Analysis for this chord progression?

[JimmyDunlop]

Each bar has 4 beats and each beat has 1 chord: I separate each bar using } symbol

Bar number 8 is a rest but you can substitute by G for the whole bar

Am7 Cmaj9 Am/E Am/E } -----D9 Cmaj9 D7/B Am9} -----Gmaj9 Am7/F# Am/E C/E}----- Am7/G Bm7/A Cmaj7/B Am13/G }

Am7 Cmaj9 Am/E Am/E}------- D9 Cmaj9 D7/B Am9}------- G6/B Dm/F# G G

I dont know why but it sounds jazzy on band in a box if you choose jazz style.
Is it modal harmony?

[pamosmusic]

Nah that’s a big old ii-V-I in G.

Bar one is a big Am7 with some common upperstructures.

Bar two is D9 with some common upper structures.

Bar three is Gmaj7 but walking up diatonically which is a pretty common way of embellishing a long I chord.

Bars five and six recap one and two. Bar seven is a quick I back to V and then I again.

So it’s two four-bar ii-V-Is

bing bang boom

[JimmyDunlop]

Nah that’s a big old ii-V-I in G.

Bar one is a big Am7 with some common upperstructures.

Bar two is D9 with some common upper structures.

Bar three is Gmaj7 but walking up diatonically which is a pretty common way of embellishing a long I chord.

Bars five and six recap one and two. Bar seven is a quick I back to V and then I again.

So it’s two four-bar ii-V-Is

bing bang boom

it sounds jazzy in band in a box. its because ii V I?

[Tal_175]

it sounds jazzy in band in a box. its because ii V I?

Also because of the chord extensions.
These chords harmonize a walking bassline. I'm not sure if band in a box would actually move these chords with the intended voicings.

[JimmyDunlop]

Also because of the chord extensions.
These chords harmonize a walking bassline. I'm not sure if band in a box would actually move these chords with the intended voicings.

yes but the funny thing is that this is not from jazz music but classical, but in band in a box it sounds like jazz

you can hear the band in a box in this link.

so it means the only difference betwwen both genres is the thythm and the melodic lines, but harmony can be common

[Tal_175]

yes but the funny thing is that this is not from jazz music but classical, but in band in a box it sounds like jazz

you can hear the band in a box in this link.

so it means the only difference betwwen both genres is the thythm and the melodic lines, but harmony can be common

It does sound jazzy. I think it's because of the rhythmic and textural realization of the chords. In the classical context these chords would probably be orchestrally arranged and the individual voice movements would be separate parts played more melodically with different rhythm and note values as opposed to being stabbed homophonically.

[JimmyDunlop]

It does sound jazzy. I think it's because of the rhythmic and textural realization of the chords. In the classical context these chords would probably be orchestrally arranged and the individual voice movements would be separate parts played more melodically with different rhythm and note values as opposed to being stabbed homophonically.

I am surprised how an opera chorus can have jazz feeling using exactly the same harmony without adaptation, just by changing the rhythm and the bass functions. But why so much extensions, if its a ii V l ? I got confused why D6 was used instead of D7. Wouldnt It be better to just go normal chords like am7 D7 and G and avoid not common chords? What do u think

[Tal_175]

I am surprised how an opera chorus can have jazz feeling using exactly the same harmony without adaptation, just by changing the rhythm and the bass functions. But why so much extensions, if its a ii V l ? I got confused why D6 was used instead of D7. Wouldnt It be better to just go normal chords like am7 D7 and G and avoid not common chords? What do u think

Not sure if I follow your question. The ii V I progression is everywhere, in classical music, baroque music, pop music. Extensions are also everywhere in the form of melody or inner voices, it's just that they aren't called extensions outside of jazz.

Can I ask you where did you find the progression? How was this progression arranged? I don't see uncommon chords. A lot of them indicate moving inner or bass voices on different beats of the bar. I think you can find a lot of the answers in the way these chords are arranged if it's an excerpt from a classical piece.

[JimmyDunlop]

Not sure if I follow your question. The ii V I progression is everywhere, in classical music, baroque music, pop music. Extensions are also everywhere in the form of melody or inner voices, it's just that they aren't called extensions outside of jazz.

Can I ask you where did you find the progression? How was this progression arranged? I don't see uncommon chords. A lot of them indicate moving inner or bass voices on different beats of the bar. I think you can find a lot of the answers in the way these chords are arranged if it's an excerpt from a classical piece.

It is from an opera, let me check if I can find it, i got the sibelius file. My point is that chords are not uncommon but it doesnt look like the most common chords, in other words I think it is possible to use way less chords than what I showed you and it would keep the sound somehow. so why not just going for the mot basic form instead of using several chords if its just ii V I

[Tal_175]

so why not just going for the mot basic form instead of using several chords if its just ii V I

Because it's not cowboy music? Haha. Joking aside, the key here is the harmonic motion or voice motion within a chord. Yes you can just hit a basic voicing on every down beat or play that same voicing on every beat. But there are other ways of expressing harmony. Especially in orchestral music but even when accompanying with just a guitar.

[JimmyDunlop]

Because it's not cowboy music? Haha. Joking aside, the key here is the harmonic motion or voice motion within a chord. Yes you can just hit a basic voicing on every down beat or play that same voicing on every beat. But there are other ways of expressing harmony. Especially in orchestral music but even when accompanying with just a guitar.

so in other words you mean that it uses these type of extensions cause of bass line? i hope i got you right

[Tal_175]

so in other words you mean that it uses these type of extensions cause of bass line? i hope i got you right

That's one explanation but it's hard to say without seeing the actual arrangement.

Let's take a bar from the progression:

| D9 Cmaj9 D7/B Am9 |

If I saw that on a chart, I would pay it as a descending bassline with moving chords on top (the bass line being D - C - B - A). The chords on the weak beats here are passing chords (2 and 4). They are basically the ii chords (Amin7).

I would voice these chords so the other voices move in steps as much as possible. This is a particular comping style. But most people throw in such chord phrases especially in a trio settings.

I posted this before. Here is an analyzed example of harmonized bass line comping (in this case with three part harmony):

Harmonic Techniques to Create Moving Chord Progressions using Three Note Voicings

[Tal_175]

Also note that the top line of that bar is a descending line:

| D9 Cmaj9 D7/B Am9 |

E (9th of D), D (9th of C), C (7th of D7), B (9th of Am)

That explains the extensions.

[JimmyDunlop]

That's one explanation but it's hard to say without seeing the actual arrangement.

Let's take a bar from the progression:

| D9 Cmaj9 D7/B Am9 |

If I saw that on a chart, I would pay it as a descending bassline with moving chords on top (the bass line being D - C - B - A). The chords on the weak beats here are passing chords (2 and 4). They are basically the ii chords (Amin7).

I would voice these chords so the other voices move in steps as much as possible. This is a particular comping style. But most people throw in such chord phrases especially in a trio settings.

I posted this before. Here is an analyzed example of harmonized bass line comping (in this case with three part harmony):

Harmonic Techniques to Create Moving Chord Progressions using Three Note Voicings

its from lehar, couldnt find on yt since it was deleted, so i uploaded the sibelius file

[Bobby Timmons]

There's a lot of crossover between classical and jazz harmony. A lot of what separates the 2 is how they're played, although they're not identical. Jazz probably initially borrowed its deep harmony from classical.

[JimmyDunlop]

Also note that the top line of that bar is a descending line:

| D9 Cmaj9 D7/B Am9 |

E (9th of D), D (9th of C), C (7th of D7), B (9th of Am)

That explains the extensions.

is this what you were talking about related to "bass" chords? this is the original score excertp

[Tal_175]

is this what you were talking about related to "bass" chords? this is the original score excertp

This is not the progression you posted. This is in 3/4 time and what I hear is repeated Amin bars end with a D7 to Gmaj in the last bar.

[JimmyDunlop]

This is not the progression you posted. This is in 3/4 time and what I hear is repeated Amin bars end with a D7 to Gmaj in the last bar.

yes it is the same progression and its 4/4 not 3/4.

[Bobby Timmons]

I've just realized that Jimmy Dunlop is Hans Groiner.

[JimmyDunlop]

I've just realized that Jimmy Dunlop is Hans Groiner.

wtf????