edition Revised & updated Etudes in Standard notation & TAB Copyright 201, 201 by Noel Johnston All Rights Reserved Second Edition First Printing: September, 201 Second Edition: December, 201 ISBN Front cover and other image credits: Adobe Stock images and Noel Johnston Constellation: Cassiopeia Chord shape: (All-purpose F Melodic Minor voicing) Ab Maj##11 but works with various other roots in F Melodic Minor; Ealt, B b #11, etc. (and it also works over C Harmonic-Major) Thanks: To my wife and kids for letting me take the time to do this. To my friends, Mark Cuthbertson, Mark Lettieri and Dan Haerle for giving suggestions and feedback. To Emanuel Schmidt for catching some typos. To my students at the University of North Texas and Lone Star Music Academy on whom I have inflicted many of these ideas. To 2

3 Voicing Modes Contents Introduction 1 Functional vs Modal voicings 2 British food, French food, Indian food Adaptable modal voicings 1, b 2,, Phrygian Phrygian Etudes , 2,, b Aeolian" 1 Aeolian Etudes ,,, Magic th 2 Magic th Etudes Modal becoming Functional Diminished 0 Diminished Etudes Tune examples for advanced bracketing & modal reharmonization 0 Stella by Starlight 2 All the Things You Are Giant Steps Blue Bossa 0 Reference Material (pg ): Melodic voicings (functional & modal) Major Dom (Mixolydian) Minor 0 Minor(b ) 2 Dom (Alt) Dom (Lydian-Dominant) Dom V sus (modal Mixolydian) Modes with relatives, -position scale shapes w/ voicings embedded 0 Major modes 0 Harmonic Minor modes 101 Melodic Minor modes 122 Other scales, ideas 1 Double Harmonic/Hungarian Minor 1 Harmonic Major 1 Symmetrical Scales: Whole-Half Diminished 12 Half-Whole Diminished 1 Whole-Tone Scale 1 Augmented Scale 1

Voicing Modes Fundamental sound surrounded by its related sounds G Phrygian Gm Gsus Gm Gm Gsus(b9) E Superlocrian E E+ Eø E (no ) Ealt E(9) E(9) F Melodic Minor Fm Fm Fm 9 Fm A Lydian Ab+ Ab () 11 Ab

4 Voicing Modes Fundamental sound surrounded by its related sounds G Phrygian Gm Gsus Gm Gm Gsus(b9) E Superlocrian E E+ Eø E (no ) Ealt E(9) E(9) F Melodic Minor Fm Fm Fm 9 Fm A Lydian Ab+ Ab () 11 Ab Ab (no th) Ab (no th) D Locrian2 D Dø Dø9 C Aeolian-Major (Mixolydian) C Csus C+ C C() Csus Csus() Csus2() BLydian-Dominant Bb Bb Bb(#11) Bb9 Bb1 How to interpret the mode/chord boxes: Scale Name Tertian triad Other triads (non-tertian or enharmonic equivalent) Tertian th chord Tertian extended chords Modal, other non-tertian, or extended enharmonic equivalent voicings F Lydian 9 F Fm, F F F (9), F (911) F F (no th) magic th F (inversions are also voicings, and are often great options, but are not listed in these chord boxes)

5 Voicing Introduction Modes Introduction. Modes are often at first understood in relation to a parent scale. While this can be helpful as a starting point and for developing muscle memory, in practice it doesn t always point the player to the right chord tones in relation to the sound. In other words, it doesn t help make the changes. To use modes to make the changes, one must be able to relate the scale shape to a chord voicing - a chord voicing that outlines the essential few tones in a sea of seven notes. These voicings can vary depending on the amount of color desired. The color desired is dependent on musical style/genre, and whether or not the chord is functional in a progression or static in its modality. These essential tones are not always 1,,, (tertian harmony - stacked in rds). While most chords in jazz and improv-based music are expressed in one of four tertian-voicing archetypes (Major, Minor, Dominant, or Diminished) this is a false tetrachotomy. There are more than four. To capture some other sounds that many composers intend, especially in compositions written in the last 0 years (and in Classical music, 10 years) one must add a few other archetypes. While those indicated in this book are not exhaustive, they will open your ears to other ways of expressing harmony while still staying true to the key center. While exploring other ways to voice the modes, keep in mind that these are not just for comping and soloing. Feel free to use them as a starting point for composition and reharmonization. The use of pivot voicings instead of just pivot chords can open up your understanding of harmonic relationships in multiple ways. Enjoy exploring. -Noel P. S. This book is way more fun if you use a looper pedal. (Second edition notes: Typo corrections, clarifications, TAB added to all edudes) 1 Now go eat before you turn the page...

dish. Every note is functional - each note has harmonic purpose & direction.

6 Voicing Modes Triads and basic th chords Everything on the plate is nutritionally functional Flavoring/spices/sauce is mostly unimportant The staple is the essence of the dish. Every note is functional - each note has harmonic purpose & direction. Harmonic gravity (tension/resolution tendencies) rds (maybe ths) & ths make up the essence of the sound 2

The staples with the extra stuff on top make up the essence of the dish.

7 Functional vs Modal Voicing Voicings Modes Extended chords & idiomatic Jazz voicings While the protein & starch ( functional food) may make up the foundation of the the dish, the flavoring/spices/sauce is also essential to the recipe. The staples with the extra stuff on top make up the essence of the dish. Notes in the lower register are functional Harmonic gravity (tension/resolution tendency) is somewhat important The addition of one or more upper extensions (color tones, flavor notes) such as 9th, 11th, 1th, #11 are essential.

Every voicing note is for flavor. Hidden or no harmonic gravity, can vamp or stay on one sound.

8 Voicing Modes Modal Voicings The recipe starts with the spices. Flavoring/spices/sauce is the foundation. The choice or omission of a staple is irrelevant to the essence of the dish. Every voicing note is for flavor. Hidden or no harmonic gravity, can vamp or stay on one sound. Non-functional - does not obey tension/resolution tendencies. rd & th not necessary because upper extensions/color tones make up the essence of the sound.

9 Functional vs Modal Voicing Voicings Modes Some different VOICING ARCHETYPES and their essence (fundamental characteristics) Functional: Major: Minor: Dominant: Diminished: rd, th b rd, th rd, b th b rd, b th Non-Functional: Sus: Phrygian: Aeolian: 2nd, th / th, th b 2nd, th 2nd, b th What's in a name? Some scales can have more than one name, but differences in name can evoke different properties. In other words, a name can hint at a certain way to voice a sound. One may be more interesting/useful than the other depending on the context. Take these examples: Example 1 th-mode Melodic Minor. Interval structure: W-W-1/2-W-1/2-W-W (1, 2,,,, b, b ). It can be voiced and named these two ways: Mixolydian b -- evokes a Dominant voicing: 1,,, b with a b 1 ("French food" voicing) Aeolian-Major -- evokes a non-functional, Aeolian voicing: 1, 2,, b but with a major rd ("Indian food" voicing) Example 2 2nd-mode Melodic Minor. Interval structure: 1/2-W-W-W-W-1/2-W (1, b 2, b,,,, b ). It can be voiced and named these two ways: Dorian b 2 -- evokes a minor voicing: 1, b,, b with a b 2 ("French food" voicing) Phrygian n -- evokes a non-functional, Phrygian voicing: 1, b 2,, but with a n ("Indian food" voicing)

10 Voicing Modes Phrygian Phrygian, the rd mode of the major scale, has the interval structure: 1/2 - W - W - W - 1/2 - W - W (1 - b 2 - b b - b ) Phrygian can be voiced functionally or modally. When voiced in rds (tertian harmony), it spells a minor triad, or a minor-th chord. Extended tertian chords in this mode are not common. Functionally, A iii can substitute for a I chord (1st inversion I chords are not true iii chords), and iii chords in a progression are often changed to be secondary dominants - altered (raised rd) to give stronger harmonic gravity to the vi; When resolving from iii to vi the rd is often raised (making a leading tone to the root of vi) making a III vi progression. Phrygian with a n is known as Phrygian-Dominant or Spanish Phrygian. With traditional tertian chord nomenclature, the MODAL Phrygian sound can be written in a variety of ways such as Fm triad Gm over G bass (cadence or triad pair over a static bass note), or these slash chords or change-bass chords: Ab # 11 /G, Fm/G, B b 1/G, or D 0/G. See Wayne Shorter's "Witch Hunt" (Last bars), and John Coltrane's "Naima" (bridge) MODAL Phrygian can be thought of as an "indian food" voicing... Where the bass note is the actual root of the sound, and without the rd or th which are non-essential in Phrygian. (Also, without the b - an essential Aeolian tone - because it threatens to sound more like a 1st inversion I chord than a true Phrygian) If we assign 1, b 2,, as the essential tones, Gsus( b 2) expresses that interval structure - leaving open the potential for many more types of Phrygian will the addition of different types of rds, ths, & ths. The following pages contain some different types of Phrygian (& their relatives) and also some shapes for voicing the essence of modal Phrygian. As you will see, multiple possibilities can result from assigning 1, b 2,, as the essential tones. Essential Phrygian - made up of 1, b 2,, Gsus(b2) 1 Nerdy Phrygian trivia: 1 Phrygian (rd-major scale) in retrograde is a Major Scale (makes major keys a rd away actually related ) Phrygian-Dominant in retrograde is a Harmonic Major Scale. Phrygian n in retrograde is a Melodic Minor scale. b2 & b ww w & b w ww

11 Voicing Phrygian Modes Essential Phrygian Gsus(b 9) Essence of non-functional Phrygian: 1, b2,, (These notes make up the SHELL VOICING and the basic arpeggio) The non-essential tones are: (these notes are the color tones or upper extensions) b or b or b or With those variables, there are possible combinations: b b b * b b * b b * b b b * b * b (* indicates sounds that are less obscure and more 'useful' than the others) Here are those useful sounds that fit this Phrygian voicing: 1, b 2, b,,, b, b (Basic Phrygian - rd mode of the Major Scale) 1, b 2,,,, b, b (Phrygian-Dominant / Spanish Phrygian - th mode Harmonic Minor) 1, b 2, b,,,, b (Phrygian n / Dorian b 2-2nd mode Melodic Minor) 1, b 2,,,, b, 1, b 2,,,,, b (Double Harmonic Major - th mode Hungarian Minor / Double-Harmonic Minor) (Mixolydian b 2 / Phrygian-Dom ( n ) - th mode of Harmonic Major)

12 Voicing Modes iii. G Phrygian V. G Phrygian-Dominant ALydian Ab, Ab2 Ab, Ab 9 A Lydian 9 Ab Abm, Ab Ab Ab (#11) Ab (9) F Dorian Fm Fsus Fm, Fm9 Fm11 Fm Ab Ab G Phrygian Gm Gsus Gm Gsus(b9) BMixolydian Bb, Bb2, Bbsus Bb Bb9, Bb1 Bbsus Bb9sus Bb1sus F Dorian Fm F Fm Fø F Ab (9#11) Ab Ab magic th Ab G Phrygian-Dominant G G+ G G (9) B Superlocrian B B+ B B (no th) Gsus(9) phrygian EMajor (Ionian) Eb, Eb2, Ebsus Eb Eb 9 Eb D Locrian D Dø C Aeolian Cm Csus Cm Cm9 Csus2(b) E Ionian Eb+ Eb () Eb (no th) Eb magic th D Locrian C Harmonic Minor Cm Cm Cm 9 Csus2() aeolian D Dø D ii. G Phrygian I. G Double Harmonic Major (th mode Hungarian Minor) A Lydian Ab+ Ab () 11 Ab ALydian 9 A Am, A F A, A (9), A (11) Ab (no th) Ab (no th) F Locrian A, A(9), A(11) Am, Am Amb, A B Ultralocrian F Melodic Minor Fm Fm Fm 9 Fm G Phrygian Gm B Lydian-Dominant Bb Bb Bb(#11) Bb9 Bb1 Fsus2b ( bb ) F bb (G#/F#) Fsus2 () (Db/F#) Fsus 2 ( G /F#) A( ) G Dbl-Harm Major (Phrygian b bb) Bm B, B+ Bm B B (/) Gsus G Gm G+, Gsus Gm G Gsus(b9) G # E Superlocrian E E+ Eø E (no ) Ealt E(9) E(9) D Locrian2 D Dø Dø9 C Aeolian-Major (Mixolydian) C Csus C+ C C() Csus Csus() Csus2() EIonian 2 E+ E () E (9) E (no th) E (no ) Magic Esus ( ) (no ) E (/) G () Herbie Gsus(9) Phrygian Gsus() D Mixolydian9 D(b) D (no ) D(b), B(b9 b) C Dbl-Harm Minor Cm C Cm, Cm 9 C Csus2() Aeolian D (no th) D1 (no ) D1(b9)

13 Voicing Phrygian Modes V. G Mixolydian2 A Lydian-Aug2 A+ A A (), A (9) A (11), A (911) F Melodic Minor (Lydian Minor) Fm Fsus2, F Fm, Fm 9 F, F E Altered (Phrygian ) Em E, E+ Em E, E(9) E(9), E() Em() (C2/E) A (no ) Magic A, A A (/) G Mixolydian2 (Phrygian-Dominant) G Gsus G, G(9), G1(9) Gsus(9) Phrygian G D Locrian2 (Dorian ) D Dø, Dø9 D D9sus (no th) B Locrian B B B (/) C Harmonic Major (Ionian ) C Csus, Csus2, C+ C, C 9 C () Herbie Csus2() Aeolian Csus(), C () Larger size modal relative diagrams are in the reference section of this book starting pg. 0. For interactive modal relative diagrams, download the "Voicing Modes" ios app, or "Voicing Modes" web app at 9

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15 Voicing Phrygian Modes 11

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17 Voicing Phrygian Modes This etude uses mostly Phrygian voicings. Keys used: A Phrygian (F Major), A Phrygian n (G Melodic Minor), A Phrygian-Dominant (D Harmonic Minor) Measures 9-12 should be thought of as F Phrygian-Dominant n (Bb Harmonic Major). Phrygian Etude #1 Noel Johnston 1

18 & Voicing Modes & This etude uses the "essence" of G-Phrygian (1, b2,, ) as the only common thread throughout the various key centers used. It uses chords from Eb Major (G Phrygian), F Melodic Minor (G Phrygian n ), and C Harmonic Minor (G Phrygian-Dominant). This one can be played chord-melody style (rubato or in time). Also, try recording the changes in a looper and hear how G-phrygian arpeggios will sound through the changes. Œ j B b 9sus b b Phrygian Etude #2. b J ~ B b 9(# 11 ) A b± () b. b J A b o B o Noel Johnston b T A B 9 9 & & F m/g b J b J. C/G b F m/g b b b C D ø E ø & & b. Fm() b J n b J # G/A b E (# 9 ) b E b±# Œ E b. b b ø D & Œ b w w w b w b b b w b w U w w b b U & Cm( 9) B o B(no) C m G/B A b Gsus( b 9)

19 Voicing Phrygian Modes For performance examples: To buy the whole ebook: 1

Copyright 2016, by Noel Johnston. All Rights Reserved. First Edition First Printing: July 2016 ISBN XXXXXXXXXX

Copyright 2016, by Noel Johnston. All Rights Reserved. First Edition First Printing: July 2016 ISBN XXXXXXXXXX Voicing Modes Copyright 206, by Noel Johnston All Rights Reserved First Edition First Printing: July 206 ISBN XXXXXXXXXX Front cover and other image credits: Adobe Stock images and Noel Johnston Constellation: