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  1. #1

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    I really struggle with hearing my way through rhythm changes. I want to do some singing exercises where I sing the harmony to get it ingrained in my ear.

    What idea is to just sing the roots another would be to sing the thirds while playing a root. Or another would be to sing an arpeggio over each root.

    Do any of you do anything like this? What do you find to be the most effective?

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  3. #2

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    What Rhythm Changes are you talking about? There are so many variations.

    Learn the chorus melody of Gershwin’s original first by ear (preferably with lyrics which helps to remember the tune) from a sung recording, e.g. Ella Fitzgerald on “Ella Fitzgerald Sings The George And Ira Gershwin Songbook” (starts with “I got rhythm. I got music”). This helps to connect the melody with the harmonic form.


    [There is the wrong album cover in this video from another songbook album by Ella]

    Understand the basic structure first as rhythm changes tunes are often played at breakneck tempos:

    General form is AABA

    The very basic first two A sections:

    | I | V7 | I | V7 | I | IV | I | V7 |

    | I | V7 | I | V7 | I | IV | I | I |


    • a II is added to the Vs in in bars 2 and 4 of both As and to the V in bar 8 of A1
    • a I7 (V of IV is added in the second half of bar 5
    • a V is added in the second half of bar in second A


    which makes them

    | I | II–7 V7 | I | II–7 V7 | I I7 | IV | I | II–7 V7 |

    | I | II–7 V7 | I | II–7 V7 | I I7 | IV | I V7 | I |

    [EDIT: in Gershwin’s original all A sections end like the second one I have written here]

    The rest of variations is substitutions / passing chords added to the above.

    The bridge (B) is basically a chain of dominants “backcycling” through the circle of dominants to the I:

    | III7 [V of VI] | % | VI7 [V of II] | % | II7 [V of V] | % | V7 | % |

    Now you can e.g. add IIs to the Vs like

    | VII–7 | III7 | III–7 | VI7 | VI–7 | II7 | II–7 | V7 |

    tritone substitute etc.

    So far about the chord structure.

    Practice singing scale outlines à la Barry Harris which help to remember the form through one and two bar phrases and give you the basic material for improvisation by putting chord tones on beats and passing tones / neighbor notes on “and”s. (Like most beboppers Barry Harris ignores the II of a II-V in improvisation simplifying it to V and playing the dominant [seventh] scale — a.k.a. “mixolydian” if you should be used to that — only.)


    This is a long Rhythm Changes masterclass by Russ DePhilippis (really starts at 13:40) who was George Benson’s assistant among other things

    Last edited by Bop Head; 09-12-2022 at 12:55 AM.

  4. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Bop Head
    What Rhythm Changes are you talking about? There are so many variations.
    Thanks for all of your suggestions. To answer your question, I am talking about the standard jazz variation and I'm comfortable with the B section.

  5. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by charlieparker
    Thanks for all of your suggestions. To answer your question, I am talking about the standard jazz variation and I'm comfortable with the B section.
    Which “standard jazz variation” exactly are you talking about? And are you playing the original tune “I Got Rhythm” by Gershwin? There are hundreds of contrafacts based that chord changes …

    And your “problem” is not the “middle eight” but the A sections?

  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Bop Head
    Which “standard jazz variation” exactly are you talking about? And are you playing the original tune “I Got Rhythm” by Gershwin? There are hundreds of contrafacts based that chord changes …

    And your “problem” is not the “middle eight” but the A sections?
    Yes , the A sections. Oleo is a tune that I've learned specifically in that vain and those are the basic changes, I'm referring to. I also like Anthropology.

  7. #6

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    For me in the beginning it was not that easy to detect Rhythm Changes in bebop tunes from the melodies of the A sections. The only way to detect them was the B section with its dominant chain.

    That is why i suggested to learn Gershwin’s melody first, as it easier to connect that to the chord structure.

    Another idea is to play the changes over and over again in all keys in one position (which means you have to know all your Drop 2, Drop 3 and Drop 2/4 voicing inversions and close voicings where possible). When done go to the next position, same procedure. The changing top notes show you the melodic possibilities of the changes and through the repetition you get used to the changes.

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by charlieparker
    I really struggle with hearing my way through rhythm changes. I want to do some singing exercises where I sing the harmony to get it ingrained in my ear.
    Keep it simple, keep your ideas short and rhythmic. No need to embrace the wealth of bebop twists and embellished melodies if your goal is to learn to hear the changes as you seem to indicate.
    Yeah you can begin with the roots. That's a good place to start, but maybe don't think of things as roots, scales and obligatory arpeggios but rather use your voice to create rhythmic phrases as you're singing to a simple backing track. Perhaps just a drum and bass backing playalong track.
    Put this on, and listen. What I do is start without even going after tones, but rather just rhythms. I know this seems counter intuitive, but this way I get a feeling for the flow, the landscape and the sound of the form beneath me and I play THAT. Then find a strong note in every phrase, a note that resonates with you, and rhythmicize that, never losing track of your phrasing. Then add notes that complement those ideas.
    It takes time, but this is foundation building. You may spend two hours, or a week, or longer getting a sense of melodic harmony this way but it will come with a feeling of personal investment, sound, style that is yours. When you own it, your ear will be your guiding force.

    And how well is your ear trained? Can you hear the changes, feel them so at any point you can identify which change your on? Do you know exactly when you're on the III- chord? On the VI- chord? Time, patience, persistence and focused work will pay off with a better ear. Consciously develop your ear.
    Don't run before you can feel the ground beneath your feet.
    That's some sound advice, take it or leave it.
    Good luck. Make it fun. Stay with it and listen to your own voice.

    PS Do you have access to a piano? Do you ever move spacially or imagine notes or intervals in space? Can you connect lines as a visual thing? Think about it.

  9. #8

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    As a pre-teen, I had the good fortune to study with Bill Cochan, a local Chicago Jazz guitarist in the 40's/50's/60's who, remarkably, happened to be teaching in a small, neighborhood music store. Sadly, I was not able to take advantage of his considerable gifts due to my immaturity but I always remembered something he told me about playing music: if you want to really know a song, you must be able to sing the melody and the lyrics. Only then, will you unlock its secrets. I've never forgotten what he told me that day and it applies to all forms of music.
    Marinero

  10. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by charlieparker
    I really struggle with hearing my way through rhythm changes. I want to do some singing exercises where I sing the harmony to get it ingrained in my ear.

    What idea is to just sing the roots another would be to sing the thirds while playing a root. Or another would be to sing an arpeggio over each root.

    Do any of you do anything like this? What do you find to be the most effective?
    I have kids



    (I am completely serious.)

    this is just the A

    notice the contrary motion between melody and bass in bar 5-6 of the progression. Two
    super important lines. Try singing and playing that, and then swap.

    i make up silly songs on RC all the time. Its perfect for it
    Last edited by Christian Miller; 09-13-2022 at 03:35 PM.

  11. #10

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    Of course jazz is a terribly serious artform and is never silly


  12. #11

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    That’s Rhythm Changes as well


  13. #12

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    What I think is a brilliant melody on a I VIm7 IIm7 V7 is (let’s assume key of C)

    San–ta (E G, 3rd and 5th)

    Claus is (C E, 3rd and 5th)

    co–ming (D F, tonic and 3rd)

    in-to (B D, 3rd and 5th)

    town (back to C, root of I)

    Adapt that to I VI7 IIm7 V7. Vary the melody, e.g. sing 3rd and 5th of II, invert thirds to down instead of up etc.

    This song also shows that the catchiest melodies can come from the basic triads.

  14. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Christian Miller
    Of course jazz is a terribly serious artform and is never silly

    There is a brilliant idea in Dodo’s solo (second A) where he plays 1-b7-6-b6-5 in half notes over the I VI II V I, a cliché that you would expect over I I7 IV IVm I, here it becomes root – b9 – 5 – b9.

  15. #14

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  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bop Head
    There is a brilliant idea in Dodo’s solo (second A) where he plays 1-b7-6-b6-5 in half notes over the I VI II V I, a cliché that you would expect over I I7 IV IVm I, here it becomes root – b9 – 5 – b9.
    The movement doesn't necessarily have to match up or relate to the original chords. This is a way of getting from a I chord to a IV chord and back which of course sub for a IIm7. You could use 1-3-4-#4-5 even

    Lester Young would often do stuff like this. There's a lot of swing era things that are basically rhythm changes but repeat a I IV I type progression instead of a 1 6 2 5 turnaround. A good example is Christopher Columbus which repeats 1-3-4-#4-5.

    You also have the ascending/descending variations. Things like
    Bb6 Bo7 | Cm7 C#o7 | Dm7 G7 | Cm7 F7 |
    Bb Bb7/Ab | Eb/G Ebm/Gb | Bb/F | C7 F7 |

    This is a nice old school big band style way of playing an RC.

    Serpent's Tooth variation
    Bb Bo7 | Cm7 C#o7 | Dm7 D7#5 | Eb Ebm6 |
    Bb E9 | Eb Ebm6 | Dm7 G7 | Cm7 F7 |

    Which is reminiscent of tunes like Bewitched, Mean to Me and some version of Ain't Misbehaving, which I suppose makes them types of Rhythm Changes tunes (given it's common to swap to the standard Rhythm B section for something else.)

    Often in tunes like this, the blowing will revert to more standard RC changes, the same way that you often see in blues tunes that have non standard head changes (e.g. Missile Blues by Wes) but it's quite fun to put one on the other. As Joe Pass put it, you can play one A section on any other A section.

    My favourite of this era is what I call the Lunceford which diverges from the standard form, but is used in tunes like It Ain't What You Do and Straighten Up and Fly Right

    Bb Bb/Ab | Eb/G Bb/F | Eb Bb/D | Cm7 F7 |
    Bb Bb/D | Eb Eo7 | Bb/F Gm7 | Cm7 F7 |

    Anyway I could talk about RC variations all day. There's a million of them. I've learned a lot through comparing them.

    One thing that should be mentioned is the first time and second time A ending. I find this really helpful.

    I call it comma and full stop (period). So first time is set up with a turn back, so usually something with a V7 chord at the end, the second with a cadence, so a I chord at the end.

    Hearing this can help you keep track of the A's; it's a common feature (although not a ubiquitous one) of AABA tunes.

    One thing to think about. Barry pointed out that in early Parker for a Bb rhythm changes he never plays B - the G7 chord in the first for bars, and later on he only plays it in bar 3. I quite like the shape this gives a rhythm A section line, makes it into a four bar phrase rather than two two bar phrases.
    Last edited by Christian Miller; 09-14-2022 at 05:28 AM.

  17. #16

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    BTW, I think of BASIC blowing RC changes as

    Bb | Cm7 F7 | Bb (G7) | Cm7 F7 |
    Bb7 | Eb7 | Bb | Cm7 F7 | (1st time)

    Bb | Cm7 F7 | Bb (G7) | Cm7 F7 |
    Bb7 | Eb7 | Cm7 F7 | Bb (2nd time)
    Which allows a lot of room for subs and passing chords.

    Barry had a similar basic template (he'd treat the Cm7 as a suspension of F7 of course) So, try singing these scales up to the 7

    Bb scale | F7 scale | Bb scale | F7 scale |
    Bb7 scale | Eb7 scale | Bb scale | F7 scale | (1st time)

    Bb scale | F7 scale | Bb scale | F7 scale |
    Bb7 scale | Eb7 scale | F7 scale | Bb scale | (2nd time)

    So

    Bb C D E F G A | F G A B C D Eb etc

    One simple variation is run the Bb scale in bar 3 down to the third of G7 (B)

    So
    Bb C D E F G A | F G A B C D Eb | A G F E D C B | F G A B C D Eb etc

    For the bridge the chord last for two bars each, so you run the scale up and down like this

    D E F# G A B C B | A G F# E D |

    So for the bridge you want to start on the third of the Bb key centre. Think 'jingle bells' for the first note.

    Hope that helps!

  18. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Christian Miller
    BTW, I think of BASIC blowing RC changes as

    Bb | Cm7 F7 | Bb (G7) | Cm7 F7 |
    Bb7 | Eb7 | Bb | Cm7 F7 | (1st time)

    Bb | Cm7 F7 | Bb (G7) | Cm7 F7 |
    Bb7 | Eb7 | Cm7 F7 | Bb (2nd time)
    Which allows a lot of room for subs and passing chords.

    Barry had a similar basic template (he'd treat the Cm7 as a suspension of F7 of course) So, try singing these scales up to the 7

    Bb scale | F7 scale | Bb scale | F7 scale |
    Bb7 scale | Eb7 scale | Bb scale | F7 scale | (1st time)

    Bb scale | F7 scale | Bb scale | F7 scale |
    Bb7 scale | Eb7 scale | F7 scale | Bb scale | (2nd time)

    So

    Bb C D E F G A | F G A B C D Eb etc

    One simple variation is run the Bb scale in bar 3 down to the third of G7 (B)

    So
    Bb C D E F G A | F G A B C D Eb | A G F E D C B | F G A B C D Eb etc

    For the bridge the chord last for two bars each, so you run the scale up and down like this

    D E F# G A B C B | A G F# E D |

    So for the bridge you want to start on the third of the Bb key centre. Think 'jingle bells' for the first note.

    Hope that helps!
    Thanks. That's a lot to sink my teeth into. I especially like the idea of forgetting about the B in the first four measures. I think it might make it more manageable for me to deal with initially.

  19. #18

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    Rhythm changes basically make almost any pop song of 50s-60s... probably the easiest way to ingrain the harmony into one's ears...