This
article appeared in the January/February 1997 No.19 issue of Fingerstyle Guitar
magazine. This
article appeared in the January/February 1997 No.19 issue of Fingerstyle Guitar
magazine.
MASTER WORKSHOP
Paul Musso
Learning to walk
The following Jazz Blues study, taken from my book, Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar/ Teaching Your Guitar To Walk -Mel Bay Publications, incorporates many of the musical elements needed to play an effective twelve bar jazz style blues. Both the chord progression and the bass line are what you would be expected to play if you were in a jazz rhythm section and the saxophone player or vocalist called a blues song. This study works well as both a solo piece as well as a guitar accompaniment to any solo instrument in a duet situation.
The term jazz blues refers to a style of blues playing that keeps the basic twelve bar format of Chicago style blues but takes several harmonic detours. Rather than diving into all of the harmonic detours, this Jazz Blues study focuses on a standard progression used by most straight ahead and be bop jazz players. What is most unique and misunderstood about blues chord progressions is the use of three different dominant seventh chords. The dominant seventh chords do not resolve in the case of most blues progressions. In other words, all three chords used in blues harmony are V chords never going to a I chord. In the example below, notice how the Bb7 does not go to an Eb major chord (I chord) but rather an Eb7 (dominantV chord). In order to simplify the analysis of the basic blues progression many musicians refer to the Bb7 as the I chord, The Eb7 as the IV and the F7 as the V chord.
Basic Chicago style 12 bar blues
-----dominant seventh chord -------------------------- dominant seventh chord ----
Bb7 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |Eb7 / / / | / / / / | Bb7 / / / | / / / / |
F7 / / / | Eb7 / / / | Bb7 / / / | F7 / / / |
The first step to making this progression sound more like a jazz blues is to add color to the three basic seventh chords. The most effective way to add color to seventh chords in a blues progression is to change them to 9th or 13th chords. As a rule, this embellishment always works in blues progressions. Embellishing all of the seventh chords to ninth or thirteenth chords is a great way to achieve more of a jazz tonality, but adding color to the basic chords is only the beginning.
Jazz blues uses many more chords and chord types than the standard three chord blues progression. Look at the twelve bars of a standard blues and compare it to the twelve bars of this Jazz Blues study.
Chord embellishment Quick change
1 2 3 4
Jazz Blues | Bb13 / / / |Eb9 / / / |Bb13 / / / | / / / / |
Basic Blues | Bb7 / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
Notice how bar 1 uses a Bb13 chord, adding color to the Bb7 chord. Measure 2 does a "quick change" to an Eb9 chord rather staying on the Bb13 chord for four measures. This adds harmonic interest to the first four measures.
Chord embellishment Chord Substitution Walk down--------------------------------------------------------
5 6 7 8
Jazz Blues | Eb9 / / / |Edim7 / / / |Bb13 / A13 / | Ab13 / G13 / |
Basic Blues | Eb7 / / / | / / / / | Bb7 / / / | / / / / |
The Eb9 chord in measure 5 is another embellishment of the Eb7 chord. The
E diminished seventh chord in bar 6 is considered a passing chord from the Eb7
in bar 5 to chord to the Bb7 chord in bar 7. Measure 7 starts a chromatic "walk down" on Bb13 and ends on G13.
Major ii V progression Turnaround-----------------------------------------
9 10 11 12
Jazz Blues | Cmin7/ / / |F13 / / / |Bb13 / G7#9 / | C13 / F7#9 / |
Basic Blues | F7 / / / | Eb7 / / / | Bb7 / / / | F7 / / / |
The G13 chord from measure 8 serves as a "V " chord going to a minor "i" chord (Cmin7). The progression from Cmin7 to F13 in measures 9 and 10 is considered a major ii V progression. This progression is one of the most important elements of jazz harmonic structure and is the backbone of many jazz tunes. Measures 11 and 12 end with a I VI II V type of turnaround to the top.
The bass line of this study incorporates many of the techniques used by most jazz bass players. The two most important techniques used in this study are playing arpeggios and using approach tones. Arpeggio playing is essential to creating a solid bass line because every chord is being melodically outlined. The bass line in measures 1 and 2 of Jazz Blues is a good example of arpeggio playing. Notice how the first three notes of each measure outline the basic chord ( Bb D F = Bb Eb G Bb = Eb) . Throughout this study , many arpeggios are used in the first three beats of each measure.
The fourth beat of a measure before a chord change is where the approach tone occurs. The approach tone is a note that is a half step or whole step above or below the root of the next chord. Notice the E natural in measure 1 beat 4 going to the Eb measure 2 beat 1. This would be an approach by a half step above the chord. Notice the A natural in measure 2 beat 4 going to the Bb measure 3 beat 1. This would be an approach by a half step below the chord. This step-wise approaching is the key to connected hip sounding jazz bass lines.
The only suggestions I have for right hand technique on this piece would be to keep your thumb"p" on the bass line and your fingers"i m a" on the upper chord. This may be obvious, but it is important in achieving an independence between the bass line and upper chord so that your guitar sounds like two instruments.
My Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar/ Teaching Your Guitar To Walk book addresses many of these harmonic elements and walking bass line techniques in greater depth.
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