[Dixielandjazz] Re: Flatted fifths

[John Farrell]

I use the flatted 5th now and again as a one-beat passing chord when
modulating but always put it in the left hand with a +5 in the right. For
instance, if I wanted to change from an F chord to a Bb chord I might use B
natural (the flatted 5th) as the bass note with an F+ chord in the right -
the whole thing would appear on a fake sheet as F+/B.

Charlie is so right about creating a feeling of tension and release, it is
one of the most important building blocks of jazz.

Don is also bang on target when he suggests that the flatted 5th is now
commonplace in the jazz pantheon and is no longer a niche progression
belonging
exclusively to modernists.

John Farrell
http://homepages.tesco.net/~stridepiano/midifiles.htm

----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Ingle" <dingle at baldwin-net.com>
To: "Charlie Hull" <charlie at easysounds.com>; <theflorences at shaw.ca>; "djml"
<dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 25, 2003 2:39 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Re: Flatted fifths


> When is a flatted fifth no longwer a flatted fifth. Consider these notes
> C E G B D Fsharp. That is the root, third, fifth, major seventh, ninth and
> 11th, all build on major thirds. Now if you drop back to the fifth and
flat
> it, you are enharmonically identical to the major 11th. While a violinist
> might favor the differences as being free to do so, the piano is a fixed
> pitch instrument and so the notes of a flatted fifth and a major 11th will
> only sound as an octave.
> Like all "gimmicks" that come and go in music, the flatted fifth was given
> some special fame in the bebop era, and has long worn out its repuatation
as
> being something special or unique. Use  it but don't abuse it -- as
applies
> as well to anyting else that becomes a cliche.
> With an ool-ya-coo to all,
> Don Ingle
> Don Ingle
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Charlie Hull" <charlie at easysounds.com>
> To: <theflorences at shaw.ca>; "djml" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Saturday, October 25, 2003 9:10 AM
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Re: Flatted fifths
>
>
> > Altered notes - the flatted 5 is probably the most common - are like
> > seasoning in food.  When not overdone they add interest to a solo melody
> or
> > chord.
> >
> > Many compositions and songs use the device of a lowered note which,
being
> > 'out of tune', creates a tension that is eased when the note resolves
into
> a
> > scale note.
> >
> > I'm betting the flatted fifth and seventh, the 'blue' notes, once
sounded
> > out of tune and exotic.  They're now the most common 'seasonings' in
> popular
> > music and in vocal and instrumental stylings.
> >
> > Charlie Hull
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
>
>
>
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