RhythmChanges

FromFundamentalsofJazzImprovisation:WhatEverybodyThinksYouAlreadyKnow

Dr.MarkWatkins

DirectorofJazzStudiesBrighamYoungUniversity–Idaho

©2010byMarkWatkinsMaterialshereinareprovidedforpersonaluse.Nopartmaybereproduced

withoutwrittenpermissionfromtheauthor.

OriginalRhythmMusicianscompositingandperforminginjazz,musicaltheater,R&B,pop,andotheridiomswereinfluencebyGershwin’stuneIGotRhythm.However,itshouldbenotedthattheI(oriii),vi,ii,V,IcommontotheAsectionsofrhythmtunesandthedominantcycleofthebridgeareprogressionsasoldastheadventofourdiatonicsystem.Regardlessoftheinfluence,RhythmChangesareacommoncontrafactinjazz.(Acontrafactisanewmelodywrittenonapre‐existingchordprogression.Sincechordprogressionscannotbecopyrighted,performersoftenwritenewmelodiesoverprogressionsonwhichtheyenjoyimprovising.)TuneswrittenoverRhythmChangesareverycommon;theywereespeciallysointheSwingandBeboperas.CharlieParkerhasstatedthatlearningblues,rhythmchanges,andCherokeein12keyswellprepareoneforalmostanything.OriginalRhythmisa32barform,AABA.Fundamentally,atwobarIvi|iiVsequenceplayedfourtimesconstitutestheAsections.Bars5‐6inGershwin’stuneareII7|IViv.Thissetofchords,withGershwin’s5thand6thbarsarethefoundationforsucceedingcontrafacts.Asection:

Thebsectionorbridgeisadominantsequencestartingonthemediantcyclingeverytwobars.Bsection:

Gershwin’stunecarriesatwobarextensionnotoftenplayedwithRhythmChangescontrafacts.

OriginalRhythm:IGotRhythm(GeorgeGershwin)

OptionsOneoftheadvantagestoRhythmChangesisitsflexibility,similartotheblues.Possibilitiesareextensive.Optionsforbars1‐2canbepairedwithbars3‐4options,likewisewithbar5,6,and7‐8.Allexampleswithmajor7chordscouldusemajor6chordsandviceversa.Oneortheotherisusuallyusedconsistentlythroughouttheprogression.Set1:mm.1‐2options:FundamentalIviiiV

MinorvichangedtoVI7

VIandValtered

VI,V,andIIalteredtocreateacycleofdominants

DiminishedpassingchordssubstitutedforviandVtocreateachromaticbassline

TheaboveprogressionisusuallyfollowedbyiiisubstituteforIinbar3,thuscompletingthebassline.

Set2:mm.3‐4options:FundamentalIviiiV

MinorvichangedtoVI7

iiisubstitutedforI,creatingacycleofiiVs

Dominantsaltered

Set3:m.5options:FundamentalmajorIfollowedbyI7

MinorvsubstitutingforI,creatingaiiV(bluessoundonm.5)

I7substitutingformajorI(bluessoundonm.5)

Set4:m.6options:FundamentalIVVII7,resolvescommonlytoI(TheIVVIIIprogressionisfrequentinmanytunes.MovingtoIVinm.6isreminiscentoftheItoIVprogressionfoundintheblues.)

IV7substitutingformajorIV,creatingcyclemotion

MinorivonbeatthreesubstitutesforVII7,IVismajor

samesubstitutionwithIV7substitutingformajorIV

Raised4throotonbeat3,createsachromaticrootprogression;whenothernotes(3,5,7)remainconstantthroughthemeasureadiminishedchordresults.

Set5:mm.7‐8options:Tonic6/4(B‐flatoverF)completeseitheradescendingorascendingbasslinedependingontheprecedingchords

SameprinciplewithiiisubstitutingforI

Possiblebassline1,descending:(Inversionsarenotusuallyindicatingasbelow.)

Possiblebassline2,ascending:(Likewise,inversionsnotalwaysgiven.)

FundamentalIviiiVreturntotopofAsection

iiimaybesubstitutedforIinallmm.7‐8examples

VI7substitutesforvi

iiisubstitutesforI,creatingacycleofiiVs

Dominantsaltered

II7substitutesforii,creatingacycleofdominants

Tonic6/4,V7Icanconclude1stor2ndAsection

iiV7Icanconclude1stor2ndAsection

Set6:mm.15‐16options:m.16ormm.15‐16usuallyendontonic.Thisfinalcadencehelpsconclude2ndAsectionmelodicmaterialandfacilitatesacolorfulchromaticmediantcontrasttothebridge.Asabove,tonic6/4,V7Icanconclude1stor2ndAsection

Asabove,iiV7Icanconclude1stor2ndAsection

Tonicisoftenheldforbothmm.15and16

AllexamplesofBsection(bridge)harmonicsequencescanutilizealtereddominants.

Bridge1:Fundamentalcycleofdominantharmoniesstartingonthechromaticmediant(dominantchordbuilton3rdscaledegreeoftonic)

Bridge2:iiV7substitutedforV7

Bridge3:iiV7substitutedforV7inmm.17‐18and21‐22,creatingasequenceofiiV7Isinmm.17‐20and21‐24

Bridge4:Tritonesubstitutionsinmm.19‐20and23‐24createadescendingchromaticsequence

ThelastAsectionofRhythmChangesisusuallyidenticaltothe1stAsection.Finalchorusesoftenusethe2ndAsectiontoend.Thefollowinggriddemonstratesthepossibilitiesoftheaboveexamples,whicharenotallinclusive;manymorepossibilitiesexist.PracticallyanygroupfromSet1canbecombinedwithanygroupfromSet2.AnygroupfromSet2canbecombinedwithanygroupfromSet3,Set3to4,and4to5.FirstAsection: Set1:mm.1‐2 Set2:mm.3‐4 Set3:m.5 Set4:m.6 Set5:mm.7‐81 2 3 4 5 6 7 SecondAsection: Set1:mm.1‐2 Set2:mm.3‐4 Set3:m.5 Set4:m.6 Set5:mm.7‐81 2 3 4 5

AnyBridgesetcanbecombinedwithanyAsection.Bridge:

LastAsection:SameasFirstAsectionwhenrepeatingtotopofform.SameasSecondAsectionwhenending.

ExamplesOriginalRhythm:IGotRhythm(GeorgeGershwin)Swing:LesterLeapsIn(LesterYoung)Swing:Cottontail[progression1](DukeEllington)Swing:Cottontail[progression2](DukeEllington)Bebop:Anthropology(CharlieParker)Bebop:Wee/Allen’sAlley(DenzilBest)SongBook:BlueMoon(RichardRodgersandLorenzHart)HardBop:Oleo[progression1](SonnyRollins)HardBop:Oleo[progression2](SonnyRollins)HardBop:TheTheme(MilesDavis)Hardbop/Contemporary:TheEternalTriangle(SonnyStitt)Contemporary:ThirdRail(MichaelBrecker)

OriginalRhythm:IGotRhythm(GeorgeGershwin)

Swing:Cottontail[progression1](DukeEllington)

Swing:Cottontail[progression2](DukeEllington)

Swing:LesterleapsIn(LesterYoung)

Bebop:Anthropology(CharlieParker)

Bebop:Wee/Allen’sAlley(DenzilBest)

SongBook:BlueMoon(RichardRodgersandLorenzHart)

HardBop:Oleo[progression1](SonnyRollins)

HardBop:Oleo[progression2](SonnyRollins)

HardBop:TheTheme(MilesDavis)

HardBop/Contemporary:TheEternalTriangle(SonnyStitt)

Contemporary:ThirdRail(MichaelBrecker)

ImprovisingonRhythmChangesTherearetwocontrastingwaystoimproviseontheAsectionsofRhythmChanges:changerunningandblanketing.Thesewaysareoftencombinedinasingleimprovisedsolo.Thebridgecanbeplayeddiatonicallybutlendsitselftoalterations.ChangeRunning1. Patternsstandardtoone‐measureiiVprogressionsworkwellwhenthevichordismadeVI7

thusformingaiiiVI7iiV7cycle(cycleofiiV7s:D‐G7|C‐F7).iiV7CycleExample1:

iiV7CycleExample2:

2. Onecangivetheimpressionofchordspecificitybyemphasizingthenotesthataremost

different.AlleightmeasurescanalternatebetweenDandE‐flatasguidetones.

BlanketingTherearetwowaystothinkaboutblanketing:alleightbarsoftheAsectionorinvariousparts,asbelow.

Example1:Blanketingalleightwithmajororpentatonics.

Example2:Blanketingalleightwithblues.

Example3:Split,fourbarsofMajor,fourbarsofBlues.

CombinationsExample1:Blanketing,changerunninginto2ndA.

Example2:Blanketing,changerunningintom.5.

Example3:ChangeRunning2ndA,mm.1‐2overJazzRhythm,Blanketingmm.3‐4,Runningm.6

intotonicB‐flatbeforebridge.

BridgeBlanketingisgenerallynotappropriateforthebridgeofRhythmChanges,althoughsomeexamplesdoexist.Oneshouldimproviseinachordspecificmanner.Simplemixolydianscaleswork,asdoalteredchords/scales.Alteredscalescanbesuccessfulwhetherornottheharmonyincludesthem.Thefollowingchartshowsafewpossibilities:

RhythmChangesBridgeToneColorChoices

RhythmChangesTuneList

RhythmTunes RhythmTunes(cont.)OneBassHit(DizzyGillespie)Opp‐Bop‐Sha‐Bam(DizzyGillespie)OscarforTreadwell,An(DizzyGillespie)