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Dominant chords in sequence

1424 Views 7 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  cann0nba11
Some tunes, like Nostalgia in Times Square or Killer Joe or Jordu have dominant chords a tone apart, i.e. C7, Bflat7, etc, following each other (often happens in ballads too). I can usually negotiate this without much trouble, because the scales relate so closely that improvising over them is not hard. Is there, though, a way of thinking what one is doing that makes it a bit clearer? Does one just think 'now I'm playing the dominant scale of C, then Bflat', which becomes a bit hectic at faster tempi, or is there some other way of thinking about it and about what substitutions work? Advice appreciated.
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Just out line the chords in a permutation get the 3rd and 7th in there. Then do the same on each chord whatever you started with as it descends. It's sequencing.

The listener can follow the descending line , that's what I try to do anyway. Like on Sister Sadie last part of the bridge. on thenor D7 C7 B7 Bb7

One chord per measure so notes could be 5 7 3 1 ....... A C F# D,
G Bb E C, F# A D#B , F Ab D Bb in quarter notes. If you want 8ths you need to think of a phrase like A C A G F# E D C , G Bb G F E D C Bb etc. descending

There is a million possible patterns , but repeating the pattern holds interest to the listener.
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