Jazz and Contemporary
Harmony and groove from jazz and popular music.
Guide-Tone Line
- The idea
- A guide-tone line connects the thirds and sevenths of a progression.
- Try this
- Connect the thirds and sevenths of Dm7–G7–Cmaj7 smoothly.
- Example
- F–F–E (3rd, 7th, 3rd) or C–B–B (7th, 3rd, 7th).
Tritone Substitution
- The idea
- A tritone substitution replaces a dominant seventh with the dominant a tritone away.
- Try this
- Replace G7 with D♭7 before Cmaj7 and compare the bass.
- Example
- G7 (G–B–D–F) and D♭7 (D♭–F–A♭–C♭) share F and B/C♭. Bass D–D♭–C replaces D–G–C.
Backdoor Cadence
- The idea
- A backdoor cadence reaches the tonic from ♭VII7 instead of V7.
- Try this
- Use B♭7–Cmaj7 as an alternative tonic approach.
- Example
- Fm7–B♭7–Cmaj7 (iv7–♭VII7–I).
Modal Vamp
- The idea
- A modal vamp repeats a short pattern that keeps one mode and center.
- Try this
- Improvise over Dm7–G/D with D as the center.
- Example
- D Dorian: D–E–F–G–A–B–C. The B natural gives Dorian its color.
Blue Notes
- The idea
- A blue note is a lowered or bent third, fifth or seventh used for expression.
- Try this
- Use E♭ as an expressive note against C major or C7.
- Example
- Over C7, bend E♭ up toward E and then land on C.
Rhythmic Comping
- The idea
- Comping is chordal accompaniment with rhythmically placed, often offbeat, attacks.
- Try this
- Write a two-bar chord pattern that rests on some expected strong beats.
- Example
- Chords on the “and” of 1 and beat 4 in bar 1, the “and” of 2 in bar 2.
Reharmonization
- The idea
- Reharmonization replaces the original chords under a melody.
- Try this
- Replace a sustained C chord with Am7–D7–G7–C.
- Example
- A four-bar stretch of C becomes Am7 | D7 | G7 | C (vi–II7–V7–I). Check the melody against each chord.
Drop-2 Voicing
- The idea
- A drop-2 voicing lowers the second-highest note of a close-position chord by an octave.
- Try this
- Take a four-note close-position seventh chord and drop its second-highest note an octave.
- Example
- Cmaj7 C4–E4–G4–B4 becomes G3–C4–E4–B4.
Loop Transformation
- The idea
- Loop transformation keeps a loop repeating while changing one layer each cycle.
- Try this
- Repeat a four-bar loop and change one instrumental layer each time.
- Example
- Cycle 1 drums and bass, cycle 2 add keys, cycle 3 swap the bass pattern.
The 3+3+2 Groove
- The idea
- A 3+3+2 grouping divides eight eighth notes unevenly inside 4/4.
- Try this
- Accent a recurring 3+3+2 pattern across eight eighths in 4/4.
- Example
- Accent eighths 1, 4 and 7: the tresillo rhythm.
Other chapters: Motif and Melody · Rhythm and Meter · Harmony and Tonal Motion · Counterpoint and Voice Leading · Texture and Instrumentation · Form and Architecture · Expression and Narrative · Electronic and Acoustic Design · Revision and Craft
Not every technique suits every style. Adapt it to your instrument and your music.
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