This lesson is based on a discussion I had with a customer about identifying the key of those cool chords you happen upon e.g. A maj 13 #11.
This chord appears in Herbie’s One Finger Snap from the Real Book, which by the way, is a great resource if you want to study chord charts based on jazz standards.
If you come from the classical tradition where the key signature is provided, then it may come as a surprise that in most jazz publishing, the key is not listed and all notes of the melody are simply described as either natural, sharp or flat as required.
The chords that underpin the tune are provided (above the melody) but their constituent notes are not, the idea is that you the accompanist can improvise a backing based on the chords.
Another consideration for the uninitiated, is just how ambiguous jazz composition can be in terms of the notes and chords used to create the arrangements. It pays to be open-minded and ready for any combination of notes and chords.
Here is the chord and mode in the video.
The intervals are R 3 5 7 #11 13 but you can use these in any octave that suits your desired chord shape and sound. My final structure was R #4 7 10 13 R.
The way I identified the mode of the chord was by juxtaposing and cycling through the three major modes (the ones with major triads = Ionian, Lydian and Mixolydian). If these had not provided then I would have moved into the Harmonic & Melodic Minor Scales to look at modes which are normally minor but which now have a major triad e.g. Phrygian #3.
The three methods I used to identify the key from the mode were based on the tone & semitone structure of the Major scale (descending from the 4th), the Circle of 5ths using the chord’s notes (identifying which key has all the chord notes) and the order of modes (ascending up from Lydian to Ionian).
Bear in mind that some chords have intervals which can be found in a number of modes and so can be found in that number of keys.
From a soloists perspective, by identifying all the intervals you can target which ones need some focus in your melody, and by establishing the mode you are generating a pool of like-minded notes with which to start the adventure.
If you fancy some rhythm guitar practise then work out the remaining chords in E and choose a few for a progression. Search the archive with terms Chord Scale or ideas.
For modes start with THEORY 1 and SCALES 6.
For intervals try THEORY 1, 4 , 39 and CHORDS 21 for related work.
For Circle of 5ths see THEORY 1 and 3.
Finally you can build the arpeggio of the chord and practise it around the board - see ARPEGGIOS 28 for related work.
