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Hey jazz cats! Ready to unlock some seriously cool harmonic colors in your playing? Mastering tritone substitution, a powerful technique often explored in Berklee College of Music’s jazz courses, can add incredible depth to your improvisations. Legendary pianist, Bill Evans, frequently used this technique to create lush voicings, and now you can too! One invaluable tool for mastering this concept is a well-organized tritone substitution chart, acting as your roadmap to navigate altered dominant chords; consider it your secret weapon in jazz harmony, and you can even find online apps to help you practice!
Unlocking Jazz Magic: Crafting Your Tritone Substitution Chart Article!
Hey there, jazz enthusiast! Get ready to write an article that’ll demystify the tritone substitution and empower aspiring musicians. Your "Tritone Substitution Chart: Jazz Harmony Guide" has amazing potential. Let’s break down the best way to structure it for maximum impact!
1. Setting the Stage: What is a Tritone, Anyway?
Kick things off with a friendly intro that sparks curiosity. Don’t jump straight into charts. Briefly explain what a tritone is. Think of it as building suspense before revealing the big secret!
- What’s that sound?: Start with a relatable example like a dissonant sound in a movie, showing how tritones create tension.
- Tritone defined: Plainly explain it’s an interval of three whole steps, a musical "halfway point" in the octave.
- The Devil in Music?: Briefly mention its historical reputation and how jazz embraces this "devilish" interval.
2. The Mighty V-I Progression: The Gateway to Understanding
Before diving into substitutions, make sure everyone understands the dominant-tonic (V-I) relationship. This is crucial because the tritone sub replaces the dominant chord (V).
- Explain V-I: Show how the V chord naturally leads to the I chord, creating resolution. Use common keys (C major, G major) as examples.
- Chord Voicings: Include basic chord voicings (triads, seventh chords) for both the V and I chords to ground the explanation.
- Audio Example: If possible, embed a short audio clip demonstrating the V-I progression.
3. Tritone Substitution: The Big Reveal!
Now, for the main event! Clearly explain what a tritone substitution is. This section is the heart of your article.
- The Concept: A tritone substitution replaces a V chord with a chord a tritone away.
- Why it Works: Explain why this works – that the tritone (the crucial notes in the V chord) is present in both chords. Explain the shared guide tones.
- Taste of Tension: Highlight the added color and tension the substitution brings. Explain that it adds more complexity to harmony.
4. Building Your Tritone Substitution Chart: A Step-by-Step Guide
This is where your "Tritone Substitution Chart" comes into play. Don’t just present the chart; guide readers on how to create one themselves. This empowers them to understand the underlying principles.
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Table Time!: Create a table demonstrating the substitutions for several common keys. This is the main piece of the chart.
Key V Chord Tritone Sub Example: C Key C Major G7 Db7 G7 – Cmaj7 becomes Db7 – Cmaj7 G Major D7 Ab7 D7 – Gmaj7 becomes Ab7 – Gmaj7 D Major A7 Eb7 A7 – Dmaj7 becomes Eb7 – Dmaj7 A Major E7 Bb7 E7 – Amaj7 becomes Bb7 – Amaj7 -
Walking Through It: Explain how the chart was created. "In C major, the V chord is G7. A tritone away from G is Db, so the tritone substitution is Db7."
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Expanding the Chart: Encourage readers to expand the chart to include more keys and even minor keys.
5. Real-World Applications: Where to Use It
Theory is great, but practice is key! Show readers where they can use tritone substitutions.
- Turnarounds: Highlight their effectiveness in turnarounds (the end of a song section leading back to the beginning).
- Chord Progressions: Show how they can be inserted into existing chord progressions to add interest.
- Melody Considerations: Briefly discuss how the melody should be considered when using substitutions.
- Examples from music: Examples of existing music can include, Stella by Starlight or Giant Steps.
6. Beyond the Basics: Variations and Extensions
This is where you can really shine and show your expertise! Briefly touch on more advanced concepts.
- Altered Dominants: Explain how tritone substitutions can be used with altered dominant chords (e.g., Db7#5).
- Passing Chords: Discuss using them as passing chords to create smooth voice leading.
- Experimentation: Encourage readers to experiment and find their own creative uses.
FAQs: Tritone Substitution Chart: Jazz Harmony Guide
What is a tritone substitution in jazz harmony?
A tritone substitution is a chord substitution where you replace a dominant 7th chord with another dominant 7th chord whose root is a tritone away. For instance, you might replace a G7 chord with a Db7 chord. Understanding this is key to using a tritone substitution chart.
How does a tritone substitution chart help me?
A tritone substitution chart visually maps out common dominant 7th chords and their tritone substitutes. The chart makes it easier to see which chord can replace another, speeding up your ability to apply tritone substitutions in your playing or composing. It helps you visualize the relationships.
Why does the tritone substitution work?
The tritone substitution works because the 3rd and 7th of the original dominant 7th chord are also present in the tritone substituted chord, but inverted. These common tones and similar function create a smooth voice leading option. The chart shows you the relationships that make this possible.
What are some practical applications of using a tritone substitution chart?
The tritone substitution chart allows you to add color and complexity to jazz progressions, reharmonize standard tunes, create interesting passing chords, or even improvise more creatively. It helps you create variations from standard chord progressions using the tritone substitution.
So, grab your instrument, dust off that fake book, and start experimenting! The tritone substitution is a powerful tool, and with a good tritone substitution chart and a little practice, you’ll be adding fresh, sophisticated sounds to your jazz playing in no time. Happy improvising!