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Dec An Analysis of "Dolphin Dance" Seattle Guitar Lessons

22 by Joe Walker, 22 Dec 2010, in School Skype Guitar Lessons
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Herbie Hancock wrote "Dolphin Dance" in 1964, and it was first recorded for No spam. Easy unsubscribe. Archives
his seminal album, Maiden Voyage1, in 1965. While its melody is quite Email Address
simple and motivically derived, it is among the most harmonically complex September 2012 (1)
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pieces of its time. The tools effecting tension and resolution are divided January 2012 (1)
between traditional V-I motion in various temporary keys and a new level of November 2011 (1)
abstraction in chromatic modal harmony. In the latter, tension is provided Watch My Recital
September 2011 (1)
by dissonant, active-sounding chords, usually some form of dominant or On March 6, 2011, I performed
August 2011 (3)
altered chord. Release, outside the realm of V-I cadences, can be provided my graduate recital, the final
by more consonant, restful chords. project for my Master of Music June 2011 (3)
degree in jazz studies from San May 2011 (8)
Melody Diego State University. Watch
the entire thing here: April 2011 (1)
The main melodic motive is stated twice, repeated verbatim, in the four-bar
intro to the song: March 2011 (4)
February 2011 (6)
January 2011 (4)
December 2010 (10)
November 2010 (12)

2
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This motive is used extensively throughout the composition, in different Tools
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keys, and with rhythmic and pitch contour variations, as in the first four I make little tools to help me
bars of the form after the intro: June 2010 (10)
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When comparing the motive introduced in the intro with the variations in Counting Tunes at Jam
Sessions November 2009 (5)
the following four bars above, note that, while the pitch contours are
identical, the intervals between the notes are not. The pitch-class set of the Mobile Ear Training October 2009 (5)
original motive is [F=0] [0, 2, 3, 5]. The pitch-class set of the variation is September 2009 (3)
[D=0] [0, 1, 3, 5]. However, observing their applications over their Comments August 2009 (7)
designated chords, we find their functions to be identical. The first, over
generic viagra on Visualizing July 2009 (9)
EbMa7, uses Eb major scale degrees 3, 4, 5, and 2. The second, over Cmi7,
the Entire Fretboard June 2009 (6)
uses C minor scale degrees 3, 4, 5, and 2.
Good news! We created a May 2009 (3)
Bars 5-12 introduce and repeat a new ascending motive, increasing the new way for you to become
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energy of the piece: a millionaire just pushing 3
buttons! Push 3 buttons to March 2009 (6)
make millions This is just January 2009 (4)
insane! You have to act now
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or you'll hate yourself later
on Minor ii-V-i Navigation October 2008 (1)
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4 Tori on Songs for Interval
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Recognition
Comparing these two, again we find identical pitch contours. Additionally, April 2008 (8)
with the exception of the first note, all the intervals are identical; the
second is a major third transposition of the first. Following this increase in
Categories March 2008 (15)

Compositions (16) February 2008 (11)

intensity is an eight-bar repose over pedal points on G and F. The melody
reverts to the main motive four times, from three different starting pitches: Gear (15) January 2008 (10)

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In the second statement of the motive above, the descending interval is a Videos (15)
tritone instead of the perfect fourth found in all the others. In the third
statement, we see the same rhythmic variation introduced in the first two
bars of the form. In the fourth statement, we see a pitch contour variation,
continuing the ascent of the first three notes to complete a tritone between
the outer notes.

This sets up the final motive and the imminent climax and high-note of the
melody in bar 25:

The highest note in the piece, F# in bar 25, coincides with the climax in
intensity in the tune's performance. Resolution is swift, as the most restful
point of both melody and harmony lasts from bar 27 to bar 30.

The final four bars of the form serve as a turnaround to begin the solos at
the start of the form. The main motive reappears twice, the second time
exactly as it appeared in the intro:

Harmony
The harmony of "Dolphin Dance" has proven to be problematic for
transcribers. Lead sheets from different sources often show entirely
different results. Attached to this document are lead sheets from four
prominent and popular, if not always authoritative, sources: Jamey
Aebersold's Play-A-Long series8, The Real Book: Fifth Edition9 (illegal), The
Real Book: Sixth Edition10 (legal, Hal Leonard), and The New Real Book11.
For the sake of this analysis, I have chosen Richard Helzer's transcription12
as an authoritative source for the harmony, and I have noted the primary
deviations in the aforementioned lead sheets. All excerpts embedded in this
document are from Helzer's lead sheet.

To begin a harmonic analysis of this tune, I first identify all the cells of
traditional harmony in temporary key centers. This means looking for root
movement up by perfect fourth, and chord qualities following major or
minor II-V-I formulas, as well as any other implied key centers. The first 3
bars of the intro loosely establish a key of Eb major. In the fourth bar of the
intro and first bar of the form, we move to the relative minor with a full II-
V-I in C minor. Bars 2 and 3 remain in C minor, on the VI and back to I.
Bars 4 and 5 modulate to the V with a II-V-I in G major. Bar 8 is usually
played as a Bb7, and although not included in Helzer's lead sheet, an
accompanist would likely include it as an embellishment anyway over two
bars of Fmi9. This creates a IV-bVII-I progression in bars 7-9, known in the
jazz world as a "backdoor turnaround," returning to the key of C minor. Bars
11-13 return to G major with another II-V-I. Bars 13-16 feature a pedal
point on G with changing chord qualities in each bar. Bars 17-19 continue
the pedal point a step down on F with changing chord qualities. Bar 20
contains a II-V in D that does not resolve immediate, but instead proceeds
to the tritone substitution of the V, a bII, then to the I on D, but with a
function change to a dominant chord. Note the similarities between the
four-bar intro and bars 17-20. The first and third chords are the same in
each case, while the chord between them completes a three-bar pedal on
the same root. The final two chords in the fourth bar are of half diminished
and altered dominant quality in both cases. All the chord roots in bars 17-
20 are a whole step higher than those in the intro. Additionally, the main
motive is used for the melody in both cases. Bars 23 and 24 contain
another non-resolving II-V, this time in A. Bars 25 and 26 contain a II-V in
B, but instead resolve to E9(sus4) on bar 27, starting the fourth multi-bar
pedal point of the piece, on E. That's the last of the II-Vs in the piece, and
the only remaining bit of traditional harmony is the V-I cadence in C minor
in bars 34 and 1, effecting the turnaround to the beginning of the form.

The remaining chords in the piece, while non-functional in traditional

harmony, can be described in more general terms of tension and release.
Even if the root movement does not resemble V-I, and the chords have no
relation within a key center, the effect of tension and release can still be
provided through the use of dissonance and consonance, more broadly than
the dissonance of a V (often altered) dominant chord to the consonance of a
I major or minor chord. Additionally, non-functional chords can serve as
passing chords without switching between tension and release, much as a II
progresses to V or I progresses to IV.

Examining the remainder of the chords in this context of tension and

release/repose, we can categorize each chord and better understand the
progression of the piece's harmony. The tritone is generally the source of
dissonance within a chord, so any non-suspended dominant chord can be
labeled as a tension point. Major 7 chords, minor 7 chords, and suspended
chords are generally consonant, depending on context, and considered
points of repose. Beginning with the intro, the first three bars are restful
and consonant. I view the Abmi9 chord in bar 6 as a passing chord in
repose, between the GMa7 in bar 5 and the Fmi9 in bar 7. Helzer refers to
the movement from the Abmi9 to the Fmi9 as "harmonic parallelism,"
consecutive chords of the same quality with different roots. This provides
some familiar territory to the listener while letting go of the current key
center. Root movement in this case is down a minor third. The concept is
repeated four bars later, at the same point in the second motive, in its
second statement. Although the bass line is descending from Bb to A, the
root of the Cmi7 chord descends a minor third again to the Ami9 in bar 11.
The pedal point on G in bars 13-16 provides a vehicle for increasing tension,
beginning with consonant chords over the first two bars, and increasing
dissonance with a G dominant and an EbMa9(+5) in first inversion. Bars 17-
19, over the F pedal point, alternate between repose and tension.
Contextually, this section embodies more suspense than is evident in the
lack of dissonance in the two F9(sus4) chords, as the listener anticipates
how this new pedal point a whole step down from the previous one will be
handled, setting up the climax of the tune in bars 21-26. The Dmi7 in bar
24 would be consonant out of context, but contributes to the tension of the
climax, being unrelated to its preceding chord, an E altered dominant.
Following the Dmi7 is another example of harmonic parallelism, this time
descending a minor second to C#mi11. The big release after the climax
occurs in bars 27-30, in which the melody holds a single note throughout,
and the harmony alternates between two consonant chords on an E pedal,
an E9(sus4) and a CMa7 in first inversion. The final four chords, while not
part of the climax, are the most harmonically dense and most dissonant
moments of the piece. The first three are over an Eb pedal, starting in
repose on a suspended chord, increasing tension with a Bb13(-9) with its 4
in the bass, and culminating with the outlandish voicing Helzer transcribed
from Hancock's original recording: an Eb major triad over an Ab augmented
triad, all over an Eb in the bass, slightly simplified to an AbMa7(+5) over
Eb. The final chord, a G altered dominant, maintains the tension while
directing the harmony back to Cmi7 at the beginning of the form. Note the
similarities between the pedal points on G and F in bars 13-20 and the
pedal points on E and Eb in bars 27-34. In both cases, the first is
maintained for four bars while the second lasts for three before moving to a
turnaround to the next section. Both cases end in tension and suspense, as
the first leads to the climax of the tune and the second turns around back
to the start of the form.

Improvisation
The complex harmonies and progressions in "Dolphin Dance" present a
unique challenge to the improvisor, who must spontaneously create
melodies in the context of these chord changes. To help my own approach
to soloing over this tune, I wrote out all the scales most likely to be used
over each chord, outlined here:

| Eb Lydian (Lyd) | Eb Mixolydian (Mix) | Eb Lyd | D Locrian Natural 2 (Loc

2), G Altered Dominant (Alt) ||
|| C Dorian (Dor) | Ab Lyd | C Dor | A Dor, D Lydian Dominant (Lyd Dom) |
| G Lyd | Ab Dor | F Dor | / |
| C Dor | / | A Dor | D Alt |
| G Lyd | G Mix | G Lyd Dom | Eb Lydian Augmented (Lyd Aug) |
| F Mix | F Symmetrical Diminished (Sym Dim) | F Mix | E Loc 2, A Alt |
| Eb Lyd Dom | D Sym Dim | B Dor | E Alt, D Dor |
| C# Dor | F# Sym Dim | E Mix | C Lyd | E Mix | C Lyd |
| Eb Mix | Eb Major | Ab Lyd Aug | G Alt ||

Works Cited
Aebersold, Jamey. Play-A-Long Book & Recording Set, Volume 11: Herbie
Hancock. New Albany, IN: Jamey Aebersold, 1978.
Bain, Reginald. "Analysis: Hancock, Dolphin Dance." University of South
Carolina School of Music.
http://www.music.sc.edu/fs/bain/vc/musc216/pub/assignments/DolphinDance.pdf
(accessed 11 Mar 2010).
Hancock, Herbie. Maiden Voyage. Blue Note BST 84195. CD. 1965.
Helzer, Richard. Transcription of "Dolphin Dance."
Real Book, The: Fifth Edition.
Real Book, The: Sixth Edition. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation, 2004.
Sher, Chuck. The New Real Book, Volume 3. Petaluma, CA: Sher Music Co.,
1995.

Notes
1 Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage, Blue Note BST 84195, CD, 1965.
2 Richard Helzer, Trascription of "Dolphin Dance."
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid.
5 Ibid.
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid.
8 Jamey Aebersold, Play-A-Long Book & Recording Set, Volume 11: Herbie

Hancock (New Albany, IN: Jamey Aebersold, 1978), 10-11.

9 The Real Book: Fifth Edition, 122.
10 The Real Book: Sixth Edition (Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation,

2004), 119.
11 Chuck Sher, The New Real Book, Volume 3 (Petaluma, CA: Sher Music

Co., 1995), 108.

12 Richard Helzer, Trascription of "Dolphin Dance."

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View/add comments (7).

7 Comments
joe gilbert (11 Nov 2013 at 7:51pm)

i've never sat down and just picked this tune apart. i've listened to the
hancock version hundreds of times though. what you have done here is
really something... awesome!

William (21 Jan 2014 at 10:38am)

This is awesome! Thanks!

Matthew (8 May 2014 at 2:29am)

Your tidied and detailed analysis and explanation does really help a lot of
people who wanna study jazz more thoroughly like me !! And this is really
awesome !! Keep it up !

Gonzalo Tejada (17 Oct 2016 at 8:57am)

Congratulations for your excellent and detailled work. A great approach to

this(always)tricky and beatifull song. Let me add that this kind of
approaching of tension and release with non functional harmony,not using
the typical V resolving in I, but using instead, for example, "paralell chords"
can be listened in some Steve Wonder´s song from the 70, and 80´. We can
try the sequence GMaj7 - Abm7 - Fm7 - Bb7- CMaj7... and it sounds
"funky". Thanks for your work!

Jerome Degey (31 Jan 2017 at 12:23am)

Hi Joe, thank you for that great work!

I just had a suggestion that the scales on the last four bars could be:
Eb mixo/ Eb major harmonic(Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb-Cb-D)/Ab Major harmonic (Ab-
Bb-C-Db-Eb-Fb-G)/ G alt...
Major harmonic is pretty rare, but I think it's a beautiful color... What do you
think?

Joe (1 Feb 2017 at 9:11pm)

Wow, you're spot on. I'm not sure why I didn't consider harmonic major, it
works perfectly in those two measures, and it should have been on my radar
at the time because I remember studying it in other jazz classes. Maybe
those classes came later than this paper did. Thanks!

Jerome Degey (31 Jan 2017 at 12:33am)

...And it's a way to harmonically include the Eb from the Bass Pedal...

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