Scribd
Upload
676 views2 pages

Reharmonization BackCycling ChordMelodyPlaying 1972-09-11

1) The document discusses techniques for reharmonizing chord progressions and songs through chord substitutions and reinterpreting the chords, including extension substitutions, b5th substitutions, and relative minors and majors. 2) It provides an example of reharmonizing the song "Swanee River" using extensions on the I and IV chords and dominant 7th extensions on the V chords, and also using a technique called "back-cycling" to generate new chord progressions. 3) Additional techniques discussed include using passing chords, particularly when moving from the IV chord to the I chord, and experimenting with b5th substitutions while keeping the original melody as the top priority

Uploaded by

Reg
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
676 views2 pages

Reharmonization BackCycling ChordMelodyPlaying 1972-09-11

1) The document discusses techniques for reharmonizing chord progressions and songs through chord substitutions and reinterpreting the chords, including extension substitutions, b5th substitutions, and relative minors and majors. 2) It provides an example of reharmonizing the song "Swanee River" using extensions on the I and IV chords and dominant 7th extensions on the V chords, and also using a technique called "back-cycling" to generate new chord progressions. 3) Additional techniques discussed include using passing chords, particularly when moving from the IV chord to the I chord, and experimenting with b5th substitutions while keeping the original melody as the top priority

Uploaded by

Reg
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
You are on page 1/ 2

09-11-72

Ted Greene

REHARMONIZATION & BACK-CYCLING for CHORD MELODY PLAYING


Reharmonization is the process of enriching an existing chord progression or song by applying chord
substitutions, and re-interpreting the chords given.
Before starting the following exercise, it is assumed that you already understand extension
substitution, b5th substitutions, & relative minors & majors, if not, do not undertake this page.
The first song we will use as a model is "Swanee River". Here is the simple chord progression (given in
the key of C):

C | F | C | G || C | F
////

////

////

////

| C G | C || G | C | F

////
////
//
//
////
this symbol will mean end of phrase

////

////

| C || C

////

////

|F

////

|C G |C

////

//

//

||

////

There are two basic ways to reharmonize any tune: 1) to start with the basic chords as a guideline and
work them over ; and 2) to chuck them aside and start from scratch. We will use the first method for
now. First, you should try extensions; you might get something like the following:

C7 C6 | F7
//

//

| C/9

G7 G9 | C7
//

| G7

|| C7

| F7

////

////

////

////

| F6

| C6

|| C7

////

////

////

////

//

////

| C7 G9 | C6
//

| F/9

//

||

////

| C/9 G7 | C6

////

//

//

||

////

This would still sound pretty ordinary but a little better than before. By the way, you may have noticed
that major extensions were used on I & IV chords, while dominant 7th extensions were used on V. This
is common procedure but for a more blusey or gospel effect dominant extensions can be used on I and
especially on IV IF YOU DESIRE THIS CHANGE OF TONE COLOR (there are no rules other than
personal taste so experiment).
Before you try any b5th substitutions, it is wise to try back-cycling. Using back-cycling you might end
up with something like this:

C7

Gm7 C7 | F7

//

C7

Gm7 C9 | F/9

//

G7

//

Dm7 G7 | C7

//

C7

//

| E7#9

//

Am7

//

G11

Gm7 C7 | F7
/

| D7

G7

//

//

//

||

| Em7 Am7 D7 G7 | C6

//

//

Gm7 C7 | F7

//

G11

//

G11

//

||

////

G9

| C7

//

//

G7/6
//

| Em7 Am7 D7 G7 | C6

//

||
||

////

Now you could go back and try b5th substitutions - like Ab7 for D7 etc. You will find that some songs
do not lend themselves well to the b5th subst. - Experiment. The only real missing ingredients left in this
progression are passing chords. The most common place to put in passing chords that are not covered by
back-cycling is when leading to I, especially from IIm (II + II7 also) or IV. Some of the most common
ways found to be pleasing, of going IV to I are :

F Co | C || ;

F D7

//

//

//

////

F Dm7b5 | C
//

//

////

|| ;

|C

//

|| ;

//

F D9 Dm7b5 | C
//

F Ab7 | C

////

////

|| ;

//

F Fm | C
//

//

|| ;

////

||

////

In conclusion, every chord substitution that theoretically may be tried is tempered by the melody of the
song which still takes precedence over the harmony.
Transcribed by S. Hemsworth

You might also like