Giant Steps: Comping and Chord Melody

A jazz guitar chord lesson written by Matthew Warnock

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In Giant Steps Part 1 we had a look at some simple melodic ideas that we can use to outline the Coltrane Matrix. Now we will look at some harmonic ideas to outline these same changes.  We are going to take a look at two ways (3rds and 7ths and 3 to 7 triads) to outline the changes to Giant Steps that are both easy to apply and that will sound hip in any situation.

1) Thirds and Sevenths

The first harmonic idea that we will use over the matrix are the 3rd and 7th of each chord.  By using only the third and seventh of each chord we allow ourselves to move quickly through the changes while outlining the harmony at the same time. 

Even though we do not have a root in our voicings, these two note chords outline the harmonic function of each chord. 

• The 3rd will tell us whether the chord is major or minor
• The 7th will tell us whether the chord is major, dominant or minor seventh 

If you have never used these voicings before try playing them without any accompaniment and hear how the changes are outlined without the root being present.  These voicings are similar to what a piano player would put in their left hand when comping through a tune.  As we get used to these new voicings we will start to add notes on top of the 3rds and 7ths that will be similar to what a pianist would put in their right hands when comping.

Example 1

In this example the 3rds and 7ths are used beginning with the 3rd as the lowest note of the first chord, Bmaj7.  Notice how the voice leading allows us to stay in one position, even though we are navigating through three different keys.  Staying in one position will allow us to quickly move between each chord even at fast tempos. 

As you have probably already noticed there is no 7th in the first chord voicing, Bmaj7.  In order to avoid a perfect fifth interval, which tends to sound out of place in certain situations, we are using the 6th instead.  The 6th is a common substitute for the 7th in a major seventh chord and it allows us to use a perfect fourth interval instead of a perfect fifth.

Example 2

In this example the first chord, Bmaj7, has the seventh as the lowest note. Notice how we are using the 6th, E, instead of the 7th over the Gmaj7 chord to avoid the perfect fifth interval. 

For the purposes of this article we will only look at these two positions, but if you find that these chords come easy to you, and you want to explore them further, try starting with the seventh of Bmaj7 on the fifth string, or the third of Bmaj7 on the fourth string.  This will give you two more areas of the neck where you can outline these changes, which in turn allows you to cover the entire neck at any given time.

Example 3

Now that we have a handle on the 3rds and 7ths by themselves we can add a third note to our chord above each grip. 

In this example we will begin by adding the 9th to the Bmaj7 chord and the D7 chord.  Notice how the 9th of D7, E, is also the 6th of Gmaj7, and the 9th of Bb7, C, is the 6th of Ebmaj7.  Even though we are using the same note over two different chords the quality of that note changes when the thirds and sevenths change underneath it. So, we are now getting twice the mileage out of one note by keeping it as a common tone between the two chords.  Players like Lenny Breau, Ted Greene and Ed Bickert were masters at this technique of using common tones on top of 3rd and 7th voicings.

Example 4

Now we will start by adding the 6th to the Bmaj7 chord, and the 13th to the D7 chord.  Instead of keeping this note for two chords as in the previous example, we will now voice-lead the line down by whole steps through the progression. The 13th of D7, B, leads down to the 9th of Gmaj7, A, which then leads down to the 13th of Bb7, G, before finally settling on the 9th, F, of Ebmaj7. 

Using a moving line on top of 3rd and 7th voicings gives our comping a sense of melody that is often missing when we use other chords such as drop 2 and drop 3’s.  This approach really helps when interacting with a soloist as the moving line can feed ideas to the lead player and vice versa.

Example 5

In this example we will add a fourth note to our first group of chords that will help give our voicings some added thickness.  Notice how the upper line uses a mixture of leaps and steps to create a melodic idea throughout the phrase.  The use of the C# on the Gmaj7 chord adds a Lydian flavor to the chord that can be used to inspire our soloist to explore more tonal colors in their blowing.

Example 6

In the final example using 3rd and 7th voicings we will add a fourth note to our second group of chords.  This melodic line makes use of three #11 tones, over Bmaj7, D7 and Bb7.  Again, this gives our comping a Lydian and Lydian Dominant flavor that can be used to color our chords and inspire our soloists to use different modes in their lines.

2) Three to Seven Triads

The next chord type that we will apply to the Coltrane Matrix is called the 3 to 7 triad.  These are triads that are built off of the 3rd, 5th, and 7th of each chord.  By playing triads off of the third of each chord we can use a simple structure that we already know, in a new situation to create fresh and interesting comping patterns.

Notice the types of triads for each chord:

• Major seventh chords: the 3 to 7 triad is a minor chord.
• Dominant seventh chords: a diminished triad. 
• Minor seventh chords the 3 to 7 triad is major.
  
  

Example 1

Here the progression is voice lead beginning with a root position triad on the first chord.

Example 2

Now we will begin our comping pattern with a first inversion D# minor triad over the Bmaj7 chord.

Example 3

And finally we will begin our progression with the second inversion D# minor triad over the Bmaj7 chord. 

After you get these particular voicings under your fingers try playing them on different string sets, and if you want to sound really modern try spreading them out over four strings with a skip between the first and second, or second and third note of each triad (see example 4 in the next section to see spread triads in action).

3) Melody Harmonization

Now that we have looked at different ways to comp through the changes of the first four bars of Giant Steps we can apply these voicings to a chord melody over the same section of the tune. 

Example 1

In this example we are using 3rd and 7th voicings with the melody note added on top. 

Example 2

Now we will invert the voicings so the 7th (or 6th on the Bmaj7 chord) is the lowest note of each chord.

Example 3

In the following example we can apply our 3 to 7 triads to each melody note. 

In this case we will start the progression with a second inversion triad since the fifth, F#, is the melody note.  The only change we have to make to our triads is during the Bb7 chord.  Since the 13th, G, is the melody note we can’t use our 3 to 7 voicing in this situation.  Instead we can use a G minor triad, which is built off of the 13th of the Bb7 chord.  This will allow us to keep the G on top of the chord, as well as give use the third, D, and the root, Bb, in our voicing.  Using a minor triad built from the 13th of a dominant chord, or the 6th of a major7 chord, is a common triad substitution.    

Example 4

Here is an example of the spread triads discussed earlier. Notice how they have a “modern” sound to them, but still maintain the familiar sound of the triad. 

Now that we have explored some of the possibilities of these voicings over the first four bars of Giant Steps try applying them to the entire tune.  You will find that by using simple chord voicings we can focus on rhythm, time and feel, while outlining the changes, instead of worrying about jumping around the neck or grabbing a big grip on the next chord.

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