Taking a Chord Apart

[JazzFanatik]

Hey Guys!

I was listening to Paul Jackson Jr. talk about "taking a chord apart" and using it for soloing.

So for example, if you're playing over an "Amin7 chord" using the notes A-C-E and G to solo, since those are the notes in that chord. Pretty simple.

THEN he started talking about using intervals of that same chord to solo, so for example using "thirds" and "fifths" and "sixths" or "octaves" and I mean I know what octaves are....thank to my boy Wes BUT can someone please help me explain this concept of intervals (not that they're the space between notes, i know that much), but just what he means by playing "thirds" or "fourths" or "sixths" or whatever!?

Thanks!!!! Hope this makes sense!

[bako]

Just a guess without the original context.

A-C m3rd
A-E P5th
A-G b7
A-A 8ve

C-E Ma3rd
C-G P5th
C-A Ma6th
C-C 8ve

E-G m3rd
E-A P4th
E-C m6th
E-E 8ve

G-A Ma2nd
G-C P4th
G-E Ma6th
G-G 8ve

The internal intervals without stepping outside the basic chord tones A C E G

[JazzFanatik]

okay, that makes sense, thanks....so what would playing "sixths" be? even if you have to step outside the chord? Would it just be like A-F# since F# is the six of A?

[JohnRoss]

Originally Posted by JazzFanatik

BUT can someone please help me explain this concept of intervals (not that they're the space between notes, i know that much), but just what he means by playing "thirds" or "fourths" or "sixths" or whatever!?

Yeah, it's a tiny bit confusing, because it means more than one thing. First, grammar. Strictly speaking, playing thirds means single notes, if you have C and D and you play their thirds, it means E and F. This is very common in harmonizing, one instrument plays the tune, another accompanies it playing the same or almost the same a third (or whatever) above or below (it's similar to 'close harmony,' like the Everly Bros or the Bee Gees, but in close harmony the intervals may vary).

In your example, that might be, e.g., the melody line running (spoonful, spoonful, spoooon-ful) C - A, C - A, Ccccc - A, and another instrument harmonizing it as E - C, E - C, Eeee - C.

But playing "in thirds," usually means playing a kind of arpeggio-style run e.g., a scale in thirds might be C E D F etc., or inverted (upside down), E C F D, or some combination of the two like C E F D. You might solo over your Am chord with something like A B C A B C B C D C D E A, for example.

And it can also mean playing consecutive two-note chords in a similar way, e.g. C + E, D + F, E + G etc. Chuck Berry does this a lot in fourths, especially (though they aren't really fourths, they're thirds in a pentatonic scale). Wes Montgomery, as you know, did it in octaves (sounds like one of those "Farmers do it in wellies," jokes - jazz guitarists do it in intervals).

[JazzFanatik]

Yea, i see how it can be confusing. I think he was more referring to playing two notes together rather than individual notes. Sorry if I was confusing!

[gingerjazz]

I am going to try and make this clear for you there are twelve intervals in western music.I will list them for you,lets work on the E string/sixth string,E to F one semitone/one fret is a minor second,E to F# two semitones/two frets/one wholetone,is a major second.E to G three semitones is a minor third,E to G#four semitones is a major third,by now you should see we are adding a semitone each time so i will just list the other intervals and let you do the maths.perfect fourth is next followed by flat fifth(TRITONE),perfect fifth,minor sixth,major sixth,minor seventh,major seventh.octave.Hope this helps a bit please forgive me if i have told you anything too obvious but it is hard to know someones level of understanding on a forum like this.

[tele jazz]

use your ears. there is too much talk about what to use over a certain progression. theory is just that.

[bako]

C-A Ma6th // E-C m6th // G-E Ma6th i

Those are the 6ths inherent in the chord.

Beyond that in the context of a key, lets say G major.

C-A // D-B // E-C // F#-D // G-E // A-F# // B-G

Like dorian with single notes, these 6ths represent the same harmonic color.

[JonnyPac]

Hey, harmonizing in diatonic intervals is a great tool. Of course, if there are borrowed chords and sub changes, you'll have to think fast. They are great for arranging melodies and so on too. Here's a quick run thru on it. (These are from the beta version of my book, I need to get the new files on my work computer for next time.) Enjoy.

[JazzFanatik]

Wow thanks! This was all very helpful, I really appreciate it.

[JonnyPac]

Right on. Let me know if you have any questions. Cheers!