V7 to I Melodic Exercise 6-1

[features_box_yellow width=”75%” + border=”2px”]Level:  Intermediate

Learn this lesson after having mastered the Chordal Melodic Exercise.[/features_box_yellow]

This exercise is in several parts.  Melodically, resolve the “unstable” V7 chord to the “very stable” I Chord.  The V7 is “restless” because the third and seventh in the chord are leading tones.  The leading tones literally want to be resolved to the stable I chord.  The third of the V7 (G7) chord is a B, which “wants” to resolve to the I (C) of the C major triad.  And, the F, the seventh of the G7 chord wants to resolve to the third (or possibly the fifth) the the C major triad.

Begin by using two measures.  One measure is the territory of the V7 and the second measure is for the I chord.  Put on a metronome at a comfortable tempo.  Then start counting at an eighth-note level (For instance, 1+2+3+4+).    Decide which of the beats to begin your lick or phrase.  For now, keep all of the notes as eighth notes.  Therefore – if you begin the phrase on the and of 3, you will have four notes before you end the phrase at beat one of the next measure (count +4+1).  Incidentally, in this case, we are deliberately ending the phrase, in an obvious place, the first beat (for syncopation, sometimes we end the phrase on the and of four).  It is important that we keep the rules of this exercise to a minimum.  We want to “feel” our way through this.  My suggestion is that you always end on a chord tone of the I chord. Your “intelligent” problem is finding a way to resolve (the operative word) successfully to the I chord.  In other words – use your ear.  Feel the result.  Try an idea of “grading” each lick.  Do this according to your taste.  Perhaps, a “10” is a killer lick and a “1” is worth forgetting.  (See Examples  )
When you have exhausted all the possibilities (in every key) of leaving on the “and of 3”, then explore leaving on 3.  You will notice that now it takes 5 notes to resolve to the I chord (count 3+4+1).  Every time you leave from a different beat – you have to re-organize the notes to the resolution.

After you have accomplished “leaving” from all the possible eighth-note beats, then start playing syncopations and using triplet figures.  This is much more difficult.

Think about it.  When a jazz soloist stands on the stage and performs a solo – he MUST know all of the notes of a lick that he intends to play right through to it’s destination.  If not – the audience will know that he is not in control.  It will also be difficult for him to maintain continuity from lick to lick.

[membership_download_item_pdf link=”http://jsfp.s3.amazonaws.com/V7-IMelEx.pdf” + target=”_self”]V7 to I Melodic Exercise – Leaving on 3 1/2[/membership_download_item_pdf]

[membership_download_item_pdf link=”http://jsfp.s3.amazonaws.com/V7-IMelExB.pdf” + target=”_self”]V7 to I Melodic Exercise – Leaving on 3[/membership_download_item_pdf]

[membership_download_item_pdf link=”http://jsfp.s3.amazonaws.com/V7-IMelExC.pdf” + target=”_self”]V7 to I Melodic Exercise – Leaving on 2 1/2[/membership_download_item_pdf]

[membership_download_item_pdf link=”http://jsfp.s3.amazonaws.com/V7-IMelExD.pdf” + target=”_self”]V7 to I Melodic Exercise – Leaving on 2[/membership_download_item_pdf]

[membership_download_item_pdf link=”http://jsfp.s3.amazonaws.com/V7-IMelExE.pdf” + target=”_self”]V7 to I Melodic Exercise – Leaving on 1 1/2[/membership_download_item_pdf]

[features_box_blue width=”75%” + border=”2px”]Personal Evaluation

[green_tick_2_list width=”100%”]

• I can play the V to I Melodic Exercise in all keys.
• I can start melodies on each beat.