Why You Want To Think in Functional Harmony
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Күн бұрынFunctional Harmony is a great tool if you want to understand how chord progressions flow and use that information to help you improvise better solos and spell out the harmony.
To me, Music theory is something that I can use to tell me how chords sound and how they move in the jazz standards and tonal songs that I play.
This video discusses why this approach to understanding music is very useful for playing Jazz.
If you have seen any of my videos or maybe also some my Instagram posts were on analyzing chord progressions and small melodic fragments then you've seen me reduce the progression for the melodies down to Simple functions so a row with several chords I will often reduce to one or two maybe three functions. It is a way to understand how the progression works.
Solid video on basic functional harmony in 4-5 minutes 12tone basic functional harmony: • Building Blocks: Funct...
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Content:
0:00 Intro - How I use Music Theory
0:38 Music Theory describes how music sounds and works
0:54 #1 Chords Grouped By Sound
1:15 Diatonic Major Chords and Their Function
2:04 Chords with the same function - Tonic and Subdominant
2:41 Minor Subdominant Chords - A shortlist
3:34 Exchanging Subdominant Chords
4:11 12tone and a good breakdown of Tonal Harmony
4:30 #2 It Helps You Think Ahead and Play More Logical Melodies
5:21 #3 Which Chords Are Important and Which To Ignore
5:54 Reducing a Turnaround
6:34 The II V trap (watch out ;) )
7:35 #4 Easier To Solo
8:28 IV IVm I examples
9:40 Same Lick - Different IV IVm Chord Progressions
10:13 #5 More Options over each Chord
10:50 Embellishing and interchanging progressions
11:44 Line using embellished progression
11:57 #6 Hearing Functions instead of Chords
12:35 How Do You Think About Chords and Harmony?
12:54 Like the video? Check out my Patreon Page
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Edited by Luciano Poli
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@leandrogomes7738 4 жыл бұрын
The quality level of your lessons is unbelievable.
@davidraksin9694 5 жыл бұрын
The four years of learning jazz piano, your video helped me truly understand how to think of functional harmony. I definitely think this subject is overlooked by A LOT of jazz piano teachers/youtubers. You don't know how grateful to you because I could not articulate how I didn't understand functional harmony so I would get the basic bread and butter answers online. I guess a problem in learning jazz is interpreting it in such a way the person on the receiving end will understand it. Although from what I've learned, I think jazz is something you HAVE to self teach but also have another jazz brain (that's ahead of you) stray you the "right" direction. Thanks for this video!
@anthonydemitre9392 5 жыл бұрын
That is how I learned harmony in 78. it's always good to be reminded because it gives you so many directions to take the music, Thanks, Jens!
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Great! I had the impression they did not teach like that so early :)
@anthonydemitre9392 5 жыл бұрын
@@JensLarsen Yes it was early but my teacher just finished 3 years at Berkley college in Boston, so I was lucky at that time
@jevanstastic 4 жыл бұрын
One of the most enlightening, pragmatic, and helpful jazz harmony videos I've ever seen!
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
Thank you very much! :)
@goodsport168m 5 жыл бұрын
This video REALLY helped me connect a lot of dots that I've been struggling to connect for almost a decade. I feel like I've been unable to connect jazz chord progressions into the fundamentals of music theory which has basically paralyzed my ability to create any new sounding chord progressions. As a result I've basically written 0 jazz music even though I've wanted to and even took a jazz theory course in college that didn't do me much good in my honest opinion. Really excited to take this to the piano.
@lukeweston1234 4 жыл бұрын
This is like 4 years of experience in just a few minutes thank you so much
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
You are very welcome! I am glad you like it 🙂
@xmendoza2389 3 жыл бұрын
Or just play on mushrooms and you’ll connect the dots
@tjprosper7704 3 жыл бұрын
@@xmendoza2389 Not how it works buddy.
@freeman5885 2 жыл бұрын
I think I've been playing for 13 years now and I still don't get it
@rickneibauer1 4 жыл бұрын
Btw... You are completely opened my mind to theory. I had no idea how amazing theoretic knowledge could be. I have a life time of stuff here. Thank you so much again from Milwaukee, WI, USA
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
Glad to hear it!
@frankpike3684 5 жыл бұрын
Jens I find that I actually learn more watching your less technical videos which focus on the basics as it helps reinforce my study and realise playing something simple very well is better than playing lots of things without focus. Everytime I am getting ahead of myself I watch a video like this and it makes me go back to the nuts and bolts. Thanks again!
@overtonesnteatime198 4 жыл бұрын
This one opened my eyes big time. Major thanks Jens. Honestly I struggle big in order to progress and you’re one of the very few people who can teach me on the spot. I couldn’t possibly thank you enough, music is my life and your helping me live it! 🎸 🎶
@antoninomaltese7615 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for editing all your video on jazz guitar topics. Very clear and well done. Please continue to cover also additional jazz standards.
@frimpit 4 жыл бұрын
Such a great teacher and lesson. Much thanks, Jens!
@jamescopeland5358 3 жыл бұрын
I've never thought about listening for the functions of the tune. I appreciate your lessons so much. You allow me to think as I play. Thx Jens
@Will-sh8kl 3 жыл бұрын
I've been watching your lessons for just a few days and have already made massive progress! Thank you!
@JensLarsen 3 жыл бұрын
You're very welcome! I am glad you like them! 🙂
@jonathanavery7583 2 жыл бұрын
Wow this is a great lesson and has straightened a few things out for me. Fairly familiar with these concepts except the idea of boiling a progression down to these three elements, and on top of that, the flexibility this approach offers, and indeed reducing the mental load. Thanks again for sharing Jens.
@JensLarsen 2 жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful 🙂
@brunoblivious 4 жыл бұрын
I love your videos. This is right at the perfect level for me. I understand everything you're saying, but it's still just beyond where I am. Gives me lots to think about. Thanks! Looking forward to more vids.
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
Glad you find it useful 👍🙂
@TimothyFinbow 5 ай бұрын
This is currently my favourite channel on KZfaq. Thank you for sharing all this information so clearly 🙏
@JensLarsen 5 ай бұрын
Wow, thank you!
@TJKarlson 5 жыл бұрын
This video may have just changed my life.
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
For the better, I hope?
@TJKarlson 5 жыл бұрын
@@JensLarsen Ha! Yeah, this video just made my life a lot better. I've been working my way through a couple of jazz harmony books and books on navigating ii V I progressions and was getting bogged down in the individual chords, so this bit of wisdom has simplified things greatly.
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
That's really great to hear :) Playing changes is an important skill, but playing music is more important!
@SeanWilsonPiano 4 жыл бұрын
agree!!!
@jeffteza682 5 жыл бұрын
Excellent video Jens. I understood many substitutions and chord functions but you connected the dots for me with this video. The examples doing chordal substitutions and common lines over different progressions brought it home to my ears. Thankyou.
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Glad you find it useful, Jeff!
@arrodlaroque 3 жыл бұрын
This is single-handedly the best video lesson I've seen on chord theory!! Can't believe I went all these years without knowing this - thank you so much Jens!
@JensLarsen 3 жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful! 🙂
@andreasvangreunen 4 жыл бұрын
This is really profound, thanks for posting this lesson Jens!
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
You're very welcome Andreas!
@scottmilner 5 жыл бұрын
Thanks so much again , Jens! Helps make sense and simplify progressions on which I am trying to improvise.
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Glad you like it, Scott 🙂
@fifthape2119 5 жыл бұрын
Last night I looked at Bill Evan's "Waltz for Debby" and was so confused on how to see the chords functionally. Your video has given me some confidence that now, I might be able to understand "Waltz for Debby" chord functions. I see that there are some KZfaq videos on "Waltz for Debby explained" that I'll them too. The timing for this video is just right -- understandable and what I need. This video is going to keep me busy for quite a while. Today, I ordered your book "Modern Jazz Guitar Concepts: Cutting Edge Jazz Guitar Techniques With Virtuoso". Thank you also for referencing 12tone. I learned something from him too. It shows that you are secure in your abilities to give outside references!
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Glad you liked it! I hope you enjoy the book!
@dragmio Жыл бұрын
Wow, Jens, this is pure gold! It's as if you're giving us the best kept secrets. You'll make jazz guitarists of us all! ;)
@lionPGF Жыл бұрын
Thank you Jens! Another great lesson and such an easy way to talk about this huge jazz theory chapter !
@JensLarsen Жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@whiskyngeets 5 жыл бұрын
Schoenberg's Theory of Harmony is a good read (although sometimes needlessly verbose and philosophical) - in particular the bits about dealing with Minor tonalities and how the 6th and 7th scale degrees should be altered depending on their ascending or descending movement and ultimate functional goal. I found this more functional and fluid way of thinking helpful in jazz, where I agree that the prevailing idea of a static chord scale method can leave out the nuance of context. It matters where you came from and where you're heading! Thanks for the vids Jens. Cheers from Atlanta.
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Glad you like it :)
@andrealombardo3189 3 жыл бұрын
Very useful and well explained material, as usual. Always the best, dear Mr. Larsen! Please give us another video about using functional harmony concepts for making solid lines through the changes!!
@JensLarsen 3 жыл бұрын
Thank you! Did you check out these videos: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/iK2WoLx9ztjLYX0.html
@pjokivuo 5 жыл бұрын
A really excellent and very helpful lesson, many thanks again Jens!
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
You're very welcome! :)
@rieske2000 3 жыл бұрын
Again this is a great explanation. Some of the thing I hear and play, start to makes sense now :) Thanks a million!
@JensLarsen 3 жыл бұрын
Great to hear!
@mattfwilkey 5 жыл бұрын
Such a useful, thorough and well explained lesson. Thank you Jens.
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Glad you like it Matt! :)
@nicolasbilbao9162 2 жыл бұрын
hey mate you are my super hero....!!! love your class....I am learning a lot ....thanks for ever
@JensLarsen 2 жыл бұрын
Great that you can put it to use 🙂
@urbachd 5 жыл бұрын
Wow, Jens, such a useful lesson! Thank you! I have yet to try it, but it's opened my ears to stuff I knew but didn't know I knew. The best!
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Thank you, Dan
@carlotapuig 4 жыл бұрын
Wow, this video was fantastic. I'm not into jazz and when I read/played some jazz progressions, I saw so many chords and some looked so strange that it was very difficult to memorize or change chords quickly. It took me very long to intuitively understand some things (some I never really understood) that this video easily explains in 5 minutes. Basically, with a list of which chords can play which functions you can start trying jazz things pretty much straight away. I wished I had this info before:)
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
Really glad you like it! :)
@luvpants2012 4 жыл бұрын
Brilliant lesson. I played Rock and folky pop for 30 years. I'm 50 now and I finally see what kind of player I want to be.
@omarhamouda9512 4 жыл бұрын
This is absolutely life changing; chord changes I previously had to think so hard about are so much easier Thank you so much
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
So glad to hear that! 🙂
@omarhamouda9512 4 жыл бұрын
@@JensLarsen Just a Quick question tho, can MinMaj7 function tonic chords as well as subdominant minor chords? Eg the sequence is F#min7b5, B7, EminMaj7, Amin7. How would you think of this EminMaj7 when improvising? Thank you tons again
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
@@omarhamouda9512 Yes, the type of chord doesn't say too much about the function. A minor chord can be tonic or subdominant, a dim chord can be subdominant or dominant.
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
@@omarhamouda9512 And in that progression you have II V I IV in E minor
@omarhamouda9512 4 жыл бұрын
@@JensLarsen Okay yep that clears things up, thank you:) You should defo consider making a similiar video about condensing progressions with functional analysis, but in minor keys; could be super helpfull
@aleksandralaurens8739 5 жыл бұрын
I've been trying to understand some Beatles songs and their odd harmonies and this video came right in time. Thank you so much for all this great content! ♥
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Glad you like it! :)
@aleksandralaurens8739 5 жыл бұрын
I loved it!
@federicorubin7297 5 жыл бұрын
Really great material to work on my jazz playing. Jens, you are an amazing teacher. Love your content
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
You're very welcome! Glad you like it!
@EclecticSceptic 4 жыл бұрын
Very helpful video, thanks Jens.
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
My pleasure!
@jimmyc5498 5 жыл бұрын
You hit some great concepts. For me, anything jazz, rock, country always can break down to tonic, sub, dominant. A good way to “dial back” is taking rhythm changes and playing around the root key. In Bb, even the G7(with a major 3rd in it) can be treated with a Bb major scale, giving a b3 bluesy sound over the G7. Sequences and little motifs are way easier by grouping chords together as long as you catch important chord tone movement like you said. Thanks
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Glad you like it Jimmy :)
@slickwillie3376 5 жыл бұрын
As usual, awesomely fascinating stuff. 😎
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Glad you like it!
@PaulTillery 4 жыл бұрын
You continue to amaze me with the clarity and importance of your content. Not just telling someone to use Dorian over a min7 chord. But how we think as jazz musicians. I share your videos with my own students to reinforce what I’ve been teaching. Your approach is great, and helps out my more advanced students. Thank you
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
Thank you very much, Paul! That really makes my day to hear 🙂
@Hooli31 3 жыл бұрын
you are right, telling "play dorian on m7" it s like giving a fish to someone instead of teaching him how to fish, and i have lost so much time in complex concept while in reality it comes to very easy and simple concept to understand. Jens gives the way to see the broader picture instead of the small window
@andrewrwhitfield 5 жыл бұрын
Awesome video! Thanks Jens.
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
You're very welcome, Andrew 🙂
@PsyJaye 3 жыл бұрын
Jens you have given me new language & direction to communicate with my keyboard player - what is natural for a keyboardist is often work for guitar but this helps to level the playing field so to speak...
@stevenpalty2027 5 жыл бұрын
Great lesson. When I studied harmony and theory with Dick Grove in the late 70s some of our homework assignments were to correct chord charts of standards and show tunes and harmonize the songs with chords that had a clearly identifiable function. This way we could see the essence of the song's harmony without embellishment or confusion.
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Thank you! Yes we did that as well :)
@zacharyfox248 5 жыл бұрын
This was very helpful in explaining the application of functional harmony. I believe I've watched the 12 Tone video in the past (dude is awesome), but I kinda sat on the information. This has really helped fill in the gaps and shown the possibilities of its application. Thanks again!
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
You're very welcome Zach. I am glad you like the video
@jacquesmariomartingale7353 5 жыл бұрын
Many Thanks for this superb approach to Functional harmony - i was only acquainted to Minor/Major pentatonic scales - i am sure this will be of a great help to Me for playing some basic jazz melodies - once again Many Many Thanks for your help
@ericwilliamson9869 4 жыл бұрын
Subscribed! I’m so happy I found your channel.
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
Thank you! I hope you find something you can use 🙂
@SalvaROCK 5 жыл бұрын
Excellent!! Very useful video. Thanks Jens!!
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Thanks, Viajerosonico1. Glad you found it useful!
@SalvaROCK 5 жыл бұрын
@@JensLarsen Sure, it's very clear and well structured. I'm glad to follow you. Best!
@frankvaleron 2 жыл бұрын
Really helpful lesson, glad you linked to it today
@JensLarsen 2 жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful, Frank!
@pz29 Жыл бұрын
This is a very intriguing concept to me as a self-taught amateur. Chord function, never really thought of them this way, but it makes sense. I am not yet sure I have completely wrapped my mind around it yet, but it is definitely something to keep investigating. Thanks for the lesson.
@RC32Smiths01 5 жыл бұрын
Awesome concept understandable by yours truly! Interesting to learn, as with all of your videos!
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Thank you! Always great to hear that the videos are useful :)
@RC32Smiths01 5 жыл бұрын
@@JensLarsen Why of course! Keep up the great work!
@ParsevalMusic 4 жыл бұрын
fantastic as always
@Morganstudios Жыл бұрын
Great video and awesome job driving these points home.
@JensLarsen Жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it!
@Simon0896 5 жыл бұрын
This is a great lesson. I am learning Jazz especially by listening and copying great musicians (and of course improvising) and this is why your lesson is fantastic: you are able to articulate clearly what I am learning while copying. Music consists mainly of building and releasing tension. Tonal, Subdominant, Dominant. A song is like a journey from the beginning point (tonal) to very far places (much tension/dominant) or to very near places (not to much tension/subdominant). That idea helps me to think ahead and to understand music. It helps also when learning a song by heart.
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
You're very welcome, Simon! I think that is a very good description of a lot of what is going on in the music :)
@downhill240 5 жыл бұрын
Blowing my mind!
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Thank you downhill2400! 🙂
@dhruvalance1323 5 жыл бұрын
Jens, thanks again. I do think in functional harmony, what has happened in my personal process is that I started as a "pentatonic" "free mayor scale/natural minor player" playing over changes. Then I realized I was not skillful in describing harmony with single note soloing. Then I started playing more arpegios with emphasis on 3d's and 7th's and started to understand harmony description, this meant thinking through every chord. Then I did not wanted to be too literal in what's going on, so I started to think more on tonalities that hold entire chords progressions and trust my ear, and now my ear create very free lines that actually describe harmony too but in a more interested way. As today, I am in the process of learning to organize my vocabulary in terms of diatonic/ outside/ angular/ tertian / very chromatic/ slightly chromatic/ etc...
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Sounds like you are on the right track :)
@ruthmanning2303 3 жыл бұрын
BraVO .... Good teachings. I have saved lots of your vids. I am determined to Learn More and I am in Way.......Over my Head.. but Loving It. 🌴🌴🌴🌴
@jrbr549 5 жыл бұрын
Usually I can follow right along with you. This is a video that's going to take me some time to digest. Good stuff.
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Thank you! You can always ask if something is unclear 🙂
@jrbr549 5 жыл бұрын
@@JensLarsen : Why are Em7 and Am7 considered tonic? Is it because the A and the E are a 3rd above the tonic or because Em7 is Cma9 no root while Am7 is Cmaj6?
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
@@jrbr549 That too, but it is not only about the notes in the chord, it is also about how the chord sounds in the key. Only looking at the notes is a little like going back to chord/scale stuff where the surrounding music doesn't matter
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
What is your approach to analyzing music and does it tie into how you hear music? The 5 Chord Progressions You Need To Know For Jazz: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bb13a8diqZa1iWw.html
@vhollund 5 жыл бұрын
I think turnaround combinations all the time when i play something with functional harmony What is interesting is that your approach is to simplify and cook down the turnaround In fast "rhythm" changes, it becomes handy unless one is 100% monster bebob player I've spend alot of time finding voicings and approaches to 6 2 5 1 and avoiding playing bebob lines I'd be interested in seeing a video were you explore simplifying bebob /rythme changes into more etherique melodic improvisation and develop an interesting solo over longer periods of time And also in that context how you train periodic sense in a cooking band
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
@@vhollund Ok. I am not sure I understand why you would play a piece like rhythm changes not to play bebop? Then I would just pick another piece. That's a bit like trying not to play blues on a 12 bar blues to me?
@rogerjeune9034 5 жыл бұрын
Hello. How can I purchase your book called jazz with DVD?
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
@@rogerjeune9034 I have a book for sale on my website, link in the description of this video. I don't have any DVD's out
@damonshanabarger2604 5 жыл бұрын
This video is very informative. I think this is one of the two best videos you've produced. The other one is Only Three Jazz Scales. You've given me much to think about. Thank you Jens Larsen.
@Djangoat68 5 жыл бұрын
Great video - please continue to dive into more details of jazz harmony
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Thanks Ray! I already have a lot of videos on theory, so just have a look around :)
@duh_matos_ 3 жыл бұрын
This video just awnsered my doubt of dominant and subdominant thanks a lot Jens, great as always
@JensLarsen 3 жыл бұрын
Glad to hear it!
@marcelllengkey2652 4 жыл бұрын
Thankyou so much, this is a gold for me, i've been searching a lot of videos and lesson about this, but this one kicks me out 😂
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
That's great! Glad you like it!
@emadismusic 5 жыл бұрын
Excellent! A lot of modern jazz standards are filled with ii-V (without going to I), and they go by pretty quickly. I have often just used m7 or dom7 arpeggios or relative major/minor scale ideas on each of them, which leads to parallel and repetitive ideas. So your explanation o functional harmony really simplifies things very well. Thanks!
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Great that you find it useful! :)
@Gusrikh1 5 жыл бұрын
Very well explained and presented.
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Thank you :)
@manumanu10 4 жыл бұрын
Wow! amazing advice!
@oscarandgroucho 4 жыл бұрын
I spent half this video trying to find out where I'd left a second video playing. Jens, like a Hitchcock film, your stories are interesting enough to stand on their own -- they don't need the background music. We musicians, in particular, find background music distracting. That said, I always enjoy your lessons.
@baranyiproduction 5 жыл бұрын
Another great lesson Jens, Thank you. We need to meditate around the content at least a month, some other 2 until we are able to turn it to 'reality on the neck'. Anyway, a fantastic lesson.
@ericrobillard8933 3 жыл бұрын
perfect lessons. thank you
@grobertabidbol4005 5 жыл бұрын
Great lesson !
@EmanuelHedberg 5 жыл бұрын
Great lesson Jens!
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Thank you very much, Emanuel! Praise from a colleague is always great 🙂
@stevebadachmusic 5 жыл бұрын
I like that you have some jazz going on in the background while you're talking. even on a jazz channel, the music is still relegated to wallpaper! haha.
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
At least it is homemade 😂
@spivvo 5 жыл бұрын
What I really meant was, brilliant lesson! Just my oblique British humour and way of expressing myself. Thanks for another great lesson... it does make a lot of sense and my summary was a bit crap. Keep them coming, I am certainly a big fan!
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
No worries, Paul. It's difficult to know exactly what people mean in YT comments :) Glad you like the video!
@carlpowell0 5 жыл бұрын
This is actually a fantistic video. Thanks jens. Particularily great example around 10 min with the same over different progressions where the chords subs are essentially a similar function. Thankyou :-)
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Glad you like it, Paul!
@bradfordmasters197 3 жыл бұрын
you're a great teacher, thank you so much
@JensLarsen 3 жыл бұрын
Glad to hear that you find the videos useful 🙂
@tareknebri1995 4 жыл бұрын
Exellent lesson ! i think that's how joe pass was also thinking when improvising, only he wasn't thinking in term of subdominant chords as they were part of the dominant chords in his approach i think
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
You certainly tell that he does that sometimes! Good observation 👍
@verandi3882 5 жыл бұрын
more jewelry ads on this channel again ..., oh right it is because the lessons are GOLD , that was very useful thank you very much
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Haha! Thanks, Omar!
@solitudefarmcafe3994 5 жыл бұрын
really amazing musician Jens!!! thanks
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Glad you like it Davide!
@puzahki 5 жыл бұрын
Excellent video, thank you
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Glad you like it, Craig 🙂
@joepascual967 5 жыл бұрын
Fantastic lesson. You just simplified my life. I was listening to this lesson and I could visualize the fretboard while doing bench presses. :)
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Really glad you like it, Joe!
@joepascual967 5 жыл бұрын
@@JensLarsen I love playing around with the concept of repurposing licks, melodies, and runs that I normally use in a different harmonic context. Simplifying chords into their functions as well as seeing alternative chords you can use that perform the same function makes this all come together for me. Just need to start playing around with it now. You gave me a nice roadmap. Thank you.
@marcosdimagi128 2 жыл бұрын
As sax an guitar (not a good one :) ) player this is the most useful video I have found on your channel. The the kind of things that really change the way you think in music. Many thanks Maestro!
@JensLarsen 2 жыл бұрын
Glad to hear that Marcos! It is great when the videos are useful beyond guitar 🙂
@BillyJ57 2 жыл бұрын
Great lesson Jens. I remember learning this years ago. I'm going to have to study more theory with you.
@JensLarsen 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks! Great, maybe check out some of the videos analyzing standards. There is a playlist on the Channel :)
@BillyJ57 2 жыл бұрын
@@JensLarsen I will Jens Thanks
@vincentseverino469 Жыл бұрын
I love these videos I'm late to the party but he's the best. Absolute beast. And seems hella nice too
@JensLarsen Жыл бұрын
Thank you! :)
@vincentseverino469 Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@shawnl680 5 жыл бұрын
Your lessons saved my life
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Thank you! I am surprised they could, but glad you find them useful! :)
@DARKBassRsR 3 жыл бұрын
Your guitar tone ohh my goddddd. I envy that tone
@turbodownwarddog Жыл бұрын
Extremely helpful!!!
@JensLarsen Жыл бұрын
Glad to hear that 🙂
@spyrossmpitas758 4 жыл бұрын
Very nice work Mr. Larsen. It is something that i prefer to do a lot because it provides much more possibilities and material for you to improvise and create new sound and lines. You can play A-7 arpeggio and E-7 arpeggio over a CM7 chord or Em pentatonic and Em blues scale. I like also the way Pat Martino converts everything into minor. This is something that helped me a lot and i was already thinking like that when i discovered Pat's minor thinking although i am not doing exactly the same think. Its something that a lot of players do like in G7 playing D-7 arpeggio. In C7 altered chord playing Db minor pentatonic or Eb minor pentatonic gives you all the extensions or triads lik Gb and Ab... Anyway i like your videos a lot keep doing what you are doing
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks Spyros! You can indeed use those arpeggios too, though that is a slightly different topic than this video :)
@beethoven2137 Жыл бұрын
Functional harmony is a german view about the chords in a scale. It is extremly helpful, maybe the most useful tool in the music theory.
@andrewcallous9688 5 жыл бұрын
Great video. Thanks a lot!
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
My pleasure, Andrew! Glad you like it!
@bensacc 5 жыл бұрын
this is a truly great lesson
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
You're very welcome! I am glad you like it! 🙂
@RetiOrchid58 5 жыл бұрын
I don't understand all of this yet, but I get enough to find it very interesting and making sense to me in essence. Thanks!
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Just keep at it :)
@trombonemunroe 4 ай бұрын
Just to restore key agnosticity to the conversation, I just want to clarify that at 3:28 when we speak of Minor Subdominant variants, we're talking about ivm7, ivm6, ivmMaj7 bVII7 (backdoor dominant) iiø, bVIMaj7, bIImaj7 Left here for those who find it helpful ;)
@aykutsahin939 4 жыл бұрын
Wow! Brilliant instruction! Functional harmony is a real breakthrough. I have read many people who criticized Chord-Scale Theory but then most fell short of offering another operational structure instead. Functional harmony fills the gap exactly. The next logical step came in the end; hearing functions! Would it be possible to coin a feeling or mood to functions like; question or ambiguity for subdominant chords - reasoning or argument for dominant chords - resolution, affirmation or consolation for the tonic chords? Because hearing the chord function would eliminate guesswork and enable the player to play in real time! Cheers...
@air9music 4 жыл бұрын
I got a separate notebook just for this channel. Amazing stuff.
@JensLarsen 4 жыл бұрын
Thank you 🙂 👍
@ajadrew 5 жыл бұрын
I was aware of diatonic substitutions but often wondered why some of my lines sounded better than others. Thanks for giving me another piece of the jigsaw..;-))
@JensLarsen 5 жыл бұрын
Great to hear, Andrew :)
@ajadrew 5 жыл бұрын
@@JensLarsen I've played countless 'better lines' this morning Jens & I'm smiling big time!! Thank you...;-))
@josephmenter1294 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@stevecrounse1789 9 ай бұрын
I really enjoyed many of your videos. And this simplification. Or distillation of the chord progression is a great way of thinking. But I wish you would put it into context. Analyze a standard in this way. All the things you are, something like that. I'd love to see your thoughts on it.
@JensLarsen 9 ай бұрын
Thank you! Making a video like this about a song would exclude everyone that does not know the song, so that is not a very good way to approach it in my experience. But you can check out some of the videos I have done on analyzing standards in the past: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pqeeh8Kozpi7eo0.html
@johnmcminn9455 Жыл бұрын
one of my favorite things is the vii half diminished is actually Dominant but it can also be substituted for Subdominant if you think of it like a Dorian blues scale
@jjpetrie3254 3 жыл бұрын
Yes Jens, I totally agree with this method of thinking! I've found you can do the same with understanding lines in transcription or playing what you can hear. Instead of thinking about the individual notes you can think about: Where the line starts (maybe on the 9 or 7th or 3rd etc). Is it an ascending/ descending phrase. Is it an Arp, scale, pentatonic or chromatic approach/ enclosure? (These are the most common but sometimes it might be something really rhythmic sticking around only a couple of notes. Obviously a phrase is usually a combination of multiple). Finally, where does it resolve to/ end? If you think about this generally rather than getting caught in the details it's really useful for transcription and playing the lines you really hear! Thanks again, great lesson
@jinzzarella 3 жыл бұрын
So so so nice !!!! 👍👍👍
@JensLarsen 3 жыл бұрын
Thank you very much
@alainvosselman9960 5 жыл бұрын
Thanks a lot for this lesson it was very great. I had a more intuitive notion of chord functions. To me they are tools to steer the energy and tention of a piece and i also listen to music in those terms. Usually the tonic is expressed in a calm way and without much extreme tentions. As a line progresses to subdominant part, it increases in tention to end up in a dominant climax with most tention. Dominant chords almost scream out to find their sollution back into the tonic or a new tonic. This simple movement of drive, energy and tention/ sollution is expressed in so many ways and can be accellerated or slowed down by making the phrase or progression longer or shorter. It's like the tool to manipulate the 'drive' each song has. Notes want to go somewhere and i call that the 'drive'. But i never understood substitute chords very well, or i did but was not confident enough about it, and therefore i did not use them much when improvising ( i ty to make use of inversions of hords and use empbellishing chords) You can now imagine that it was almost undoable to make a good sounding 'jazz' line that also had the jazz in it. So again, thank you very much this lesson will create a giant leap in my playing !!!!!
@carlpowell0 5 жыл бұрын
Okay my comment was premature you do explain and i understand that by sound how theyre related
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