The harmonized scale refers to the progressive stacking of alternate notes derived from a tonal center, e.g., a vertical grouping of the 1, 3, 5, 7 notes of the 'C' scale, to wit:
C D E F G A B C.
The harmonized scale would look like this: I ii iii IV V vi vii I (lower case letters imply a b3 in the chord--i.e., a minor chord).
In traditional notation (a uniform sequence of stacked notes is observed in closed-position chord voicings):
The I chord, then, is C maj 7, derived from the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th notes of the scale:
C-E-G-B, i.e., one voicing of the C maj 7th chord.
..continuing along harmonizing the 'C' scale:
The second 'naturally occurring' chord is a minor chord, as the second note in the 'C' scale--'D'--finds an 'F' as its 3rd note. To complete it:
C D E F G A B C
Its shortcut notation is: 'ii', and the chord is a Dm7
next: C D E F G A B C D E F G... which translates into the iii chord, or Em7 (the naturally occurring notes: E-G-B-D)
next: C D E F G A B C D E F G... which translates into the IV chord, or F maj 7 (the naturally occurring notes: F-A-C-E)
next: C D E F G A B C D E F G A... which translates into the V chord, or G7 ( a dominant 7th, i.e., the last note is the b7 of the G scale (the 7th note of the 'G' scale being an F#, and not the 'F' natural occurring here).
next: C D E F G A B C D E F G A B... which translates into the vi chord, or Am7
finally: C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C... which translates into the vii chord, or Bm7b5 (B half diminished; the addition of an Ab--instead of the 'A' found here--would have established the B diminished, a 'stack' of minor third intervals).
Further, the improvisor may use modes to play over the chords your guitarist is feeding you ('comping', or accompanying you).
Thinking modally is also a means of choosing which notes to play over any particular chord.
For example, when hearing a ii V I progression (the 'turnaround') of Dm7, G7 and Cmaj7, the harp player can think modally, stressing notes (riffs, runs, etc.) that occur for each of the modes, namely:
Dorian D EF G A BC D
Each mode has its own flavor to impart since the minor second intervals occur in a different array for each mode. Here, the minor second intervals occur between two and three, and six and seven (versus 3/4 and 7/8 in a major scale--as with the Ionian mode).
The next mode to think about here is the mixolydian--for the G7 chord (V7).
G A BC D EF G. It is also common to hear the tritone substitution utilized, e.g., one would play a Db7 (or G13 chord, too--choices limited only by your sense of musical anarchism and the bounds of sensibility...)
Finally, the I chord, a Cmaj7. The Ionian mode translates into the major scale, i.e., the half steps occur between 3/4, and 7/8.
Last Edited by on Aug 07, 2012 9:29 PM
Rock and blues songs traditionally (but, may depart from this) utilize the dominant seventh chord--i.e., a V7 chord in 'C' would be: G B D F--without referencing the major 7th chord.
However, jazz and 32-bar 'blues' compositions freely incorporate both the major seventh chord as well as the dominant 7th and its many permutations.
Major 7th: i.e., the 7th note being a half-step from the tonic, or root--in 'C' this would be, e.g., the I chord: CEGB, or the IV chord: FACE.
Dom 7th: the dominant seventh chord and its many alterations, adaptations, etc. (e.g., the 9th, the 11th the 13th chords. etc.) has currency in jazz as well.
Again, Gazell plays beautifully over a composition by Ben Webster--"Did You Call Her Today?"--which makes good use of the ii V I progression (seen, e.g., in a sequence of three consecutive notes in the Cycle of Fifths).
The piece, in Ab, has his guitarist 'comping' chords Bbm7, Eb7 and back to the I chord, Abmaj7 (the composition develops from there, of course...), with Gazell's solo work evoking the best of the Basie band tenor sax masters.
Of course, these chords occur 'naturally' in the Ab harmonized scale...
But, why the modal renaissance, beginning in the early fifties (George Russell fired the shot heard 'round the world in 1953 with his seminal classic, The Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization)?
That is, why not simply continue to compose and improvise via scalar logic? After all, the C major scale and the C Ionian mode have identical half-step placement. And, the other modes have their scalar counterparts.
The idea at the time was that the composing and improvising was too strongly associated with, not only chord progressions, but their scales as well. By declaring independence from both, the composer/improviser was now manumitted from a continuum going back to, e.g., Stephen Foster and further, the European classical influence. One could write 'modally' without the rules and traditions of the scale/chord dyad tyranny.
It was a new creative horizon to gaze upon, a new muse to invoke and, most crucially, the opportunity to hear in new ways...*
Consummate master woodwind player and jazz seer Eric Dolphy writes a note of thanks to Russell (c.1964)?
*NB: the history of the modes goes back centuries--they enjoyed a resurgence in the fifties with such artists as Bill Evans and Miles Davis: "The concept of 'mode' in Western music theory has three successive stages: in Gregorian chant theory, in Renaissance polyphonic theory, and in tonal harmonic music of the common practice period. In all three contexts, 'mode' incorporates the idea of the diatonic scale, but differs from it by also involving an element of melody type" [Wiki].
Last Edited by on Aug 11, 2012 4:02 PM
When do you find the time playing, in between such impressive posting and major harptweaking? (How did your tweaking turn out, btw?) ---------- Pistolkatt - Pistolkatts youtube
With any luck I hope to write a series of these treatises on jazz theory--with a view towards applied theory, i.e., how the logic translates into music!
Regarding the creative use of my time, I have about a month off from work and I have devoted it to all the facets of my life that had been neglected--writing, music...and, yes, 'tweaking'! One of my personal goals is to enjoy a tweak-free lifestyle...
And, yes, a terrific harp tech consented to take over tweak duty for me...Greg Jones at 16: 23custom harmonicas
Sincere thanks, too, for your kind assessment of the essay!
