Learning Jazz Harmony the Berklee Way: Deconstructing ‘Misty’ – Part 1If you’re a songwriter or a musician, you may have come across the term “harmony” before. But do you know what it means? Harmony is the simultaneous sounding of two or more notes, creating chords that give a sense of structure and tonality to a piece of music. In jazz, harmony is the best tool that we have for songwriting, yet it’s often neglected by many songwriters and musicians. In this blog post, we’ll explore jazz harmony and how you can use it to play, improvise, arrange or even write music.

To start, let’s take a look at the harmony in the jazz standard “Misty”. The song is in the key of Eb major, and the first chord is an Imaj7 (Ebmaj7). The next chord is a IVmaj7 (Abmaj7), which is a target chord approached by way of its 2-5. This is where the Berklee College of Music’s method of harmonic analysis comes in handy, using arrows and brackets to show the progression harmonically, without any chord symbols.

By studying the harmony of “Misty” from this perspective, we can clearly see that this is a secondary 2-5-1, where the target is not the I of the key. Instead, the ii/IV and the V7/IV are called secondary functions, because they target a primary function. The ii prepares the target by positioning the listener in the subdominant of that target, which then goes to the V in the dominant region which in turn, desperately wants to resolve to the target.

An important aspect of the 2-5-1 is that harmony follows the expected path of resolution towards a target. The ii chord prepares the target by positioning the listener in the subdominant of that target, which then goes to the V in the dominant region which in turn, desperately wants to resolve to the target. Also, the 2-5-1 creates the strongest bass movement of two consecutive perfect fifths.

Using this method of contextual deduction, we can work our way backwards from the target to determine the 2-5-1 progression. For example, in the case of Eb, the ii is Fm7, which would make our progression Gm7 to C7 to Fm7. If the target is the I (Eb), we would have Fm7 Bb7 to Eb, a primary 2-5-1.

Throughout “Misty”, we can see several 2-5-1 progressions using this method of analysis. It’s essential to consider the target when dealing with harmony, and always work backwards from there.

The 2-5-1 progression is crucial to understanding and playing jazz. It creates tension and release, and adds a sense of movement and resolution to a piece of music. By studying the harmony of great jazz standards like “Misty”, you can learn a bunch of new concepts that you can apply to your own process.

In conclusion, harmony is the best tool that we have for songwriting, and it’s important to study and understand it to become a better musician. By using the Berklee method of harmonic analysis, we can learn how to look at the progression harmonically, and study the different techniques used in jazz music. Whether you’re playing, improvising, arranging, or writing music, understanding jazz harmony can help you take your music to the next level.

If you want a workbook with harmony worksheets containing more than 1300 Jazz Standards to study and work on, check out The Ultimate Jazz Harmony Workbooks Bundle by mDecks Music

And if you want all Jazz Standards fully analyzed (with chord symbols, chord-scales, and arrows & brackets) check out The Jazz Standards Progressions Book by mDecks Music

If you want to learn more about the harmony in ‘Misty’ you can check out part 2: Learning Jazz Harmony the Berklee Way: Deconstructing ‘Misty’ – Part 2

Last week in music industry commentaryCommentators in the thick of the industry last week shared their opinions and thoughts on StubHub making bank from bots, the truth behind the TikTok bans, and more… The REAL. Continue reading
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VCs are declaring their allegiances in the wake of SVB’s collapseThe dust has yet to settle in the largest bank run in U.S. history, a collapse that in just 48 hours dismantled the tech startup-focused Silicon Valley Bank. But already a debate is raging in the venture capital community and investors are picking sides.
On Friday, a group of more than two dozen venture capital firms issued a joint statement that supports Silicon Valley Bank. The statement was notably after — and not before — Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation regulators closed the bank and took control.
And the posthumous show of support keeps growing. By midday Saturday, more than 100 venture firms had added their names to the joint statement. There are also some noticeable absences on the list, including a16z, Founders Fund, Sequoia Capital and Y Combinator.
General Catalyst and managing director Hemant Taneja wrote in a post Friday on LinkedIn that several venture capital leaders met to discuss the aftermath of Silicon Valley Bank’s downfall. A dozen of some of the best known names in venture capital, issued a joint statement that expressed support as well as disappointment.
The initial group included Accel, AltCap, B Capital, General Catalyst, Elad Gil, Greylock, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Mayfield Fund, Redpoint Ventures, Ribbit Capital and Upfront Ventures
The statement reads:
Silicon Valley Bank has been a trusted and long-time partner to the venture capital industry and our founders. For forty years, it has been an important platform that played a pivotal role in serving the startup community and supporting the innovation economy in the US.
The events that unfolded over the past 48 hours have been deeply disappointing and concerning. In the event that SVB were to be purchased and appropriately capitalized, we would be strongly supportive and encourage our portfolio companies to resume their banking relationship with them.
Notably, the group is urging their portfolio companies to not get too comfortable with whatever financial institution they have moved their assets to and to be prepared to move their capital back to SVB if it is purchased and adequately funded. In the past two days, many companies have admitted to pulling their assets out of SVB and into other banks — traditional and digital — such as JPMorgan Chase and Mercury. And, several startups have shared with TechCrunch that they have seen increased demand and transfers.
While many expressed support for the move, others noted in comments below the LinkedIn post that the effort was too little, too late.
“I wish these very same VCs would have banned together and kept their deposits, their portco deposits at SVB and “stayed calm,” Sanjay Gosalia, head of product at SVB, commented on the LinkedIn post. “They now have not only very likely lost a valuable bank partner that has served them unconditionally through tough times but will go underserved in new bank relationships. They fundamentally betrayed their partner and have undoubtedly shot themselves in the foot.”

VCs are declaring their allegiances in the wake of SVB’s collapse by Kirsten Korosec originally published on TechCrunch

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Unlocking the Magic of Jobim’s Harmony: A Step-by-Step Guide to ‘The Girl From Ipanema’ Jazz Harmony LessonWelcome to this jazz tutorial on Jobim’s timeless classic, The Girl From Ipanema. Let’s take a closer look at the intricate harmony of this song.

In this video we’ll see how Jobim’s use of out-of-the-ordinary dominant chords is simply brilliant. It’s no wonder why Jobim is known for pushing the boundaries of traditional harmony, always keeping us on our toes with unexpected but stunning chord progressions. No matter how much you think you know about jazz harmony, Jobim’s genius will continue to challenge and inspire you.

And stick around until the end of the video where I’ll show you how to download a pdf for today’s lesson.

In this video, we’re going to explore the unconventional chord progressions and clever pivots that make Jobim’s composition a true masterpiece. So get your ears ready and your mind open, because we’re about to reveal the brilliance of one of the greatest composers of all time.

So, what makes “The Girl From Ipanema” so special? Well, let me tell you, it’s all about Jobim’s interesting use of dominant chords! Dominant chords are usually used as primary or secondary V7 chords, but Jobim switches it up by avoiding these functions most of the time. Even when he does use them in the progression, he adds his own unique twist to keep things interesting.

Let’s take a look at measure 6. If you listen closely, you’ll notice that the chord progression is a reharmonization of a typical 2-5-1 progression. But instead of using the V7 (C7), Jobim gets creative and replaces it with the subV7 (Gb7b5), giving us a 2-sub5-1 path. Here’s where it gets even more interesting: normally, the subV7 is paired with the lydianb7 scale, creating a 7#11 chord. However, Jobim turns the #11 into a b5, making it a chord tone, and eliminating the natural 5 altogether. This little trick adds a unique flavor to the progression and sheds light on Jobim’s treatment of dominant chords.

At first glance, the G7 in measure 3 might seem like a V7/V chord. In fact, the V7/V is a great chord to use when targeting a 2-5 progression, which is just a V chord that’s been embellished with an interpolated ii chord.

Let’s take the example of the key of F major. The C7 chord is the V7, and we can target it with its V chord, which is G7. This tonicizes the V7 chord, which then resolves to the I chord, which is Fmaj7. This gives us a standard and effective progression: I – V7/V – V7 – I.

Now, if we interpolate the related ii before the V7, we get Fmaj7 – G7 – Gm7 – C7 – Fmaj7. This turns the progression into a Imaj7 – V7/V – iim7 – V7 – Imaj7.

But here’s where things get interesting. In “The Girl From Ipanema”, the G7 chord sounds much better when paired with the Lydianb7 scale, turning the G7 into a G7#11. This is a dominant chord with a #11, and thus turns the G7 into a II7 chord. And yes, the II7 is a real function!

This II7 chord is very closely related to the V7/V, but it’s a 7#11 chord. You’ll find this chord in many jazz standards, like in “Take The A Train”, and also “Desafinado” (another Jobim song).

So, the path Imaj7 – V7/V – iim7 – V7 – Imaj7 turns into a Imaj7 – II7#11 – iim7 – V7 – Imaj7. And if you listen to great jazz players, you’ll hear how they use a C# in their lines (the #11 of G7) when they improvise over that G7 chord.

But, as we said before, Jobim takes it one step further and reharmonizes the V7 (C7) chord with the subV7 (Gb7), and reinterprets the #11 as the b5 turning the Gb7 into a Gb7b5. This reharmonization turns this: (Imaj7 – II7#11 – iim7 – V7 – Imaj7) and turns it into this: (Imaj7 – II7#11 – iim7 – subV7b5 – Imaj7.)

This is a testament to Jobim’s genius and creativity, as he was able to take a common chord progression and completely transform it into something unique and beautiful.

But things get really interesting in the B section when we analyze the dominant chords B7, D7, and Eb7. At first glance, they seem to not follow any pattern at all, but a clue is hidden in the melody. When we look at the roots of these dominant chords, we see a modulation pattern of a minor 3rd up and then a half-step up, which is exactly the modulation pattern in the melody.

But what’s the function of these dominant chords? And where’s the tonic? The trick is to understand dominant chords as Jobim does. They’re not primary or secondary dominant chords, but rather bVII7 chords borrowed from the minor mode. The bVII7 is a great modal interchange chord that’s usually preceded by the iv minor chord, targeting the I chord in a progression known as the backdoor progression.  In fact, we could just replace the V7 chord with the bVII7 in a 2-5 progression if we wanted to, and that’s exactly what Jobim is doing. We actually have a whole video dedicated to the bVII7 chord so be sure to check that out after you finish watching this.

So, if we consider these three dominant chords in the B section as bVII7 chords, then they should all be paired with the lydianb7 scale, becoming 7#11 chords. By reharmonizing the Gbmaj7 in the first measure of the B section with an Ebm7 dorian, we now have an entire sequence of iim7 to bVII7 chords. Ebm7 to B7#11 is a ii – bVII7 in the key of Db. Modulating a minor third up gets us to F#m7 to D7#11, also a ii – bVII7, but now in the key of E. And if we modulate again, a half-step up, we get Gm7 to Eb7, which is also a ii – bVII7, only back in the original key of F major.

All these dominant chords are functioning as bVII7’s, and the first chords are iim7’s. We just need to reharmonize the first ii in Db major with a Gbmaj7. Don’t forget that the Gbmaj7 is the IV in the key of Db. And the IV chord is a very common reharmonization of the ii chord, both of them belonging to the subdominant region.

Once we understand this interpretation of the harmony, we can see how creative and tricky Jobim is at harmonization. The Gbmaj7 chord throws everyone off at first, because it seems like a modulation a half-step up, but in reality, it’s the IV chord in the key of Db and is actually functioning as a lydian chord.

So, the actual modulation is from F major to Db major, a major 3rd down. And Jobim gets back to the original key by modulating first a minor third up and then a half-step up. When we look at this sequence in the map, it becomes obvious what’s going on in the B section. The harmonic movement is exactly the same in all three iterations of the sequence, from the subdominant to the dominant but never resolving to the Imaj7 of the current key. It’s simply genius!

So there you have it, the genius behind Antonio Carlos Jobim’s harmonic progressions. If you’re fascinated by the intricate details of harmony in music and want to explore it further, I highly recommend getting the Mapping Tonal Harmony Pro app, available for Mac, iPhone & iPad. With its comprehensive features and tools, you can dive deep into the world of tonal harmony and analyze any piece of music you want. So why not give it a try and see where your musical curiosity takes you?

Mediabase and Spintel Partner in License AgreementSpintel, a new company changing the way music industry professionals interact with radio airplay data, has entered into a licensing agreement with Mediabase, it was announced by Spintel Founder Rob Dalton. The Spintel platform provides a new generation of analytical and management tools for visualizing and interpreting airplay data. Actionable insights will benefit promotion teams artists, managers, agents, buyers, and other areas of the music industry. Initially launched for Country and Christian labels, Spintel plans to rapidly expand into other formats. Mediabase, the well-known 360-degree reporting service, provides vital airplay information and in-depth analytical tools for media professionals. The licensing agreement with Spintel will allow Mediabase subscribers to use Mediabase data in the Spintel platform.

President and CEO of Mediabase Philippe Generali comments, “We are always looking for initiatives to increase client benefits. Now Mediabase’s unmatched radio airplay data will power Spintel’s analytics platform. The partnership propels understanding of music consumption across geographies and formats.”

Spintel, which is planning an official launch in the spring, uses raw airplay data to calculate next best moves in navigating a song up an airplay chart. The data will reveal where the most likely stations potentially adding a single are located and what stations are likely to increase play. Standard and Relative song comparisons in the system will compare one song to another song regardless of time frame. For instance, the growth trend of a current single to a growth trend of that artist’s last single. This a small sample of the many features the MVP level of Spintel will offer. For additional information about Spintel or for a demonstration, contact Rob Dalton, Rob@Spintel.io.

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