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Thread: Two finger jazz mandolin chords

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    Default Two finger jazz mandolin chords

    Matt Glaser has an effective way of playing jazz chords with two fingers. Getting that uke sound on violin. Here he is playing at 4:15. I've heard Matt play rhythm in very sophisticated ways. He's basically outlining the 3rds and 7ths of chords with moving lines between them. Adding 2-5 chords etc. Freddie Green, Count Basie's guitarist, played in this way, usually using only 2 or 3 strings for uptempo music.
    This could be the basis of a rhythm style for mandolin players with hand problems.

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    Default Re: Two finger jazz mandolin chords

    3rds and 7ths are the notes that define what that chord does.

    Maj7 = 1 3 5 7
    Dom7 = 1 3 5 b7
    min7 = 1 b3 5 b7

    Notice how all these chords have 1 and 5. Those notes don't have much value in determining the function of a chord. 3 and 7 do.

    Pianist Bud Powell usually voiced chords 1 3 7. Later Bill Evans voiced most of his chords 3 7 and a color tone (9, 13, etc).
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    Default Re: Two finger jazz mandolin chords

    Terrific explanation Pete! Thanks for clarifying that. One thing I've noticed in a few theory / method books is the name of chord / ala inversions primarily, designates the bass tone. From what I glean from that, a 7/3 places the seventh on the bass, a 3/7 places the third as the bass note. In that context, a 7/3 and a 3/7 could be played the same way on the same fret but have two distinct harmonic functions. Is that correct?
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    Registered User Pete Martin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Two finger jazz mandolin chords

    Quote Originally Posted by Dolamon View Post
    Terrific explanation Pete! Thanks for clarifying that. One thing I've noticed in a few theory / method books is the name of chord / ala inversions primarily, designates the bass tone. From what I glean from that, a 7/3 places the seventh on the bass, a 3/7 places the third as the bass note. In that context, a 7/3 and a 3/7 could be played the same way on the same fret but have two distinct harmonic functions. Is that correct?
    If I am understanding you correctly, any two notes harmonic function is determined by where you define the root note. And here I am assuming "root note" and "bass note" are the same.

    Lets take two notes, B and F#. If I play these two notes with a G root note, I have a G major seventh (G B F#). If I play Ab as my root note, I have an Ab minor seventh (Ab B F#). Technically an Ab minor seventh is spelled Ab Cb Gb, but they are the same notes If A was the root, we would have an A 6/9 of some kind (there is no third so it could work in either a major or minor context).

    Two notes can have MANY function, depending on where you define a root note. Actually any number of notes can have many functions depending on where the root note is defined. This is one of the fascinating aspects of chord study. Especially in the jazz realm, you can find so many uses of any chord "grip" so to say.

    Hope that answers your question.
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    Registered User Pete Martin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Two finger jazz mandolin chords

    A 3/7 or 7/3 functions as a major seventh chord if the root is 1. Doesn't matter where you play the 3 or the 7.

    Major seven = 1 3 5 7
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    Default Re: Two finger jazz mandolin chords

    Quote Originally Posted by Pete Martin View Post
    A 3/7 or 7/3 functions as a major seventh chord if the root is 1. Doesn't matter where you play the 3 or the 7.

    Major seven = 1 3 5 7
    It does matter if the "1" is the last note of the strum though. Perfect for Bluegrass, and so therefore chop chords. No jazz musician would emphasize the "1" on the top of a strummed chord. Maybe use it on the way to somewhere else. For Jazz its the least interesting flavor in the tonal palette.

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