Hi folks! Rodrigo here again!
One of the most fascinating aspects of studying guitar is the ability to create your own arrangements, without relying on a full band, to make your music more intriguing. Developing chord melodies is a significant step in your musical journey and, like any other skill, requires consistent practice. The more arrangements you are familiar with, the more tools you have to voice common chord progressions found in various songs, such as V-Is, II-V-Is, Turnarounds, and many others. While crafting your first arrangements may be time-consuming, remember that with practice, the process becomes faster. As you become more acquainted with the positions of every note on the guitar's fretboard, it becomes easier to adapt the correct chord to the melody. In this article, I will provide numerous examples, as we have already discussed most of the theory surrounding this topic. However, before diving into this material, ensure you have a good understanding of "Drop-2 Chords" and the extensions from "Shell Chords & Extensions." By the end of this article, you will find a compilation of songs to help you continue practicing on your own.
Simples Intervals -> Compound Intervals -> Triads -> Drop-2 Chords -> Drop-3 Chords -> Shell Chords & Extensions -> Triads & Extensions -> Arranging with Drop-2 Chords -> Guitar Arpeggios
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A QUICK REVIEW
7th-chords are the same triads we have worked on in the previous articles, but now with an extra chord tone added to them, the “seventh”. Chord tones are the fundamental notes used in the formation of chords, which are typically the root, the third, the fifth, and the seventh. Any additional notes added to the chords, such as add9, add11, add13, and their variations, are considered tensions or extensions, with some exceptions such as the dominant 7th suspended 4th chord (i.e., C7sus4). where the fourth becomes part of the chord and the third becomes a tension. By combining the three types of seventh intervals (major, minor, and diminished) with different triads, we can generate 13 different 7th-chords, including major 7th, minor 7th, dominant 7th, half-diminished, diminished 7th, minor major 7th, seventh suspended 4th, major 7th (#5), major 7th (b5), dominant 7th (#5), dominant 7th (b5), major 6th, and minor 6th.
When embellishing your chords with extra notes, there are two important concepts to keep in mind: available tensions and avoided notes. Two essential rules must be applied when adding tensions to your chords. Firstly, any note a half-step above any chord tone must be avoided, as it can cause dissonance. For example, the Db note should not be played in Cmaj7 as it is a half-step above C. Similarly, F should also be avoided as it is a half-step above E, and Ab because it is a half-step above G. Secondly, no chord can have both the major and minor sevenths. Therefore, for Cmaj7, the Bb (minor seventh) must also be avoided. The only exception to the first rule is the dominant chords, which we discussed in the "Shell Chords & Extensions" article.
Here are some of the tables futured in previous articles for reference:
TABLE OF 7th-CHORDS
TABLE OF TENSIONS
HARMONIZING CHORD TONES
To begin voicing tunes, the first step is to recognize the chord being played in a given measure, and then determine which notes of the melody played in that measure are chord tones and which are tensions. The following example shows the first eight measures of “What is this thing called love?” by Cole Porter including the pickup bar.
[First eight measures of “What is this thing called love?”]
Let’s break it down measure by measure.
To analyze the first bar, we'll start with the chord Gmin7(b5) which consists of the root (G), minor third (Bb), diminished fifth (Db), and minor seventh (F), as we have learned before. The melody notes played are Bb and G, which are chord tones and can be harmonized with Gmin7(b5) in either the root position or one of its inversions. To make sure the melody note is the highest note of each chord, we can try playing all Gmin7(b5) Drop-2 voicings on the guitar and look for the ones with Bb and G as the highest notes. We can observe that the Gmin7(b5) root-position has Bb as the highest note, while the Gmin7(b5)/F has G as the highest note. Therefore, the first measure can be written as follows:
[First measure of “What is this thing called love?”]
The C7 chord in the second measure is made up of the root (C), major third (E), perfect fifth (G), and minor seventh (Bb). The melody notes G and Bb are played, requiring you to explore all Drop-2 chord voicings of C7 and locate the ones that have G and Bb as their top notes. By following this procedure, you'll discover that C7/E has G as its top note, and C7/G has Bb as its highest note. Consequently, the second bar should appear as follows:
[Second measure of “What is this thing called love?”]
In measures three and four, there is only one melody note, and the same chord is played across both bars. Therefore, the same voicing will be used for the entire section. The Fmin7 chord consists of the root (F), minor third (Ab), perfect fifth (C), and minor seventh (Eb). As the melody note is Ab, which is a chord tone, the same process as before will be followed to determine which Fmin7 voicing has Ab as its highest note. If the process is carried out correctly, it should reveal that the root-position Fmin7 has Ab as its top note. Consequently, the third and fourth measures will appear as follows:
[Third and fourth measures of “What is this thing called love?”]
The Dmin7(b5) chord in the fifth measure comprises the root (D), minor third (F), diminished fifth (Ab), and minor seventh (C), while the melody notes are Ab and G. As you may have observed, Ab is a chord tone, whereas G is a tension (add11). For this section, only the chord tones will be harmonized, and no action will be taken on the tension for now. By following the same process as before, it can be determined that Dmin7(b5)/F has Ab as its highest note. Thus, the fifth measure should appear as shown below:
[Fifth measure of “What is this thing called love?”]
The sixth measure introduces a chord that has not been discussed yet. The altered chord (alt.) is derived from the altered scale, which is the seventh degree of the melodic minor scale. It can be viewed as either dominant 7th (#5) or dominant 7th (b5). If referred to as dominant 7th (#5), its tensions will be b9, #9, and #11, whereas if it is called dominant 7th (b5), its tensions will be b9, #9, and b13. Regardless of the terminology used, the outcome will be similar, and the chord will always sound pleasing. If the composer used the term "altered" instead of providing detailed chord information, it is because either will suffice! In this case, the chord will be referred to as G7(#5), and its chord tones will be the root (G), major third (B), augmented fifth (D#), and minor seventh (F). The two melody notes are G and D#, and since they are chord tones, Drop-2 voicings that contain these notes as their top notes will be used. G7(#5)/F has G as its highest note, and G7(#5)/B has D# as its highest note. As a result, the sixth bar should resemble the image shown below:
[Sixth measure of “What is this thing called love?”]
Moving on to the seventh measure, we encounter the Cmaj7 chord, which comprises the root note (C), major third (E), perfect fifth (G), and major seventh (B). The sole melody note being played is E, which is a chord tone. Applying the same approach as used in the preceding measures, we can determine that the root-position Cmaj7 voicing will have E as its top note. Consequently, the seventh measure will appear as depicted below:
[Seventh measure of “What is this thing called love?”]
Moving on to the eighth measure, the melody note happens to be a tension of the D7 chord. Therefore, we won't be making any modifications to this measure at this time. To summarize, the first eight measures of "What Is This Thing Called Love?" should appear as shown below:
[First eight measures of “What is this thing called love?” with chord tones harmonized]
It is not necessary to notate every voicing that you employ on the music chart. As a jazz guitarist, you are expected to utilize the original chord as a guide to improvise a variety of voicings over it. However, if you feel like it’s important to indicate every inversion you have selected, then you may choose to include all of them in your notation.
Notice that when comparing the initial and final images, the melody appears to have been transposed to a higher octave due to the limitations of our instrument. It is difficult to come across chords that can complement a low-pitched melody. Therefore, to accommodate the melody, the majority of its notes must be played on the high e and B strings. Occasionally, the G string may be necessary, but typically, the melody can be played within the range of the first two strings.
To provide more examples and enhance your understanding of the material, I'll use three additional songs to illustrate the same exercise. However, I'll keep the descriptions brief since I'm assuming you've grasped the process.
The following image shows the first eight measures of “My favorite things” by Richard Rodgers.
[First eight measures of “My favorite things”]
The first measure features both E and B as chord tones of Emin7, which can be harmonized by utilizing Emin7/D and Emin7/G, respectively.
[First measure of “My favorite things”]
In the second measure, the notes F# and E are chord tones of F#min7, which can be harmonized by using F#min7/E and F#min7/C#, respectively.
[Second measure of “My favorite things”]
In the third measure, the same chord and melody notes from the first measure are used, but with the only difference being that the B is played in a lower register.
[Third measure of “My favorite things”]
In the fourth measure, the same chord and notes from the second measure are repeated, which means that the same voicings used previously will work perfectly.
[Fourth measure of “My favorite things”]
In the fifth measure, the notes E and B are chord tones of Cmaj7, which can be harmonized by using Cmaj7 root-position and Cmaj7/G, respectively:
[Fifth measure of “My favorite things”]
In the sixth measure, the F# is a tension (add#11) and the E is a chord tone of Cmaj7, then we are not going to harmonize the F#, but the E can be harmonized by using Cmaj7 root-position:
[Sixth measure of “My favorite things”]
In the seventh measure, the same chord and melody notes from the fifth measure are used, but with the only difference being that the B is played in a lower register.
[Seventh measure of “My favorite things”]
In the eighth measure, the same chord and notes from the sixth measure are repeated, which means that the same voicings used previously will work perfectly.
[Eighth measure of “My favorite things”]
To summarize, the first eight measures of "My favorite things" should appear as shown below:
[First eight measures of “My favorite things” with chord tones harmonized]
The following image shows the first eight measures of “How high the moon” by Morgan Lewis.
[First eight measures of “How high the moon”]
In the first measure, the A is a tension (add9) and the B is a chord tone of Gmaj7. Then, the appropriate chord voicing to harmonize the B is Gmaj7 root-position while we are not harmonizing the tension:
[First measure of “How high the moon”]
In the second measure, B, D, and G are chord tones of Gmaj7 and the A is a tension (add9). Then:
[Second measure of “How high the moon”]
In the third measure, Bb is a chord tone of Gmin7:
[Third measure of “How high the moon”]
In the fourth measure, Bb, C, and G are all chord tones of C7, while the F is a tension (add11). Then:
[Fourth measure of “How high the moon”]
In the fifth measure, G is a tension (add9) while the A is a chord tone of Fmaj7:
[Fifth measure of “How high the moon”]
In the sixth measure, A, C, and F are chord tones of Fmaj7, while G is a tension (add9):
[Fifth measure of “How high the moon”]
In the seventh measure, the Ab is a chord tone of Fmin7:
[Seventh measure of “How high the moon”]
In the eighth measure, A, D, and F are chord tones of Bb7 while Eb is a tension (add11):
[Eighth measure of “How high the moon”]
To summarize, the first eight measures of "How high the moon" should appear as shown below:
[First eight measures of “How high the moon” with chord tones harmonized]
The following image shows the first eight measures of “There is no greater love” by Isham Jones.
[First eight measures of “There is no greater love”]
In the first measure, B, A, and D are chord tones of Bbmaj7 while G is a tension (add13):
[First measure of “There is no greater love”]
In the second measure, Eb and Bb are chord tones of Eb7 while F and Fb are tensions: (add9) and (addb9):
[Second measure of “There is no greater love”]
In the third measure, there is only melody note, D, and it’s a tension (add#11) of Ab7. Then, we’re not harmonizing that note right now:
[Third measure of “There is no greater love”]
In the fourth measure, D is a chord tone of G7 while A and Ab are tensions: (add9) and (addb9).
[Fourth measure of “There is no greater love”]
In the fifth measure, there is only one melody note, G, and its chord tone of C7:
[Fifth measure of “There is no greater love”]
In the sixth measure, G is a chord tone of C7 while D and Db are tensions: (add9) and (addb9).
[Sixth measure of “There is no greater love”]
In the seventh measure, there is only one melody note, C, and it’s a chord tone of F7:
[Seventh measure of “There is no greater love”]
In the eight measure, A and C are chord tones of F7 while the Bb is a tension (add11):
[Eighth measure of “There is no greater love”]
To summarize, the first eight measures of "There is no greater love”" should appear as shown below:
[First eight measures of “There is no greater love” with chord tones harmonized]
HARMONIZING TENSIONS
When it comes to harmonizing tensions, there are two main approaches to consider. The first involves substituting one of the chord tones for the tension, while the second involves using diminished chords. Although the latter technique adds more movement to the harmony, both methods are equally effective. However, relying solely on "block harmony," where all melody notes are harmonized, sometimes can become monotonous. Instead, aim for balance and explore different voicing options too. To add more variety, try incorporating Drop-3 and Shell Chords voicings, as previously worked on, and remember that not every melody note has to be voiced. Ultimately, the arrangement should sound pleasing to your ears. While starting with drop-2 chords is a good foundation for mapping out songs, incorporating different chord types is encouraged.
When replacing a tension with a chord tone, it's crucial to keep the chord's most significant notes, typically the thirds and sevenths. When modifying one of the chord tones, the root and the fifth are the ones to be altered. The root can be interchanged with any type of ninth, such as addb9, add9, or add#9. The fifth can be exchanged for either an eleventh, such as add11 or add#11, or a thirteenth, such as addb13 or add13.
It's worth noting that when substituting chord tones for tensions, the resulting chord may resemble previously learned ones. For instance, Cmaj7(b5) is identical to Cmaj7(#11), C7(#5) is identical to C7(addb13), and C7(b5) is identical to C7(#11). Despite having the same “look” and sound, it's important to label them correctly for improvisation or creating melodies. For example, a chord like C7(b5) indicates that the fifth degree is diminished, whereas C7(#11) may imply a perfect fifth, completely altering the scale used for that chord.
In the upcoming four examples, I will demonstrate the process of substituting chord tones with tensions and explain how to determine the appropriate voicing for the given tension. At this point, you should be capable of analyzing the voicings that I will employ for the chord tones and arrive at the same outcomes.
The following image shows the first eight measures of “Black Orpheus” by Luiz Bonfa.
[First eight measures of “Black Orpheus”]
In the first measure, C and A, are chord tones of Amin7, while B is a tension (add9). Remember, since the tension we are trying to adapt to the chord is a ninth, this note will be in place of the root. Then, what we have to do now is to find the drop-2 voicing of Amin7 that contains its root as the top note, which in this case will be Amin7/G. Once we found it, just substitute the A on the top for the B and then we’ll have the following voicing:
[First measure of “Black Orpheus”]
As I mentioned before, every time we change one of the chord’s notes, it’ll become another chord. In this case, the Amin7/G(add9) is actually equivalent to Cmaj7/G. You can think of this chord as being a substitute for the Amin7, mainly when improving solos. But given the context and all the chords we played before and after Cmaj7/G, it will still sound like an Amin7 because the passage is very short.
In the fourth measure, E is a tension (add11) of Bmin7(b5). Since the tension is an eleventh, it’ll be in place of the chord’s fifth degree. Then, we should look for the Bmin7(b5) drop-2 voicing that contains its fifth degree on the top, which in this case is Bmin7(b5)/D, and substitute the F on the top for E:
[Fourth measure of “Black Orpheus”]
The fifth measure has exactly the same voicings of the first measure, then I’m going to skip to the eighth measure where we have an A7. The E and the G are chord tones of A7 while the F is a tension (addb13). Then, we have to find the drop-2 voicing of A7 that contains the fifth degree on the top, which is A7/C#, and substitute the note on the top, E, for F:
[Eighth measure of “Black Orpheus”]
To summarize, the first eight measures of "Black Orpheus" should appear as shown below:
[First eight measures of “Black Orpheus” in block harmony]
The following image shows the first eight measures of “All of me” by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons.
[First eight measures of “All of me”]
In the second measure, E and C are chord tones of Cmaj7, while the D is a tension (add9). Then, we have to find a drop-2 voicing of Cmaj7 the contains its root as the top note, which is Cmaj7/B, and substitute the note on the top, C, for D:
[Second measure of “All of me”]
In the sixth measure, E and A are chord tones of A7, while the D# and Bb are tensions (add#11) and (addb9), respectively. Then, for the (add#11) we have to look for the drop-2 voicing of A7 that contains its fifth degree on the top, which is A7/C#, and substitute it for D#. For the second tension (addb9), we have to look for the drop-2 voicing of A7 that contains the root as its top note, which is A7/G, and substitute it for Bb:
[Sixth measure of “All of me”]
In the seventh measure, F is a chord tone of Dmin7 while G is a tension (add11). Then, we have to look for the drop-2 voicing of Dmin7 that contains its fifth as the top note, which is Dmin7/F, and substitute it for G:
[Seventh measure of “All of me”]
To summarize, the first eight measures of "All of me" should appear as shown below:
[First eight measures of “All of me” in block harmony]
The following image shows the first eight measures of “Stella by starlight” by Victor Young.
[First eight measures of “Stella by starlight”]
In the first measure, A is a tension (add11) of Emin7(b5). Then, we have to look for the drop-2 voicing of Emin7(b5) that places its fifth degree as the top note, which is Emin7/G, and substitute it for A:
[First measure of “Stella by starlight”]
In the second measure, A and G are chord tones of A7, while the Bb is a tension (addb9. Then, we have to look for the drop-2 voicing of A7 that contains its root as the top note, which is A7/G, and substitute it for Bb:
[Second measure of “Stella by starlight”]
In the third measure, F is a tension (add11) of Cmin7. Then, we have to look for the drop-2 voicing of Cmin7 that contains its fifth as the top note, which is Cmin7/Eb, and substitute it for F:
[Third measure of “Stella by starlight”]
In the fifth measure, G is a tension (add9) of Fmin7. Then, we have to look for the drop-2 voicing of Fmin7 that contains its root as the top note, which is Fmin7/Eb, and substitute it for G:
[Fifth measure of “Stella by starlight”]
In the sixth measure, F is a chord tone of Bb7, while G is a tension (add13). Then, we have to look for the drop-2 voicing of Bb7 that contains its fifth degree as the top note, which is Bb7/D, and substitute it for G:
[Sixth measure of “Stella by starlight”]
In the eighth measure, B is a tension (add9) of Ab7. Then, we have to look for the drop-2 voicing of Ab7 that contains its root as the top note, which is Ab7/Gb, and substitute it for Bb.
[Eighth measure of “Stella by starlight”]
To summarize, the first eight measures of "Stella by starlight" should appear as shown below:
[First eight measures of “Stella by starlight” in block harmony]
The following image shows the first eight measures of “Someday my prince will come” by Frank Churchill.
[First eight measures of “Someday my prince will come”]
In the third measure, G is a chord tone of Ebmaj7, while A is a tension (add#11). Then, we have to look for the drop-2 voicing of Ebmaj7 that places its fifth degree as the top note, which is Ebmaj7/G, and substitute it for A:
[Third measure of “Someday my prince will come”]
In the seventh measure, C is a chord tone of C7, while D is a tension (add9). Then, we have to look for the drop-2 voicing of C7 that contains its root as the top note, which is C7/Bb, and substitute it for D:
[Seventh measure of “Someday my prince will come”]
In the eighth measure, C and Eb are chord tones of F7, while D is a tension (add13). Then, we have to look for the drop-2 voicing of F7 that places its fifth degree as the top note, which is F7/A, and substitute it for D:
[Eighth measure of “Someday my prince will come”]
To summarize, the first eight measures of "Someday my prince will come" should appear as shown below:
[First eight measures of “Someday my prince will come” in block harmony]
HARMONIZING SONGS WITH BEBOP SCALES
Harmonizing songs with bebop scales is the second method I mentioned in the beginning of the previous topic. This technique was named by Barry Harris as the “diminished-6th scale” and was utilized by many guitarists, including Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Kenny Barrell, Barney Kessel, among others, to make their own guitar solo arrangements. Essentially, we will utilize diminished seventh chords to voice any tensions. However, I would like to provide some theoretical context before diving further. Don’t worry about mastering the bebop scales right away; we’ll revisit this topic when it’s relevant. Your current objective is to grasp the instances when applying diminished chords is appropriate.
[C Bebop major scale on the B string]
Displayed above is the C Bebop major scale, a variant of the C Major scale that features an additional note, Ab, creating an eight-note scale. Every other note in this scale, i.e., the first, third, fifth, and seventh notes, forms a C6 chord. The remaining notes, i.e., the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth notes, constitute a symmetrical diminished 7th chord that could be named Bdim7, Ddim7, Fdim7, or Abdim7. To utilize this technique, we will treat all major chords as major 6th chords (i.e., C6), which comprise the root, major third, perfect fifth, and major sixth notes. In contrast, we will regard all remaining notes as tensions, including the major second, perfect fourth, minor sixth, and major seventh. The following image demonstrates the chord tones voiced using all C6 drop-2 voicings, including root-position and inversions, and the tensions using dim7 drop-2 voicings, which, given their symmetrical nature, are identical in format across all root positions and inversions.
[C Bebop major scale voiced with Drop-2 chords]
The basic rules to voice melodies over major chords are:
1) Major chords will be treated as major 6th chords.
2) Chord tones (root, 3, 5, 6) will be harmonized with major 6th voicings.
3) Tensions (2, 4, b6, 7) will be harmonized with dim7 voicings.
To harmonize minor chords, we will employ two distinct Bebop scales depending on their function. For minor chords with tonic function, we will view them as minor 6th chords and utilize the Bebop melodic minor scale. A tonic minor chord most of the time symbolizes a song's key center. For instance, in Autumn Leaves, G minor is the key, and any G minor chord (that is not part of a II-V progression) can be harmonized as Gmin6 or Gmin(maj7) in that song. Conversely, all other min7 chords will be harmonized using the Bebop natural minor scale.
[C Bebop melodic minor scale on the B string]
[C Bebop melodic minor scale voiced with Drop-2 chords]
The Bebop melodic minor scale is the same as the Bebop major scale, except for the third degree, which features a minor third (Eb) rather than a major third (E). Additionally, the scale retains the same added note (Ab).
The basic rules to voice melodies over minor chords with tonic function are:
1) Minor chords with tonic function will be treated as minor 6th chords.
2) Chord tones (root, b3, 5, 6) will be harmonized with minor 6th voicings.
3) Tensions (2, 4, b6, 7) will be harmonized with dim7 voicings.
For minor chords without tonic function, we will utilize the Bebop natural minor scale, which is the natural minor scale with an added note between the minor seventh and the root (B). Below is an image of the Bebop natural minor scale:
[C Bebop natural minor scale on the B string]
The harmonization process for this scale is identical to the process we used for the other scales. However, it's essential to differentiate between chord tones and tensions for each chord, as they each have their distinct tensions. In the case of the Bebop natural minor scale, we will regard the chord tones as a regular min7 chord (root, b3, 5, b7):
[C Bebop natural minor scale voiced with Drop-2 chords]
The basic rules to voice melodies over minor chords without tonic function are:
1) Minor chords without tonic function will be treated as minor 7th chords.
2) Chord tones (root, b3, 5, b7) will be harmonized with minor 7th voicings.
3) Tensions (2, 4, 6, 7) will be harmonized with dim7 voicings.
When harmonizing half-diminished chords (i.e., Cm7(b5), the process is relatively similar to that of the Bebop natural minor scale. However, we must remember that we are now applying it to the Locrian 2 mode (root, 2, b3, 4, b5, b6, b7), and thus an extra note will be added between the minor seventh and the root.
[C Bebop Locrian 2 scale on the B string]
[C Bebop Locrian 2 scale voiced with Drop-2 chords]
The basic rules to voice melodies over half-diminished chords are:
1) Half-diminished chords will be normally treated as min7(b5).
2) Chord tones (root, b3, b5, b7) will be harmonized with min7(b5) voicings.
3) Tensions (2, 4, b6, 7) will be harmonized with dim7 voicings.
We will use the Bebop Mixolydian scale to harmonize dominant 7th chords (i.e., C7), which is the Mixolydian scale with an additional note between the minor seventh and the root. It's worth noting that when we have a scale/mode that includes a minor seventh, we always add the extra note between the minor seventh and the root. Conversely, if a scale/mode includes a major seventh, we add the extra note between the fifth and sixth degrees.
[C Bebop Mixolydian scale on the B string]
[C Bebop Mixolydian scale voiced with Drop-2 chords]
Notice that one diminished seventh chord in the Bebop Mixolydian scale is not symmetrical to the others (F#dim7, in the image above). This particular chord was added to the scale specifically to harmonize the major sixth (or major 13th, if you prefer to think of it as a tension).
The basic rules to voice melodies over dominant 7th chords are:
1) Dominant 7th chords will be normally treated as dom7 (i.e., C7).
2) Chord tones (root, 3, 5, b7) will be harmonized with dominant 7th voicings.
3) Tensions (2, 4, 6, 7) will be harmonized with dim7 voicings.
Assuming you have a grasp of identifying chord tones and tensions, I'll provide the first eight measures of four songs already voiced with bebop scales. Take your time analyzing these songs and make sure you understand them before attempting to apply the concepts. Once you've analyzed the songs, try finishing these arrangements using only Drop-2 voicings. Then, expand your voicing repertoire by incorporating Drop-3 and Shell chords. Finally, select a few passages where you think playing single notes without voicings sounds best.
It's important to note that using only one type of voicing won't be enough to create a complete arrangement. For the best results, you should use a combination of Drop-2, Drop-3, Shell chords, and occasionally triads and 4-way close chords. While diminished chords can be a great option for harmonizing scale-wise passages, they won't always work, and some of the examples provided below will demonstrate this.
The following image shows the first eight measures of “There will never be another you” by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon.
[First eight measures of “There will never be another you”]
[First eight measures of “There will never be another you” voiced with drop-2 chords]
For the first two measures of "There will never be another you" a single chord is played, and the melody uses several notes from the Eb major scale. To harmonize this section, I treated the Ebmaj7 as an Eb6 and harmonized all of its chord tones with Eb6 voicings, while the tensions were harmonized with diminished chords (Bdim7 and Ddim7).
In measures five and six, we have a similar situation with a Cmin7 chord lasting for two measures and several chord tones and one tension that can be harmonized with the same technique. I treated the Cmin7 chord as a non-tonic function chord and harmonized all of its chord tones with Cmin7 voicings while the only tension was harmonized with a diminished seventh voicing (Ddim7).
The seventh measure presents a challenge, the melody is a tension of the chord being played, making it difficult to harmonize using a diminished chord. The reason is because diminished chords work best in fast passages and have a very dissonant sound that requires resolution, which doesn’t happen when changing to the next chord (Eb7). Therefore, in cases like this, adapting the melody to fit the chord, as discussed in the previous topic, is a better option.
The following image shows the first eight measures of “Summertime” by George Gershwin.
[First eight measures of “Summertime”]
[First eight measures of “Summertime” voiced with drop-2 chords]
This is an alternative way to implement the technique:
“Summertime” is a song in the key of A minor, which means that the Amin7 in the beginning of the song has a tonic function and can be treated as Amin6. Rather than applying the technique chord-by-chord, you can harmonize all notes with the voicings of a single chord. For instance, you can “ignore” the original chords and harmonize the pickup bar and the first three measures with A Bebop melodic scale voicings since all the melody notes belong to A melodic minor scale. However, bear in mind that if you persist with this approach throughout the entire song, some of the song's unique qualities may be lost. To avoid this, try combining various voicings.
In measure eight, there is a tension in the melody that does not resolve, similar to the situation in "There will never be another you." To address this, consider modifying the original chord to include the tension.
The following image shows the first eight measures of “The shadow of your smile” by Johnny Mandel.
[First eight measures of “The shadow of your smile”]
[First eight measures of “The shadow of your smile” voiced with drop-2 chords]
While similar to the previous example, this approach may appear distinct to some people. "The shadow of your smile" is in E minor, and because the pickup bar notes are all within the E minor melodic scale, I opted to harmonize them using voicings from the E Bebop melodic minor scale.
Since the fourth measure repeats the exact phrase, I kept the same voicings.
In the eighth measure, a descending phrase resembling the ones we previously harmonized appears, but with one difference: the C note in the melody doesn't belong to the E melodic minor scale. However, since we added that note with the Bebop melodic minor scale, I chose to use the same voicings here as well.
The following image shows the first eight measures of “Misty” by Erroll Garner.
[First eight measures of “Misty”]
[First eight measures of “Misty” voiced with drop-2 chords]
For this last song, I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions. However, I want to emphasize a few critical points. Like the first two songs, the first Ebmaj7 has the same issue of a diminished chord filling the measure and not resolving. The best course of action would be to adjust the melody to fit the original chord. Additionally, remember that you have access to all the chords we covered in "Shell Chords & Extensions." These chords are simple to adapt to tensions.
Furthermore, take note of all the diminished chords in the second and fourth measures. Do they sound pleasing to your ears?
HOW TO PRACTICE “ARRANGING SONGS WITH DROP-2 CHORDS”?
To become skilled at arranging songs, the best approach is to arrange as many songs as possible. With each arrangement, you'll improve faster due to the common patterns found in many songs. Jazz standards, for instance, often contain similar chord progressions, such as V7-Imaj7s; IImin7-V7-Imaj7s; VImin7-IImin7-V7-Imaj7; VI7-IImin7-V7-Imaj7; and Vmin7-VII7-Imaj7. To make the process enjoyable, select songs that you appreciate and take your time learning them. Once you've arranged the songs, practice them as much as possible to enhance your technique and expand your repertoire. The list below contains many of the most popular jazz standards, which are simple to voice with Drop-2 chords. Listen to all of them, learn their melodies and chords, and finally start arranging them! You can look for the music sheets in fake books like “The Real Book”, or any omnibooks by the artist you like, such as: Charlie Parker Omnibook, Miles Davis Omnibook, etc.
There’s one more thing that I’d like to mention: you’ve probably noticed that when explaining about the bebop scales, I haven’t mentioned anything about certain chords, such as: maj7(#5), maj7(b5), dominant 7(#5), dominant 7(b5), and dominant 7th suspended 4th, and my advice to you is: use your intuition! You don’t need to know their scales, once you know the chord tones and tensions, the process is the same!
LIST OF SONGS
Autumn Leaves
Alone Together
Afternoon in Paris
A Child is Born
Days of Wine and Roses
The Look of Love
My Favorite Things
The Shadow of Your Smile
A Fine Romance
A Foggy Day
Alice in Wonderland
All of Me
All of You
All the Things You Are
Beautiful Love
Black Orpheus
Blue Bossa
Bluesette
But Beautiful
Chelsea Bridge
Could It Be You
Falling Grace
Fly Me to the Moon
Green Dolphin St.
Have You Met Miss Jones
How High the Moon
I Could Write a Book
I’ll Remember April
In Your Own Sweet Way
Just Friends
Misty
My Romance
My Ship
Night and Day
Out of Nowhere
Satin Doll
Someday My Prince Will Come
Stella By Starlight
Take the "A" Train
There’s no Greater Love
There Will Never Be Another You
The Way You Look Tonight
What Is This Thing Called Love
Furthermore, I have written an eBook with over 50 pages that covers all the major, minor, dominant 7th, and half-diminished chords voiced with their respective bebop scale in all the in all 12 keys. You can find this eBook by clicking on the link below or visiting the "STORE" section. This book is not a replacement for the previous exercises but rather a comprehensive reference to help guide your practice.
All of these theory concepts are available for free on my blog to anyone interested in learning more about music. However, producing this content is time-consuming, so if you found this article helpful, please consider purchasing the material to support the blog or joining our membership plan (available in April 2023). Through weekly videos, I will teach different applications for all this material, and I will answer all your questions.
You can also follow me on Instagram @_rodrigodmoreira for weekly quizzes to test your comprehension on these topics and suggest more ideas for future articles!
All my best,