Scribd
Upload
91 views2 pages

Common Ground: S E S S I O N S

To improvise over a key's V7, you can cruise through the Mixolydian mode starting from the chord's root. DMixolydian and F Mixolydian have four notes in common--d, g, a, and c. These notes give you a way to melodically link D11 and F11.

Uploaded by

primus2
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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
91 views2 pages

Common Ground: S E S S I O N S

To improvise over a key's V7, you can cruise through the Mixolydian mode starting from the chord's root. DMixolydian and F Mixolydian have four notes in common--d, g, a, and c. These notes give you a way to melodically link D11 and F11.

Uploaded by

primus2
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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

S E S S I O N S

WHEN IMPROVISING OVER


two seemingly unrelated chords, its
often difficult to come up with lines
that sound cohesive. One way around
this problem is to build phrases that
feature notes common to both
chords. Lets see how this works.
First play Ex. 1a, which contains
the first two chords of Herbie Han-
cocks Maiden Voyage. A minor
third apart, these two dominant 11s
function as the V7 chords of their re-
spective keys:
D11 works as the
V7 of G major.
F11 works as the
V7 of Bb major.
To improvise over a keys V7, you
can cruise through the Mixolydian
mode starting from the chords root.
In this case, for example, youd have
DMixolydian for D11 and F Mixoly-
dian for F11 as sources of raw
melodic material. To hear these two
modes, play Examples 1b and 1c.
(As indicated below the staff, the
Mixolydian formula is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
and b7. For more background on this
mode, see the Oct. 99 and Dec. 99
Back Track lessons Modes in a Nut-
shell and Mixolydian Magic.)
If you examine the two modal
patterns, youll find that DMixoly-
dian and F Mixolydian have four
notes in commonD, G, A, and C
(Ex. 1d). These notes give you a way
to melodically link D11 and F11.
Try Ex. 2, which is derived from
DMixolydian in bars 1 and 2, and F
Mixolydian in bars 3 and 4. Notice
how both phrases feature the four
common tones and share the same
rhythmic template. In fact, the only
III
j
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
VI
X 1 2 3 4 X X 1 2 3 4 X
D11 F11
(C/D) (E /F) ,
Ex. 1a

T
A
B
j

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
D Mixolydian
5 7
4 5 7
4 5 7
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 ,
Ex. 1b

T
A
B
j
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
F Mixolydian
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 ,
8
5 7
6
8
5 7 8
,
,
Ex. 1c

T
A
B
j

,
,
,
,
5
5 7
5
Ex. 1d

T
A
B
j

,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
D11 F11
7 5 4
7
7 4 5 7 5
8 8 7
7 5
4
4
2
1 1
3
4 4 3
3
1
Ex. 2

T
A
B
j

,
_
,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,

,
_
,
,
,
,
,
_
,

,
,
,
, ,
,

,
_
,

D11 F11
7
7
5 5
8 7
7 7 7 7 5
5
5 5
6 6 8
7 5
5
7
8
3
3
1
4
3 1
1
2
4
1
Ex. 3

T
A
B
j

,
,
,
,
,
,
, ,
_

( ) (
(
)
)
12 (14)
13
12 12 (14) 10 (11)
12
,
,
,
,
,
, ( ) ( )
12 (14)
13
12 12 (14)

,
10

B B R B B R B
D11 F11
3
4
1 3
Ex. 4
Common Ground
B Y B I L L F O W L E R
difference is that B (found in D
Mixolydian) changes to Bb (native
to F Mixolydian). These similar
phrases dont sound repetitious
because the common tones func-
tion differently against each chord:
Against D11, Dis the root,
G is the 4 (or 11), A is the 5, and
C is the b7.
Against F11, D is the 6 (or
13), Gis the 2 (or 9), Ais the 3, and
C is the 5.
The two phrases in Ex. 3 are
also built around the four com-
mon tones, but this time we en-
hance them with two new notes
per chord: F# and Ein bars 1 and
2, and Fn and Bb in bars 4 and 5.
This technique also works with
bluesy phrases, such as Ex. 4,
which is reminiscent of Jeff Beck.
In this line, the F# (bar 1) and Fn
(bar 3) are the contrasting tones
that differentiate the two two-bar
phrases and help outline the
changing harmony. g
Bill Fowler teaches guitar at
the Los Angeles Music Academy.

You might also like