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Transposing
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jdjazz
jdjazz
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Generaltl;dr - General approach

ForTo get a more traditional jazz reharmonization:

  • add chords in spots where the melody pauses (i.e.g., where a horn would fill)
  • utilize back-cycling and, chromatic bass movement
  • add, and tritone substitutions
  • preserve important chords that are central to the song
  • when substituting chords, don't change the original harmonic function

| BbF | DøAø Ab7Eb7 G7D7 | Gm | Cm F7 C7 | DøAø Ab7Eb7 G7D7 |

| CmGm Gb7Db7 F7C7 | Bb7F7 A7E7 Ab13Eb13(b9) G11 D11 | Gb7Db7(b9) F7C7 | BbF G7b9 CmD7b9 F7b9Gm C7b9 |

| BbF | | F7C7 | |

| F7C7 | | F7C7 | BbF |

Step 2: Approach the V7 chords. In m. 3, I'll add the relative ii chord, CminGmin. In m. 7, for a greater sense of finality, I'll lead into F7C7 with Gb7Db7 (a tritone sub of the V chord to F7C7). In m. 5, I'll do both (because it pairs well with the melody). You can think of all this as forms of back-cycling.

| BbF | | CmGm F7C7 | |

| CmGm Gb7Db7 F7C7 | | Gb7Db7 F7C7 | BbF |

Step 3: Approach the ii chords. Let's approach the CminGmin chords in m. 3 and 5 with the relative iii-iv. For added interest, I'll lead into the G7D7 with a tritone sub:

| BbF | DøAø Ab7Eb7 G7D7 | CmGm F7C7 | DøAø Ab7Db7 G7D7 |

| CmGm F7C7 | | Gb7Db7 F7C7 | BbF |

| BbF | DøAø Ab7Eb7 G7D7 | CmGm F7C7 | DøAø Ab7Eb7 G7D7 |

| CmGm F7C7 | | Gb7Db7 F7C7 | BbF G7 CmD7 F7Gm C7 |

Step 5: Add chromatic bass movement. Let's add some chords to m. 6. Even though m. 7 starts with Gb7Db7, I'm thinking "m. 7 is basically CmGm-F7C7, and so the last chord of m. 6 should be G7D7." Then I work backwards: the V of G7 is D7 is A7, the V of D7 is A7 is E7, etc. AddUse tritone substitutions to get theachieve chromatic bass movement:

| BbF | DøAø Ab7Eb7 G7D7 | CmGm F7C7 | DøAø Ab7Eb7 G7D7 |

| CmGm Gb7Db7 F7C7 | Bb7F7 A7E7 Ab7 G7Eb7 D7 | Gb7Db7 F7C7 | BbF G7b9 CmD7b9 F7Gm C7 |

| BbF | DøAø Ab7Eb7 G7D7 | Gm | Cm F7 C7 | DøAø Ab7Eb7 G7D7 |

| CmGm Gb7Db7 F7C7 | Bb7F7 A7E7 Ab13Eb13(b9) G11 D11 | Gb7Db7(b9) F7C7 | BbF G7b9 CmD7b9 F7b9Gm C7b9 |

General approach

For a more traditional jazz reharmonization:

  • add chords in spots where the melody pauses (i.e., where a horn would fill)
  • utilize back-cycling and chromatic bass movement
  • add tritone substitutions
  • preserve important chords that are central to the song
  • when substituting chords, don't change the original harmonic function

| Bb | Dø Ab7 G7 | Cm F7 | Dø Ab7 G7 |

| Cm Gb7 F7 | Bb7 A7 Ab13(b9) G11 | Gb7 F7 | Bb G7b9 Cm F7b9 |

| Bb | | F7 | |

| F7 | | F7 | Bb |

Step 2: Approach the V7 chords. In m. 3, I'll add the relative ii chord, Cmin. In m. 7, for a greater sense of finality, I'll lead into F7 with Gb7 (a tritone sub of the V chord to F7). In m. 5, I'll do both (because it pairs well with the melody). You can think of all this as forms of back-cycling.

| Bb | | Cm F7 | |

| Cm Gb7 F7 | | Gb7 F7 | Bb |

Step 3: Approach the ii chords. Let's approach the Cmin chords in m. 3 and 5 with the relative iii-iv. For added interest, I'll lead into the G7 with a tritone sub:

| Bb | Dø Ab7 G7 | Cm F7 | Dø Ab7 G7 |

| Cm F7 | | Gb7 F7 | Bb |

| Bb | Dø Ab7 G7 | Cm F7 | Dø Ab7 G7 |

| Cm F7 | | Gb7 F7 | Bb G7 Cm F7 |

Step 5: Add chromatic bass movement. Let's add some chords to m. 6. Even though m. 7 starts with Gb7, I'm thinking "m. 7 is basically Cm-F7, and so the last chord of m. 6 should be G7." Then I work backwards: the V of G7 is D7, the V of D7 is A7, etc. Add tritone substitutions to get the chromatic bass movement:

| Bb | Dø Ab7 G7 | Cm F7 | Dø Ab7 G7 |

| Cm Gb7 F7 | Bb7 A7 Ab7 G7 | Gb7 F7 | Bb G7b9 Cm F7 |

| Bb | Dø Ab7 G7 | Cm F7 | Dø Ab7 G7 |

| Cm Gb7 F7 | Bb7 A7 Ab13(b9) G11 | Gb7 F7 | Bb G7b9 Cm F7b9 |

tl;dr - General approach

To get a more traditional jazz reharmonization:

  • add chords in spots where the melody pauses (e.g., where a horn would fill)
  • utilize back-cycling, chromatic bass movement, and tritone substitutions
  • preserve important chords that are central to the song
  • when substituting chords, don't change the original harmonic function

| F | Aø Eb7 D7 | Gm C7 | Aø Eb7 D7 |

| Gm Db7 C7 | F7 E7 Eb13(b9) D11 | Db7(b9) C7 | F D7b9 Gm C7b9 |

| F | | C7 | |

| C7 | | C7 | F |

Step 2: Approach the V7 chords. In m. 3, I'll add the relative ii chord, Gmin. In m. 7, for a greater sense of finality, I'll lead into C7 with Db7 (a tritone sub of the V chord to C7). In m. 5, I'll do both (because it pairs well with the melody). You can think of all this as forms of back-cycling.

| F | | Gm C7 | |

| Gm Db7 C7 | | Db7 C7 | F |

Step 3: Approach the ii chords. Let's approach the Gmin chords in m. 3 and 5 with the relative iii-iv. For added interest, I'll lead into the D7 with a tritone sub:

| F | Aø Eb7 D7 | Gm C7 | Aø Db7 D7 |

| Gm C7 | | Db7 C7 | F |

| F | Aø Eb7 D7 | Gm C7 | Aø Eb7 D7 |

| Gm C7 | | Db7 C7 | F D7 Gm C7 |

Step 5: Add chromatic bass movement. Let's add some chords to m. 6. Even though m. 7 starts with Db7, I'm thinking "m. 7 is basically Gm-C7, and so the last chord of m. 6 should be D7." Then I work backwards: the V of D7 is A7, the V of A7 is E7, etc. Use tritone substitutions to achieve chromatic bass movement:

| F | Aø Eb7 D7 | Gm C7 | Aø Eb7 D7 |

| Gm Db7 C7 | F7 E7 Eb7 D7 | Db7 C7 | F D7b9 Gm C7 |

| F | Aø Eb7 D7 | Gm C7 | Aø Eb7 D7 |

| Gm Db7 C7 | F7 E7 Eb13(b9) D11 | Db7(b9) C7 | F D7b9 Gm C7b9 |

Source Link
jdjazz
jdjazz
  • 11.3k
  • 2
  • 36
  • 81

General approach

For a more traditional jazz reharmonization:

  • add chords in spots where the melody pauses (i.e., where a horn would fill)
  • utilize back-cycling and chromatic bass movement
  • add tritone substitutions
  • preserve important chords that are central to the song
  • when substituting chords, don't change the original harmonic function

Here's a basic method:

  1. Write out the most important chords that define the song's harmony. Different people will come up with different essential chords, and that's great--there's more than one good way to reharmonize a song.
  2. Add chords back in using the techniques above.
  3. Check the chords you've added against the melody to make sure the two don't clash.

An example: You're the Cream in My Coffee

Using the method above, here's a pretty straightforward reharm for the A section of You're the Cream in My Coffee:

| Bb | Dø Ab7 G7 | Cm F7 | Dø Ab7 G7 |

| Cm Gb7 F7 | Bb7 A7 Ab13(b9) G11 | Gb7 F7 | Bb G7b9 Cm F7b9 |

Walking through the process

Let's take it one step at a time.

Step 1: Write the crucial chords of the A section. This is just my own attempt.

| Bb | | F7 | |

| F7 | | F7 | Bb |

Step 2: Approach the V7 chords. In m. 3, I'll add the relative ii chord, Cmin. In m. 7, for a greater sense of finality, I'll lead into F7 with Gb7 (a tritone sub of the V chord to F7). In m. 5, I'll do both (because it pairs well with the melody). You can think of all this as forms of back-cycling.

| Bb | | Cm F7 | |

| Cm Gb7 F7 | | Gb7 F7 | Bb |

Step 3: Approach the ii chords. Let's approach the Cmin chords in m. 3 and 5 with the relative iii-iv. For added interest, I'll lead into the G7 with a tritone sub:

| Bb | Dø Ab7 G7 | Cm F7 | Dø Ab7 G7 |

| Cm F7 | | Gb7 F7 | Bb |

Step 4: Add a turnaround at the end. So that m. 8 leads back into m. 1, I'll add a vi-ii-V turnaround.

| Bb | Dø Ab7 G7 | Cm F7 | Dø Ab7 G7 |

| Cm F7 | | Gb7 F7 | Bb G7 Cm F7 |

Step 5: Add chromatic bass movement. Let's add some chords to m. 6. Even though m. 7 starts with Gb7, I'm thinking "m. 7 is basically Cm-F7, and so the last chord of m. 6 should be G7." Then I work backwards: the V of G7 is D7, the V of D7 is A7, etc. Add tritone substitutions to get the chromatic bass movement:

| Bb | Dø Ab7 G7 | Cm F7 | Dø Ab7 G7 |

| Cm Gb7 F7 | Bb7 A7 Ab7 G7 | Gb7 F7 | Bb G7b9 Cm F7 |

Step 6: Check the chords against the melody. We can add alterations so that the chords don't clash with the melody:

| Bb | Dø Ab7 G7 | Cm F7 | Dø Ab7 G7 |

| Cm Gb7 F7 | Bb7 A7 Ab13(b9) G11 | Gb7 F7 | Bb G7b9 Cm F7b9 |

We're done! This is a pretty good, straightforward reharm.