LearnJazzPiano.com archives: melody: chord tones on the strong beats & non-chord tones on the weak beats

7 -- 07/13/2007, 00:22:39 -- #35841

subject melody improvise or otherwise While it is certainly true that in virtually all musics, the melody tends to have chord tones on the strong beats and non-chord tones on the weak beats (acting as passing tones, neighbors or encirclement figures), what I think has not been addressed (at least not recently) is the fact that Jazz has a strong propensity to use syncopation to accent beats which are not, in fact, the "on-beats" (1 2 3 4). A "pushed one" (the "and of the four") or a "pushed three" (the "and of the two") as well as other syncopated accents often serve as the "landing strips" for the melodic line. I was thinking about this the other day, and thought it ought to be addressed.

elwapo -- 07/13/2007, 00:57:53 -- #35841

Good Topic 7 p. I like your analogy of "Landing Strips" for the melodic line. I found that working through solos and underlining the notes that fall on the on beats (strongest beats being 1 and 3)and then analysing the approach techniques to these tones has decoded in a sense the previously unattainable idea of improv for me. I found that getting to know my intervals was vital as I could see in alot of cases that strong chord tones on the on beats were being approached on the up beat by say a 4th interval from below or from a minor 3rd interval from above etc. Of course, I have come across alot of other devices but its a great way for me to understand whats going on! EW

Jazz+ -- 07/13/2007, 13:52:33 -- #35841

That's what Hal Galper's Forward Motion theory calls "advanced forward motion" or anticipation in other words. The listener hear it as an excited downbeat even though it's landing on the "+"

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