Any ideas to jazz up this basic pop progression (1-5-6-4)

[SammieWammie]

The terrible 1-5-6-4 that pops up in every second pop song, e.g in C: C G Am F. Being jazzy I get bored playing simple chords and since everybody can strum that I want to be a bit more unique when I inevitably get asked to play a pop song. How would you jazz this up, what ideas or tricks or examples have you got? I've been trying to develop some voice leading ideas such as what I came up with last night:

EADGBe
x3001x
x2003x
x0525x
xx3031

Anybody else had this problem, and what to do? Because we all know jazz chords are better than pop chords hahaha.

[brwnhornet59]

It sounds like you are looking for alternatives for standard pop/rock voicing's rather than "jazz" voicing's, correct?

In this context I like getting a pedal going. Several examples of what I might do.

x30030
x20030
x02030
x03030


x30010
x20030
x07500
xx3563

I would be adding ornamental extensions here and there. I would also throw in some lower root voicing's as well. I would want to make sure it did not sound like the Cannon to often.

x32030
320030
x02410
135200

Lot's of fun things to do.

[SammieWammie]

Really anything that can make it more interesting. Simply extending chords to 7s how they normally would be in jazz doesn't sound right. I like a jazz sound however so if there's a way to make it sound like jazz I'd like to know. While I've been working on more ballad-ey things with more interesting voice leading, it's much more interesting than straight open or bar chords but I was wondering about ideas that make it sound like jazz. Thinking about it my vague thoughts on making it sound like "jazz" also include anything making it sound more original or sophisticated etc. Nice ideas, thanks

[brwnhornet59]

How about something like this.

xx5558...xx5555...xx5767...xx9,10,9,10/...xx10,12,10,12...xx7988...xx3555...xx2211/

xx2433...xx2435...xx0211...xx3453/...7x555x...5x556...5x353x...3x345x

[SammieWammie]

I'm getting confused with your voicings, 8 or 10 string guitar played by somebody who can span 8 frets easily or just a typo?

[brwnhornet59]

Is that better?

[SammieWammie]

My bad, wasn't in math mode and temporarily forgot two digit numbers were possible...

[bako]

I don't know if these are what you're looking for.....

-------CMa9#11--------------------------GMa6/9----------------------------Am9----------------------------FMaAdd9------
X---C---E---G---D---F#-----------X---B---G---A---D---E----------X---A---G---C---B---E----------A---F---G---C---X---X
X---1---3---5---9--#11-----------X---3---1----9---5---6----------X---1---b7--b3--9---5----------3----1---9---5---X---X

or 2 chords per chord

-----------CMa6/9-------------------------CMaAdd9------------------------GMa6/9------------------------GMaAdd9------
X---X---A---D---G---C----------X---X---D---G---C---E----------X---X---B---E---A---D----------X---X---A---D---G---B
X---X---6---9---5----1----------X---X---9---5---1----3----------X---X---3---6---9---5-----------X---X---9---5---1---3

---------Am11-----------------------------Am9sus-------------------------FMa#11------------------------FMa9#11
X---X---A---D---E---C----------X---X---G---C---D---B----------X---X---F---B---C---A----------X---X---E---A---B---G--
X---X---1--11---5---b3---------X---X--b7---b3--4---9-----------X---X--1-#11--5---3-----------X---X---7---3-#11--9

[kaishakov]

you should look at sunny played by pat martino too,
that progression is also verry basic, but a he plays a great jazz solo over it

[Jweele01]

You might like this...

YouTube Video

(Skip to about 2:25...)

I know it's not really jazzy, but it might give you some ideas.

[SammieWammie]

That's kind of like a pedal point. Good idea although it's quite simple I'll see if I can come up with something interesting, thanks.

[Melodic Dreamer]

In basic pop tunes I try not to do the 7th chord thing just because it doesn't fit. I usually like add9 or sus chords. By simply taking away the 3rd and on occation replacing it with the 2nd adds more tension without taking it totally out. I think of the 80's studio guys like Lukather, Landau, Huff, Jackson Jr. They could take simple progressions and really shine.

[JonnyPac]

I agree that 7ths sound a bit out of place in some pop contexts. Pentatonic based harmonies are always good. Add9, sus2, 6ths. Minor 7ths, 9ths, and 11ths are workable too. Experiment. I personally like "rock" lower structures and "jazzy" upper structures for a sophisticated indi-post-rock sound.

[jckoto3]

Originally Posted by JonnyPac

I personally like "rock" lower structures and "jazzy" upper structures for a sophisticated indi-post-rock sound.

Hey Johnny, could you explain what you mean by that vis-a-vis "rock" structures and "jazz" structures"?