Guide Tones for Improvisation

Context

$ I II III IV V VI VII
4
&4
$
4
&4

5 6 7 8ve
7 8ve
6 7 8ve 1 2 3 4
5
56
4
4
3
3
1 2
12

Guide-tones: root + 2 parts: 3rds & 7ths

&
3

?D

II

G7

& 35

ww
7

C@

II

9
7
3

www
w

www
w

C Major tonality

G7

? D

II

II

G7

C@

53

13

G7

79

II

5
wwww3
7

C@

Lines utilising guide-tones

&

ww

3 7

7 to 3 to 7 "Tea for Two"

7
7
7
3
7
3
3

G7 C@
? D
w
2

C@

ww3
w7

Root + 4 parts: 9ths & 13ths

C@

G7

3 7

7
3

w5
ww 3
w7

13

Root + 3 parts: 5ths & 9ths

ww
3

Root + 4 parts: 9ths & 13ths

www
w

? D
G7

C@

C@

3 to 7 to 3 "Autumn Leaves"
3

& 3 7 w3
7 3 w7

G7

G7

7 3

C@

Guide-tones for improvisation.. 2

# 5j 9 9 5

& 44 5 9 ww5
3
7
3
5 to 9 to 5

"One David Beckham"

D
G7

C@
3

?4 ww7
4

9 13 w9
& 5 9 ww5
3
7
3
9 to13 to 9

"Laura"

D
G7 C@
? 7 3 ww7
5

&
3

G7

ww
3

&

C@

G7

Chromaticised guide-tones in combinations

5 b# b9 # ww #11
73 73 ww3 6
#11

C@

73
j
7 3
D

& 35 97 ww53
w7
7 3
7

C@

13
13 9

Combinations of guide-tones
7

G7

G7

C@

9 5

# b # j
G7

C@

13
bb

bb13
b#9 7
w
7
w
b

& 53b # ww#11 J J
#

w63
7
9

b13
#9
b9
7

G7

C@

3
4
&4

?4
4

Diatonic

&

?
5

Guide Tone Destinations/Resolutions

&
?

& b
?

b5

9
&
?
&
?
7

Chromatic

ww
w
w

&

?
11

ww

b9

b9

7b13
b

#9

13

&

ww
w
5

b5

# www

#11

ww
w
w
w
9

ww
w
w

11

13

&

ww5
w
ww
w

Guide-tones for improvisation.. 3

w
w
7

w
ww
w
w
9

C@

ww7
w
ww
w

ww
w

ww
w

b9

#9

b#

7#11

b9

b
n

ww
w
w
w
9

n ww
ww
w

Apply the entire set of guide-tone destinations to your approach to functional harmony.

"Wahoo" traces guide-tone lines. Here are some eome extensions of the initial idea...
3
9
9
b13

& 44 J b b b
w
& 44

bw

F7

Guide-tones for improvisation.. 4

3
7
3

J n

B @

G7

& b J b b j b #

& bw

& b J b b n
3

& bw

b 3
& J

&

nw
F7

& J b b
& w

B @

ww

F7

G7

J #

B @

b J n

bF7w

# F7w

G7

nBw @

nG7w

n 3 b
J

b
Bw @
b wG7

3
b n b #

J
& J
b
C
Bw @
F7
b
w
w
w
&

Guide-tones for improvisation.. 5

"Body and Soul" - Bass plus 3 parts

4
b
&4 b

b
?4 b
4

bbb

bn

b
b

n
b n

A 13

b
b

& bb bbb nb nb
b n
b

? bb bb
& bb www

F7

b
b

D@

b
n
b

G 13

bb

bb
#

E dim

b nb nb
b n
b

b b n b b
b
b
b
b
b
b
b
B E 7 E A

bb b

? bb ww
Trace the parts/guide-tone lines
Derive lines that voice lead from the guide-tone lines

D@ G

F B

b b bn