chapter two: fourths
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ne technique that gives a modern sound to a blues is the use of fourths. Blues heads such as “In ‘n Out” (Joe Henderson In ‘n Out (Blue Note CDP 724382915621 Rec. 1964), “Blues On The Corner” (McCoy Tyner The Real McCoy (Blue Note CDP 7465122 Rec. 1967) and numerous others by such jazz artists as Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis and Woody Shaw make extensive use of fourths. Fourths give an open sound to comping or to solos. With this in mind, what follows are some fourth voicings that can be used for a blues in the key of F. I’ll show you how they might be used for comping or soloing over a 12-bar blues.F7 FOURTH VOICINGS
Harmonize a F Mixolydian Scale in fourths
F Mixolydian = Fifth mode of Bbb Major Scale
Ex. 10
F7 - comping fourth voicings
& b 44 œ œ œ Aœ œ œ bœ œ 8fr. 5fr. œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ & T A B b œœœbœ bœœœœ œœœœ œœœœb 3fr. 5fr. 6fr. 3 2 1 1 4 3 3 3 6 5 5 5 8 7 7 6 œœ œœ b œœœœ œœœœ œœœœb 8fr. 5fr. 7fr. 8fr. 10 8 8 8 6 6 5 5 8 8 7 7 10 10 8 8 & T A B b œœœœ b œœ œœ œœœœ œœœœb 10fr. 12fr. 10fr. 8fr. 11 11 10 10 13 13 12 12 11 11 10 10 10 10 8 8 œœ œœ œœœœ bœœœœ œœœœb 7fr. 5fr. 8fr. 6fr. 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 10 8 8 8 8 7 7 6 œœ œœ bœœœœ ˙˙˙˙b 5fr. 3fr. 6 5 5 5 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 1
F Mixolydian scale harmonized in fourths
& T A B 4 4 œ b œ œ œb œ œ œb œb œ œ œ b œ œ œb œb 6 8 5 6 8 5 6 8 5 7 8 6 8 9 6 œœ œœ b b b bbœœœœ œœœœ b œœœœb 3fr. 5fr. 6fr. 3 1 1 1 4 3 3 3 6 5 5 5 8 7 6 6 & T A B œœ œœ b b b bœœœœ œœœœb bbœœœœ 8fr. 5fr. 6fr. 8fr. 9 8 8 8 6 6 5 5 8 8 7 6 10 9 8 8 œœ œœ b b œœœœ œœ œœ b b œœ œœ b b b 10fr. 12fr. 10fr. 8fr. 11 11 10 10 13 13 12 12 11 11 10 10 10 9 8 8 & T A B 6fr. œœ œœb bœœœœ bbbœœœœ b œœœœb 5fr. 8fr. 6fr. 8 8 7 6 6 6 5 5 9 8 8 8 8 7 6 6 œœ œœ bbœœœœ bbb˙˙˙˙ 5fr. 3fr. 6 5 5 5 4 3 3 3 3 1 1 1
Bb Mixolydian Scale (Major scale with b7)
Harmonized in fourths
B 7 FOURTH VOICINGS
Harmonize a Bbb Mixolydian Scale in fourths
Bbb Mixolydian = Fifth mode of Ebb Major Scale
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nother technique used by modern jazz players is the use of melodic minor scales and modes. One very common practice is to use a melodic minor 1/2 step above the root of dominant seventh altered chords. For example, C7alt. = Db melodic minor, D7 alt. = Eb melodic minor, etc. These melodic minor scales can be harmonized in fourths just like any other scale or mode. You might also consider this seventh melodic minor mode below to be the altered scale.F7alt. = F## Melodic Minor Scale in fourths
& T A B œ # #œ œ œ #œ #œ #œ #œ œ # œ œ #œ #œ #œ #œ Œ 9 6 7 9 6 8 6 7 9 10 7 9 11 13 14 b9 #9 3rd b5 #5 b7 R b9 #9 3rd b5 #5 b7 R b9
F7 alt. = F# Melodic Minor Scale
(Letters & numbers above scale apply to F7 alt)
& T A B 4 4 œœ œœ # # # ##œœœœ ##œœœœ # œœœœ # # # # 2fr. 4fr. 6fr. 2 1 1 0 4 2 3 2 6 4 4 4 7 6 6 6 œœ œœ # # # #œœœœ # ###œœœœ œœ œœ # # a 7fr. 9fr. 6fr. 7fr. 9 8 7 8 10 10 9 9 7 7 6 6 9 9 8 7 œœ œœ # # ###œœœœ ####œœœœ aa#œœœœ 9fr. 11fr. 13fr. 11fr. 11 10 10 9 13 12 11 11 14 14 13 13 13 12 11 11 & T A B œœ œœ # # ###œœœœ #œœœœ # # ##œœœœ 9fr. 7fr. 6fr. 9fr. 11 10 10 9 9 9 8 7 7 7 6 6 10 10 9 9 œœ œœ # # # œœ œœ # # # # œœœœ # # # œœœœ # # 7fr. 6fr. 4fr. 2fr. 9 8 7 8 7 6 6 6 6 4 4 4 4 2 3 2 ˙˙ ˙˙ # # # Ó 2 1 1 0 Ex. 12? # 13
C7alt. = Dbb Melodic Minor Scale in fourths Ex. 13
Db melodic minor - comping in fourths ? # 14
Ex. 14
Eb melodic minor - comping in fourths ? # 15
& T A B 4 4 œœ œœ b b b bbœœœœ b œœœœ b b b b œœœœ b b b b 2fr. 4fr. 6fr. 7fr. 4 3 2 3 5 5 4 4 7 6 6 6 9 8 8 7 8fr. œœ œœ b b b bœœœœ b b bbbbœœœœ bbbœœœœ 4fr. 6fr. 9fr. 6 5 5 4 8 7 6 6 9 9 8 8 11 11 9 10 & T A B œœ œœ b b b œœœœ b b b b œœœœ b b b œœœœ b b b 11fr. 13fr. 11fr. 9fr. 12 13 11 11 14 14 13 13 12 13 11 11 11 11 9 10 œœ œœ b b b b bbbœœœœ bbbœœœœ bbbbœœœœ 8fr. 6fr. 4fr. 2fr. 9 9 8 8 8 7 6 6 6 5 5 4 4 4 3 2 œœ œœ b b b b œœœœ b b b ˙˙˙˙ b b b 6fr. 4fr. 2fr. 7 6 6 6 5 5 4 4 4 3 2 3 & T A B 4 4 œœ œœ b b b bbœœœœ œœœœb œœœœ b b A 3fr. 4fr. 6fr. 3 1 1 1 4 3 3 3 6 5 4 5 7 7 6 6 œœ œœ b b b bœœœœ b bbœœœœ œœ œœ b b A 8fr. 4fr. 6fr. 8fr. 9 8 8 8 6 6 5 4 8 7 7 6 10 9 8 8 & T A B œœ œœ b b œœœœb œœ œœ b b œœ œœ b b b 10fr. 11fr. 10fr. 8fr. 11 11 10 10 13 13 11 12 11 11 10 10 10 9 8 8 œœ œœ b b œœœœ b b œœœœ b b b œœ œœ b b b 6fr. 4fr. 8fr. 6fr. 8 7 7 6 6 6 5 4 9 8 8 8 7 7 6 6 œœ œœb bbœœœœ bbb˙˙˙˙ 4fr. 3fr. 6 5 4 5 4 3 3 3 3 1 1 1
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ow, some choruses of the blues in F using some of these fourth voicings.Study No. 1 Blues in F - comping four-note fourth voicings
? # 16 - also use practice tracks 36 & 37
& T A B 4 4 F7 ˙˙ ˙˙ b b ˙˙˙˙b 3fr. 6fr. 4 3 3 3 8 7 7 6 Bb7 ˙˙ ˙˙ bbb˙˙˙˙ 5fr. 8fr. 6 5 5 5 9 8 8 8 F7 ˙˙ ˙˙b b˙˙˙˙ 6fr. 5fr. 8 7 7 6 6 6 5 5 F7alt ˙˙ ˙˙ # # n ˙˙˙˙ # # # 4fr. 7fr. 5 6 4 4 9 9 8 7 & T A B Bb7 ˙˙ ˙˙b bbb˙˙˙˙ 6fr. 8fr. 8 8 7 6 9 8 8 8 Bb7 ˙˙ ˙˙ b ˙˙ ˙˙b b 5fr. 6fr. 6 6 5 5 8 7 6 6 F7 ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙˙˙b 5fr. 6fr. 6 5 5 5 8 7 7 6 D7alt ˙˙ ˙˙ b b b b˙˙˙˙ b 8fr. 9fr. 9 8 8 8 11 10 10 9 & T A B Gmi7 ˙˙ ˙˙ b˙˙˙˙ 7fr. 5fr. 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 C7alt ˙˙ ˙˙ b b b b ˙˙˙˙ b b b b 7fr. 6fr. 9 8 8 7 7 6 6 6 F7 ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙˙˙b 5fr. 6fr. 6 5 5 5 8 7 7 6 C7alt ˙˙ ˙˙ b b b b ˙˙˙˙ b b b 7fr. 9fr. 9 8 8 7 11 9 10 9 F7 ww ww b b 8fr. 10 8 8 8 F Mixolydian Bb Mixolydian F Mixolydian F# Melodic minor Bb Mixolydian Bb Mixolydian F Mixolydian Eb Melodic minor G Dorian D b Melodic minor F Mixolydian Db Melodic minor F Mixolydian
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t’s got a a thing. Some of the voicings have more weight than others. It takes some practice to improvise using these fourth voicings. It’s important to remember that no matter what the voicing, the prime directive is a solid, well-considered time feel, regardless of style.Study No. 2 Blues in F - comping four-note fourth voicings
? # 17 - also use practice tracks 36 & 37
& T A B 4 4 F7 10fr. ˙˙ ˙˙ bb˙˙˙˙ 12fr. 13 13 12 12 11 11 10 10 Bb7 ˙˙ ˙˙ b b b ˙˙˙˙b 8fr. 6fr. 10 9 8 8 8 8 7 6 F7 ˙˙ ˙˙ b ˙˙ ˙˙ b b 5fr. 8fr. 6 6 5 5 10 8 8 8 F7alt ˙˙ ˙˙ # # # ˙˙ ˙˙ # # # # 7fr. 6fr. 9 8 7 8 7 6 6 6 & T A B Bb7 ˙˙ ˙˙ n nnn b ˙˙˙˙b 5fr. 6fr. 6 5 5 5 8 7 6 6 Bb7 ˙˙ ˙˙ b b b b˙˙˙˙ 8fr. 5fr. 9 8 8 8 6 6 5 5 F7 ˙˙ ˙˙n b ˙˙˙˙b 7fr. 8fr. 8 8 7 7 10 10 8 8 D7alt ˙˙ ˙˙ b b ˙˙˙˙b 10fr. 11fr. 11 11 10 10 13 13 11 12 & T A B Gmi7 ˙˙ ˙˙ n b ˙˙ ˙˙b 10fr. 8fr. 12 11 10 10 10 10 9 8 C7alt ˙˙ ˙˙ b b b b bbb˙˙˙˙ 8fr. 6fr. 9 9 8 8 8 7 6 6 F7 ˙˙ ˙˙ b ˙˙ ˙˙ b b 5fr. 8fr. 6 6 5 5 10 8 8 8 C7alt ˙˙ ˙˙ b b b b bbbb˙˙˙˙ 7fr. 6fr. 9 8 8 7 7 6 6 6 F7 ˙˙ ˙˙ Ó 5fr. 6 5 5 5 F Mixolydian Bb Mixolydian F Mixolydian F# Melodic minor Bb Mixolydian Bb Mixolydian F Mixolydian Eb Melodic minor G Dorian Db Melodic minor F Mixolydian Db Melodic minor F Mixolydian
F
our voices in fourths can be somewhat unwieldy so one option is to remove a voice, stacking two fourth intervals instead of three.Stacking three voices in fourths
F Mixolydian scale
Ex. 15 F Mixolydian - three-voice fourth chords ? # 18
Ex. 16 BbMixolydian - three-voice fourth chords ? # 19
& b 44 œ œ œ Aœ œ œ bœ œ 3fr. 5fr. 7fr. 3fr. 5fr. 7fr. 8fr. 10fr. œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ etc. & b 44 œœœb œœ œ œœœ bœœœ 3fr. 5fr. 6fr. œœ œ b œœ œ œœœ bœœœ 3fr. 5fr. 7fr. 8fr. & b œœœ œœœ œœ œ b bœœœ œœœ 5fr. 7fr. 8fr. 10fr. 12fr. & 44 œbœœ b b bœœœ œœœ bbœœœ 3fr. 5fr. 6fr. œœ œ b b œœœ bœœœ bbœœœ 8fr. 5fr. 6fr. 8fr. & 12fr. œœ œ b œœ œ bbœœœ bbœœœ œœœ 5fr. 7fr. 8fr. 10fr.
Ex. 17 F# Melodic minor - three-voice fourth chords ? # 20
Ex. 18 Eb Melodic minor - three-voice fourth chords ? # 21
Ex. 19 Db Melodic minor - three-voice fourth chords ? # 21
& 44 œœ œ # # #œœœ ##œœœ ###œœœ 2fr. 4fr. 6fr. œœ œ # # ##œœœ œœœ # # # ##œœœ 7fr. 4fr. 6fr. 7fr. & #œœœ ##œœœ œœœ # # # ##œœœ 9fr. 6fr. 8fr. 10fr. œœ œ # # ###˙˙˙... 11fr. 13fr. & 44 œbœœ b b bœœœ bœœœ bbœœœ 3fr. 4fr. 6fr. œœ œ b b bœœœ bbœœœ bbœœœ 8fr. 4fr. 6fr. 8fr. & œœœ b œœ œ b bbœœœ bœœœ bœœœ 5fr. 7fr. 8fr. 10fr. 11fr. & 44 œœ œ b b bbœœœ bbbœœœ bbbœœœ 2fr. 4fr. 6fr. 7fr. œœ œ b b bbbœœœ bbbœœœ œœœ b b 4fr. 6fr. 8fr. 9fr. & bbœœœ œœ œ b b b bbbœœœ bœœœ bbbœœœ 6fr. 8fr. 9fr. 11fr. 13fr.
Study No. 3 Blues in F - comping three-note fourth voicings
? # 20 - also use practice tracks 36 & 37
& T A B 4 4 F7 ˙˙ ˙ b b ˙˙˙ 8fr. 5fr. 8 8 8 6 5 5 Bb7 ˙˙ ˙ b bbb˙˙˙ 6fr. 8fr. 8 7 6 4 4 3 F7 ˙˙ ˙ b ˙˙ ˙ 5fr. 7fr. 6 6 5 8 8 7 F7alt ˙˙ ˙ # # # ##˙˙˙ 8fr. 10fr. 9 9 8 11 10 10 & T A B Bb7 ˙˙ ˙ n b ˙˙˙ 8fr. 7fr. 10 10 8 8 8 7 Bb7 ˙˙ ˙ b ˙˙ ˙ b b b 5fr. 8fr. 6 6 5 98 8 F7 ˙˙ ˙ ˙˙˙ 7fr. 5fr. 8 7 7 6 5 5 D7alt ˙˙ ˙ b b ˙˙ ˙ b b 8fr. 6fr. 8 8 8 7 6 6 & T A B Gmi7 ˙˙ ˙ n˙˙˙ 5fr. 7fr. 5 5 5 7 7 7 C7alt ˙˙ ˙ b b b bbb˙˙˙ 6fr. 7fr. 6 6 6 8 8 7 F7 ˙˙ ˙ ˙˙˙ 5fr. 7fr. 6 5 5 8 7 7 C7alt ˙˙ ˙ b b b bb˙˙˙ 8fr. 9fr. 9 8 8 6 5 5 F7 ˙˙ ˙ Ó 7fr. 8 8 7 F Mixolydian Bb Mixolydian F Mixolydian F# Melodic minor Bb Mixolydian Bb Mixolydian F Mixolydian Eb Melodic minor G Dorian Db Melodic minor F Mixolydian Db Melodic minor F Mixolydian
