SongTrellis
Music and Musical Know-how For You

Author:  Bob Posted:  2/19/06; 3:04:11 AM Msg#:  4741 (top msg in thread) Prev/Next:  4740/4742 Reads:  1045

Brief background-I have a little knowledge of music (probably forgotten more than I know). Took Jazz piano lessons over 40 yrs ago & learned some pretty complex chords. What I learned then has allowed me to compose some fairly reasonable songs over the years.

My question concerns chords (or a chord) I have heard jazz pianists play under the melody of a tune. My ear is not that good, but the chord is dissonant, and I swear is the same one and seems to fit many chord progressions. It seems to be able to be used almost like a block chord (not exactly George Shearing style), I mean very frequently while accomanying the melody in spite of changes in the chord progressions (not key). For example, a Cmaj7 (C-E-G-B)played by the left-hand with a Dmin (D-F-A)played on top covers every note in the C-major scale. Those notes could be theoretically be played with any chord in the song with variations on the root (and perhaps tweaks for accidentals).

Of course it wouldn't be used throughout the entire song, only in limited places, but is there such a chord? Am I making any sense at all? Maybe I'm out of my mind to think that something like that even exists.

Thanks . . . Bob

• Re: Is there an "ultimate" fake chord?, Bustard, 3/2/06; 8:30:30 PM

• Re: Is there an "ultimate" fake chord?, David Luebbert, 2/19/06; 9:23:55 AM

Please join our community at SongTrellis. Our contributors welcome your comments, suggestions and requests. As soon as you join the site (or login if you are a member) a response form will appear here.