Navigating Ambiguous Harmony

Peter and Adam take some questions from listeners about navigating some ambiguous harmony in tunes and how to hone your gospel chops.
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[@noneyabid]

OMG! Watching Adam register the outfit walking by at 1:13 tickled my soul. His head actually started to turn to follow, but his brain reminded him he was on camera. 🤣

[@MattLeGroulx]

Learning multiple instruments has made me SUCH a better teacher. When you're in tune with the struggle you can relate to your students so much better. Every teacher should do it.

[@2magicdrummer]

Yes. Concert C Eb Bb are a great advantage

[@BobMazzo]

Peter once played a gospel snippet in one of videos. It was authentic gospel.

[@edzielinski]

Interesting! The way Adam talks about related chords and ways of connecting chords and motion reminds me a lot of Barry Harris's approach which is very holistic, and focused on creating colors and expression more than specific rules. I'm a big fan of viewing the same thing in music from different approaches, because you never know what you might stumble across while you're trying to navigate it. In fact, I'll go a bit bonkers here and say that the difference between very creative and advanced artists and beginners is that you can show them something simple, like a C chord in first inversion, and where the beginner says "its a C" in the same way you would say "it's a chair" the developed artist sees it as a single element in an entire array of chords before and after it - as a landing point, as a launching point, as a stepping stone to a Dbm7, but any one at any level can practice seeing and hearing more like an artist. To paraphrase David Bowie, who had one good eye "I see more with one eye than most people see with two."

[@WilliamCarterII]

Thank you for saying "we're not qualified" to speak on Gospel. I deeply appreciate that tbh

[@chrisharrison809]

Dude who wants to learn gospel style: it comes from the COGIC church organ players. Go look at Sean Wilson piano. He knows exactly what he’s doing. Honestly, after studying it for 15 years, it’s beyond jazz. Pretty simple music is a great channel and a great player and just the nicest dude.

[@2magicdrummer]

Furthermore, not only should you keep learning all those instruments but learning more and focusing however you need on anyone at any one time will help you in the farthest related instrument that receives the least time, as you will notice the various deficiencies at any instruments as related to past visits.

[@2magicdrummer]

So learn tenor sax in addition, you've covered the thinking in C Eb and Bb, as far as relative pitch.

[@rodrigojimenezdearechaga3913]

Thanks for adressing my question! Awesome! Greetings from Uruguay!

[@eeggaarrlleettii]

Te reconocí la rioplatensés en la primera palabra. Buena pregunta, compa.

[@rodrigojimenezdearechaga3913]

@@eeggaarrlleettii tenia una papa en la boca justo, estaba almorzando

[@juanxg]

Looking forward to tonight

[@Jazman493]

Looking forward to the live album recording!

[@minguseyes7475]

Ivan, if you want to get gigs, play bass! Shoutout Novak Djokovic

[@GizzyDillespee]

I think the first question wasn't so much about "chord families" of related triads... but more like... when you start adding upper structures to your chords, all those extra notes that aren't part of the triad, and also don't play the root that often, then "functional harmony" becomes a lot more ambiguous at that point... you might be playing a V chord with barely any V flavor, and a II chord that might as well also be a V, or even some kind of diminished VII, and you see the ambiguity that person was asking about. As far as how to deal with that ambiguity, I defer to the experts🤣. I say go with whatever feels right, but that sounds like a cop out, which is why I said I defer to the experts (the Open Studio teachers, in this case). The bit about related triads is a part of this ambiguity, but the "fancy voicings plus upper structures" ambiguity is more of the issue at hand.

[@GizzyDillespee]

You did touch upon it a little bit towards the end of this question's discussion, but still were fairly stuck on that specific I-iii-vi relationship

[@rodrigojimenezdearechaga3913]

Well i think, in u are thinking in a broader interrelated way , for instance , avoiding the 4th ( or the tonality) in order to remain “home”, or letting it in, but avoiding the tritone to stay in a “subdominant” function .. u can still think in terms of the different chords in order to introduce chromaticism (secondary dominants), what can resolve to any structure . Futermore , is also important rhe place, from a “phraseology” stabdpoint, or harmonic rythym in mind , i mean , which meassure are you in , or if its a softer place of the measure , things start to suboridinate from each other regarding where they are in time . So a structure that could be a “tonic” structure , placed on meassure where a movement , or dominant situatios has already being places , is gonna suborinate to it . The thing is : everything grows so wild and broad , that is really intimidating .. leading us to be overwhelmed in the journey . As bill evans said in one early interview , u need to establish one thing at a time , and nor become overwhelmed (its on u tube, amazing intervew)

[@rodrigojimenezdearechaga3913]

Furthermore . U can still put some harmonic movement into that “tonic place” and still be “home”, considering a more “macro” harmonic analysis and feel , but if you zoom in inside the measure , there mught be some tension and release going on . Men . I feel so overwhelmed woth this stuff , is just to broad to grasp it

[@TomBelknapRoc]

Imma throw a shout out in here for Skilled Musician if folks are looking for gospel-style playing and harmony.

[@josi8150]

Where can i find the intro full song please, i am just unable to find it myself

[@ascaseiro]

Peter Martin's "Emotion in Motion"

[@2magicdrummer]

To sum up Ivans question, drums are the absolute abstract truth of blues and sonic unity you are seeking