Harmonically Vague Forms
So far we've been talking mostly about single-note lines. The question remains (and
a great question it is) : what about chords? Now obviously you can study harmony
all your life and never run out of things to learn. But that's not Low-Rent now, is it?
Here are just a few harmonically vague structures that are pretty versatile for
comping, or even as "punctuation" during a solo:
What are they? Well, that depends. Take the first shape: is it Cm11? F7sus? It
could be a lot of things. What it is is a basic fourth voicing. So is shape 2.
Shapes 3 and 4 are versions of what pianists sometimes call "crunch chords" What
are they? Again, that depends on how (or even if) you choose to analyze
them.
For Low-Rent purposes, what really matters is the top note. If you create a nice
little pattern or melody with the top note, the structures are vague enough that
you'll often get away with what's underneath. Also, if something really doesn't work,
usually you can move just one finger and it will.
Exercise 5a: Take All The Things You Are. Play it through
once
using only shapes 1 and 2, keeping the melody note in the top voice at all times.
Notice how often this works. Now, go back to the spots where it really
doesn't work, like the Cmaj7 in bar 7. Try moving one finger and see if you
can "fix" those places.
Exercise 5b: Play a more modal tune, like Afro Blue. If you can
play it with a friend, even better. Try comping using just shapes 1 and 2. Focus on
creating a nice simple counter-melody in the top voice.
You'll be surprised at how often and how well this "budget" chord-melody
works.
Exercise 5c: Back to the funk. Solo over the groove, but this time
"punctuate" your solo now and then with shapes 3 and 4. Think perhaps about
snare drum accents, or horn section "jabs". Once more, focus on the top note.
Remember, sometimes it doesn't matter so much what notes you play but
where you play them. Miles Davis used to reach over to a keyboard during
his solos and make little jabs at it. Sometimes he even used his elbow!
Most of the time, it worked, at least to my ears. Think about it.
