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ChapterVI

FITTINGCHORDSTO A GIVENMELODICLINE
Oneofthe mostdiffrculttasksfacingthejazzaranger-composeris thatofascertainingtheharmonizationto
a given melody line. The ananger-composermight encounterthe problem when:
l. He attemptsto harmonizeur original melody of his orvn.
2. He attemptsto harmonizesomeoneelse'smelody, le., standard,jazz hrne, etc.
3. He attemptsto checkthe harmonizationin a "fake" book(oftenwrong)or on a pieceof sheetmusic(often
pedestrian).
l.

2.

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

8.

9.
10.
I l.
12.
13.

14.

15.

16.
17.
18.

This chapterwill concernitself with somegeneraland specificrules for dealing with thesesituations.
Make surethatyou knowthemelody,that you areableto singor play it correctly. Very oftenwehaveonly a
vagueimpressionof a melodyculled from a recordor someother source. It is absolutely necessaryto be
able to reproducethe melody conectly beforeproceedingto the next steps.
Try to ascertainthe key.
a. Check key sigrature if possible.
b. Play or singthe melody,stoppingat phraseendsto checkresolvingtendencies.Frcm eachof these
points of rest try to sing or play to the tonic of the key. (example l)
Reducethemelodyto its essentials;simplify themelodicline, gettingrid of embellishingtones,appoggiatura
and other decorativematerial. (example 2)
Find a bassline that soundsgood againstthe melodythen fill in the chorrds.
Checkto seeif thetuneis subsumedunderanotherstnrchrraland/orharmonictype. (Blues,I Got Rhythm,
etc.) Many bebop tunesare basedon the changesto standardtunes.
Generally,the slowerthe tempo the fasterthe harmonicrhythm and converselythe faster the tempo the
slower the harmonicrhythn (example 3)
Checkthepossibilitiesfortheuseofharmonicformulae.
Dosectionsofthetunelendthemselvestocertain
establishedformulaesuchas: II V, or M tr V, etc.?(example4) Checkthosesectionsof thehrnewhere
turnaroundsof certaintypeswould normally be found ( Last two measuresof sections,etc.) (example5) .
Work bachrards from ends of phrasesor points of rest placeswhere the chord is known or at least
suspectedFor instance,ifthe last chordis a tonic chord,checkto seeifit is precededby aII V, progression
or one of its substitutions.(example 6)
a- Check for Vr's or II Vr's leadingto each new key area. (example 7)
b. Look for logical root movement(refer to the chart of root progressionson page5l).
Look for cadenceand semi-cadencepoints with their traditionally-impliedchords.
Look for resolvingtendenciesof the melodynotes,for instanceo7'sdown a half stepto the 3rd of another
chord" (example 8)
Test seeminglylogical formulaeagainstmelody notesfor discrepanciesor verification (example9)
Look for obviousformulaebut don't close your mind to other possibilities.
Within the bar, assigt as many notesas possibleto the samechord,particularly at fast tempos. (example
l0)
a. Lok for chord outlines(explicit or implicit); (obviousor disguised). (cxamplc I l)
b. Look for scales,scalefragrnentsthat suggestcertain chordsor tonal areas. (example 12)
Harmonic changesusually follow the bar line or the normaldivision of the bar. For example,n a 4/4
measuretheharmonicchangeswould occuron the first or thethird beatas opposedto the secondandfourth
or a fraction of the beal (example 13) Avoid carrying a changeacrossthe bar line.
With the exceptionof the dominant 7th chord, avoid having stings of chords of the samequality in
succession,i.b., major ?th, minor 7th, etc. (example 14) The problem is not so acute in chromatic
situations. (example 15)
Try to recall similar melodiesand how they are harmonized
Set up sure harmoniesand fill in all the 'Jigpaw" ptuzle. (example 16)
AvoidtheBachchoraleapproachexceptforsubstibrtionorvariation
TheBachchoraleapproachissimply
a chord change for each note. Obviously this kind of harmonization will pose great problems in
compositionsthat will serveas improvisationalvehicles. (example l7)

45

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19. Try to ascertainthe style,perio4 composer,typeof nrne,etc. All of thesethingscanprovidevaluable

insightsinto harmonization
of thehrne. For instaice a bebophurewouldrrceivea conpletelydifferent
harmonizationfrqn a modalhrneor a Dixielandtune. (exarnplclE)
20. Ifthe tuneisfamiliaritmaybepossibletoremembcrandrecreatcthe
changesyoufirstheardassociatedwith

ir

(cxanplc 19)
.21. Checkfor mclodlclcqucnscswhichnigbt in turn dictateharmonicsequnces.
yor'veanived
22. Once
at
at a setof harmonicchurgesthat soundcorrect,thenlook for similarconstruction
dher placesin the composition (cxamplc2If)
23, Work for somethingthat soundscorrect.
24. The ear is the arbiter.

46

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