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Guide Tones

1. The document discusses various melodic embellishments used in jazz composition including approach notes, such as passing tones, neighbor tones, indirect resolution, and double chromatic approach notes. It also discusses escape tones. 2. It covers rhythmic techniques such as anticipation and delayed attack where notes are attacked early or late relative to the beat. 3. The concept of guide tones is introduced, which are chord tones or tensions that are voice led between chords through common tones or stepwise motion. The document provides examples of voice leading choices between chords.

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Michael Vochezer
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543 views

Guide Tones

1. The document discusses various melodic embellishments used in jazz composition including approach notes, such as passing tones, neighbor tones, indirect resolution, and double chromatic approach notes. It also discusses escape tones. 2. It covers rhythmic techniques such as anticipation and delayed attack where notes are attacked early or late relative to the beat. 3. The concept of guide tones is introduced, which are chord tones or tensions that are voice led between chords through common tones or stepwise motion. The document provides examples of voice leading choices between chords.

Uploaded by

Michael Vochezer
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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jazz composition 1

5/28/03

4:32 PM

Page xvi

Approach Notes and Other Embellishments


Approach notes have a linear melodic purpose. They are short-duration notes that move by step to chord tones or tensions. (Chord tones and tensions have a vertical melodic purpose, helping to provide focal points that are in agreement with the underlying harmony.) Approach notes occur in melodic patterns as: 1. passing tones (PT), which move stepwise between two notes of different pitch

PT

PT

PT

2. neighbor tones (NT), which leave and return to the same note in stepwise motion or proceed directly to a target note without preparation
Prepared
NT NT

Unprepared
NT NT NT

3. indirect resolution (IR), which consists of two notes of short and equal duration that approach the target note by step from above and below

IR

IR

4. double chromatic approach (DCHR), which consists of two notes of short and equal duration that move by consecutive half steps to a target note

DCHR

DCHR

Other embellishments include escape tones (ET), which interrupt the upward or downward flow of a melody by moving in the opposite direction by step and then leaping to catch up.

ET

ET

ET

xvi

jazz composition 1

5/28/03

4:32 PM

Page xvii

Anticipation and Delayed Attack


Rhythmic anticipation (A) occurs when an on-the-beat note is attacked a half beat or a whole beat early. If a chord change is involved, the chord is also anticipated.
A7 D7 E Maj7 A Maj7( 11)

A delayed attack (DA) occurs when an on-the-beat note is attacked a half beat or a whole beat late. If a chord change is involved, the chord is also delayed.
G7 C7 F6 B 7 A7 D7( 9)

DA

DA

DA

Guide Tones
Guide tones are chord tones or tensions that are voice led from one chord to a new chord tone or tension on a subsequent chord by common tone or stepwise motion. The 1 and 5 of a chord are weak guide tones because they duplicate the bass line. The 3 and 7 of a chord are the most harmonically definitive guide tones. Tensions, especially chromatically altered tensions, are the most dissonant guide tones and therefore the most unstable and dramatic. The following example shows all of the voice-leading choices when moving from a given note in a D7 chord to G7. ( = usual voice leading; = less common )
Given D7 to Voice Leading Choices G7 Given D7 to Voice Leading Choices G7

T13

T 13

T 5

T13

T 13

D7

to

G7

D7

to

G7

T 9

T9

T 9

D7

to

G7

D7

to

G7

T9

T13

T 13

T11

T9

T 9

The choice of available tensions is often aided by designated tensions in the chord symbol. In any case, you must use your ears!

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jazz composition 1

5/28/03

4:32 PM

Page xviii

FURTHER REFINEMENTS 1. Within the duration of a chord, a leap to another guide tone may occur before moving on.
G7 C7 FMaj7

leap

leap

2. If adjacent chords share a guide tone, you can leap between chords.
G7 C7 FMaj7 B Maj7

leap

leap

3. Compound lines are possible when two sets of guide tones play tag through a progression.
A7 D7 GMaj7 CMaj7

F 7

B7

A thorough discussion of guide tone usage appears later in the book.

xviii

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