favorite chromatic chord insertions

[ripock]

I mostly make music derived from minor modalities (minor pentatonic, harmonic/melodic minor, altered scale, diminished scale) but I frequently insert the non-diatonic DΔ chord (I'm usually playing in E). A lot of the diatonic chords sound a bit exotic and playing the non-exotic DΔ sounds exotic in the context. I was wondering if anyone else throws in an extra chord to provide a swerve that gives the progression some verve.

 

[Jim Hanks]

I keep coming back to bossa nova which features a lot of this kind of thing. Mixing modalities, borrowed chords, etc

 

[ripock]

I know what you mean about negative harmony. I'll watch a video explaining it and I will understand it. Then, if I step away from the music stand for a while...then all that understanding goes out the window.

 

[Mirek Tim Patek]

I was wondering if anyone else throws in an extra chord to provide a swerve that gives the progression some verve.

In minor keys I insert the passing diminished seventh chords. The attached file shows gradual reharmonisation of simple melodic motive.
1) First line with two chord shapes only (Dm, A), without actually playing the melody notes.
2) Second line plays the melody notes by altering the shapes of basic chords Dm and A.
3) Third line with added passing diminished seventh chords on the leading note of particular chord (C#dim7 between two Dm shapes, G#dim7 between two A shapes).
4) Finally, the fourth line with diminished seventh chords also approaching the target chord (C#dim7 at the end before Dm in the first measure, G#dim7 before A).

It helps if the Dm chord 2210 is held by ring, little, middle (no index); C#dim7 by index, middle as one would expect; and A by ring, middle which just move across the strings from neighbour G#dim7 shape.

 

[Canada Jim]

There can be a number of correct chord progressions for a given melody line. In some contexts a simple 2 or 3 chord accompaniment sounds nice and folky and is just what is called for, but sometimes it's nice to substitute some chords and make it swing a bit.
Someone mentioned "passing chords".
Going from a G to an F can have an F# inserted in between G / / F# |F / / / | or G / F# / |F / / / |.
Or instead of C / / / |A7 / / / |, try C / B Bb |A / A7 / |
For a turn-around in the last two bars, instead of G / / / |D7 / / / |, try G / E7 / |Am7 / D7 / |
or G / G#dim / |Am7 / D7 / | or maybe G / Bm7 Bbm7 | Am7 / D7 / |

Here's a simple O Susanah:
Well [A] I come from Alabama with a banjo on my [E7] knee
And I'm [A] goin' to Louisiana, my own true love [E7] for to [A] see

This is sorta like James Taylor plays it:
Well [A] I come from [Bm7] Ala[C#m7]bama [F#m7] with a [A] banjo [F#m7] on my [Bm7] knee [E7]
And I'm [A] goin' to [Bm7] Louisi[C#m7]ana, [F#m7] my own [C#m7]true [Cm7] love [Bm7] for [A#} to [A] see

If this is too much, I might play just "my own [C#m7]true love [Bm7] for to [A] see"

It's too complicated to explain all of the chord subs in one post, but I learned a lot from Mickey Baker's yellow and black Jazz Guitar book. I bought it in 1964, but I think it's still available. Probably if you are strictly a ukulele player, ther is something more appropriate available.

 

[bilbo56]

Thanks Canada Jim. I found a used copy for $8.

 

[ripock]

In minor keys I insert the passing diminished seventh chords. The attached file shows gradual reharmonisation of simple melodic motive.
1) First line with two chord shapes only (Dm, A), without actually playing the melody notes.
2) Second line plays the melody notes by altering the shapes of basic chords D and A.
3) Third line with added passing diminished seventh chords on the leading note of particular chord (C#dim7 between two Dm shapes, G#dim7 between two A shapes).
4) Finally, the fourth line with diminished seventh chords also approaching the target chord (C#dim7 at the end before Dm in the first measure, G#dim7 before A).

It helps if the Dm chord 2210 is held by ring, little, middle (no index); C#dim7 by index, middle as one would expect; and A by ring, middle which just move across the strings from neighbour G#dim7 shape.

That's a good idea. I usually play off the cuff so using a nice moveable shape like the dim7, or the augmented, is great because if you make a mistake, you can just move the shape up or down a fret 'til you get the sound you want.