Chromatic Line Game

Try to force an ascending chromatic upper voice throughthe following chord Progression. if chromaticism
is not possible, because of chord tone conflict, use one of the 3 solutions described below.

Let's start with ii-V-I-V/ii in C: Bollenback

D.7 G7 C,7 A7 (D.7)

    
Let's agree that the non-chord tones we could use would be:
Minor7-use 9, 11, or 13
Dom7-use flat 9, #9, #11, flat 13 OR natural 13--(this one will change depending on context as we get into
doing this over the chords to a tune)
Major7-use 9, #11, or 13
minor7 flat5-use natural 9, 11, in some cases, flat 13

Pick a starting note for Dmi7. I've chosen the 11th (4th), which is g. Note that all notation is for guitar,
written an octave up
 11
4 D.7

Now, let's try to move our upper voice up one half step for each chord.
We'll talk about how to voice this in just a minute.
So far, so good....but what happens now?
5 D.7
 
G7 C,7
 
A7  A7 D.7
 
G7

 11 6 flat 9
 flat 9 13 sus4
flat 9

9 C,7
 Not that great-13 on Dmi7 sounds ok, but it makes using the B on g7 sound weak, and then there's
a flat 9 on the Cmaj7, not a great choice!
   
flat 9

Try each of these 3 solutions, and see where it takes the harmony:
1: Leave the note the same: Let's try: 2. Move up a whole step
12  A7   OK...not so great....
D.7
 A7 
D.7 that works...........

  flat 9 flat 13
   flat 9 7  
2

let's see where it leads.....

 A7 
D.7 G7 
C,7 A7 
D.7 
G7  A7
 C,7

18

   flat 9 7 #11 9 #11 9 7 #11 7

This line has a great path....it goes chromatically, building tension for 12 chords!
Oooops!

 A7 
D.7 G7 
C,7 A7 
D.7 
G7  A7
C,7 D.7
   
D.7 G7 C,7

24

 11 6 flat 9 7 #11 9 #11 9 7 #11 7 

flat 9 flat 5

I'm going to mention solution #3 here.....I would say that generally a flat 5 is not good on a plain minor7 chord:
Yuck......unless you really, really want that sound!
D.7

4fr
31
 BUT.............
 


3. Keep the chromaticism, but change the chord! Now the dmi7 is a Dmin7 flat 5, a common substitution for a
ii chord
change the Dmi7 to Dmi7 flat 5:

C,7 
A7 D.7 
C,7 
A7 D.7b5
 
4fr

 
32
   
 #11 7
flat 5
#11 7
flat 5

let's continue on, and apply the 3 solutions as needed:

 A7
(sol. 2)

D.7 G7 
C,7 A7 
D.7 
G7
36 D.7
 
G7 C,7

 11
flat 9
6 flat 9 7 #11 9 #11 9 7
(sol. 3)
 C,7

A7 D.7b5 C,7
G7
 
NO GOOD!
41
   flat 7---YUCK!
  

 

#11 7 9
flat 5

So.....3 solutions: this takes you on the


A7 D.7b5 same path as the begining 
A7 D.7b5 G7
 (sol. 3)      (sol. 3)    
46 (sol. 1) G7 C,7 (sol. 2)

  7
flat 5 flat 9
6   7
flat 5 #9
 this path works well, but you also have to adjust by using
some of solution 3 (or 1 or 2) to make it work 3
(Sol. 3) (Sol. 3) D.7
51 C,7  
A7 D.(,7)
 
G7
C7#9
 
A7 
 7 #9 3 
Maj7 5 #9 5

Or solution 3, change the cmaj7 chord to a c7, etc:

At this point you are on the

D.7b5 G7
55
  
G7 C7
  A7  
D.7 same path as in measure 20, page 2

 9
   
flat 5 flat 7 9 7 #11

Here are some voicings

Measure 24-30 11fr 9fr 10fr 11fr
9fr
5fr 9fr 10fr
5fr 3fr
A7
5fr

C,7 A7b9
G7#11
    
A7#11

D.9 
G7   
C,7#11 D.7b5
  
62 D.11 G7b9 
    
D.7
 C,9
        
    
 


  

    




MeAsure 50-54
8fr 11fr 12fr
5fr 8fr 9fr
3fr 5fr
5fr
D.7
D.7b5
 G7
 
A7#9
D.(,7)
   
G7 C7#9
  
A7
  
69
  C,7

   
  
     

Measure 55-57
9fr
Practice these as technical
10fr 8fr 10fr 10fr 9fr
exercises, try transposing to
other keys....get it under your fingers
D.7b5 G7#11
G7#11
74
  
G7
 C7  A7 
D.7
   as well as in your brain!

       
 