Do you think in terms of either I or V ?

[VersatileJazzGuitarist]

30 bars? Can't be right. But these do look more like the original (corny) changes.

[JonnyPac]

Now thinking about it makes things really silly. So many of the dominants in the progression are there to tonicize the pre-dominant chords. Stella makes no sense without the full progression, IMO. I'd argue that many basic progressions work like that as well.

[Jazzaluk]

This is a case where the melody limits choices and essentially dictates the use of the ii chord as the best choice to progress through the dominant The progression is basically a chord melody.

The whole aim of reducing a progression to dominant / resolution functions should only be to open up other options. In this case, the ii is the best choice to link most dominants unless you want to change the melodic DNA. Imo ...It is a beautifully crafted melody that needs to be preserved and referenced even during solos.

There are many tunes with very active melodies that reducing to dominant / tonic will only lead you back to the original changes. There is more flexibility when the melody is less active.

So I agree with Johnny that Stella is pretty much best represented as the unreduced chart.

[TommyD]

What do you mean by VII?

sorry! Meant to type "V", the dominant seventh. The Vs and the VIIs got mixed up.

T/

[docbop]

sorry! Meant to type "V", the dominant seventh. The Vs and the VIIs got mixed up.

T/

Actually VII is a sub for V and is used a lot. i.e. C#mi7b5 for A7.

[JonnyPac]

Actually VII is a sub for V and is used a lot. i.e. C#mi7b5 for A7.

It's all good. Whenever you make a mistake in theory, there is another theory to explain it. You can't escape!! lol.

[whiskey02]

I look at changes as a structure to create tension in the dom and release in the tonic.

Yeah, there are really only 2 chords for each key; I, 111, 1V, V1 are interchangeable as are V , V11 and (less so) the 11.

If there's one thing that all great musicians do,(in MANY different ways) it's that they SIMPLIFY where ever they can effectively do so.

[jaystrings]

Like skipping the II and going to the V directly some will play a V sus7 where the II would be, then V7. Think about that and try playing it it will open you up to a cool half-step resolution to using in your lines.

Nice. Thanks.

JaY