lydianchromaticconcept.com

This example is cool. It is easy to underestimate the thinking behind this approach, since it sounds so simple (due to the lack of movement in the RH).

However, there are only three notes that COULD be played over all three chords and still leave the functional notes (the tritone) in the LH.

At it's most basic, the chord sequence I-IV-V using all 7th chords involves mode II of three Lydian scales (Eb, Bb, and F for F7, C7, and G7 respectively). In order to keep function in the LH, the RH needs to avoid sounding the tritone (tones 1 and 7) in each of the three lydian scales.

There are five non-tritone notes in each lydian scale (2, 3, 4, 5, and 6). By sounding tones 3, 4, and 5 in the main lydian scale (C G and D in Bb Lydian, parent of C7), the same tones can occupy 4 5 and 6 in one lydian scale (Eb Lydian, parent of F7), and 2, 3, and 4 in another lydian scale (F Lydian, parent of G7).

Attempting to use any other combination of three notes results in exceeding the 7-tone boundary of at least one of those lydian scales, and sounding an 11TO or 12TO note.

I have posted a chart that may offer visualization to this....

http://www.4shared.com/file/104934489/6 ... chart.html

Voiceings in fourths are so awesome, not only for their sound, but, as you've demonstrated, for the unifying role they can play between shifting parent scales. Love it.

Can't wait to see what else you've got up your sleeve along these lines. I've got some ideas, too.

By the way, I caught that tritone sub you added at the end - turning C7 into Gb7. Leaving the 4th chord in place for that makes for an "out" sound - a #4, a #5, and a b9 - all tritone counterparts to their original home in the C7. Vive les tritones.

It's certainly a nice feeling to have helped someone gain more insight into their OWN idea.

On the flip side, your example provided exactly a concrete example of MY idea - that of tracking the tritones. Your example made them easy to spot, but in other arrangements, they are still there, and spotting them provides one with an immediate bird's-eye of the harmonic activity going on.

The LH part embodies exactly what the ear hears on such blues changes, but makes it more obvious when voiced this way. I've always felt that the #9/b3 in the traditional major-type blues scale was hinting at the same sound as th b7th in a IV chord.

Holding those three notes over all three chords definitely modernizes the blues progression. It will be nice to see how you apply this idea to minor chords (I'm guessing you use m6 chords and avoid it's TT in the RH, but who knows).