All Questions
Tagged with improvisation harmony
23 questions
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Composing romantic pieces
I am a fan of the organist Wolfgang Seifen. Recently, he played a piece which fascinated me: An arabesque in the style of German romanticism. (Hear it)
Being myself interested in improvisation, I did ...
- 101
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5
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225
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To add chords to a song, is playing the chord that carries the melody equivalent to playing the melodic note as note 1, 3 or 5 of the chord?
When I was learning how to play songs on piano by ear, I didn't know how to add chords to a song melody. What I found on videos and on the Web was that you select a chord that carries the melodic ...
- 21
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2
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98
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What applications did distant modulations typically have in the 18th century?
Johann Georg Albrechtsberger, in his treatise on thoroughbass (p. 60 of this edition), gives a neat little table of modulations from C Major into many other keys.
Some of these keys, such as B Major, ...
- 2,357
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2
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When realizing a basso continuo, should the realization avoid consecutive fifths and octaves with the written parts?
Many continuo manuals (both historical sources and modern treatises) are careful to point out that a continuo realization should be contrapuntally correct, i.e., one ought to avoid parallel fifths and ...
- 2,357
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7
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Which minor scale/mode do you use to harmonize the chords, when improvising in minor key?
When improvising in minor key (let's say classical harmony, non-modal), I guess the minor melodic scales (asc. and desc.) are used to play, well, the melody (hence the name melodic?). Or is the ...
- 471
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2
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148
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Triad improvisation, Key centers
Below is a paragraph that attempts to explain what happens when non-diatonic tones are introduced into a melody. I'm copying it word for word:
While the key signature does establish the rules we must ...
- 7,860
3
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1
answer
156
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Is there a particular reason why the progression I - II4/2 - V6/5 - I was such a popular opening progression for Baroque keyboard preludes?
I'm currently reading John Mortensen's wonderful book on keyboard improvisation. (See this link here.)
In the chapter on figuration preludes he states that the progression I - II4/2 - V6/5 - I was a ...
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1
answer
2k
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B major to D major modulation ideas
I am new into jazz and I need some advice. I have a simple chord progression (triads) B major to D major. I want to write a nice "solo" over it.
I need some harmonic help in order to play some ...
- 251
23
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10
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5k
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Making Sense of Blues Soloing; differentiating major/minor pentatonics
Quarantine has allowed ample time for musical exploration. I'm a classically trained pianist studying music in college, and I'm using this extra time to be immersed in and learn how to play the blues.
...
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3
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2
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641
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How to improvise over sixth chord in minor scale
Let's say I have this melody on the lead keyboard :
Over that melody, I play the chords F#m, E, C#m, D#m. I'm not actually sure D#m is called a major 6th chord here.
If I play this melody on the ...
- 279
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1
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What to improvise over "fake" ii V I and succession of dominant chords
I frequently see "incomplete" ii V I sequences in standards (like Satin Doll for example) where only the ii and the V are played and I'm always wondering what I can play there, since I find most of ...
- 193
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6
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2k
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Do chord progressions usually move by fifths?
I'm wondering if chords usually move down by fifths. It seems so by the diagram, so iii to vi, vi to ii, ii to V, V to I. etc. Other chords can also be thought of like that, because IV/ii and V/vii ...
user34288
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Is a chromatic mediant considered a modulation?
Say I go from a C major chord to an E major chord. I understand that this is a chromatic mediant. Does this change my key from C to E though?
said differently, does non-functional harmony change ...
user34288
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4
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566
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In what situations can a seventh be substituted for a triad?
My understanding is that a dominant seventh can be substituted when going from V to I. so V7 to I. But are there any other situations where a seventh chord can be substituted for a triad?
I'm mainly ...
user34288
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6
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8k
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How to create harmonic dissonance/tension?
If I'm playing in a major scale, would a harmonic dissonance be caused by going to the minor side of the chords (ii, iii, vi) or would it be created from going outside my scale? And if it's going ...
user34288
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Can the I IV V chords harmonize any major scale melody?
Are the primary chords of the major scale (I IV V) enough to make any major scale melody sound good? These chords together seem to encompass all 7 notes of the key.
I ask this because as I'm learning ...
user34288
5
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4
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910
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Descending Minor7♭5 Introduction/Motif Questions
Some jazz arrangements that I've heard use a motif(?) where a series of descending minor chords are played, starting on the #iv of the major scale.
For example, in the key of D, the progression is as ...
- 311
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3
answers
2k
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Possible to learn harmony by ear?
I was wondering if there's any people that approach harmony by ear. I've noticed the majority of instructors teach harmonizing by knowing: 1. the scale pattern. 2. figuring the diatonic chords from ...
user34288
3
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3
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275
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Learning to free-form harmonise when singing
Recently I've started trying to harmonise when singing in church, as the only place I regularly sing with a large group of people. I'm finding it really hard and I wondered if anyone can suggest how ...
- 10k
4
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1
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Great sounding solos without obvious harmony
When I hear a guitar player like Joe Bonamassa on YouTube playing a solo (fast) without any accompaniment and it sounds great , I always wonder how they do it. I can improvise over chord changes and ...
- 1,213
14
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3
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What is a parallel mode?
What is a parallel mode? How are the parallel modes used in composition and/or improvisation?
- 16.4k
11
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1
answer
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In jazz, what is diatonic substitution?
What is diatonic substitution? How is it used in improvisation?
- 16.4k
17
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6
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889
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My ear is not very well trained - what can I look for as easy hints when trying to identify a ii-V-I progression in blues music?
I'm looking to learn how to better analyze music I am listening to, and I'm having problems identifying ii-V-I progressions, especially when they're the basis for improvisation. What are some hints or ...
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