Steve's Spinal Column #2
Jan '05
 Steve and guitarist Dean Brown Jammin at the NAMM show Anaheim, 2005 |
First realize that in creative music we have the ability to alter a chord from within its makeup. Gm7 can become Gm9, the extension adding flavor.
A dominant chord can be extended or altered. A G7 can be made into G7b5 and usually works. Here are two chords with their variations:
G7 = G B D F Db7 = Db F Ab Cb G7b5 = G B Db F Db7b5 = Db F Abb Cb (or Db F G B)
As you can see G7b5=Db7b5, note for note. So G7 becomes G7b5. G7b5 gets renamed Db7b5 because enharmonically they're equal. The Db7b5 is replaced by Db7.
Therefore, by taking this path, G7 is replaced by Db7, which is a flatted fifth away.
In a progression then:
/ Dm7 G7 / Cmaj7 /
Becomes:
/ Dm7 Db7 / Cmaj7 / (the Db7 substitutes for the G7)
The progression now is chromatic.
Let's go further. There's a fairly popular Stick tune called "Tap Dance" composed by some guy from New York. Here are the basic chords:
[Bbm7 G7b5 / Cm7b5 F7]
The chords descend by fifths from G - C - F - Bb. Let's play a Stick bass line but add a flat five note to each (except on Bbm7).
Bass Line
[Bb Ab G Db / C Gb F B] or [Root b7 Root b5 / Root b5 Root / b5]
As you can see, starting from the Ab, we alternate ½ steps and tritones (or flatted fifths) all the way through and back to the beginning, creating a cool bass line. Add sugar and Cook for seven minutes.
Check out the transcription of "Tap Dance" by Chris Crain.