Playing Chromatic Accordion: April 2018

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Same Thing, Only Different

Four-note Chords

The chromatic button accordion (CBA) has chord shapes that are the same in any key and a wider range of notes within the span of the hand. The following four chord types and shapes are similar but different. Each chord type has a unique sound.

Major Seventh Chord (Maj7, M(triangle)7)

Root position -- C, E, G, B

Root note, the two notes together in the next row, and finally a note one more row over.

Also play the shape in its various inversions and using alternate rows.
Play the shape in all keys, inversions, and row combinations.
Hear and sing the root of the chord.

In the left hand, play the Major row (fourth row from bottom).

Dominant Seventh Chord (7)

Root position -- C, E, G, Bb

Root note with the other three notes together in the next row.

Also play the shape in its various inversions and using alternate rows.

Play the shape in all keys, inversions, and row combinations.

Hear and sing the root of the chord.

Alternate between the two chords (Maj7, 7, Maj7, 7)

In the left hand, play the Dominant Seventh row (second row from bottom).

Minor Seventh Chord (min7, m7, -7)

Root position -- C, Eb, G, Bb

Root note and second note in same row with the other two notes together in the next row.

Also play the shape in its various inversions and using alternate rows.

Play the shape in all keys, inversions, and row combinations.

Hear and sing the root of the chord.

Alternate between the three chords (Maj7, 7, m7, 7, Maj7, 7, m7, 7)

In the left hand, play the Minor row (third row from bottom).

Half-diminished Seventh Chord ((circle with slash)7)

Root position -- C, Eb, Gb, Bb

Root note and next two notes in same row with the other note in the next row.

Also play the shape in its various inversions and using alternate rows.

Play the shape in all keys, inversions, and row combinations.

Hear and sing the root of the chord.

Alternate between the four chords (Maj7, 7, m7, half-dim 7, m7, 7, Maj7)

In the left hand, play the Root row (fifth row from bottom).

Diminished Seventh Chord (dim7, (circle)7)

Root position -- C, Eb, Gb, A (Bbb)

Root note and all other notes in same row.

Also play the shape in its various inversions and using alternate rows.

Play the shape in all keys, inversions, and row combinations.

Hear and sing the root of the chord.

Alternate between the four chords (Maj7, 7, m7, half-dim 7, dim7, half-dim 7, m7, 7, Maj7)

In the left hand, play the Diminished row (the bottom row).

Example Song -- "All the Things You Are"

Music -- lead sheet

https://www.swiss-jazz.ch/standards-jazz/AlTheThngs.pdf

Performance

Jon Persson - All the Things You Are

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClkewTcxjvA

Chord Analysis

How to Analyze Chords - Essential Jazz Theory

Jeff Schneider

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65zrLQhWotw

Backing Track

All the things you are - Backing Track

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyHDHYrdWPs

Saturday, April 7, 2018

Chords, in Passing

Diminished Chords

The Chromatic Button Accordion (CBA) right hand keyboard is configured as vertical rows of buttons, one for each of the three diminished chords. The left hand keyboard has diminished chords as the outside row of buttons.

Passing Chords

Diminished (dim) chords, along with Diminished Seventh (dim7), Half Diminished Seventh (min7 b5), and Augmented chords (Maj #5) serve as Passing Chords.

Passing Chords move chromatically up or down before the beat to major or minor triad, sixth, seventh and ninth chords.

Passing Chords keep the rhythmic flow pulsing, the harmonic flow shifting, and

the melodic flow gliding by filling in the gaps and the seams between the main notes.

Passing Chord Patterns

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passing_chord

C Major (C, E, G) > C# dim (C#, E, G) > D minor (D, F, A)

C minor (C, Eb, G) > C dim (C, Eb, Gb) > D minor (D, F, A)

C minor (C, Eb, G) > C Aug (C, E, G#) > D minor (D, F, A)

G7 or G/B dim (B dim with a G in the bass (B, D, F)) > C6 (A, C, E) or C Maj7 (B, C, E) or C Maj 6 9 (A, C, D) or C Maj 7 9 (B, D, E)

C Major (C, E, G) > C Aug (C, E, G#) > D minor7 (C, D, F, A)

C Major (C, E, G) > C# dim7 (C#, E, G, Bb) > D minor (D, F, A)

C Major7 (C, E, G, B) > C half dim7 or C min7 b5 (C, Eb, Gb, Bb) > D minor7 (C, D, F, A)

Practice
http://charlieaustinjazz.blogspot.com/2012/03/polarized-passing-chords-with.html

Play ascending and descending major and minor scales, with each note as a chord or arpeggio. Insert a passing chord between the scale steps on the up beat.

For example:
C Maj, C# dim, D min, D# dim, E min, E Aug, F Maj, F# dim7, G Maj, G# dim7, A min, Bb half dim7, G/B dim, Bb Aug, C/A min.