Counterpoint in Chord Symbols Chord symbols do much more than show a chord root and quality; through close investigation, one can find hidden lines of counterpoint made explicit. This counterpoint is something that can be revealed and played with in performance, especially in jazz, where these chord symbols are treated as a springboard for creative expression. The tune we will use to explore this is Billie Holiday’s God Bless’ The Child (https://youtu.be/Z_1LfT1MvzI) listen to the song, following this lead sheet, before continuing.
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CounterpointinChordSymbolsChordsymbolsdomuchmorethanshowachordrootandquality;throughcloseinvestigation,onecanfindhiddenlinesofcounterpointmadeexplicit.Thiscounterpointissomethingthatcanberevealedandplayedwithinperformance,especiallyinjazz,wherethesechordsymbolsaretreatedasaspringboardforcreativeexpression.
ThetunewewillusetoexplorethisisBillieHoliday’sGodBless’TheChild(https://youtu.be/Z_1LfT1MvzI)listentothesong,followingthisleadsheet,beforecontinuing.
Toexplorehiddenchromaticlinesinthistune,wewillsimplifythechoralaccompanimenttoasimplefour-voice“SATB”choraletexture.Pleasenotethatthisisanexplorationofimpliedmelodicmotionratherthan“by-the-rules”polyphony,soourconcernisnotwithpartwritingprinciples(suchasparallelfifths,voiceranges,etc.).
ThesongbeginswithaharmonicpatternofEbMaj7–Eb7–Ab6.Withtheremainingvoicesaswritten,completethesechordsbyaddingnotestothe“alto”voice(topline,stemsdown).Notethatthesymbol“Ab6”isanA-flatmajortriadwithanaddedmajorsixthabovetheroot(F).
Checkyourworkagainsttheanswerkeybeforecontinuingandnotethechromaticlinethatisrevealedsimplythroughcompletingthechordsymbols.
Nowcontinuebycompletingthemissingvoicesinbars3-10.
Again,checkyourworkagainsttheanswerkey.Returntothemusicandplaythroughitonapiano,exploringthesoundscreatedbythesechromaticlinesandaccentuatingtheminyourperformance.
NowtryasectiononyourownbycreatinganSATBharmonizationofthisphrase.NotethattheG7(b9)chordwillrequireafifthtone,orelseyoumayomitthechordfifth.Andrememberthatm7(b5)isjazz-codeforahalf-diminishedseventhchord.
Onepossiblerealizationisintheanswerkey(yoursmaydifferbasedonhowyouvoicedthechords).Common-tonesmayalsoberevealedthroughfindingpitchesinchordsymbols.Forinstance,thesymbolsDm7(b5)–G7(b9)maylookcomplicatedbecauseoftheiralterations,butaninvestigationofthechordsrevealsthatthesealterationsreflectasonorouscommon-tone:Ab.Thisisafrequenttropeinjazzharmony,especiallyintheminormodesincethesetonesrefertothediatonicsixthscale-degree.Itispossibletohearthisprogressioninamajormode,however,suchasinbar18:
Notethat,intheanswerkey,theBb7chordhasanextra“optional”inclusionofthechordfifthsincedoublingtheBbmakespossibletheresolutionofthetenseflat-fifthoftheFm7(b5)chord.
ANSWERKEY
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