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Jazz Harmonic Analysis using Mapping Tonal Harmony Pro 10In this latest version of Mapping Tonal Harmony Pro, we’ve expanded the arrows and brackets analysis to include several new symbols that highlight some of the most commonly encountered harmonic progressions and cadences in jazz tunes, addressing some of the omissions from previous versions. These new arrows and brackets will undoubtedly enhance the analysis, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the harmonic structure within the tunes. Let’s look at what each of these symbols indicate.

It’s important to understand that we have two types of lines: Solid & Dashed, and two types of symbols: Arrows & Brackets.

Solid Arrow: a dominant chord that resolves a perfect fifth down.(i.e. V7 to Imaj7, V7/II to II-7)

Dashed Arrow: a dominant chord that resolves down a half-step.(i.e. subV7 to Imaj7, subV7/II to II-7)

Solid Bracket: a m7 (or m7b5) chord that goes to a dominant chord a perfect fifth down.(i.e. II-7 to V7, II-7/II to V7/II)

Dashed Bracket: a m7 (or m7b5) chord that goes to a dominant chord a half-step down.(i.e. II-7 to subV7, II-7/II to subV7/II, subII-7 to V7/II)

Headless Straight Arrow: a maj7 (or maj6) chord that turns into a m7 chord(i.e. Imaj7 to II-7/bVII, IVmaj7 to IV-7)

Solid Step Arrow: a dominant chord that resolves a whole step up to a maj7 (maj6) or minor chord(i.e. bVII7 to Imaj7, V7 to VI-7)

Solid Circled Arrow: a maj7 (maj6) chord that goes to a chord a perfect fifth down.(i.e. Imaj7 to IVmaj7, IVmaj7 to bVII7)

Solid Circled Bracket: a m7 (m7b5) that goes to another m7 (m7b5) a perfect fifth down.(i.e. III-7 to VI-7, VI-7 to II-7)

Dashed Circled Bracket: a m7 (m7b5) that goes to another m7 (m7b5) a half-step down.(i.e. parallel m7 chords)

Dashed to Solid Broken Arrow: a dominant chord that goes to another dominant chord a tritone away:(i.e. V7 to subV7, subV7 to V7)

Delayed Resolutions & 1st Ending ResolutionsThe new version of Mapping Tonal Harmony Pro also shows delayed resolutions and 1st ending resolutions.

In the following image the A7b9 resolves to the D7b9 but there’s a related II interpolation (the Am7b5) before it. Now you can see this clearly indicated in the solid arrow from A7b9 to D7b9

And look at the last chord G7 inside the 1st ending. Now it shows the solid arrow, indicating that the 1st ending is a turnaround progression back to the Cmaj7 at the beginning of the A section.

Examples in actual tunes

Although these new symbols might seem like an overkill, they are actually really useful since they reveal harmonic paths often used in jazz progressions.

Stella By Starlight: In measure 4, the F7 actually resolves to the Bb7 (delayed solid arrow), but it also turns into a minor chord (headless straight arrow). This Fm7 (on m.5) is acting as a related II interpolation for the Bb7 (the V7/IV) targeting Ebmaj7.

And Ebmaj7 (the IV) keeps resolving down a perfect fifth (solid circled arrow) to an Ab7#11 (the bVII7) which resolves as expected, a whole step up (solid step arrow) to the Imaj7 (Bbmaj7) creating a backdoor progression.

Now the arrows & brackets paint a much better picture of the progression–once one’s learned them of course.

In Christmas Time Is Here, the descending parallel m7 chords, do not make much sense when looking at the roman numerals, but now the dashed circled bracket immediately shows this harmonic movement.

And we can also see the–so iconic–backdoor bVII7 to Imaj7 in measure 2 (Eb7#11 to Fmaj7)

In Are You Real the subV7 (Db7#11) was interpolated to delay the resolution of the V7 chord (G7) in measure 12 (dashed to solid broken arrow)

And in Have You Met Miss Jones? we can clearly see the 3-6-2-5 progression (consecutive solid circled brackets) measures 5-8

Color-coded chartWe’ve also added the option to toggle on/off the color-coded staff. Just click on the color button (red) to enable or disable color on the chart.

With color

without color

Minor chord symbolsYou can also change the notation for minor chords to show m or – (Cm7 or C-7). Just lick on the “circled m” or “circled -” to toggle between the two ways of notation.

Mapping Tonal Harmony Pro is available for macOS and iOS. Learn more on https://mdecks.com/mapharmony.phtml

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A Step-by-Step Guide to Playing Piano MontunoIntroductionUnlock the rhythmic magic of Latin piano with our comprehensive guide to mastering the Montuno style. In this blog post, we’ll break down an 8-step exercise based on the iconic piano arrangement from Gloria Estefan’s “Conga.” Whether you’re a seasoned pianist or a beginner looking to delve into the world of Latin grooves, this step-by-step breakdown will help you understand the nuances of playing a Montuno.

Step 1: Embracing the Chord Progression The foundation of any Montuno lies in its chord progression. In this case, we’ll explore the common structure found in many Latin tunes: I minor – bVII – bVII – I minor (or Em D | D Em in E minor). Dive into the importance of repetition and understand why this progression is the backbone of Latin piano playing.

Step 2: Crafting Compound Lines Montunos are characterized by compound lines, combining melodic patterns and rhythmic intricacies. Explore the melodic line played in octaves and the rhythmic pattern within the Montuno. Practice the melodic line on downbeats, emphasizing the importance of hearing and playing the accents.

Step 3: Mastering 16th Note Syncopation Delve into the heartbeat of the Montuno by practicing the essential 16th note syncopation. Learn the basic rhythm that gives the Montuno its groove, and discover the significance of placing accents on the syncopated notes.

Step 4-7: Building Layers of Complexity Gradually build the complexity of your Montuno by incorporating syncopation into the melodic line and inner rhythm. Explore playing with both hands, focusing on the left hand in step 7 to expose weaknesses and enhance syncopation skills. In the video tutorial we show you all the these steps in detail.

Step 8: Polishing the Montuno Refine your Montuno by addressing specific challenges on each hand. In step 8, focus on the right hand while omitting octaves on specific notes for smoother and more efficient play. Finally, play the entire Montuno, bringing together all the elements you’ve practiced.

Conclusion: Congratulations! You’ve navigated the intricate steps of mastering the Latin groove through the art of playing Piano Montuno. As a bonus, “exclusive access” members of the mDecks Youtube Channel can access a downloadable PDF linking to this video and a call & response video for further practice. Join our community and enhance your Latin piano skills.

How Artists Get Paid From YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and the RestListen on your favorite podcast platform: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Acast Jamie Dee Hart is a music rights management advocate who’s passionate about giving back and educating creators at all levels of their career. She’s the Founder & CEO of Hart & Songs, an artist and rights management firm ensuring independent artists, producers, and songwriters properly register songs […]