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Reader,
This is our final part of the Bill Evans inner voice movement series. Over the past few weeks, we've learned smooth inner voice movements over minor, major and dominant chords.
Today, we bring them all together over a 2-5-1 to create a movement that will totally transform your playing if you learn it in all 12 keys.
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The Movement
A ii-V-I in C major is Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7. Using the stock voicings from our Jazz Voicings Roadmap, this 2-5-1 would be played like this:
Now, lets remind ourselves of each of the moves:
- On the ii chord, Dm, we create tension, and resolve it, with the maj7 → min7 movement taught in part 1.
- Over the V chord, G7, we start with a simple dominant sound, and move into more tension with the expand/contract moves from part 3
- Finally, we resolve to the I chord, Cmaj, with a simple maj7 → 6 move from part 2
Each chord in that progression gets a specific movement from this series. When we put these all together, we end up with this:
Study the notation above to make sure you can see each of those moves within this progression.
And then, once you can see it, look at each voice individually. See how everything moves by simple steps? That voice leading is what makes this movement so compelling.
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Your Wednesday Woodshed
- Play through this movement exactly as written, until you can play it by memory.
- Sing each of the lines, one at a time, as you play. This helps anchor the sound in your memory
- Take these movements around the circle of fifths to learn it in all 12 keys.
Extra Credit: Play the inversion of this movement, starting with the Dm "B Voicing," and using the "contract" move on the V chord
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Workshop this Friday
This Friday, we're continuing our work on My Funny Valentine, taking our first steps to improvise over the tune.
You are signed up, so I'll see you Friday, July 3rd, at 1:00 Eastern.
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