Functional Harmony

for the Jazz Guitarist

Functional harmony is an approach to understanding and improvising over complex
chords and complex chord progressions. The most basic functions of chords revolve
around the tendency to resolution.
Chords convey the feeling of movement by their varying qualities of tension and release.
Some chords do it to a greater degree, traditional the Five chord (Vthe chord that is
built upon the fifth degree of the scale) conveys a greater need to resolve. Jazz harmony
utilizes chord extensions and alterations to create a greater need to for movement towards
resolution.

Presented in following material are these topics:

Cadences
The Cycle of Fifths
Harmonized scale
Tonal Gravity
Determining tonal centers
Playing across the barline
Reduction
Appendix of functional scales ,chords, and arpeggios

After becoming familiar with these terms and concepts you will be able to analyze
complex chord progressions and convey in your improvising a sense of the chord
progression using a minimal number of notes.

Copyright 2005 John Riemer

Cadence
The Amen cadence is a good place to start in this work. The Amen cadence as shown
below conveys a feeling of finality. It moves in one direction, playing it in reverse just
doesnt give the feeling of being at rest. This is sometimes referred to as tonal gravity.

Cadence in the wrong direction.

Copyright 2005 John Riemer

Cycle of Fifths
The tendency to resolution can be expanded in the cycle of fifths. This cycle has the same
properties as an Amen Cadence but continuing the movement. After moving from G to
C , assume the C as the tension, make it a C7 and then move to F. The same feeling of
resolution should be felt. The feeling of resolution is in a clockwise direction, i.e., the 5th
moving to the tonic chord. The diagram shows the relationships of the chords that tend to
resolve in a clockwise direction.

The direction of
resolution is
clockwise.

Copyright 2005 John Riemer

The Harmonized Scale

The harmonized scale is generated by taking each note of the scale (the major scale in
this case) and using it as the root of a chord built up using thirds.

The 3 qualities that are most often expressed are the:

Subdominant (Quality*)

or

build chord

II or IV

dominant

or

tension

tonic

or

release

These chords appear as the II, V and I chord in the harmonized

scale

II

*The II is usually called the submediant or supertonicI am using the term Subdominant to imply the function or quality of
the chord.

Copyright 2005 John Riemer

Tonal Gravity and Forward motion

The tonal gravity principle can be compared to flying a glider airplane .Think of
tension as altitude above the tonicgreater tension=greater altitude which creates a
more dramatic effect of gravity.
The altitude is reduced with forward motion towards a release target
This gives the music a direction or forward motion.
The build (II) chord is the approach to the peak . Dominant (V) is the peak.
Tonic (I) is the landing.

The idea is to get altitude (tension) above the tonic (release)!

Copyright 2005 John Riemer

Form Analysis and Tonal Centers

Using the standard Autumn Leaves the tonal centers are determined by the appearance
of dominant 7th chords (circled). When scanning through the tune for the first time you
should look for the Dominant 7th chords first.

Copyright 2005 John Riemer

Determining a tonal center

The key is determined by the dominant 7th as the fifth of the key (Chord is D7 the tonal
center is G)
The chords on either side of the dominant 7th chords are checked to see if they occur in
the key.
The key continues until a new dominant sets up a new key.

Copyright 2005 John Riemer

Analysis of first phrase

Key of G

Key of E minor

Turnback
to Aminor

This will give you a scale that works, throughout the period that the tonal center is G
the G major scale could be used. This works but lacks clarity and definition. More clarity
comes from basing your ideas on the arpeggios or roots of the chords and appropriate
intervals. Unfortunately this creates clutter so a balance should be sought that defines the
chords but is not so busy as to sound like you are practicing arpeggios.

Rise and Fall of Tension

The most important aspect to keep in mind is the rise and fall of tension. This is what
functional harmony is locked into. In this phrase the rise and fall of tension could be
diagramed

Copyright 2005 John Riemer

Transitions or PLAYING ACROSS THE BARLINE

When playing the minimal amount of notes the barline represents the threshold for the
change of chord or change of tonal center. Playing notes that are characteristic of the
change is powerful means to creating a solo which holds the listeners interest.
When playing Am to D7 a typical link is the 7th of the Am moving to the 3rd of the D7
This is the source of the harmony:

This is what could be played:

So far this is not doing anything to address the rise and fall of tension as mentioned in the
previous section.

9
9
9
9

Tension is produced by adding:

Extensions or notes that are not in the chord but are in the scale
from which the chord is developed9ths, 11ths, and 13ths are
extensions
Alterations i.e.,# or b 5, # or b9, #11 , and b 13
Rhythmic tension (busyness)
Tonal tensionsqueak, squawks, growls etc

Copyright 2005 John Riemer

Increased tension
Using the first change as an example Am7 to D7

1. Example root to 9th

2. Flat 5 to flat 5

3. 11th to b9

At this point you are on the D7 moving towards resolution to G.

You would set this up in a similar fashion with the exception that you would be dealing
with an already tensioned chord (D7) moving to a release on the tonic. Your choices for
the D7 might be more centered on altered tones moving to chord tones of the G. This is
true because the D7 to G has a stronger pull than the Am to D7. Following is an
explanation of why this is the case. It matters very little what the exact notes are so long
as you are guided by the principal that:

Tension resolves to release!

One way only

Copyright 2005 John Riemer

Reduction to the two basic functions

The function of a two / five change can reduced to its simplest:
II/V change (Am7/D7.A,C,E,G/D,F#,A,C) = Extended D7 (D9/11D,F#,A,C,E,G)
This is an important point; when you are faced with complex or simple chords you will
treat them the same as a function of a dominant V (5) sound.
Reducing all chord functions to their most basic qualities leaves you with these two, i.e.

Dominant or

Tonic

Tension
V

Release
I

or
or

At the risk of oversimplification all chords in a tonal center (the harmonized scale) can be
put into one of two columns.

Dominant
D7
Am
C
F#m7-5

Tonic
G
Bm
Em

Some of the chords under the Dominant column are used to suspend a resolution, to make
the song have and urgency to move on. These chords have names that I feel are
somewhat antiquated so I lump them into there functional quality, i.e., subdominant or
build quality
Putting the chords back into a somewhat more complex array of II, V, I some interesting
possibilities arise. Some chords act as subdominant and dominant

Sub Dominant
Am
C
F#m7-5
Em
Bm

Dominant
D7
Am
C
F#m7-5

Tonic
G
Bm
Em

Experiment with the different combinations of subdominant to dominant to tonic qualities

Dont take these descriptions as literal, C is not a dominant chord in the key of G but it
can function as one. (Have your bass player play a D bass while you play C)

Copyright 2005 John Riemer

So What do I do?!
After learning your chords, scales, and arpeggios things usually dont just fall into place
as a good solo. Much trial and error needs to occur so your hands and ears are on the
same page.

1. I feel the strongest first step is to listen to a lot of jazz guitar.

2. Work on tunes that you have a recorded version by a good player.
3. Recognize the form.. (Tonal centers and shifts)
4. Recognize the Function of each chord. Use chords and scales that convey the
function (II/V substitutes, tritone subs, side slip , etc.. See section on blues
substitutions, they all work here as well.

5. Identify the chords that can absorb the tension producing tones. (V) Decide what
these notes will be

6. Play 2 notes across the barline the marks the tension/release point. This example
is for rhythm reference only, you choose the pitches. Gradually increase the
number of notes.

Expand the pickup or build phrase, keep the target the same.

As you expand the pickup the result sounds smoother and more continuous. The thinking
remains the same.

Build to Tension to Release

The most critical point being the transition from tension to release!
Copyright 2005 John Riemer

Closing thoughts
1. Dont hunt and peck. Play what you are sure ofPractice at home!
2. Play with good sound/tone. Play at performance volume
3. Make phrases flow naturally; even when playing scales and exercises.
4. Mentally sing the exercises, scales, patterns as you play them.
5. If an exercise is hard, slow it down. Then gradually increase the tempo.
6. Listen to every note you play.
7. Match your minds ideas.
8. Be patient. You're not the first to make mistakes.
9. . Use jazz articulations on exercises and scale/chord practice.
10. Improvise some every day. That's the REAL YOU. Play what you hear in your
head.
11. Make a habit of practicing in all twelve keys.
12. Memorize everything you can. Know what it is you are trying to play.
13. If we all waited until we were perfect musicians before we played an instrument,
there would be no music in the world. .
14. Play on the best instrument you can afford and study with the finest teachers
available who will give you guidance in jazz and traditional music.

Some jazz guitarists to listen to:

Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, Barney Kessel,
Herb Ellis, Joe Pass, Jim Hall, Tal Farlow, Attila Zoller, Pat Martino, Mick Goodrick,
Larry Coryell, John McLaughlin, Grant Green, George Benson, Jerry Hahn, Jimmy
Raney, Doug Raney, Emily Remler, Earl Klugh, Peter Bernstein, Steve Erquiaga, Peter
Leich, Vic Juris, Joshua Breakstone, Chris Flory, Joe Cohn, Scott Henderson, Dave Cliff,
Howard Alden, Pat Metheny, Dave Stryker, John Scofield, Bill Frisell, Charlie Hunter,
Mike Stern

Thanks to:
Hal Galper (piano)

Joe Pass

Larry Coryell

Jerry Coker (sax)

John Scofield

Stew Pearse

Wes Montgomery

John Abercrombie

Jamey Aebersold (Sax)

Jim Hall

Copyright 2005 John Riemer