"Oh 2 Slick Blues" - A 12 Bar Blues for the Socially Distanced
Greetings from the distance, fellow distancers!
As a matter of survival, and depending on location, the requirements for self-isolation in this current crisis continue. For better or worse, it gives one the opportunity, on many different levels, to get to know one's self a little better.
While far from being the most urgent of concerns for many of us right now, from a strictly musical place (and this blog is all about music), that could mean honing-in on material that we may not have yet mastered, or that is less than familiar.
As a matter of survival, and depending on location, the requirements for self-isolation in this current crisis continue. For better or worse, it gives one the opportunity, on many different levels, to get to know one's self a little better.
While far from being the most urgent of concerns for many of us right now, from a strictly musical place (and this blog is all about music), that could mean honing-in on material that we may not have yet mastered, or that is less than familiar.
In my own case, it's meant grappling with the challenging concepts of 12-tone improvisation, which is - and will continue to be - an ongoing process.
Since one of the best ways to self-teach is to create exercises, etudes, tunes, etc. for one's self, I've managed to put together two Shortbooks™ worth of material on the subject and usage of the 026 Trichord - “Oh-2-Six (026)” and “Oh-2-Slick! (026 II)” - in Feb. and March respectively. Each book covers different basic aspects of this trichord, including - in Vol. II - its usage within a 12 tone row, in a tonal context.
While there's no new book this month (for the first time in a while), I've instead composed a little 12-bar blues head in Bb comprised exclusively of 026 Trichords, using concepts from the aforementioned two volumes. It's offered here as a "Free B." pdf download – in concert, Bb, Eb & Bass Clef versions to boot!
Since one of the best ways to self-teach is to create exercises, etudes, tunes, etc. for one's self, I've managed to put together two Shortbooks™ worth of material on the subject and usage of the 026 Trichord - “Oh-2-Six (026)” and “Oh-2-Slick! (026 II)” - in Feb. and March respectively. Each book covers different basic aspects of this trichord, including - in Vol. II - its usage within a 12 tone row, in a tonal context.
While there's no new book this month (for the first time in a while), I've instead composed a little 12-bar blues head in Bb comprised exclusively of 026 Trichords, using concepts from the aforementioned two volumes. It's offered here as a "Free B." pdf download – in concert, Bb, Eb & Bass Clef versions to boot!
The graphic below illustrates the first 4 bars of this 12-bar blues.
Below each trichord are numbers are a pair of numbers, describing the type of 026 trichord, as well as the interval relationship between each note, based on that trichord's prime form (similar to "root position") and which uses the smallest possible number to describe the distance, in semitones, of each ascending interval.
There are two possibilities with the 026 pitch class - 2+4 and 4+2. This is a concept I picked up over time from saxophonist John O'Gallagher's ground breaking book "Twelve-Tone Improvisation (Advance Music)", which I've mentioned several times in previous posts . Both versions of 026 consist of a Maj 2nd (Ab-Bb, 2 semitones), a Maj 3rd (Bb-D, 4 semitones) and a tritone (Ab-D, 6 semitones), as is the 2+4 shown on the first two beats of bar #1 below, over a Bb7 (dominant 7 tonic chord).
The next trichord in bar #1 is designated as 4+2(1). Going by the interval counting method of the previous trichord, you might call this a "2+6", but remember... it must be described by it's smallest ascending interval distances in prime form. So - Ab-C = Maj 3rd = 4 semitones and C-D = Maj 2nd = 2 semitones = 4+2. The tritone between Ab-D rounds out the interval content. Since the Ab is on top, the (1) tells you that this is a "first rotation" trichord, akin to a "first inversion".
Below each trichord are numbers are a pair of numbers, describing the type of 026 trichord, as well as the interval relationship between each note, based on that trichord's prime form (similar to "root position") and which uses the smallest possible number to describe the distance, in semitones, of each ascending interval.
There are two possibilities with the 026 pitch class - 2+4 and 4+2. This is a concept I picked up over time from saxophonist John O'Gallagher's ground breaking book "Twelve-Tone Improvisation (Advance Music)", which I've mentioned several times in previous posts . Both versions of 026 consist of a Maj 2nd (Ab-Bb, 2 semitones), a Maj 3rd (Bb-D, 4 semitones) and a tritone (Ab-D, 6 semitones), as is the 2+4 shown on the first two beats of bar #1 below, over a Bb7 (dominant 7 tonic chord).
The next trichord in bar #1 is designated as 4+2(1). Going by the interval counting method of the previous trichord, you might call this a "2+6", but remember... it must be described by it's smallest ascending interval distances in prime form. So - Ab-C = Maj 3rd = 4 semitones and C-D = Maj 2nd = 2 semitones = 4+2. The tritone between Ab-D rounds out the interval content. Since the Ab is on top, the (1) tells you that this is a "first rotation" trichord, akin to a "first inversion".
Moving on to bar #2, over the Eb7 (subdominant), the first 3 notes (Db-Eb-G) make up a 2+4 trichord in prime form. The (*) next to the number underneath indicates that this is a melodic permutation, meaning that the order, but not the rotation (inversion) of the pitches has been changed.
Much more on permutations can be found in "Pemutation Station 1235" and "“Permutation Station II - Next Station: Inversions” (see below, at the bottom of this page).
The next trichord in bar #2 (F-Db-G) is again a 4+2 in prime form (Db-F-G) as well an inversion. Note how the first note (F) of this trichord shares a triplet with the previous one. As explained so far, the rest of the above example should start to be clear. The "PT" designation at the end of meas. #3 indicates... "Passing Tone".
In hearing and playing each version of an 026 trichord, notice the subtle difference between a "2+4" and a "4+2", which is the of a Maj 2nd or Maj 3rd between the tritone.
You may have noticed that both are derived from the same Whole Tone scale.
Much more on permutations can be found in "Pemutation Station 1235" and "“Permutation Station II - Next Station: Inversions” (see below, at the bottom of this page).
The next trichord in bar #2 (F-Db-G) is again a 4+2 in prime form (Db-F-G) as well an inversion. Note how the first note (F) of this trichord shares a triplet with the previous one. As explained so far, the rest of the above example should start to be clear. The "PT" designation at the end of meas. #3 indicates... "Passing Tone".
In hearing and playing each version of an 026 trichord, notice the subtle difference between a "2+4" and a "4+2", which is the of a Maj 2nd or Maj 3rd between the tritone.
You may have noticed that both are derived from the same Whole Tone scale.
Listen
The harmonization consists of virtually all Whole Tone Scale derived dominant 7th chords (9th, b5 & b13th as extensions). In bar #4, both trichords are from different Whole Tone scales, but from the same Diminished Scale.
So there are the first 4 bars. Download the single page pdf of the complete 12-bar version for your instrument (or download 'em all) from the links below. The "2+4 & 4+2" designations were only written out for the first 4 bars, so you can use this as a worksheet and fill in the rest, when you get tired of Netflix, or whatever.
So there are the first 4 bars. Download the single page pdf of the complete 12-bar version for your instrument (or download 'em all) from the links below. The "2+4 & 4+2" designations were only written out for the first 4 bars, so you can use this as a worksheet and fill in the rest, when you get tired of Netflix, or whatever.
Download PDF (Free B.!!)
You most likely hadn't thought about the Blues in quite this way. I know I haven't!
B. Safe!
B. Stern
B. Safe!
B. Stern
There's a whole lot more info on the subject of the 026 Trichord and Permutations in the form of exercises & sequences, etc. in the books below.
Click images to enlarge
Click images to enlarge
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