Chords and Changes

I am a month late. But, better late than never. Here is a list of harmonic options over the blues. This was compiled by my instructor, Bert Ligon. A lot of this stuff was discussed by Tony last month, but it might help to see it all in one place. I feel that it is a very extensive and well organized discussion of different color options on the 12 bars. Hope you dig it!

-Drew

I have a lead sheet from an old song book but I don't think it has the right changes.
I found this online. Are these correct?

Key of Eb 4/4

Pickup | G7 |

[ Cm Fm7 | Fm7 Bb7 | Eb Gm7b5 | C7 |

| Fm7b5 | Bb7 | Eb | Eb G7 / / |

What is a Four Cord?
In the Jazz Vibraphone book on the Milt Jackson chapter I read on page 33: "Blue notes emphasizing the Four Chord" and "One Chord Dominant 7th, b9 scale leading to Four Chord".
I have no idea what is referred to. Who has an idea?

Hello everybody,
I've been transcribing a lot and I think that definetely helps my ears, but I'm hoping you guys have some advice on some other things to help with ear training. I've done some things online before, and just sat down on the piano and worked on hearing diferent intervals. That helped too.
Are there any apps, techniques or routines to get better at hearing intervals/chords and all that?
Thanks!

I see two-mallet players comping all the time, but all the instructional material calls for at least three mallets.

I've seem people hit the same note an octave apart, put a full step in between, etc. I also read about the third/seventh idea. Anyway, there are a lot of combinations in an octave that sound different. What combinations (or intervals) would best correspond to various chords?

Any tips for comping with two mallets?

I don't really have a lot to say about this, but I thought it'd be interesting to talk about comping in different situations, with a piano player/ other chord instruments, etc.
The great pianist Benny Green told me after a show that he liked my comping and that not a lot of people know when to lay out. First off, he's an incredible musicians and a very nice person, and it was really humbling to talk with him through-out the week at the camp i went to.

Inspired by Tony's video on the subject, I'm working on left hand guide tone technique for solo playing. So what do you think: on a flat five chord, does playing the 3 and the b5 or playing the b5 and 7 make the most sense to your ears? To me the b5 has to be in there somewhere for the color, but both options sound odd (or maybe weak) to my ear.

I recently discovered a pattern in the jazz/ blue changes. Take the simple change of Bflat major 7 to e flat major 7 and back to b flat 7. Then you would go to f major 7 and down to eflat 7 and bflat 7, right? Thats just a simple thing. but theres a pattern. E flat is the 4th note of the bflat scale. f is the fifth.
heres my question
can you take any scale and make a "jazzy" progression just by using the 4ts and the fifth's scales? Does it work for every scale.
im pretty sure it doesn't work in minor. it may not work for some keys either.

Hello,

I've written a very simple and free function to enable those who need to write chord sequences, figured notation and simple macro-music analysis. On their webpages. It's not fool-proof, so it does need testing. Please take a look and let me know what you think!

It's at http://www.coreymwamba.co.uk/musify/

Cheers,

C.

we talked for a while about voicings at the delaware workshop which was great. but i'm wondering everyone's approach on voicings when your playing solo and in a duo with a bass player. do you guys keep the root out for the most part when your solo or not?