Jazz Improvisation - Bar-line Shift and Superimposition

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This Jazz Piano Tutorial is about Superimposition.
When improvising you can play a melody that outlines or suggests a chord progression different to the one being played by the rhythm section (or your left hand). The easiest way to do this is by using arpeggios (because it spells out the chords), but you can also use the relevant chord-scales.
Anticipate a chord - play a melody (arpeggio, chord-scale, guide tones, etc.) that implies a chord a few beats too early
Delay a chord - play a melody that implies a chord a few beats too late
Omit a chord - play a melody that ignores a chord (play through a chord)
Add a chord - play a melody that implies a new chord not actually played by the rhythm section
Substitute a chord - play a melody that implies a substitute chord a few beats early
Superimpose new chords - play a melody that implies a completely different and unrelated chord progression not being played by the rhythm section.
Anticipating and Delaying a chord during your improvisation is called 'Bar-line Shift'. This technique has been used since the early days of Jazz, especially by people like:
Lester Young
Coleman Hawkins
Charlie Parker
Superimposing a completely new chord progression over an existing one is called 'Superimposition'. This is a more modern technique and has been used by people like:
John Coltrane
Lennie Tristano
David Liebman
Superimposed chord progression sound better if they are structurally strong, functional/cadential or otherwise well-known (cliché). That way, even though the notes you are playing clashes with the underlying harmony, the strong structure gives your solo form and logic and ensures that it still sounds good.
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[@dennisdas]

bar-line shifts brought me here and superimposition left with me. very nicely explained. thank you.

[@Tracks777]

Keep it up!

[@WalkThatBass]

Thanks, mate. Will do.

[@hiddenblade999]

Thank you for sharing this knowledge. It is so hard to learn polytonality and "super imposition" with ear training. As you state in this video, these concepts have all been present in jazz since Bird. But from the standpoint of a naive listener, super imposing scales and chords sounded exotic and complex to me, no matter how many times I had heard them before. I always thought there was a rational explanation for what was happening-- sometimes I couldn't quite make sense of it. At one point I did the Parker Omnibook and saw scales imposed over chords, but the relationships never clear, and the melodic lines didn't necessarily conform to strict ii-Vs or other obvious patterns, which threw me off. Listening to your explanation has cleared up so much of the ambiguity for me. Also now, so many of my old transcriptions make sense! I think super imposition is the one the many great things about jazz, giving the performers infinite freedom and creativity; its why I love this form of music. What a breath of fresh air.

[@WalkThatBass]

Exactly right. Once you realise that you can superimpose your own scales and chords over a song, the possibilities are almost literally endless.

[@hiddenblade999]

On a side note, was transcribing Bill Evans this weekend and Im still seeing obscure tone clusters but I have to say, I feel so much more confident about my analysis after following your video series. I'm starting to get that jazz is really just about endless creative freedom, loosely organized patterns, and ultimately, whatever sounds good. I used to be so stressed out about music theory rules and relationships but now I'm flowing way more at the keys.

[@Josimar.quimico]

Thanks for sharing!!!

[@PIANOSTYLE100]

Havnt communicated lately . Had to put it in watch later. it looks very good but I am working on modes a lot right now. I will put it in my walk that bass also. paul

[@WalkThatBass]

Good to hear, Paul. Keep at it :) I've been a bit busy myself recently. Hard to find the time.

[@jazzercaster4749]

Mate, great job with this, so awesome and clearly explained. I'm wondering if this is the same as something I've been wondering when you have a med/slow tune like weaver of dreams or doxy and have a whole bar of a ii and then a V if you can put in other ii'Vs when playing double time lines, as in instead of F-7///Bb7/// having that going with the band but I'm thinking F#-7/F-7/B7/Bb7/ - Ebmaj7, is that the same type of thing? Also would love to look more into this, have you got any books to recommend? Thanks again!

[@PIANOSTYLE100]

Also them to batman back in the day we sang it . starts on root goes down in half steps and ascends in half steps. good way to hear semitones . Pow kaplunk we didn't know we were learning to read ..music. it has stuck in our head.. I would almost bet you that is one of the most noticable tune there is for many generations .. three notes.. it was the fer Elis of it's day pow.

[@ArgoBeats]

Very interesting this lesson... I'm wondering if there are some fancy (but proper) scales we can use over the "Reharmonization" progression?

[@WalkThatBass]

You can conceivably use any scale you like. It's just that the more exotic your scale, the less it sounds like you're spelling out a new superimposed chord progression. If you play an augmented scale followed by a wholetone scale followed by a diminished scale - it could sound good but it's hard to figure out exactly what progression you're trying to emphasise. Doesn't mean you can't try though!

[@DyfanAlvin]

A very good video thar deserves more views. You can change the title to "Master Jazz Reharmonization In 2 Minutes" to attract more views. Those jazzer-wannabes don't understand what a chord superimposition is. Just joking. Nice job:)

[@kidprodigio1118]

how do you suggest people to go about ear training , so many different ways online which contradict each other....thanks

[@WalkThatBass]

Hey It is hard to say, as everyone is different. You're right though, there are heaps of resources for this online, so click around and find one you like. But you just gotta keep practicing listening and singing - notes, intervals, arpeggios, etc. It's just about repetition and practice, I'm afraid.

[@woejinslow]

i get so tired of playing maj7 I chords. i feel like there are so many ii v alterations. what are some I chord alterations?

[@niconico4138]

You can also play iii min7 or vi min 7, because they can also take on the Tonic function. That would be a substitution though

[@vincentsanpedro8156]

How to create your own chord progression??

[@PIANOSTYLE100]

Found out recently the best way for me to develop a perfect ear is to sing or play a riff. m not a rocker.. but was playing around with some different riffs on guitar.. Main riff of Sunshine of your love.. dd da da da.. oh you can't hear that, lol.. well any ways that riff plays two hits on the home key note then down a whole step then right back to home in e this would be ee d e. I'll say with c. cc b fat to c.. I now have a firm idea of exactly what a descending.whole step I is without having to think Mary had a little lamb.. edc. That's really not been working for me.. then it it's the fifth in c it would be a g. so so now I have the sound of the fifth.. I already had that .Then it goes down by half steps G gflat f. I can hear and hum descending half steps very accurately. at a f it does a lower forth which oddly enough is is an octave lower c . then that the key of c goes up a minor third to eflat.. than back to low c. now I have a very relative way to match a ascending minor third. . There is a lot more to this. . I think they did this in e.not c..